The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) – Volume III — Page 176
Seal of the Prophets - Volume III 176 The Islāmic Perspective on Preaching Firstly and foremost it should be known that Islām is a proselytising religion and its Holy Founder has been instructed to convey to the people all such truths revealed from the heavens through Islām, and nothing should be hidden by him; and to expound each and every one of its aspects. As such, God the Exalted addresses the Holy Prophet sa in the Holy Qur’ān saying: ُ بَلَّغْتَ رِسَالَتَه لَّمْ تَفْعَلْ فَمَا رَّبِّكَ وَاِن اُنزِلَ اِلَيْكَ مِن الرَّسُولُ بَلِّغْ مَا اَيُّهَا يَا “O Messenger of Allāh, clearly convey to the people what has been revealed to thee from thy Lord; and if you do it not (hiding a portion thereof, and conveying another), then know that thou shalt not be deemed as one having conveyed God’s message. ” 1 Moreover, this obligation of preaching has not been confined to the Holy Prophet sa alone. Rather, the same duty has been enjoined upon the followers of the Holy Prophet sa as well, in that they convey the truths of Islām to others. As such, the Holy Qur ’ ān states: ِ كُنتُمْ خَيْرَ اُمَّةٍ اُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَاْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَر “O Ye Muslims! You are the best people raised for the good of mankind. Your task is to invite people to the good of Islām, and forbid them from evil which is against the teachings of Islām. ” 2 Then, at one step further, it enjoins that a party of the Muslims should always remain devoted to the service of preaching Islām, and should wholly devote themselves to the service of religion. Therefore, He states: ِ وَلْتَكُن مِّنكُم ْ اُمَّة ٌ يَدْعُون َ اِلَى الْخَيْر ِ وَيَاْمُرُون َ بِالْمَعْرُوف ِ وَيَنْهَوْن َ عَن ِ الْمُنكَر َ وَاُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُون “And let there be among you a part of the community who remain devoted to 1 Al-Ma'idah (5:68) 2 Āl-e-‘Imrān (3:111)