Prophetic Method of Excellence Preaching
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Gracious.
Peace and prayer are upon Prophet Mohammad, his relatives and his companions.
Prophetic Method of Excellence Preaching
Qur'an has prescribed the optimum ways of convincing people to join Islam, to abandon wrongdoing, and to do righteousness. we recite: (Invite all to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and excellent preaching and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious) Qur'an: Al-Nahl, 125.
Following these guidelines, Prophet Mohammad (peace and prayer are upon him) used delicate ways of admonition and preaching Islam. This can be manifested in the same two methods used by Qur'an.
First Approach: Exhibiting Facts Directly:
In this method Prophetic Traditions directly states the right behaviour that should be conducted by the person.
It was related on the authority of Abu Hurayra that an Arab entered the mosque where the Prophet (peace and prayer are upon him) was sitting. That Arab performed his prayers; and said, “O my Lord bless me and Mohammad, but bless none with us”. The Prophet (peace and prayer are upon him) said to him, “You have restricted a Wide”. Then that Arab pissed up [urinated] in the mosque. The people hurried to scold him. Yet the Prophet (peace and prayer are upon him) prohibited them and said, “You have been sent to simplify things to people not to complicate things; just pour some water on the Arab’s urine”.
Second Approach: Refuting the Opponent's Arguments:
Here, The Prophet (peace and prayer are upon him) delicately argued with the wrong-doer to make him willingly confess the inaccuracy of a certain action inflicted by the man under argument. The following example depict this method:
Abu Umama (my Allah be pleased with him) said, “A young man came to the Prophet (peace and prayer are upon him) and begged permission for adultery”. The people started to reproach the young man. Yet the Prophet (peace and prayer are upon him) asked the young man to draw nearer and asked him: “Do you like adultery for your mother?” the young man said, “No, may Allah make me a sacrifice for you”. The Prophet (peace and prayer are upon him) said, “People don’t like it for their mothers either”; and then asked, “Do you like it for your daughter?” The young man said, “No, may Allah make me a sacrifice for you”. The Prophet (peace and prayer are upon him) said, “People don’t like it for their daughters either”; and then asked, “Do you like it for your sister?” The young man said, “No, may Allah make me a sacrifice for you”. The Prophet (peace and prayer are upon him) said, “People don’t like it for their sisters either”; and then asked, “Do you like it for your aunt?” The young man said, “No, may Allah make me a sacrifice for you”. The Prophet (peace and prayer are upon him) said, “People don’t like it for their aunts either”. Then the Prophet (peace and prayer are upon him) put his hand on the young man and said, “O my Lord purify his heart and protect his penis”. After that, the young man had no interest in any obscenity.
The clause “draw nearer” manifests delicacy, kindness and wisdom of guidance from the part of the Prophet (peace and prayer are upon him). He started with drawing the young man near him, and he gave him all personal concern and kindness. He did not- from the start- order him to stop desiring adultery. Finally, the Prophet (peace and prayer are upon him) made supplication that Allah might divert the young man’s heart from desiring adultery.
This delicate method of admonition has been approved by Qur'an; Allah, Most High, said, (It is due to Allah’s Mercy that thou deal gently with them. Wert thou severe or harsh-hearted, they would have dispersed [broken away] from about thee: so, pass over “their faults” and ask for “Allah’s” forgiveness for them. In addition, consult them in affairs) Qur'an: Al'Imran, 159.
To say, “pass over (their faults)”, means that they were subject to committing some mistakes. The order was for the kind, good hearted Prophet to pass over their mistakes, and to pray for them to have guidance and repentance.
Therefore, if Muslims adopt delicate methods of preaching in Qur'an and Prophetic Traditions, terrorism will be uprooted, and Islam will spread peacefully all over the world.