Request for advice: When should a dawah campaign refrain from asking a question?

[freedbyislam]

Bismillah hir Rahman nir Raheem.

Asalamualaikum wa Rahmatullah wa Barakatuhu.

I know that I am quite new to these forums, but I was invited to seek advice here by Sheikh Alshareef. So, I pray that you will overlook any mistakes I make, and that together we can make this dawah project as pleasing as possible to Allah subhanahu wata ala. For if it pleases Him, then it cannot be anything but a success.

Here is the question I posed to Sheikh Alshareef:

Asalamualaikum ya Sheikh.

I have a dawah question for you, please. Is it wrong to have as the
slogan for my dawah project, "Did you pray in Jamat today?"

As you can tell the dawah project is principally aimed at Muslims and seeks to encourage prayer in jamat. The main slogan is phrased as a question because I think it is catchy and would become a natural question that Muslims would ask their friends, family, and even acquaintances. And it is the kind of question that would nag at the conscience of a Muslim who was not making the effort.

I know that a similar question was posed to me during Hajj, and may Allah bless that brother because his questions and comments worked liked acid breaking down the barriers that had kept me from changing my situation.

Therein lies, too, the reason for my hesitation. Would such a question create fitna? Even a weak acid can cause a violent reaction. I decided to do this dawah project after listening to the Fiqh ud Dawah cd set. Is this the kind of question that would offend a person's dignity or self image in a way that would make them rebel against prayer in jamat just to mollify their own ego?

That prospect makes me wonder if I should settle for the affirmative statement: "Pray in Jamat." Perhaps I can supplement it with a "carrot" or multiple carrots. Do you like any of these? "Be a better employee: pray in jamat." "Be a better father: pray in jamat." "Be a kinder neighbor: pray in jamat."

I suppose such statements could also raise the ire of a person. The slogans I use will be accompanied by a web site URL.

I already have a web site URL: "didyoupraytoday.com."

I think I will look for "prayinjamat.com," too.

I have a Powerpoint-style presentation for the project. I have shown it to five people (including my parents) who all liked it. But it needs a little updating. I can send it to you if you like.

As always, any and all advice will be welcome, ya Sheikh.

Asalamualaikum,

Tariq

Since then I have secured the second web site as well.

The update for the presentation explaining the project will be available soon, inshAllah.

Jazakum Allahu khair to any and all of you who choose to respond to this thread.

Asalamualaikum,

Tariq

[Sincerity123]

In the adhan, we are asked to come to success....
I'd recommend a slogan along that lines, its still implying to establish salat insha'Allah, which leads one to success...

Come to the call of success...

OR

Lets come closer towards success

OR(if you want it to be a question)

Did you answer the call of success?
Did you hear the call of success?
How did you respond to the call for success?

hmm perhaps use "WE" instead of "YOU" to make it less accusative?

Something along those lines is what I'd suggest. Allaahu ta'ala alem if its a good suggestions.

May Allaah swt grant you success in your dawah efforts and be pleased with you (Ameen wajma'een)

[freedbyislam]

Asalamualaikum and jazakum Allahu khair for that advice.

I like both points. My favorite slogan you suggested was "Did you answer the call to success?"

I'm just brainstorming off of that idea: Do you like these spins?

"Success is calling. Are you going to answer?" Combine that with a high-end PDA style phone image displaying the site. The URL written clearly below it, just to be easy to read.

"Success is calling. We'll connect you." Combine that with a high-end PDA style phone image displaying the site. The URL written clearly below it, just to be easy to read.

"Are we heading for success?" Combine that with a stylized map image, maybe a folded map, a globe, or site image. The URL written clearly below it, just to be easy to read.

"Are we lost or are we on the road to success?" Combine that with a stylized map image, maybe a folded map, a globe, or site image. The URL written clearly below it, just to be easy to read.

"Don't be lost. Head for success." Combine that with a high-end PDA style phone image displaying the site. The URL written clearly below it, just to be easy to read.

Please keep the ideas coming! I am working on the html code for the site. A launch before the Light Upon Light class in Houston will maximize my opportunity to leverage the dawah opportunity.

Asalamualaikum.

[freedbyislam]

Originally Posted by Sincerity123

In the adhan, we are asked to come to success....
I'd recommend a slogan along that lines, its still implying to establish salat insha'Allah, which leads one to success...

Something along those lines is what I'd suggest. Allaahu ta'ala alem if its a good suggestions.

May Allaah swt grant you success in your dawah efforts and be pleased with you (Ameen wajma'een)

Alhamdolillah, the slogan on the site is "Come to prayer, come to success!" and the "window title" is "Come to prayer. Come to success. Allah is Greater."

Jazak Allah khair!

[Memoona]

Assalaamualaikum,

You can always use more than one slogan but have one main one. During student government elections in my college they did this and it was really good in terms of advertisement because in essence it was the same but they were all different and catchy and easyto remember. MashAllah they are all good. I personally like Success is calling. We'll connect you

[ManOfFewWords]

I will share some wisdom!!!

Inshallah this is an important concept and is actually quite deeper than I have the time to go into now. Da'wah is a general type of social reform. In microcosm it is reforming an individual and in macrocosm a society. But in reality it is quite literally the reformation of one individual at a time.

The issue you bring up of the permissibility of asking the question "have you prayed in jamat" (specifically when expecting an answer, which I think is the issue) is largely irrelevant. It is indicative of a mindset of institutionalizing da'wah through systematization, and categorization of personal interactions. No doubt da'wah is methodological in the aspects of what to exhort to and what is authoritative it is not however sytematizable in terms of our human interaction. The Quran is very clear about, "debating with them the best way" so it is imperative that the "best way" is used.

What is the best way? The best way is discernable through wisdom acquired by experience (combination of what is transmitted from another and learned on one's own) as well as a familiarity with the target of the Da'wah.

What this all boils down to is that you cannot make da'wah formulas that will regulate personal interactions but you must judge in each circumstance and with each individual what is the proper way of proceeding. In some instances use the question and in others it may not be appropriate to do so. This depends on who the person is, what his relationship it to you, the present circumstances, the environment, surrounding company etcetera.

On another note, while not intending any offense, I do not believe the website is da'wah in a strict sense. I believe it is very beneficial and quite a creative initiative but I do not believe that anyone will want to pray in the masjid because of the site. It will be someone who wants to pray in a masjid that will search the net looking for a masjid. So while it is awesome really, especially for people recently arriving in a location or traveling, it will not in itself encourage people to pray in jamat as it will help those looking for a jamat to find one more easily.

wallahu a'lam

[freedbyislam]

Memoona, jazak Allah khair for the advice!

"ManOfFewWords" -- I do not mind what you have written because the only reward for prayinjamat.com will come from Allah, subhanahu wata ala. Just make use of the site, share it with others, and if you have the inclination, contribute jamat locations and iqamah times.

And my advice to you, take Fiqh ad Dawah or buy the CDs. The wisdom in that course is self-evident.

May Allah subhanahu wata ala accept from all of us, in sha Allah, and overlook our mistakes or shortcomings.

[freedbyislam]

I would like to ask the moderators to close this thread since it really has served its initial purpose.

Another option is to rename it either "prayinjamat.com" or "Encouraging prayer in jamat." The goal of the site is just that, encouraging prayer in jamat.

Jazak Allah khair.

[ManOfFewWords]

I have taken fiqh al Da'wah and I dont see that my comments were in contradiction to anything I learned in that course. Furthermore, in my opinion, while the course was based on the Quran and Sunnah there were some elements that were clearly based on Sheikh Muhammad AlShareef's interpretation of the best manner to call people to Allah. I believe that in the course there are some approaches of the da'wah that are specifically suited for Western society which would make them less effective in other regions of the world.

As for what I have studied of various historical da'wah efforts, they have given me some insights and have broadened my horizons so I shared a little of what I learned, I hope it helps someone.

Jazakallah khairan for the site. May Allah make it Durbamazing.