Hakatha Falnadu ila al-Islam
- Author died
- 1434 AH
- Editions
- Hakatha Falnadu ila al-Islam
Hakatha Falnadu ila al-Islam (Thus Let Us Call to Islam) is a treatise on Islamic propagation (da‘wa) and its methodology written by the Syrian Islamic scholar Muhammad Said Ramadan al-Buti (d. 1434 AH / 2013 CE) . The work outlines the spiritual prerequisites, foundational premises, pedagogical methods, and contemporary doctrinal challenges involved in calling individuals and societies to Islam .
Background and Purpose
Al-Buti frames the work around the evolving challenges facing Islamic societies in the modern era . He observes that while direct ideological and intellectual doubts raised against Islamic creeds have receded in favor of authentic rational proofs, Muslims face systemic external pressures and moral temptations . Consequently, he argues that actively participating in da‘wa has shifted from being a communal obligation (fard kifaya) to an individual obligation (fard ‘ayn) incumbent upon every capable Muslim within their capacity . Al-Buti deliberately kept the work concise to provide an accessible, practical manual for educated Muslims rather than an exhaustive academic tome .
Core Structure and Themes
The book is structured into several thematic sections covering the essential conditions, starting points, methodological principles, and practical problems of da‘wa :
Prerequisites for Da‘wa
Al-Buti establishes primary prerequisites for effective propagation:
- Internalizing Islam: The caller must embody sound belief (iman), outward practice (islam), and spiritual excellence (ihsan), undergoing soul-purification (tazkiya) to rid themselves of selfish desires, arrogance, and egotism .
- Prioritizing Reform within Muslim Societies: Efforts must first focus on rectifying the religious and moral life of the Muslim community itself, as the poor state of practicing Muslims serves as the primary barrier preventing non-Muslim nations from appreciating Islam .
Foundational Premises
The author identifies three essential premises (muntalaqat) to govern the mindset of a caller:
- Da‘wa as Devotional Worship: Propagation is an act of pure worship (‘ibada) aimed solely at God's pleasure, which shields the caller from using religion to seek personal status, leadership, or triumph over adversaries .
- Mercy and Compassion: The impulse to guide others must stem from genuine compassion (rahma and shafaqa) rather than hostility. Al-Buti highlights the critical distinction between anger purely for the sake of God and anger motivated by personal ego (huzuz al-nafs) or injured religious pride .
- Focus on Means Over Results: The caller is tasked only with fulfilling commanded duties—such as clear verbal exposition and wisdom—while the ultimate outcome of guidance (hidaya) and societal transformation belongs exclusively to God .
Methodology
Al-Buti outlines a two-pronged methodology addressing both the intellect (‘aql) and the inner soul (wijdan):
- Intellectual Persuasion: Engaging doubts with rigorous logical and scientific arguments, requiring callers to understand contemporary disciplines like philosophy, psychology, and sociology .
- Spiritual Cultivation and Gradualism: Distinguishing the role of a da‘i (who mentors with wisdom, encouragement, and gradual habituation) from that of a mufti (who merely dictates legal categories of licit and illicit) . For individuals struggling with behavioral practice, he prescribes regular congregational prayer, daily Quranic recitation, structured remembrance (dhikr), and upright companionship rather than overwhelming them with secondary prohibitions immediately .
Critical Issues Addressed
The book analyzes three major pitfalls and misunderstandings arising among modern Islamic activist circles due to ungrounded zeal :
- Excommunication (Takfir): Al-Buti addresses the controversy over declaring rulers or individuals apostates for failing to rule by Islamic law (al-hukm bi-ghayr ma anzala Allah). Drawing on classical scholarship, he clarifies that non-implementation of divine law constitutes sin (fisq) or wrongdoing rather than apostasy unless accompanied by explicit intellectual denial (juhud) or disdain (istikhfaf) . He critiques indiscriminate takfir as an ideological resurgence of the Kharijites .
- Classification of Territories (Dar al-Islam vs. Dar al-Harb): He refutes claims that contemporary Muslim-majority lands have reverted to abodes of war (dar harb). According to the consensus of the Sunni legal schools, lands that were once established under Muslim sovereignty retain their status as Dar al-Islam, placing an enduring obligation upon Muslims to defend and reform them .
- Family Relations: He provides guidance for newly practicing youths living among non-observant family members, emphasizing intensified filial piety (birr al-walidayn), service, and gentle counsel rather than estrangement or arrogant detachment .
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