Inculcating has a broad meaning, which includes motivation, inspiration, and activation. Human being is a sensitive receptor of inspirations both coming from inner self and from outside world. A person who says, “I should succeed, if I work hard, I certainly can do that,” grabs at an important secret on the way to success. This kind of inculcation is motivating of our own self. On the other hand, a fathers’ inculcating his son as, “you are going to achieve, you are going to be an important person,” is an external motivation.Inculcating has a broad meaning, which includes motivation, inspiration, and activation. Human being is a sensitive receptor of inspirations both coming from inner self and from outside world. A person who says, I should succeed, if I work hard, I certainly can do that, grabs at an important secret on the way to success. This kind of inculcation is motivating of our own self. On the other hand, a fathers inculcating his son as, you are going to achieve, you are going to be an important person, is an external motivation.
Inculcation can be used negatively too. A person who insistently says, I cannot be a man, I cannot succeed, cannot succeed indeed. You cannot be a man of consequence, you are incorrigible, kind of inculcation from a father or teacher, makes him lose all his energy, motivation, and abandon himself to despair.
Everyone can see both positive and negative impacts of inculcating in life. If couple of people asks as if you are sick while healthy, you would certainly feel sick. And if your physician and others motivate you as, You look better, take a look at your face, it is shinning makes you feel good and healthy.
There is nothing that a highly motivated person cannot sacrifice. For example, if rich people are told very well about the virtue of giving in the way God, they would probably spent important amount of their fortune. Inculcated pupils with the love of science would read books of hundreds of pages without getting bored. When soldiers are told about the virtue of being martyr, they would run to die with a smile on their faces.
We would like to dilate upon the last example by giving a Quranic verse as an example. Say (to the hypocrites): "Or else are you are expecting for us other than one of the two best things (namely, victory or martyrdom in Gods cause)? But what we expect for you is that God will inflict punishment upon you from Himself or by our hands! Wait, then, and we too are waiting with you." (At-Taubah Surah, 9:52) The reason why our heroic nation that has emerged triumphantly through the centuries in the battlefields, that has run to die as if it has gone to weddings, indeed mentioned in the above verse as, the two best things (namely, victory or martyrdom in Gods cause). Martyrdom is defined as, Do not think at all of those killed in Gods cause as dead. Rather, they are alive; with their Lord they have their sustenance, Rejoicing in what God has granted them out of His bounty, and joyful in the glad tidings for those left behind who have not yet joined them, that (in the event of martyrdom) they will have no fear, nor will they grieve. (Al-Imran Surah, 3:169, 170) There is no need for numerical majority for the victory, "Many a small company has overcome a numerous company by Gods leave." (Al-Baqarah Surah, 2:249)
They will never fight against you as a united body (in alliance with the Hypocrites, with the Jews of Khybar and others), unless it be from within fortified strongholds or from behind high walls. Severe is their belligerent discord among themselves (except when not opportunistically allied in warfare against you). You think of them as one body, but in fact their hearts are at odds with one another: This is because they are a people who do not reason (and come to an understanding of the situations they face). (Al-Hashr Surah, 59:14)
However, believers sometimes can show humane weakness. Then they could dissipate, and suffer the defeat. For example, at the end of the Uhud War, Muslims were abandoned. Especially rumors about Prophet Muhammads death during the battle of Uhud had spread and this had destroyed the Muslim communitys morale. Verses about the matter state;
(Did you think that this cause of Islam subsisted not by God but while Muhammad was alive among you? If so, know that this cause depends on God and as for his part in it, know that) Muhammad is but a Messenger, and Messengers passed away before him. If, then, he dies or is killed, will you turn back on your heels? Whoever turns back on his heels can in no way harm God. But God will (abundantly) reward the thankful ones (those who are steadfast in Gods cause). It never occurs that a soul dies save by Gods leave, at a time appointed. So whoever desires the reward of this world, We give him of it (in the world); and whoever desires the reward of the Hereafter, We give him of it; and We will soon reward the thankful. And how many a Prophet has had to fight (for Gods cause), followed by numbers of godly, dedicated servants of God; and they did not become faint of heart for all that befell them in Gods cause, nor did they weaken, nor did they abase themselves (before the enemy). And God loves the patient and steadfast. What they said (when they encountered the enemy) was: "Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and any wasteful act we may have done in our duty, and set our feet firm, and help us to victory over the disbelieving people!" So God granted them the reward of this world as well as the best reward of the Hereafter. Indeed God loves those devoted to doing good, aware that God is seeing them. O you who believe! If you follow those who disbelieve (the hypocrites and Jews in Medina who spread negative propaganda concerning the events at Uhud), they will drive you back on your heels (into unbelief), and you will turn utter losers (in both this world and the next). (Al-Imran Surah, 3:144-149)
These above mentioned verses are piece of inculcation poems that can jolt a nation out of their mental lethargy.
Let us look at the verses about the people who did not participate to the campaign of Tabuk. O you who believe! What excuse do you have that when it is said to you: "Mobilize (for the campaign of Tabuk) in Gods cause!" you cling heavily to the earth? Are you content with the present, worldly life, rather than the Hereafter? Yet slight is the enjoyment of the worldly life as compared with the Hereafter. (At-Taubah Surah, 9:38)
The Holy Quran while encouraging Jihad, it also gives examples of past generations: Among the believers are men (of highest valor) who have been true to their covenant with God: among them are those who have fulfilled their vow (by remaining steadfast until death), and those who are awaiting (its fulfillment). They have never altered in any way. (Al-Ahzab Surah, 33:23)
After we see the influence of inculcation even to the life of a human, we can easily say that it is possible to reach to any kind of altruism with a positive and strong inculcation.
FAQ in the category of Conveying the Message of Islam
If Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) were alive, how would he treat his disobedient community? Would he turn them back, or would he try to cure them? Would he refuse them, or would he give advice to them? Every Muslim, especially the ones who want to serve Islam, must be conscious of it.What do you think is the most important quality that a person who wants to explain Islam to contemporary people should possess?
Firstly, such a person should live Islam personally and should be an exemplary person in his job, behaviors and attitudes. The most important quality of that exemplary person, in my opinion, is affection. We are the community (ummah) of a Prophet who said my community, my community when he came to the world, who said my community before saying my mother, who said my community instead of saying my children, my grandchildren.
In the my community call, the biggest portion must belong to the terrible end of time that we live in. A father loves all of his children, but he cares more about the one that is deadly ill and remembers that one more the others. His heart beats more for that one. Thus, we must make good use of this big portion out of the my community call. How? By feeling the pain of the sins and disobedience that people from His (pbuh) community commit in our hearts...
We should not confuse disobedience with kufr (disbelief, blasphemy). The words disobedience and sin are used for believers. Unbelievers are not mentioned for their disobedience or sin; they are mentioned for their kufr and shirk (idol-worship, associating anyone or anything with Allah).
Since disobedience and sin are in question for believers, a person committing them does not lose the quality of becoming a member of the community of the prophet. It is lost only by kufr.
Should we not think this way at this point? If Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) were alive, how would he treat his disobedient community? Would he turn them back, or would he try to cure them? Would he refuse them, or would he give advice to them? Every Muslim, especially the ones who want to serve Islam, must be conscious of it.
Both ways of tabligh (conveying the message of Islam) telling the good news of the happiness and the promises and scaring with the torment should work together moderately. Both of them hurt the heart when one is more than the other. Scaring too much results in desperation, whereas promising too much results in laziness and sin.
In fact, the person wishing to help the people of this century should be free of the wrong mentality and destruction of the era. He should get out of the swamp so that he can give hand to other people. This task cannot be fulfilled in the mud... Maybe this task can be fulfilled without enough knowledge; we can learn the things we do not know and transmit them. Or we can take the person to an educated person. However, this task can never be performed without affection.
A person without mercy cannot help people. A person without affection is effortless. A person without mercy will not help others. We cannot breast-feed someone unless we hug him with a mothers affection. However, we can do kill him even from a long distance.
“(Lit is such a light) in houses, which Allah hath permitted to be raised to honour; for the celebration, in them of His name: in them is He glorified in the mornings and in the evenings, (again and again)― By men whom neither traffic nor merchandise can divert from the Remembrance of Allah nor from regular Prayer, nor from the practice of regular Charity: their (only) fear is for the Day when hearts and eyes will be transformed (in a world wholly new)― That Allah may reward them according to the best of their deeds, and add even more for them out of His Grace: for Allah doth provide for those whom He will, without measure .”(an-Nur, 24/36-38)
The interpreters say that what is meant by the word “houses” in the verse are mosques and houses of believers. (see Mawardi, Shawkani, the interpretation of the relevant verse) According to Abu Hayyan, the word “houses” in the verse includes all of the houses where people perform prayers and have religious talks. (see Abu Hayyan, Alusi, the interpretation of the relevant verse). According to Ikrima, these houses are all of the mosques and houses where the light of belief is lit. All of the places where people perform prayers and have religious and scholarly talks in the light of lamps at night are included in the scope of this word. (see Ibn Atiyya, the interpretation of the relevant verse). On the one hand, the electric light that illuminates the houses; on the other hand, the light of belief that enlightens the hearts...
On the other hand, it is remarkable that the word “house” is used instead of the word “mosque” in the verse.
“We inspired Moses and his brother with this message: "Provide dwellings for your People in Egypt, make your dwellings into places of worship, and establish regular prayers: and give Glad Tidings to those who believe.”(Yunus, 10/87)
As it is indicated in the verse above, it is more appropriate to conclude that it is necessary for the houses of the believers to resemble mosques where Allah is mentioned and where people who glorify Him in the morning and in the evening are present. This shows that what fits an ideal Muslim family is to mention Allah in the morning and in the evening, to glorify Him, to read His book and to try to learn the knowledge that will make them attain His consent and it also shows that this duty is mainly incumbent on the head of the family.
It is also remarkable that the verse does not propose a model out of life and that it does not exclude trade and business. Ibn Abbas states the following:
“These people about whom Allah gives His luminous light as an example may be those who do business the most and who buy and sell things the most but these activities do not prevent them from mentioning Allah.” (Mustadrak, 2:432, no. 3506)
The following is also reported from Ibn Abbas about the verses above:
“Mosques are Allah’s houses on earth; they emit light for the dwellers of the sky like the stars that emit light for the dwellers of the earth.”(see Razi, Tafsir, the relevant verses)
The word mosque indicates all places, whether closed or open, in other words, it indicates all parts of the world. As a matter of fact, the following hadith is the best evidence for it:
"... The earth has been made for me a place for praying (mosque) and a clean thing (to perform tayammum)." (Bukhari, Tayammum, 1; Salat, 56; Muslim, Masajid, 3, 4, 5)
“Do not abandon performing prayers at home; know that it is more virtuous for a person to perform the prayers except the fard prayers at home.”
"Do not make your houses cemeteries (Perform some prayers at home). Satan definitely escapes from a house where the chapter of al-Baqara is read."(see Muslim, Salatu'l-Musafirin, 212-213; Tirmidhi, Fadail, 2)
The importance of transforming houses into mosques and glorifying Allah there is indicated in the hadiths above.
It is necessary not to doubt that the houses in which Allah’s perfect attributes, the creed of the hereafter, the prophethood of Hz. Muhammad (pbuh), the heavenly identity of the Quran and the high ethics advised by Islam are mentioned will be like luminous rays and light-emitting candles all the time and especially in this age, when mischief has increased and worldly desires are pursued.
A verse regarding the issue is as follows:
أَتَأْمُرُونَ النَّاسَ بِالْبِرِّوَتَنسَوْنَ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَأَنتُمْ تَتْلُونَ الْكِتَابَ أَفَلاَ تَعْقِلُونَ:
“(O people!) Do ye enjoin right conduct on the people, and forget (To practise it) yourselves?” (al-Baqara, 2/44)
The verse above condemns a person’s forgetting himself, that is, not doing what he preaches, while enjoining others goodness, beauty, beneficial things, worship, and obedience to Allah and His Prophet (pbuh).
However, it is not possible to deduce from the verse that “it is not appropriate for us to tell others what we do not practice in our own lives”.
Yes, man should do what is right, good, and beautiful, and invite others to do them; he should give up bad, ugly, sinful, and useless things, and tell others to give them up. That is ideal. However, a person cannot abandon the duty of enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil just because he cannot do good things or abandon bad things; if he does so, he will have abandoned one duty; thus, his fault will double:
The first fault is not doing what is good, and committing harams and sinful deeds.
The second fault is to abandon the duty of amr bil-ma’ruf wan-nahy anil-munkar, that is, enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil.
Therefore, even if a person cannot practice himself, he should fulfil his duty of giving advice, enjoining good deeds and forbidding evil.
We can say that it is not appropriate to think that a person who does not do what he preaches will not have an effect on others because the duty of man is to tell people good things, to order what is good and to forbid what is evil; success and effect belong to Allah.
Sometimes the speech of a person who does a bad deed can be more effective. For example, a person who has bad habits such as having alcohol, cigarettes and drugs can say to another, “I have been harmed by these bad things; do not get used to them.” It may be more effective than the words of a person who does not have such a bad habit.
To sum up, a Muslim should first do everything he will advise to others, and then tell others to do them. If he does not do it, this should not prevent him from giving advice to others but he should also do or try to do what he preaches.
It is stated that verse 113 of the chapter of at-Tawba was revealed about Abu Talib’s belief. According to what is stated in the narrations of many hadith scholars, primarily Imam Bukhari, and in tafsir books, the incident occurred as follows:
Musayyab bin Hazn narrates: When Abu Talib was about to die, the Messenger of Allah came to him. He and found Abu Jahl bin Hisham and Abdullah b. Abi Umayya next to his uncle. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said to Abu Talib, “O uncle! Say, ‘La ilaha illallah’. I will witness for you with that word and intercede. Say that blessed word.”
Abu Jahl and Abdullah b. Abi Umayya dissuaded Abu Talib by saying, “O Abu Talib! Are you going to abandon the nation of Abdulmuttalib?”
The Messenger of Allah constantly offered him to say kalima at-tawhid. Abu Jahl and Abdullah b. Abi Umayya repeated the same statement. Finally, Abu Talib said,
“I follow the nation of Abdulmuttalib.” He avoided saying La ilaha illallah.
The Messenger of Allah said, “O uncle! By Allah, know that I will persistently beg pardon and mercy for you until I am forbidden to do so.”
Thereupon, God Almighty sent down the following verse:
“It is not fitting, for the Prophet and those who believe, that they should pray for forgiveness for Pagans, even though they be of kin, after it is clear to them that they are companions of the Fire.”(1)
Besides, according to what is stated in tafsir books, primarily Qurtubi, and sound hadith books, verse 56 of the chapter of al-Qasas was also revealed about Abu Talib’s belief. The verse in question is as follows:
“It is true thou wilt not be able to guide every one, whom thou lovest; but Allah guides those whom He will and He knows best those who receive guidance.”(2)
Let us have a look at some hadiths reported in Sahihu Muslim to clarify the issue:
Abbas, the Prophet’s uncle, asked,
“O Messenger of Allah! Abu Talib really protected you and helped you. Did his efforts become useful for him?”
The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) answered as follows:
“Yes. I found him in the deep waves of Hell and placed him in a shallow place.”(3)
Abu Said al-Khudri narrates another hadith regarding the issue: The issue of Abu Talib was mentioned in the presence of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh). He stated the following about his paternal uncle:
“It is hoped that my intercession will benefit him on the Day of Judgment and he will be put in a shallow place in Hell. Fire will reach his heels and his brain will boil because of it.”(4)
“The one to be tormented the least among the people of Hell is Abu Talib. He will put on two pairs of shoes; his brain will boil because of them.”(5)
Tafsir and hadith scholars as well as fiqh and kalam scholars have different explanations regarding the issue; the scholars other than Ahl as-Sunnah have different explanations too.
Mentioning the hadith in sound hadith books stating that the Prophet (pbuh) offered Abu Talib to say kalima at-tawhid but that he did not say it at the time of his death as evidence, most of Ahl as-Sunnah scholars state that Abu Talib died without believing. Abu Hanifa mentions the same hadith and says, “Abu Talib, who was the paternal uncle of the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and father of Hz. Ali, died as an unbeliever.” (6)
It is stated in the hadith we reported from Muslim above that the Prophet (pbuh) placed Abu Talib in a shallow place in Hell. Hadith scholars said, “The Prophet (pbuh) did it on the night of Miraj (ascension) while visiting Hell or he will do it on the Day of Judgment.”
Some scholars who say that Abu Talib died as an unbeliever show a hadith that Ibn Ishaq reported from Ibn Abbas as evidence. According to that hadith, when Abu Talib was on his deathbed, the Prophet offered him to say kalima at-tawhid many times but Abu Talib said, “I do not say it because I do not want Qurayshis say, ‘Abu Talib was afraid of death; therefore, he said kalima at-tawhid’.” However, when Hz. Abbas saw that Abu Talib’s lips moved, he put his ears close to his mouth; then, he turned to the Messenger of Allah and said, “O my brother’s son! My brother said what you wanted him to say.” However, the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said, “I have not heard them.”
Nevertheless, hadith scholars refute this narration since its chain of narrators is weak and it is contrary to sound narrations.
Shiite scholars, who accept this hadith and the hadiths mentioning the help and protection the Prophet (pbuh) received from Abu Talib throughout his life and that are reported only from Ahl al-Bayt sound, say that Hz. Ali’s father Abu Talib died as a believer.(7)
Badiuzzaman Said Nursi answers the question “What is the most authentic narration concerning the faith of the Prophet’s uncle, Abu Talib?” as follows: “The Shi‘a agree that he believed, while most of the Sunnis do not agree.” Then, he makes the following explanation considering the narrations about Abu Talib’s belief and his state in the hereafter:
But what occurs to my heart is this: Abu Talib loved most earnestly, not the Most Noble Messenger’s (Upon whom be blessings and peace) messengership, but his person and his self. That most earnest personal love and tenderness surely will not go for nothing. Yes, Abu Talib loved Almighty God’s Noble Beloved sincerely and protected and supported him; it was because of feelings like shame and tribal solidarity that he did not believe in him in acceptable fashion, not out of denial and obduracy. If due to this he goes to Hell, God Almighty may create a sort of particular Paradise for him, in reward for his good actions. As He sometimes creates the spring during winter, and for people in prison by means of sleep transforms the prison into a palace, so too He may turn a particular Hell into a sort of particular Paradise.”(8)
As for the issue of Abu Talib’s resurrection after death, the Prophet’s telling him to believe and his believing, there are various narrations about it. For instance, Qurtubi states the following in Tafsiru Ibn Kathir:
“It is not ratioanally and religiously impossible for the resurrection of the Prophet’s mother and father, and the Prophet’s offering them to believe. Moreover, I heard something like this: Allah resurrected Abu Talib, the Prophet’s uncle, and he believed.”(9)
However, we should state that it would be an incomplete evaluation of the issue to mention two narrations and to think that Abu Talib believed after being resurrected by overlooking the sound sources some of which we have mentioned above.
References:
1. at-Tawba, 113; for the hadith, see Bukhari, Manaqibul Ansar: 40; Tafsiru Sura 9; Nashat, Janaiz: 2; Musnad, 5:438; Tafsiru Ibn Kathir,2:393; Tafsiru Qurtubi, 8:272.
2. For the interpretation of the verse, see Bukhari, Tafsiru Sura 28; Tafsiru Qurtubi,13:299.
3. Muslim, Iman: 358.
4. Muslim, Iman: 360.
5. Muslim, Iman: 363.
6. al-Fiqhul-Akbar, p. 108
7. Alusi, Ruhul-Maani, 11:33.
8. Mektubat, p. 362.
9. Tafsiru Ibn Kathir, 2:374.
The purpose of religious rhetoric is to teach people the commands and prohibitions of Allah, and make them accept the religion of Islam by explaining it well.
The duty of conveying the message of Islam and guiding is assigned to believers in the Quran and hadiths, and it is stated what needs to be done in this regard. It can be achieved with good rhetoric.
The main sources of the religion are also the source of religious rhetoric. How religious rhetoric should be, what should be told to people and the rules to be followed in this regard are included in the Quran and the Sunnah, our main sources.
The Principles of Rhetoric in the Quran
The best word is the Quran. The principles of the religion of Islam and the rules to be followed are presented in the best way in the Quran. The addressee of the Quran is all people. The one who conveys it in the best way is the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). The method adopted by a religious official in conveying the message and guiding people should be the approach of the Quran and the Prophet (pbuh).
There are many principles about rhetoric in the Quran. The most important principles are as follows: addressing people with nice words, speaking timely and appropriately (wisdom), speaking convincingly, being polite when speaking, being temperate and balanced according to the understanding of the addressee, appealing to the mind and conscience, prompting people to think and activating emotions.
Some of the principles of rhetoric that can be deduced from the Quran are as follows:
Speaking in a way to distinguish the truth (good) from the falsehood (evil): Both the truth and the falsehood are shown very clearly in the Quran. The following is stated in a verse: “Behold this is the Word that distinguishes (Good from Evil).” (at-Tariq, 86/13)
A religious official should give his message truly, clearly and in an understandable way.
Effective and nice speech: The following is stated in the Quran: “…Admonish them, and speak to them a word to reach their very souls” (an-Nisa, 4/63) Thus, it is emphasized that giving advice is essential in rhetoric and that speech should be effective. Therefore, the orator should be sincere in his speech and use a fluent and impressive style.
Besides, the Quran addresses people in different places and with different expressions. For example, the phrases “O people!”, “O believers!”, and “O Prophet!” are used to address people in the Quran according to the addressees.
Not being offensive; being respectful: While speaking, the orator should avoid being offensive and accusing people. He should express his own views and thoughts in a nice way, and should be respectful to the views of his interlocutors. The issue is stated as follows in a verse:
“But speak to him mildly; perchance he may take warning or fear (Allah).” (Taha, 20/44)
Speaking based on evidence: It is necessary to speak based on evidence so that what one tells will be convincing and accepted. The following is stated in a verse regarding the issue:
“…Produce your proof if ye are truthful.” (al-Baqara, 2/111)
Besides, we should refrain from expressing opinions on issues we do not know. The following is stated in a verse regarding the issue:
“Ah! Ye are those who fell to disputing (Even) in matters of which ye had some knowledge! but why dispute ye in matters of which ye have no knowledge?” (Aal-i Imran, 3/66)
Being unifying while speaking and avoiding exclusionary expressions: A religious official should be unifying while speaking, and should avoid expressions that will cause divisions in society. The following is stated in the Quran regarding the issue:
“And obey Allah and His Messenger. and fall into no disputes, lest ye lose heart and your power depart; and be patient and persevering: For Allah is with those who patiently persevere.” (al-Anfal, 8/46)
Getting information from reliable sources about the topic to be told: The orator should base his message on reliable sources. The following is stated in the Quran regarding the issue:
“O ye who believe! If a wicked person comes to you with any news, ascertain the truth, lest ye harm people unwittingly, and afterwards become full of repentance for what ye have done.” (al-Hujurat, 49/6)
Words and actions should be harmonious with each other: The orator’s actions should not contradict his words if he wants his words to be effective. The following is stated in the Quran about it:
“Do ye enjoin right conduct on the people, and forget (to practice it) yourselves, and yet ye study the Scripture? Will ye not understand?” (al-Baqara, 2/44)
Prompting people to think: The Quran mentions that issue in many places. People are asked to think and use their minds with phrases like “Do they not think?” and “Do they not know?” in many verses. Thus, the orator should first prompt people to think. The following is stated in a verse: “Men who celebrate the praises of Allah, standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and contemplate the (wonders of) creation in the heavens and the earth …” (Aal-i Imran, 3/191)
The Principles of Rhetoric in the Sunnah
The Prophet (pbuh) conveyed people the verses revealed to him, explained the principles of the religion of Islam to them and set an example for people. Believers tried to practice Islam by taking him as an example. The following is stated in the Quran regarding the Prophet’s being a model: “Ye have indeed in the Messenger of Allah a beautiful pattern (of conduct)…” (al-Ahzab, 33/21)
Believers consulted the Prophet (pbuh) on every issue and tried to apply exactly what he said. The Prophet addressed people on different occasions and conveyed the message of the religion to them in the right way.
Everybody who is responsible for religious services should attach importance to the principles determined based on the ways the Prophet (pbuh) followed in conveying the message, teaching and addressing people. A religious speech made in the light of the principles of the Sunnah will be the most effective way to explain religious issues. The speech of the Prophet was in line with the principles of the Quran. The Quran advises the Prophet how to talk to people as follows:
“Invite (all) to the Way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious...” (an-Nahl, 16/125)
The Prophet (pbuh) communicated with the people around him in line with those principles and conveyed religious principles to them.
Some of the rhetorical principles that can be deduced from the Sunnah of the Prophet are as follows:
- The Prophet (pbuh) always spoke in an honest and mature manner; he chose his words carefully and considered the interests and needs of his interlocutors. He had a literary style of speaking. He would take into account the mood of the community in his speech and adjust his voice and stance accordingly. He would pronounce the words one by one and speak clearly in a way to enable the listeners to memorize his words.
- The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) would speak according to the mentality and understanding level of his addressee. He expressed it as follows in a hadith: “Go down to the level of people.” (Abu Dawud, Adab, 20) He would use a style that people could understand.
- The most important characteristic of the speech of the Prophet was being concise, that is, expressing many things with few words. He expressed important facts with two or three words in many of his hadiths. The sermons of the Prophet were short enough to prevent people from getting bored. He preferred short, concise and sincere speeches to long speeches. He states the following regarding the issue: “I was sent with jawami’ul-kalim (expressing many ideas with few words.” (Bukhari, Ta’bir, 22)
- The Prophet (pbuh) would give various examples so that the issue would be understood better and would address people with a narrative style. Thus, he would make the topics that were difficult to explain and understand easier to comprehend. It is seen that the Prophet used that method in many hadiths.
For example, he made the following analogy while describing the points to be considered in choosing a friend:
“The example of a good pious companion and an evil one is that of a person carrying musk and another blowing a pair of bellows. The one who is carrying musk will either give you some perfume as a present, or you will buy some from him, or you will get a good smell from him. However, as for the one who is blowing a pair of bellows, he will either burn your clothes or you will get a bad smell from him.” (Bukhari, Dhabaih 31)
- The Prophet (pbuh) would use different methods to attract people’s attention when he talked. He would sometimes use the question-and-answer method, making people think and attracting their attention. Once, he said to one of the Companions, “O Yazid b. Asad! Do you want to enter Paradise?” He said, “Yes, O Messenger of Allah!” The Prophet said to him, “Ask for your brothers what you want for yourself.” (Ahmed b. Hanbal, Musnad, 4/70)
While talking about something, he would use gestures and facial expressions to enable the issue to be understood better and to attract attention. Sometimes he would add vividness to the expression with the shape of his face and sometimes with his hands. He once said, “Believers are like an interlocked building.” (Kanzul-Ummal, 1/147) He interlocked his fingers and showed with his hands what he meant. Sometimes he would try to explain an issue by drawing shapes.
For example, he explained the issue of qadar (predestination) by drawing shapes on the ground.
- The Prophet (pbuh) would pay attention to timing in his speech. He would always speak when the listeners were attentive and eager. Abdullah b. Masud talks about the issue as follows: “The Prophet would preach and advise us occasionally, not every day, thinking that we would get bored.” (Bukhari, Ilm, 11-12) He would not tell people’s mistakes and he would not humiliate them; he would address them in a positive and constructive style. In a hadith he stated the following:
“Make things easy; do not make things difficult; give good news; do not make people hate.” (Bukhari, Ilm, 11)
He always preferred making things easy and giving good news in his speech. He would not blame anyone; he would not accuse people due to their mistakes. For example, the Prophet Muhammad would not warn a person who made a mistake by saying, “What have you done?” He would warn that person by making a general speech in a community when that person was present. (Muslim, Fadail, 35)
- In his answers to questions, the Prophet (pbuh) would take into consideration the mood of the individuals as well as the conditions of time and place. For example, when someone asked “What is the best deed?”, he said to him, “It is the prayer performed on time.” (Bukhari, Mawaqit, 5) However, when somebody else asked the same question, he said to him, “Doing good to parents.” (Bukhari, Adab, 2) He would give different answers according to the state of the person who asked the question.
He explained that the most valuable deed in times of peace was the prayer performed on time, and emphasized that jihad in the way of Allah was the most valuable deed in war.
References:
- İmam-hatip liseleri Hitabet ve Mesleki Uygulama, Heyet, MEB, 2012.
- Ömer Demir, İmam Hatip Liselerinde Hitabet ve Mesleki Uygulama Dersi Öğretimi, Yüksek Lisans Tezi, Ankara Üniversite Sosyal Bilimler, 1997.
When a believer makes a mistake, his nature steps into action and starts to question him in his conscience if he is honest.
We all make mistakes; if we think that even prophets make “zallas”, that is, involuntary mistakes, it is impossible for us to be free of sins.
Therefore, we should repent and ask forgiveness from Allah on any occasion.
The same thing happened to you. When a sin was committed in your presence, you kept silent somehow. However, as you mention in the question, the Quran states clearly what you should have done:
“Already has He sent you Word in the Book, that when ye hear the signs of Allah held in defiance and ridicule, ye are not to sit with them unless they turn to a different theme: if ye did, ye would be like them. For Allah will collect the hypocrites and those who defy faith - all in Hell.” (an-Nisa 140)
The following is stated in another verse:
“When thou seest men engaged in vain discourse about Our signs, turn away from them unless they turn to a different theme. If Satan ever makes thee forget, then after recollection, sit not thou in the company of those who do wrong.” (al-Anam 68)
That is, when you heard that wrong statement from a person who goes to mosque on Friday and whom you regard as a believer, you could not react; Satan stepped into action, caused you to keep silent and did not allow you to move.
However, your conscience stepped into action afterwards thanks to your belief; you saw the truth and regretted as it is stated in the following verse: “…Feeble indeed is the cunning of Satan against those who believe.” (an-Nisa 76) Therefore, you are not regarded as a munafiq. You noticed your mistake and probably repented and asked for forgiveness after that. You were probably forgiven and shown mercy by Him.
What should we do in such states?
The verses regarding the issue are clear. You should tell using an appropriate style that you cannot remain in the places where issues that are contrary to our belief are talked, that they do something wrong and that you will have to leave if they continue like that. For, the following is stated in the Quran:
“The Believers, men and women, are protectors one of another: they enjoin what is just, and forbid what is evil...” (at-Tawba 71)
If they talk about those issues just because you are there, it means you are together with wrong people. If they prefer you to those useless and wrong talks, it is hoped that Allah will guide them and you will be a means of their guidance. The following is stated in a hadith:
“It is better for you to be a means of guidance for one person than everything that the sun rises and sets on.” (Kanzul-Ummal, h. no: 28802)
On the other hand, it is one thing to meet and talk to people as a necessity of familial and social life and it is another thing to be friends with such people. You can and should talk to any members of other religions unless they insult Islam and you so that they will see the beautiful aspects of Islam in you and find the true path.
As for friendship, you can make friends only with believers.
“O ye who believe! Take not for protectors your fathers and your brothers if they love infidelity above Faith: if any of you do so, they do wrong.” (at-Tawba 23)
We should not forget that none of the things that happen to you is a coincidence.
When a person insults Islam in our presence, we are tested whether we will tell those who insult about Allah’s order using an appropriate style and whether we will warn them or not; on the other hand, the people who insult Islam are tested about how they will react when they are told about the decree of Islam.
In the end, we will be called to account based on our deeds here.
If we view every incident from this aspect without any exception and without forgetting Allah even for a second, we will be relaxed spiritually and we can develop our belief all the time.
The words positive and negative are important. Positive means proved. Negative means denied.
In acting positively, expressing oneself and showing the truth are in the foreground. In acting negatively, rejecting what is wrong and false, and displaying an opposite attitude are essential. In that case, to act positively means to prove and to explain the truth and what is right, and to express oneself and what one believes.
Resistance, opposition, debate, conflict, struggle, negation and rejection are in question in acting negatively. Acting positively does not necessitate giving up struggle completely but struggling indirectly. It includes explaining and presenting one’s values without causing enmity, without infuriating and agitating.
"Light a candle instead of cursing darkness."
The statement above expresses acting positively. If the purpose is to show the trueness of one’s thoughts and deeds, acting positively is the shortest and safest way. To prove the truth and to make others accept it means to demolish and eliminate indirectly what is false and wrong. "Not to be busy with them even mentally" and "to devote one’s efforts to the holy service" are the most concise expressions of this method.
Those expressions should not be understood as not to recognize "them" at all. Knowing and being busy with something are not the same. Similarly, knowing and losing time by trying to reject the negativities of the other party are not the same either.
Not dealing with people is an important element of acting positively. It is necessary to target thoughts; one should not try to reject those thoughts but to prove that the opposite of them are true.
Allah has absolute justice. He determines the responsibility of each person according to his environment. Of course, the responsibility of someone who grows up in an environment where Islam is practiced will not be the same as the responsibility of someone who grows in a place where ethical values have been lost.
This fact should not be ignored while searching the issues related to qadar (destiny) and justice. Everybody has a separate world with his different life conditions in this realm, with the issues he faces in his relations with individuals, with his family and his relatives, with his different problems in terms of livelihood, and with distinctive structure of his country.
The results of this divine division, whose wisdom we do not know truly and which we do not doubt to be fair, will be displayed in the Hereafter; as it is stated in the chapter of az-Zilzal, "an atom´s weight of good and an atom´s weight of evil" will be evaluated there.
Many things that are thought to be useful in this world will be a burden for the slave with the weight of their responsibility there; many things that appear to be burdensome and difficult in this world will be a means of the forgiveness of sins there if one shows patience.
It is necessary for the believers to fulfill their duty of conveying the message of Islam and there must not be anybody to whom the message has not been conveyed. The fulfillment of this will free the believers from the responsibility. Indeed, Allah Almighty states the following in another verse, while mentioning some people who regarded the persistent efforts of Hz. Musa (Moses) and his followers about conveying the message useless:
"When some of them said: ‘Why do ye preach to a people whom Allah will destroy or visit with a terrible punishment?’- said the preachers, ‘To discharge our duty to your Lord, and perchance they may fear Him." (al-Araf, 7/164)
Something like that will prove that a believer fulfilled his duty and prevent the person to whom the message was conveyed from producing an excuse like "I did not know about it." (az-Zamakhshari, al-Kashshaf, Egyp (n.d.) IV, 34)
Elmalılı Hamdi Yazır, the tafsir scholar, states the following while explaining the verse above:
"To fulfill the duty of conveying the message of Islam to people is a kind of fard for every believer until he dies. Nevertheless, it is not permissible to despair regarding any issue in the world. It is also a duty to want other people to repent and to fear Allah no matter how sinful they are. The state of humanity is constantly changing, and the secret of qadar cannot be known before its occurrence. Who knows, it is possible for some people who have never obeyed up to now to obey tomorrow and start to fear Allah; if he does not fear all the time, he will fear to some extent and his penalty will decrease. In any case, conveying the message and giving advice is better than abandoning conveying the message. If believers abandon conveying the message completely, there will no hope. A bad deed that is not resisted will spread faster. Even if it is not possible to eliminate a bad deed, it is better to try to slow it down and decrease it." (Elmalılı Hamdi Yazır, Hak Dini Kur'an Dili, İstanbul 1971, IV, 2313)
When the Prophet (pbuh) conveyed the basic principles of Islam to the people in the Farewell Sermon, he often asked them, "Have I fulfilled my duty of conveying the message?" When he received a positive answer from them, he said, "O Allah! Be a witness that I have fulfilled my duty of conveying the message." Thus, he experienced the happiness of fulfilling this holy duty. (Ahmad Zaki Safwa, Jamharatu Khutabil-Arab, Egypt 1962, 1, 157)
The most important duty of the Prophet (pbuh) and those who follow his way is conveying the message of Islam. Every Muslim is responsible for this duty. It is fard for believers to fulfill their duties regarding the issue.
Islam is not a religion of conflict, debate, division and fragmentation. The deep meaning of being a slave of Allah and the high meaning of being brothers of each other exist in the spirit and origin of Islam. A person cannot be a slave of another slave in the religion. The method of conveying the message of Islam should be developed accordingly.
In the religion of Islam, conveying the message of Islam is the duty of all believers, not of a particular class. There is no class discrimination in Islam. Everybody has to convey the message of Islam to others and try to make them conscious according to his level of knowledge and culture, by practicing Islam and without causing any harm.
"Da’wah" (inviting people to Islam) and "amr bil-ma'ruf wa nahy anil-munkar" (enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil), which Allah gives great importance in the Quran are issues that are closely connected with conveying the message of Islam.
Acting positively means to act constructively in the periods when mischief is at the peak and disorder harms people, to maintain law and order all the time, to definitely avoid negative reactions and attitudes, and to desist from responding violence with violence.
The following verses of the Quran and hadiths can be examples regarding the issue:
Verses:
“And dispute ye not with the People of the Book, except with means better (than mere disputation), unless it be with those of them who inflict wrong (and injury): but say, "We believe in the revelation which has come down to us and in that which came down to you; Our Allah and your Allah is one; and it is to Him we bow (in Islam).'” (al-Ankabut, 29/46).
“Revile not ye those whom they call upon besides Allah, lest they out of spite revile Allah in their ignorance!” (al-Anam, 6/108)
“Repel (Evil) with what is better.” (Fussilat, 41/34)
“Those who witness no falsehood, and, if they pass by futility, they pass by it with honorable (avoidance).” (al-Furan, 25/72)
Hadiths:
“A believer is a person from whose tongue and hand the people are safe.” (Bukhari, Iman, 4)
"He who believes in Allah and the Day of Judgment should say good things or keep silent." (Tirmidhi, Qiyamah, 51)
“Do not let yourselves be hesitant by saying: 'I am like everybody. If the people are good, I will be good, and if they do wrong, I will do wrong.' On the contrary, be determined; if the people are good, you should do good deeds too and if they are evil, you should avoid committing evil.” (Tirmidhi, Birr 63)
It is fard for every believer to convey the message of Islam and the truth as much as he can; it is one of the most important jihads.
However, we should not forget that our duty is only to convey the message in a nice way and that guidance is from Allah according to the person’s heart. Doubtlessly, we cannot interfere in His business.
Therefore, our Lord gave the prophets and believers the duty of conveying the message only.
While conveying the message, we might sometimes hear negative answers and even insults. What should we do then? We should do what the Prophet (pbuh) did. We should be patient and should not be provoked; we should fulfill our duty of conveying our message and leave that place with good intentions.
Our aim is not to fight for our ego; we should serve to save the eternal life of people, especially ourselves, our family and our immediate surroundings. If we get into a fight of ego, it will hurt both us and other people.
If the person or people listening to us make a financial request at that time and if we feel that they are sincere, we can help them if we can. If we do not have the means and if the conditions are not suitable, we can ask support from other people or institutions that will help.
The prophets suffered many times more than today’s believers while conveying the divine message but they did not give up. They continued their duties with great patience and, definitely, by asking for help from Allah, without resorting to bad manners.
That is exactly the way we need to follow; and that is what the Quran wants from us anyway.
The Quranic verse in question is as follows:
“Say: Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger. but if ye turn away, he is only responsible for the duty placed on him and ye for that placed on you. If ye obey him, ye shall be on right guidance. The Messenger’s duty is only to preach the clear (Message).” (an-Nur, 24/54)
- There is no statement in the verse to deduce the following decree mentioned in the question: “According to Nur 54, the Prophet (pbuh) should simply state that Islam was the true religion and not interfere with the rest.”
- What needs to be understood from the statement “but if ye turn away, he is only responsible for the duty placed on him” in the verse is as follows
“The duty of the Prophet (pbuh) is conveying the message. He has no duty or responsibility such as preventing people from disregarding him and from insisting on denial, and guiding them because guidance belongs to Allah, not to the Prophet (pbuh). His duty is only to convey the religion of Islam. As a matter of fact, that fact is underlined in the following verse:
“(O Messenger!) Thou wilt not be able to guide every one, whom thou lovest; but Allah guides those whom He will” (al-Qasas, 28/56)
- What is tabligh (conveying the message)?
Tabligh has two aspects: One is to convey the text of the Quran to people. And the other is to explain it.
“The Messenger’s duty is only to preach the clear (Message).” (an-Nur, 24/54; al-Ankabut, 29/18)
In the verses above and similar ones, it is indicated that the duty of the Prophet (pbuh) is to convey the message of the Quran.
“We have sent down unto thee (also) the Message; that thou mayest explain clearly to men what is sent for them, and that they may give thought.” (an-Nahl, 16/44)
On the other hand, his duty to explain is indicated in the verse above.
- Yes, it is emphasized many times in the Quran that the Quran is “true”. However, the explanations of that “truth” are included hundreds of times in the Quran and the nature of that truth is presented with hundreds of explanations based on evidence.
Hundreds of statements are included in sound hadiths stating that the religion of Islam is the true religion.
Our religion has made believers responsible for whatever they can do.
What scholars, soldiers, politicians, industrialists, the rich, the poor… can do for the purpose you mentioned is different; in addition, being obsessed with what one cannot do, and unplanned and incompetent attempts will be harmful in terms of reaching the goal, and may prevent the path of those who serve properly and destroy their accumulation.
You will do your part by paying attention to those principles.
Some people may have become Muslims due to fear or other reasons. What matters is whether they believed really after this unwilling belief or not. No matter what the reason is, if a person does not believe sincerely and believes in appearance, he is called a munafiq (hypocrite) in Islamic terminology. A munafiq is a two-faced person who does not believe in his heart but who says he is a Muslim.
Those who do not believe sincerely and who say they are Muslims due to fear or other interests are warned as follows in the Quran:
“The desert Arabs say, ‘We believe.’ Say, ‘Ye have no faith; but ye (only) say, ´We have submitted our wills to Allah,´ For not yet has Faith entered your hearts. But if ye obey Allah and His Messenger, He will not belittle aught of your deeds: for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.’” (al-Hujurat, 49/14)
Intention is very important in Islam. Intention and viewpoint are so magical that they can transform coal into diamond and diamond into coal. Sajdah (prostration) for Allah is a deed of worship but sajdah for anyone else is aberration.
Hz. Umar narrates: The Prophet (pbuh) said,
“Surely, all actions are but driven by intentions, and verily every man shall have but that which he intended. Thus, he whose migration was for Allah and His messenger, the migration will be for the sake of Allah and his Messenger. And he whose migration was to achieve some worldly benefit or to marry a woman, then his migration will be for the sake of whatever he migrated for.” (Bukhari, Nikah, 5; Muslim, Imarah, 155)
The following incident is narrated for the reason why this hadith was uttered: After the Prophet (pbuh) migrated to Madinah, the Muslims started to migrate too. One of them was a woman called Umm Qays. A man wanted to marry her but she said, “I will not marry you if you do not migrate.” Thereupon, he migrated to Madinah and married her. Everybody migrated in order to attain Allah and His Messenger’s consent, but this man migrated in order to marry Umm Qays; therefore, he was given the nickname “Muhajiru Umm Qays (the Migrant of Umm Qays)”.
This person became a sincere Muslim afterwards. As it is also mentioned above, if a person does not believe sincerely through his heart, his appearance and words do not make him a believer. However, if such people believe really afterwards, they will become strong believers.
The same thing is valid for a person who becomes a Muslim due to fear. He can become a real believer afterwards if he remains a Muslim though there is no fear.
