B. CONTENTS

1. Aim to demonstrate the beauty of Islâm such as oneness of God and man's direct relationship with Him. Begin with the positive aspects.
2. As far as possible, stick to the main or central principles of Islâm. Try to avoid the less important (ikhtilafi) issues, e.g. Sunni-Shi'a issue; if the person brings up such things, give a brief answer, and then try to steer him back to the more basic principles, so that he will not see things in the wrong perspective. At the same time, if there is a particular aspect of Islâm -- or more likely mis-understanding of it -- which seriously bothers him, take time to discuss it and help clear his doubts.
3. Emphasize the universalism of Islâm (e.g., Allâh as the Universal God, the only One worthy of True Worship) -- the fact that Islâm is a reaffirmation and perfecting of the whole stream of Revelations from God since the time of Prophet Adam; it thus teaches many of the same values and principles that also occur in other major religions. It is not therefore, a totally different and separate religion without any relationship to existing religions. Do not criticize or insult any other religion. As far as possible, avoid comparing Islâm to other religions; just explain the teachings of Islâm itself.
4. It is often appropriate to present Islâm as a way to find the answer to contemporary social problems, which upset many people. Explain that Islâm covers all aspects of life, the social as well as individual, the material (worldly) as well as the intellectual and spiritual; its principles are broad, enabling their implementations to be flexible and dynamic and thus suitable to all times and conditions.
5. Tell the truth always. Try to equip yourself with as much knowledge as possible about Islâm. Don't ever guess; if you don't know, or are not sure, say so, and either refer him to someone who does know, or offer to find out for him (and really do so!) from a reliable source. Always have someone with better knowledge of Islâm available for referral whenever difficult questions arise. Never give video tapes of debates or those talks which appear offensive to them because such material does not open hearts and minds but the person will build defensive walls around himself rendering it impossible to penetrate.
6. Don't be apologetic about Islâm - Islâm with all its aspects, principles and practices, is a perfect religion, given to humanity by Allâh -- there is therefore nothing to hide, apologize for or be ashamed of. Don't be upset if anyone criticizes or rejects any aspects of Islâm. Our role is to explain Islâm as best as we can -- whether or not he accepts it, is not our responsibility, but is entirely in Allâh's hands.
7. Don't be afraid to accept criticisms -- often people judge Islâm by looking at Muslims, and of course many Muslims do not follow Islâmic teachings fully (or sometimes at all). We should admit such failings, and point out that the "fault" is due to people's own weakness, whereas Islâm itself is a perfectly suitable way of life for man and brings him the fullest satisfaction, happiness and peace if followed conscientiously. Do not attack personalities of other religions. This is very unproductive, and only invites the listener to retaliate with attacks on Muslims. For the convert, the da'ee should first build up the person's aqeedah, his acceptance for love of Islâm. Teaching of the ritual practices of Islâm should only come later.
We should aim to make every person feel a comfortable and "at home" as possible at our centers, which should be places where he can simply be himself, and enjoy the company of sincere Muslims, as well as learn about Islâm. He should not feel in any way "out of place".
Any Muslim with some elementary knowledge of Islâm can be a da'wah worker but his effectiveness will depend upon his maturity in approach. We should always be respectful and polite towards non-Muslims, however far from the path they may seem to us to be. We must remind ourselves constantly that each human being has been created by Allâh with the same potential to gain the highest level of consciousness of Him. Thus they might well eventually become far better Muslims than our selves.
Finally, Remember da'wah is a duty which each of us must discharge according to the best of our ability and to please Allah . Don't be afraid! Although da'wah is quite a big responsibility, we must remember that we are not doing it alone. Allah is always with us. He gives tremendous help to His servants who are sincere and humble in their wish to please Him.