Taawun al-Duah wa Atharuhu fi al-Mujtama

Taawun al-Duah wa Atharuhu fi al-Mujtama (Arabic: تعاون الدعاة وأثره في المجتمع, lit. 'The Cooperation of Callers and Its Impact on Society') is a short treatise on Islamic preaching and methodology by the Saudi jurist and scholar Ibn Uthaymin (d. 1421 AH / 2001 CE) Taawun al-Duah wa Atharuh…+1. The text outlines the foundational principles of calling to God (al-da'wah ila Allah), the essential qualifications and ethics of callers, the necessity of mutual support and unity among them, and practical guidance on navigating disagreements and contemporary methods of outreach Taawun al-Duah wa Atharuh…+1.

Origin and Context

The treatise originated as a public lecture delivered on the evening of Tuesday, 2 Rabi al-Thani 1410 AH (31 October 1989 CE), in the hall of the Faculty of Usul al-Din in Riyadh, affiliated with Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University Taawun al-Duah wa Atharuh…. It was subsequently transcribed, edited, and published along with an extensive question-and-answer session that concluded the event Taawun al-Duah wa Atharuh…+1.

Contents and Themes

The work opens with an exposition of the rank of da'wah in Islamic law, taking as its primary textual basis Quran 12:108: قُلْ هَذِهِ سَبِيلِي أَدْعُو إِلَى اللَّهِ عَلَى بَصِيرَةٍ أَنَاْ وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَنِي وَسُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَمَآ أَنَاْ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ ("Say, 'This is my way; I invite to Allah with insight, I and those who follow me'") Taawun al-Duah wa Atharuh…. Ibn Uthaymin explains that true adherence to the prophetic way requires calling to God upon basirah (sound insight and knowledge), which comprises three indispensable components:

1. Insight into the subject matter being taught or preached Taawun al-Duah wa Atharuh….
2. Insight into the condition and disposition of the recipient (al-mad'u), differentiating between the ignorant inquirer and the obstinate opponent Taawun al-Duah wa Atharuh…+1.
3. Insight into the appropriate method of outreach, prioritizing gentleness and clarity over insults or aggressive confrontation Taawun al-Duah wa Atharuh…+1.

The author emphasizes that reviling falsehood should not be pursued if it produces a greater harm, such as provoking people into reviling the truth or God Himself, citing Quran 6:108 Taawun al-Duah wa Atharuh…+1. He presents the prophetic handling of the bedouin who urinated in the mosque as an archetype of educational forbearance and gentle correction Taawun al-Duah wa Atharuh….

The main body of the lecture discusses several required traits and codes of conduct for callers:

• Personal conformity to the message: The caller must be the first to practice what he enjoins, as inconsistency undermines credibility and carries severe spiritual consequences Taawun al-Duah wa Atharuh….
• Knowledge and caution in legal rulings: Preaching must not stem from sheer emotion; callers without knowledge risk impermissibly prohibiting what God has made lawful or obligating what He has not commanded Taawun al-Duah wa Atharuh….
• Patience: Enduring verbal and physical harm is an inevitable consequence of calling to the truth, as every prophet faced adversaries from among the wrongdoers Taawun al-Duah wa Atharuh….
• Sincerity and selflessness: The caller must invite to God rather than to himself, seeking the triumph of the truth regardless of whether it is accepted through his own efforts or through others Taawun al-Duah wa Atharuh…+1.
• Cooperation and solidarity: Preachers are urged to function as a unified front, consulting one another and overcoming destructive envy (hasad), which Ibn Uthaymin defines, following Ibn Taymiyyah, as resenting the favor of God upon another person Taawun al-Duah wa Atharuh…+1.
• Advising and handling errors: Disagreements in matters open to juristic reasoning (ijtihad) should not lead to discord or division; callers must correct each other privately and respectfully rather than engaging in public disparagement or factionalism (tahazzub) Taawun al-Duah wa Atharuh…+1.

Question-and-Answer Section

The final portion of the text comprises answers to nineteen practical questions posed by the audience Taawun al-Duah wa Atharuh…+1. Key topics addressed include:

• Means of outreach: Permissible contemporary tools, such as audio cassettes and occasional educational activities or drama sketches, are permissible provided they avoid prohibited elements (e.g., lying, cross-dressing, or depicting disbelievers, the Prophet's Companions, or revered Muslim scholars), though the primary foundation must remain the Quran and the Sunnah Taawun al-Duah wa Atharuh…+1.
• Scope of obligation: Preaching is obligatory on every Muslim within the limits of what they know with certainty, supported by the hadith بلغوا عني ولو آية ("Convey from me, even if a single verse"), but laypeople and students must not speak out of ignorance Taawun al-Duah wa Atharuh….
• Disparagement of scholars (tajrih): Defaming scholars and turning people away from them is deemed impermissible, as undermining scholars invalidates public confidence in the prophetic heritage they convey Taawun al-Duah wa Atharuh….
• Doctrinal disagreements and contemporary literature: While the Quran, the Sunnah, and the works of early generations (al-salaf) remain paramount, callers should also benefit from contemporary writings that address modern developments Taawun al-Duah wa Atharuh….
• Enjoining good and public order: Physical intervention to alter reprehensible actions (taghyir al-munkar bi-al-yad) in public spaces is the prerogative of governing authorities; individuals must not usurp it in a way that causes greater harm, though head-of-household responsibilities apply within the home Taawun al-Duah wa Atharuh….
• Institutional and media cooperation: Preachers are encouraged to participate in media outlets and beneficial platforms to fill them with good rather than leaving them to harmful influences Taawun al-Duah wa Atharuh….