A similar message is conveyed by other powerful ayahs ^[3] in the Quran saying:
Do not argue or quarrel, never; do not even bicker or quibble; always seek Allah’s guidance by Da’wah, discussion and debate: wherever, whenever and however. This is the take home message that comes out of the Ayah under discussion today.

In this ayah if you read the initial phrase “ Kuntum khayra ommatin okhrijat linnasi” as one, it would mean that we Muslims are the best amongst the whole humanity. MostMuslims are happy and proud to accept this translation. However as Maulana Maudoodi has pointed out there is comma/pause in between so it reads as “Kuntum khayra ommatin, okhrijat linnasi”. Now the good news adds a tremendous responsibility. This segment of the ayah now means we are the best people raised or evolved for mankind with a purpose: leadership an guidance. Maulana Mufti Mohammed Shafi in his epic
Tafseer says “The phrase “raised for mankind” indicates that the very purpose for which it has been created is to work for the good of men and to help them find the way to salvation; in other words its very insignia as an Ummah is to guide people towards good deeds and to dissuade them from evil deeds.The means for this will include all forms of Jihad: tongue, hand, pen or sword.”

With this ayah Allah Ta’aala has conferred on us a great honor in the form of an onerous responsibility of “enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong” to Muslims and non-Muslims; this part of the ayah ends with a very meaningful phrase “andbelieving in Allah.” This is to remind that any semblance of projecting one’s ownopinion and interest will reduce Da’wah to an exercise in self aggrandizement. Da’wahis one of the fundamental duties bestowed on us by Shariah at every level of our pursuitand endeavour: Ummah, national, sectarian, social, family and individual. According to Sk. Al Albany “….every individual that knows something about the Religion becomes aDa’ee (caller to Islam).” There is no ecclesiastical system in Islam. Every Muslim is orought to be a missionary. Da’wah means “invitation” or “call to Islam.”According to the dictionary it is “the practice or policy of conveying the message of Islam to non-Muslims; missionary work for Islam.” A form of religious proselytization. Da‘wah is alsodescribed as the duty to “actively encourage fellow Muslims in the pursuance of greater piety in all aspects of their lives,” a definition which has become central to contemporary Islamic thought. Da’wah also includes, as emphasized by many scholars a role in preserving and strengthening the socio-moral character of the Muslim community and its general adherence to sharia law. A scholarly opinion holds witnessing for and propagating Islam as the primary reason why the original Muslim ummah was created. Da’wah is an obligation for every Muslim following close to the five Pillars of Islam. It is critical for the propagation of our Deen. There are many ahaadith encouraging the practice of da’wah ^[4] . Unfortunately da’wah has become an inherently political activity for Salafis. Since its emergence in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, the worldwide salafist movement has laid particular stress on da’wah’s political dimensions.

I do not think I have stirred up any controversy as yet; all would say “yea” in unison. WHO will do the job of da’wah, HOW will it be done and on WHOM will it be done ? Now the problems starts and immediately seems insurmountable. It becomes very
divisive and unpleasant. Bombings, beheadings, intolerance, bigotry, arguments and quarrels and not to forget foolish talks and actions in the mosques are all wrapped under the label of Da’wah. So much so that most good and sincere Muslims actively try to keep a distance from any religious discussion. Study circles, lectures, conventions on theology and stories of the Prophets are very popular as a pious pastime to achieve some neki (reward). However each one of us feels shy to talk about the small and big differences —- defining right from wrong as mentioned in the ayah under discussion — that have cropped up among us in the interpretation of our Deen.

Historically over the centuries this burden has been carried very well by our ulema, scholars, saints and sufis so that we have today, Masha Allah an Ummah of one and a half billion followers. The pattern of Da’wah becomes rather ugly in recent memory.

The Ummah is totally fractured, incompetent, week and illiterate. So little is done at this level. There are definite attempts at the national level, Saudi Arabia and Iran are prominent examples. However the outcome is controversial and marred by political overtones. Individual sects, groups, factions and schools of thought are quite active on this forum. Modern Da’wah movements by well known organizations are varied in their objectives and activities ^[5] with uncertain results. Unfortunately their pious and noble objectives are very greatly compromised by their political colour and the propensity to use of force and even violence spilling Muslim blood in the process.

I would like to emphasize that Da’wah at individual level is as important if not more than the collective effort. Every Muslim is a missionary appointed by the Shari’ah; it is commanded in the Quran and therefore has to be compulsorily a very high priority in our lives. It has to be implemented at all the levels and spheres of our activities. As we grow up, playing with our friends and neighbours, study in school, college and university, work with our peers in office, banks, hospitals, share our homes with parents, siblings, cousins and wife and finally and most importantly upbringing our children. The last is a fundamental duty specially for the immigrant families. No Muslim parent can deny their obligation and duty to prepare their children for Islam. This is the
beginning of Da’wah for a Muslim and can be the end of it for the Ummah; if every born child is trained by their parents to be a good Muslims, Da’wah can be exclusively directed to the non-Muslims!

Why are we fighting shy of this very important command of Allah Ta’aala? Why? One of our sisters in Islam has spoken for all of us when she asks “I try my best to approach them with adab (respect), and tell them as sincerely as I can, but then, where do I draw the line, because I too, am not perfect in what I do, and I don’t want them to think that I think I’m am better than them? How do I go about helping my sisters without offending them, or making myself seem judgmental?” Is this not the dilemma that all of us face ? Individual Daw’ah is very important but tends to be very divisive leading to unpleasantness in our personal relationship. Hence we have a tendency to give it up. Is this RIGHT? No, it is WRONG. So what is the SOLUTION? Try HARDER and be PERSISTENT with an eye on Allah’s blessing; not personal satisfaction. Let us try and find a way out.

First and foremost, start the Da’wah on oneself. Practice before you start preaching. You have to be a role model. No, I do not mean an imam or a sheikh. Know the essentials of our Deen well so that you can convey to others in a meaningful way. Be sure of your own ground before you invite others on it. Once you are ready, don’t be afraid to share what you have with your family and friends. There are many forms of da’wah. Our Islamic behavior, modesty, and good character can prove to be an excellent form of da’wah. The reasoning, wisdom, and benefit underlying the rulings of the Shariah must be discussed on the basis of sound knowledge.

The second and as important is the subject of our Da’wah. S/He should be eager and willing to receive it; to discuss with us, teach us and learn from us. According to somescholarly opinions “enjoining what is right, forbidding what is wrong” is obligatoryONLY if one thinks that the person would like to listen. Otherwise, it is recommended itwould be better (or even obligatory, in some cases) not to say anything. Thrusting our views on others is not Da’wah; it is ARROGANCE. Moreover it should be practicedamongst ourselves before we address the non-Muslims.

What is the technique of Da’wah? How do we go about it? Allah Ta’aala Subhaanahoo has ordained to us the method of Da’wah in HIS beautiful and most effective style (read the Arabic text to taste the beauty of it) ^[6] : “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: for thy Lord knoweth best, who have strayed from His Path, and who receive guidance.” (Yusuf Ali) A Da’wah with “wisdom and beautiful preaching” delivered in the “best and most gracious way” just CANNOT create a problem for us. It will be most pleasant duty to perform. And please note the last part of the ayah. Your job is to deliver and express and that’s it. Allah Ta’aala knows who will “stray” or be “guided.” It should be an exercise in learning from each other and teaching each other. Agreeing to disagree remains a pleasant option. The method sounds idealistic but it is achievable. Any how you have no choice since it is a mandate from our Lord Cherisher. Kindness and Gentleness are the keywords. The Quran refers to the modus operandi of our Holy Prophet thus: “It is part of the Mercy of Allah that thou dost deal gently with them Wert thou severe or harsh-hearted, they would have broken away from about thee…….” ^[7] (Yusuf Ali)
Note how does Allah Ta’aala advise Moses and Aaron to preach to Pharaoh, the claimant of God,: And speak to him with gentle speech that perhaps he may be reminded or fear [ Allah ].” ^[8]
“We sent not a messenger except (to teach) in the language of his (own) people, in order to make (things) clear to them. Now Allah leaves straying those whom He pleases and guides whom He pleases: and He is Exalted in power, full of Wisdom.” ^[9]  Similarly there are ahaadith to prove the same point: “Whenever gentleness is in a thing it beautifies it and whenever it is withdrawn from something it defaces.” (Sahih Bukahri, vol. 4, p 1370, no. 6274) “One deprived of gentleness is deprived of all good.”(Sahih Bukhari, vol. 4, p 1370, no. 6700)

It has become a common practice to label common religious problems as grey areas to avoid any decisions on it. The sentiment behind is noble but it amounts to a cavalier attitude about our Deen. The lexicon describes a “gray area” as 1) an area or part of something existing between two extremes and having mixed characteristics of both or 2) an intermediate area; a topic that is not clearly one thing or the other. The term does not refer to a difference of  opinion or interpretation. The status of zabihaa of Ehle Kitab is a very good example. We consider it as halal on the basis of the obvious meaning of a clear ayah of the Quran ^[10] ; since we are sure of the meaning of the ayah, it cannot be a grey area for us. Those who regard it as haraam offer a different interpretation of the same ayah based on clear ahaadith; since they are sure of the value of ahaadith, it cannot be a grey area for them. An item cannot be haram and halal at the same time.

What is the solution? Discuss and debate about it with an open mind with a clear eye on the Day of Judgement. I would say this attitude is basic and fundamental to the practice of Da’wah — to those giving it and those receiving it. The ONLY sanction for our actionsis our keen realisation that we will be accountable to HIM in HIS court ONE day: ^[11] “Then shall anyone who has done an atom’s weight of good, see it! And anyone who has done an atom’s weight of evil, shall see it.” (Yusuf Ali) So far as our conscience is alive to this fact of FINAL ACCOUNTABILITY when we are interpreting our Quran, we can be sure of the blessings of the Most Gracious and Most Merciful. The Shari’ah is pretty clear by consensus on this issue: “there is no sin on a mistake of ijtihaad.” Allah Ta’aala wants us to interpret the Shari’ah using the best of the wisdom that HE has bestowed in us with  eye on HIS presence and our accountability to HIM. If we now come to wrong conclusions HE has assured HIS rehmaah on us. To repeat, we must try our best to study our deen with taqwaa and God Almighty will guide us and be with with us. Coming back to the example above, Christian zabeeha is either halal or haraam; cannot be both. But each side can expect our Creator’s forgiveness if our decisions are based on study of the problem by God given wisdom and God consciousness. All this is not to deny the reality of grey areas in certain situations because of lack of evidence or the limitation of human reason. The Mutashabehaat are the classical example.!
Small, repeated and consistent practice is appreciated and encouraged by our Holy Prophet according to ahaadith. Different or double standards or any semblance or suggestion of hypocrisy is severely reprimanded. All of us realise that munaafiquat(hypocrisy) is a serious offense. The requirement of Islamic modesty and decency, whether in etiquette or clothing remains the same across the board. If a certain standard of modesty is required in strictly Muslim gatherings like halaqua or a lecture or a convention, the same standard needs to be followed in school, college or work. Mind you, I am talking only about the demands of modesty and decency. All other practices will naturally keep changing according to the situation and occasion. A Muslim hears his/her first Da’wah when the father/mother announces God is Great, God is Great into the ears as a newborn. This formality of the first azaan at the dawn of life is the proclamation of the perpetual Da’wah obligated on the parents for their children who are the center piece of our life. This is the place where Da’wah ratchets up to a most fundamental duty and foremost responsibility. It has become all the more pertinent and germane in this super-connected global village where our children are bombarded with all sorts of ideas, values, pressures and practices. This problem is much more critical for Muslims settled in US and other western countries where respect for religious values, conformity and regard for the elders including parents are frowned upon. For almost a century in USA, the teenagers are idealized and allowed too much of promiscuity too early. It is not uncommon for parents to wash their hands off leaving their youth without support and guidance to be driven by the forces of Society. In contrast in a modern Muslim family our children of all ages are treated as our asset and responsibility needing our care, attention, advice and guidance. Our dear young teenage children — labelled as “youth” and treated as a separate species requiring separate handling in the Western culture — in fact need more attention. With the storm puberty and the addition of the second appetite for sex they are embarking on a high bridge; the route gets steep sometimes, narrow other times and often slippery. In such a situation they need additional railings to protect themselves and not the removal of the old ones. Just as a teenager has to pay exorbitant premium to drive on the highway, — a testimony to the vigour and vitality of his/her mind and body disproportionate to his self-control and discipline — he needs extra care, control and guidance to navigate in our permissive society.

A spirit of enquiry and critical thinking are the overriding driver for action in our world of the twenty first century. I would say emphatically “Taqleed”, (blind following of the the Fiqh of the fourth century AH) the doctrine of the Classical Sunni Islam of all the four schools of thought is absolutely a non-starter in our day and age for our children any where on the planet but specially in the West. However logic and reasoning does not start in a vacuum; it needs the necessary tools: relevant knowledge, references to authorities on the subjects, axioms and hypothesis to start with and teachers and mentors for guidance. If our Da’wah to our children has been successful, and if they have comprehended the practical impact on their life of declaring “I stand witness that there is no God except Allah and I stand witness that Mohammed is the Messenger of Allah” then their toolkit for reason and logic in life will start with their Islamic roots, the Quran as the ultimate authority and the Holy Prophet as their hero and roll model. These sources will have a preference over their peers, teachers, electronic or social media, and give them courage and confidence to stand up for some of our very different social and cultural practices based on our religious values. Come to think of it, we Muslims are distinct from three fourth of humanity on these issues. No wonder it is
going to be very stressful for our tender and sweet children to start and execute some major adjustments and confrontation with their peers right at the beginning of their interaction with the society namely at high school/college level. It may turn out to be too ate if the following fundamentals of Islamic teachings are not initiated and practiced at this stage:
• Absolutely mandatory five times prayers at the proper times
• Social interaction with the opposite gender to be “public, purposeful and limited”
•No physical contact with the opposite gender except the formal handshake
• The Quran does not allow the daughters of Islam to look erotic. However it encourages them to look smart and pretty. Hence an attractive dress and a pleasant hairstyle isacceptable but form-fitting short shirts and skinny jeans to be avoided.

If our Da’wah to our children has been effective, our children would themselves like to meet these demands of our religion despite their peers, Facebook or Twitters or even their school teachers. In our value system Parents are the initial teachers and mentors. The pattern and the relative rights/duties of Parent/child relationship constantly changes as our children grow but the bond of a family with its twin impulse of respect/ love persists ever. There is no “old man” in an Islamic family. Our authority over our children progressively decreases as they grow but our responsibility does not. We cannot and should not indoctrinate them. It will not work. Instead make sense of our religion to them so that they love it and admire it. Very soon they will learn that there is no compulsion in Islam and yet they would love to stay within it. All the above BEFORE our tender and fragile children are exposed to the pressures of society and NOT AFTER; the high school/college is the limit.

Few years ago at a party here in States I over-heard a young girl telling her friends “I love skinny jeans”. This probably is the result of viewing the teenage TV shows with
their aggressive inter-gender socialization, a strong focus on teenage romance and conspicuously seductive female dresses. Some good practicing Muslims think this type of jeans is OK with a scarf on the head. Does this not look paradoxical and an example of simultaneous double standards: one for the head and another for the body. Isn’t the
innocent child announcing, “I hate to show my hair to anybody but I love to display the vital statistics of my body.” Such apparent contradictions are not uncommon in Muslim societies and need to be discussed in our Da’wah sessions. Consider this situation: A lady is walking ahead of me. I have not seen her face and I do not know her at all. So there is no question of me judging her. But I am analyzing her action to decide whether it is “right or wrong” so that I can “enjoin it or forbid” it, when necessary as required by the ayah under consideration. She is wearing off-white jeans with an abstract design all over with thick black lines. It just cannot miss any eyes. She is stout and plump lady hurrying in front of me in her skinny jeans and short shirt. What I saw reminded me of some cheap erotic scenes in Pakistani/Hollywood movies. Now add the fact that she had a scarf on her head and we were leaving the hall after a lecture in the recent MAS-ICNA Annual Religious Convention!! Such scenes were pretty common in the corridors of the two such conventions that I have attended.

Lastly I have a question. Can we call this dress — combination of headscarf, short formfitting shirt and skinny jeans — as Islamic hijaab? The minimum mandatory requirement of Hijaab of all the five schools of thought of Classical Sunni/Shia’h Islam is an abaya: a loose, free flowing gown from neck to feet. Does not this dress also defy nature, common sense and logic as it covers the hair which has the least — if any — erotic appeal (fitna in Shari’ah terminology) but displays the size and shape of the human torso and legs which are the main agents of sex appeal/fitna and are widely, prominently and shamelessly cashed in by movies, posters and advertisements. Differences of opinion are a fact of life; we all have to and ought to live with them amicably. But is there an opinion behind this dress? Until I am able to find an authentic opinion to support this dress, I would like to suggest, while keeping an open mind this type of dress appears to be mindless and ridiculous at best and makes a mockery of Islamic values of modesty at worst. Please think over.

……..and Allah knows best.

May Allah Ta’aala bless us with true understanding–“fahm”–of our Deen, Aameen.!