Islam is the only source of salvation for all human beings and it is the duty of Muslims to share it with the ones who have been left deprived of it. In preparation of the upcoming JIH state-wide campaign in January – ‘Islam Sab Ke Liye’, the Mira Road chapter of JIH held a special lecture on 20 December to encourage the Muslims to participate wholeheartedly in the spread of Islam.
Mr. Abdul Haseeb Bhatkar had come down all the way from Kurla to speak on the subject. He said many things in his hour-long speech, highlights of which are below:
1. The Qur’ān and the Prophet’s Seerah concentrate on winning hearts rather than winning debates. Hence, Dawah should be given with utmost kindness and humility.
2. It is our good actions and character which speak louder than our words, and we should try to emulate the Prophet (may peace and blessings of Allah be to him) in our dealings with non-Muslims.
3. In the olden days, Muslims were the sole source of Islamic teachings and thus the only means of knowing about Islam. However, with the ubiquitous presence of the internet, easy and convenient access to everything related to Islam is directly reaching people and Islam is spreading on its own strengths, doing away with the need of Muslims.
4. Just because we are fortunate enough to have been born in a Muslim household does not guarantee us a place in Heaven. Our entry in Paradise can be possible only if we adhere to Islamic teachings and acquaint others with it.
5. It is the need of the hour that those aspects of the Prophet’s life which deal with Dawah be taught to one and all. A great vacuum has been created in this regard in our early literature of the initial thousand years.
6. Last but not the least, we should empathise with those who are deprived of Islam and pray for them that Allah grace them with guidance and have mercy on them, just as He has had mercy on us.
The learned speaker gave away a number of practical examples and instances from his own life and the life of others to elucidate each point. On being asked as to how people would connect with the Qur’ān without the help of basic Seerah knowledge, Mr. Bhatkar said that it is the exclusive miracle of the Qur’ān that it strikes a cord with every person without any intervening literature to help it. It is Allah’s Word and it has that power to move hearts.
The programme concluded with a dua asking Allah for His help and mercy.