Min Rawai Abi al-Hasan al-Nadwi fi al-Dawa ila Allah
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Min Rawa'i' Abi al-Hasan al-Nadwi fi al-Da'wah ila Allah (From the Masterpieces of Abu al-Hasan al-Nadwi on Calling to Allah) is a treatise prepared by the Egyptian author Muhammad Ali Muhammad Imam, documenting an address delivered by the Indian scholar Abu al-Hasan al-Nadwi on Islamic proselytization (da'wah) and the mission of the Muslim community .
Background and Publication
The core text of the work is a lecture originally delivered by Abu al-Hasan al-Nadwi in 1366 AH (1947 CE) at a gathering of the Tablighi Jamaat (al-Tabligh wa-l-Da'wah) . The compiler, Muhammad Ali Muhammad Imam, originally incorporated it within his larger book Kalimat Mudi'ah fi al-Da'wah ila Allah, but subsequently extracted and published it as an independent booklet following suggestions from readers wishing to facilitate wider dissemination . The work was published in its first edition in 2005 CE in Egypt, consisting of 55 pages .
Themes and Contents
The treatise traces the mission of Islamic da'wah from the inception of the Prophet's ﷺ message to modern revival efforts, structured around several interrelated topics:
- The Purpose of the Muslim Ummah: The text argues that the emergence of the Muslim community was not intended for mundane pursuits such as agriculture, commerce, industry, political governance, or the acquisition of wealth, as established civilizations had already mastered these domains . Instead, its purpose is defined by divine command in the Quran: كُنتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ ("You are the best community ever raised for humanity—you advocate good, forbid evil, and believe in Allah") .
- Early Trials and the Standard of Devotion: It recounts Quraysh's failed attempt to divert the Prophet ﷺ from his mission by offering him wealth, prestige, and kingship, followed by the decisive engagement at the Battle of Badr, where the Prophet ﷺ tied the survival of his group to the preservation of divine worship, praying: اللهم إن تهلك هذه العصابة لن تعبد ("O Allah, if this small band perishes, You will not be worshipped") . It highlights the historical mission expressed by Rib'i ibn 'Amir before the Persian general Rustam: delivering humanity from servitude to creation toward servitude to Allah alone .
- The Model of Early Medina: The work depicts early Medina as an integrated community where daily professions—trade, farming, and labor—were infused with devotion, religious learning, regular prayer, mutual teaching, and instant mobilization whenever the call for jihad arose .
- Foundations for Spiritual Renewal: To realign contemporary Muslim life with its original standard, the text outlines five fundamental pillars: re-anchoring existence in the declaration of faith (kalimat al-shahadah), establishing prayer (salah), pursuing beneficial religious knowledge ('ilm), maintaining continuous remembrance of Allah (dhikr), and dedicating oneself to collective proselytization (al-da'wah wa-l-tabligh) .
- The Revival Method of Muhammad Ilyas: The treatise reviews the contemporary initiative launched by Mawlana Muhammad Ilyas al-Kandahlawi (1303–1363 AH) in the region of Mewat in India . It examines how conventional religious primary schools (makatib) proved insufficient on their own because they educated isolated individuals while leaving the broader environment unchanged . In response, Muhammad Ilyas instituted a methodology requiring Muslims to allocate specific periods of time—such as forty days or four months—to travel in groups, practice Islamic learning, remind common people of their faith, and revive widespread religious practice .
The booklet concludes by observing the transformative social and moral effects of this grassroots movement across different classes of society and urges Muslims across the Arab world to re-engage with this revived tradition of da'wah .
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