By Zeinab Ashry
Da`wah is a lifetime commitment. The da`i cannot be successful in his Da’wah unless he/she lives it and it becomes his whole life. It requires from him/her being fully dedicated to Allah, guided by the example of the Prophet (peace be upon him) as Qur’an said:
Say: ‘My prayers, my acts of worship, my life, and death are all for Allah. There is no partner with Him..’ (Al-An`am 6:162)
Briefly, the successful da`i should be a just person which means to be dutiful toward Allah (Exalted be He), fair and honest with people. Here are further requirements in the da`i in order to influence people and make a difference in their lives.
The successful da`i should be dutiful toward Allah, fair and honest with people.
Qualifications of the Successful Da`i
1- He should be knowledgeable, adequately trained, has good linguistics skills, and good speaking skills.
2- Patience, steadfastness, and endurance are basic requirements for the success da`wah.
3- Tolerance, moderation, forgiveness, and softheartedness are the most significant resources needed to win people’s hearts.
4- He must be generous, kind, respectful, and good mannered.
5- He must be consistent in words and actions.
Allah says:
O you who believe! Why you say that which you do not? It is most hateful in the sight of Allah that you say that which you do not. (As-Saff 61:2-3)
6- He should constantly put his trust in Allah and turn to Him for support and guidance.
7- He must be skillful in communications and cooperation with other Muslims working da`wah.
8- He must be prepared for sacrificing time, money, and self-pride for Allah (Exalted be He).
9- He should be capable of opening communication channels with non-Muslim communities.
10- He should be aware of current problems, events, and important contemporary issues in his community as well as the world.
The above conditions may or may not all be in every da`i.
However, experience shows that some of these conditions are more critical than others when considering individual personalities. It is the overall impact and impression that is made, that is more important than the possession of one characteristic or the lack of it to make da`wah successful.
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Source: The article is excerpted from the author’s A Guide to Giving Da’wah To Non-Muslims”, Islam Presentation Committee (IPC), Kuwait.