Allah\u2019s Messenger (pbuh) neither feared anybody nor gave in to the oppressions of the polytheists of Quraish in his mission. Rather, he invited people to Islam day and night, openly and secretly, and applied all possible methods and treated people according to their status while performing his mission. He paid attention to people\u2019s level of intellect, social status, life styles, tendencies and expectations as much as possible.<\/p>\n
In order to achieve the objective in preaching one should know of the audience\u2019s circumstances just as much as he should have solid knowledge in how to preach. Knowledge about an audience is necessary and important just like a doctor\u2019s knowledge about his patients. Otherwise it would be like writing prescriptions without knowing what was wrong with the patient. This is why in the Qur\u2019an Allah the Almighty emphasizes the significance of acting in accordance with the polytheists\u2019 state of mind:<\/p>\n
\u0648\u064e\u0644\u0627\u064e \u062a\u064e\u0633\u064f\u0628\u0651\u064f\u0648\u0627 \u0627\u0644\u0651\u064e\u0630\u0650\u064a\u0646\u064e \u064a\u064e\u062f\u0652\u0639\u064f\u0648\u0646\u064e \u0645\u0650\u0646\u0652 \u062f\u064f\u0648\u0646\u0650 \u0627\u0644\u0644\u0647\u0650 \u0641\u064e\u064a\u064e\u0633\u064f\u0628\u0651\u064f\u0648\u0627 \u0627\u0644\u0644\u0647\u064e \u0639\u064e\u062f\u0652\u0648\u064b\u0627 \u0628\u0650\u063a\u064e\u064a\u0652\u0631\u0650 \u0639\u0650\u0644\u0652\u0645\u064d<\/p>\n
\u201cRevile not those unto whom they pray beside Allah lest they wrongfully revile Allah through ignorance\u2026\u201d<\/b> (al-An\u2019am 6; 108)<\/p>\n
This verse attracts our attention to the possible adverse effects of taking an aggressive stance towards the audiences\u2019 beliefs and ideologies, and it commands us to avoid such an attitude.<\/p>\n
Allah\u2019s Messenger (pbuh) knew his addressee very well and chose the most appropriate way to approach them. He talked to people in a way they could understand and corresponding to their intellectual level. He advised his Companions to do the same. Muhammad b. Atiyya, who came to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) along with the delegates of Sa\u2019d b. Bakr, elucidated the Prophet\u2019s practice in this matter saying: \u201cAllah\u2019s Messenger (pbuh) talked to us in our dialect.\u201d (Hakim, IV, 363) The following saying of Ali (r.a.) also enlightens us in this respect:<\/p>\n
\u201cTalk to people according to their level of comprehension.\u201d (Bukhari, Ilm, 49)<\/p>\n
Preaching done by someone who is not aware of the common problems of his society will never be successful. This is why Allah\u2019s Messenger (pbuh) always gave his examples from matters about which his listeners knew and were interested in. He paid special attention not to confront his audience with a totally unknown world and with an issue which they could not comprehend. He talked to people in a simple and understandable language and convinced them by easily acceptable, yet effective ways. A good example of this can be seen in the conversion of Husain, father of Imran (r.a.):<\/p>\n
\u201cPeople from Quraish came to Husain whom they greatly respected and said:<\/p>\n
\u201cTalk to this man for us. He criticizes and talks against our gods.\u201d So they went together to the Prophet (pbuh) to discuss the issue. Polytheists sat close to the door and Husain entered. Allah\u2019s Messenger (pbuh) said:<\/p>\n
\u201cMake some space for the old man.\u201d<\/i> Husain\u2019s Muslim son Imran and his friends were in the gathering. Husain told the Prophet (pbuh):<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is it that we hear from you? You refuse our gods and talk against them; whereas your father was an intelligent and nice man, who was devoted to his ancestors\u2019 religion.\u201d<\/p>\n
Allah\u2019s Messenger (pbuh) asked him:<\/p>\n
\u201cO Husain! How many gods do you worship?\u201d<\/i> He replied:<\/p>\n
\u201cSeven on the earth and one in the sky, eight in total\u201d Allah\u2019s Apostle asked again:<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen something happens to you, to which one of them do you pray?\u201d<\/i> He said:<\/p>\n
\u201cTo the one in the sky.\u201d He (the Prophet) asked:<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen something happens to your property to whom do you pray?\u201d<\/i> He gave the same response:<\/p>\n
\u201cTo the one in the sky\u201d Then the Prophet (pbuh) asked him:<\/p>\n
\u201cEven though only one of them answers your prayers, why do you attribute partners to Him? Do you think you make them contented by your praises or are you afraid that they can destroy you?\u201d<\/i> He replied:<\/p>\n
\u201cFor neither of these two reasons\u201d (In this part of the narration) Husain added:<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u201cJust then I realized that I have never talked to someone like him.\u201d Allah\u2019s Messenger (pbuh) said:<\/p>\n
\u201cO Husain! Accept Islam and save yourself.\u201d<\/i> When Husain asked:<\/p>\n
\u201cI have my relatives and people from my tribe with me. What should I tell them?\u201d The Prophet (pbuh) told him:<\/p>\n
\u0627\u064e\u0644\u0644\u0651\u0647\u064f\u0645\u0651\u064e \u0627\u0650\u0646\u0651\u0650\u0649 \u0627\u064e\u0633\u0652\u062a\u064e\u0647\u0652\u062f\u0650\u064a\u0643\u064e \u0650\u0644\u0627\u064e\u0631\u0652\u0634\u064f\u062f\u064e \u0627\u064e\u0645\u0652\u0631\u0650\u0649 \u0648\u064e\u0632\u0650\u062f\u0652\u0646\u0650\u0649 \u0639\u0650\u0644\u0652\u0645\u064b\u0627 \u064a\u064e\u0646\u0652\u0641\u064e\u0639\u064f\u0646\u0650\u0649<\/p>\n
\u201cSay: O Allah! I ask for guidance from You to perfect my task. Increase my knowledge which will benefit me.\u201d<\/i> Husain made this prayer for a while and then converted to Islam. Imran (r.a.) stood up and kissed his father\u2019s head, hands, and feet out of happiness. When Allah\u2019s Messenger (pbuh) saw this scene, he was moved so much that he began shedding tears. He said:<\/p>\n
\u201cI cry for what Imran just did. He did not stand up when his unbelieving father entered the room. He did not even look at his face. But as soon as he converted to Islam he fulfilled his responsibility\/duty towards his father. This is why I was moved so much.\u201d<\/i> When Husain wanted to leave, the Prophet (pbuh) turned to his Companions and told them:<\/p>\n
\u201cStand up and see him to his house.\u201d<\/i> When the polytheists from Quraish saw him coming out along with a big crowd they said:<\/p>\n
\u201cHusain also abandoned his religion\u201d and they left without talking to him. (Ibn Hajar, al-Isaba<\/i>, I, 337; Tirmidhi, Daawat, 69)<\/p>\n
Another striking example for treating the listeners\u2019 according to their circumstances happened during the conquest of Mecca. Abbas (r.a.) brought Abu Sufyan, who had accepted to convert to Islam, to the Apostle of Allah (pbuh). So he embraced Islam at Marr al-Zahran.<\/p>\n
Abbas (r.a.) said to the Prophet (pbuh):<\/p>\n
\u201cApostle of Allah, Abu Sufyan is a man who likes taking pride, if you do something for him.\u201d He replied:<\/p>\n
\u201cYes, you are right. (Announce to people when entering into the city that) he who enters the house of Abu Sufyan is safe, and he who closes his door (and does not come out) is safe.\u201d<\/i> (Abu Dawud, Kharaj, 24-35)<\/p>\n
Thus, the Prophet (pbuh) treated the leader of Mecca in a manner that was pleasing to him and his heart warmed to Islam.<\/p>\n
Similarly the Prophet\u2019s approach to Wail b. Hujr a Yemenite ruler is also an appropriate example for this context. Allah\u2019s Messenger (pbuh) had informed his Companions that Wail was coming to Medina three days before his arrival and said:<\/p>\n
\u201cObeying Allah and His Messenger, Wail b. Hujr is coming from Hadramawt, from a faraway place. He is from a lineage of kings.\u201d<\/i> Then Wail b. Hujr approached and greeted the Messenger of Allah. The Prophet (pbuh) responded his greetings.<\/p>\n
Wail said:<\/p>\n
\u201cI came here longing for Islam and migration.\u201dAllah\u2019s Messenger told him:<\/p>\n
\u201cGreetings and welcome\u201d <\/i>and then took off his cloak and laid it down. They sat together on the cloak. Allah\u2019s Messenger (pbuh) was very happy with Wail\u2019s visit and asked the Muslims to gather in the mosque. When believers gathered in the mosque, he went to the pulpit and took Wail with him. After saying his praises to Allah and praying for the prophets, Allah\u2019s Messenger (pbuh) gave a sermon and prayed for Wail and his father Hujr. (Ibn Sa\u2019d, I, 349; Haythami, IX, 374)<\/p>\n
The Prophet\u2019s warmth towards and different treatment of Wail was due to his high status amongst his people which might have encouraged the conversion of others.<\/p>\n
Likewise, treating people according to their conditions was applied to those who had already embraced Islam so as to improve their spiritual state. Allah\u2019s Messenger (pbuh) observed the state of the people whom he was addressing them talking about Islam and he also answered people\u2019s questions according to their circumstances. He followed methods proper to his audience. For instance, the Prophet (pbuh) answered the question of \u201cWhich is the best deed?\u201d saying:<\/p>\n
\u201cTo believe in Allah and His Apostle then to participate in Jihad in Allah\u2019s way and then to perform Hajj-Mabrur\u201d<\/i> (Bukhari, Hajj, 4)<\/p>\n
\u201cRemembrance (dhikr) of Allah the Almighty\u201d<\/i> (Muwatta<\/i>, Qur\u2019an, 24)<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2026to love for the sake of Allah and to hate for the sake of Allah.\u201d<\/i> (Abu Dawud, Sunna, 2)<\/p>\n
\u201cRitual prayer\u201d <\/i>(Ibn majah, Tahara, 4)<\/p>\n
\u201cServing one\u2019s parents<\/i>\u201d (Ibn Athir, Usd al-Ghabah<\/i>, IV, 330)<\/p>\n
\u201cMigration\u201d<\/i> (Nasai, Bay\u2019a, 14). Thus, he gave different answer to the same question according to the time and the state of the enquierer. He gave them advice that best fit their situations. Allah\u2019s Messenger (pbuh) analyzed his audience\u2019s needs, means, and state and then followed the best approach. When Abu Huraira (r.a.), who was a poor Companion, asked:<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat form of sadaqah is best?\u201d He replied:<\/p>\n
\u201cFor those who are poor, it is to help people by their power and strength.\u201d<\/i> (Abu Dawud, Zakat, 40) However, when the same question was asked by Sa\u2019d b. Ubada, who was a tribal leader, he said:<\/p>\n
\u201cWater (is best). He dug a well.\u201d<\/i> (Abu Dawud, Zakat, 41)<\/p>\n
It is nothing but natural to have a different approach depending on the person since people\u2019s natures and status vary. This is why a preacher should have the knowledge, culture, and emotional sensitivity to be able to analyze people\u2019s spiritual state, ability, and character.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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