How to Give a Shahadah in 10 Minutes tips, tools and training providing effective methods of giving dawah by Kamal ElMe

1. How to Give a Shahadah in 10 Minutestips, tools and training providing effective methods of giving dawahby Kamal ElMekki

2. Understanding Your Obligation Invite to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided." [Nisaa':125] "And who is better in speech than he who invites to Allah and does righteous deeds, and says: 'I am one of the Muslims.'" [Fussilat:33] "Convey from me, even one verse." [al-Bukhaaree]

3. Reward and Punishment "Whoever guides [another] to a good deed will get a reward similar to the one who performs it." [Saheeh Muslim] "By Allah, if Allah were to guide one man through you it would be better for you than the best type of camels." [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim] "Verily, those who conceal the clear proofs, evidences and the guidance, which We have sent down, after We have made it clear for the people in the book, they are the ones cursed by Allah and cursed by the cursers." [al-Baqara:159] "Whoever hides knowledge, Allah will brand him with the branding iron from the hellfire." [Ahmad] “and you can not guide the blind from their straying; you can make to hear only those who believe in our Ayat ( proofs evidences, verse, signs) and have submitted to Allah in Islam(as Muslims)…” (Rum:14) “perhaps you would kill yourself in grief on their footsteps for their turning away from you” (Kahf:6)

4. Two Types of Guidance (Hidaya) 1. Hidayat ul irshaad: Our duty ‘Trying to direct someone to the truth’ 2. Hidayat ul tawfiq: From Allah ‘A person accepting the message’

5. Obstacles on the Path to a Shahada • Immediate results you may not see the results 2. Looking for a “sign” understanding Christian perspective 3. “I don’t have enough knowledge” "Convey from me, even one verse." [al-Bukhaaree] 4. “I myself am in need of dawah” 5. Shyness “Jump into the pool” 6.They won't revert! 7. Not knowing who you're talking to.

6. Methods • Pamphlet pushing • Group Dawah • One-on-one style street Dawah • One-on-one sit down Dawah • Internet Dawah • Indirect Dawah

7. Pamphlet Pushing • Setting: Any heavy traffic areas • Goal: hand out as much material as possible • Requires a plan for canvassing the area • Not much talking • Don’t stop to chit chat • Cover the entire pathway so you don’t miss a single person • Have a catch phrase to arouse interest

8. Group Dawah • Setting: Giving a talk or lecture to a group of people • Avoid jokes – choose carefully • Stick to the point • Keep within the announced topic

9. ONE on ONEStreet Dawah • Time is of the essence! • Drunk move on! Argument move on! • If conversation is getting long: make an appointment

10. ONE on ONE Sit-Down • A detail oriented theological discussion • Usually pre-planned • Begin with how much the person knows on Islam, diagnosis to find problem • You have time, but still use it wisely! • Listen don't interrupt and let them finish • Common Problem: If they repeat an argument, rephrase and say it back to them • If the person has studied Islam: find the core issue that is keeping him from Islam.

11. Internet Dawah • Setting: the use of email, chat rooms or IM to propagate Islam or sending letters to prisoners. • Send links to website in the end • Stick to the point

12. Do's and Don'ts These are helpful tips to remember to utilize all your potential assets for the best possible Dawah effort.

13. DOs: • Be patient: be prepared to run across people who don’t want your dawah • Sometimes humor can be helpful • Be straight forward: style of the Quran • Avoid unnecessary confrontations, arguments… simply move on! • Get them to think outside the box • Keep your eye on the ball • Keep the ball rolling!

14.  DO: 8. Go for the Gold: make the sale! 9. Use simple language 10. Understand needs, obstacles and issues 11. Listen with your eyes and your ears 70-80% of communication is non-verbal 12. Ways to get people to listen: Use open gestures, nodding Acknowledge their questions as smart Replace your statements with questions Maintain eye contact but don’t stare

15. DO: 13. Try to coin statements into a positive manner, highlight words like “good” & “yes” • Make them concede to a few points • Make concessions / find points to agree upon

16. Use words in the affirmative • yes, ok, " That’s a good question", • “I'm actually glad your brought that point up“ • " I can see why you understood it that way.

17.  DO: • Smile • Looks • Lean forward • Nod

18.  DO: • Use open gestures • Don’t cross arms • Minimize resistance, disinterest, • open gestures signal you are open to counterparts ideas • Ask questions instead of making statements • why? • Present them with concepts that will get you a 'yes'

19.  Don'ts: • Don’t start by attacking or being aggressive • people become defensive and put a mental block • Don’t use an annoying approach like bullhorn. • Don’t beat about the bush, evasive cure? 1+1=2 • Never use the 'lets not push him' technique

20.  Don'ts: • Never interrupt a person giving dawah • unless VERY GOOD REASON! • Dawah in groups of two, if one drops the ball, the other picks it up, • or interrupts if he has a good point the partner overlooked • Don’t Begin a sentence with "No", " What you need to understand". • Don't use 'but' it erases all that was said before it. • Instead use" I agree -Agreeing is important • why? It closes the gap and doesn't make Islam appear far from the person. • Give up if the person seems uninterested or makes fun of you.

21.  Don'ts: • Falsification and exaggeration • the introduction of factually erroneous information • Demeaning the other party • Misrepresentation of one's position regarding other part • Don’t get into a negotiation

22. Walk –away points • Depends on the type of Dawah • but what would they be?

23. II part

24. ادْعُ إِلِى سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ وَجَادِلْهُم بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ "Call to the way prescribed by you Lord with wisdom and with fine admonition, and debate with them in the best manner." {Soorat an Nahl (16) 125} وَلَا تُجَادِلُوا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ إِلَّا بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مِنْهُمْ وَقُولُوا آمَنَّا بِالَّذِي أُنزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَأُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ وَإِلَهُنَا وَإِلَهُكُمْ وَاحِدٌ وَنَحْنُ لَهُ مُسْلِمُونَ " And do not debate with the People of the Book except with the BEST WORDS,(calling to Allah by means of His signs and by drawing attention to the proofs He has provided) except for those who remain obstinately upon unbelief and would rather wage war." {Surat al-Ankaboot (20):46} 125 Understanding DawahFrom the Quran

25. قُلْ هَـذِهِ سَبِيلِي أَدْعُو إِلَى اللّهِ عَلَى بَصِيرَةٍ أَنَاْ وَمَنِ اتَّبَعَنِي وَسُبْحَانَ اللّهِ وَمَا أَنَاْ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ " Say, O Muhammad, this is my way: I call to Allah (alone), upon certain knowledge (baseerah) myself and those who follow me, and Allah is free from all imperfections and partners, and I am free from those who associate anything in worship along with Him." {Surat Yoosuf (12):108} The call must be based upon knowledge and clear evidence. 125 Understanding DawahFrom the Quran

26. KnowledgeHadith: • " By Allah, for Allah to guide one man through you is better for you than red camels (the best of wealth) than the whole world and what's in it". • " Whoever calls to guidance then there is for him a reward like the rewards of those who follow him and that will reduce nothing from their rewards, and whoever calls to misguidance will have sin upon him like the sins of those who follow him, and that will reduce nothing from their sin." • “whoever guides to some good deed then he receives a reward like that of its doer". Exp Al kawtharr." • "convey about me even if one verse". • Make your stay in the land of the Kuffar -Halal

27. Patience • وَلَقَدْ كُذِّبَتْ رُسُلٌ مِّن قَبْلِكَ فَصَبَرُواْ عَلَى مَا كُذِّبُواْ وَأُوذُواْ حَتَّى أَتَاهُمْ نَصْرُنَا وَلاَ مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَاتِ اللّهِ وَلَقدْ جَاءكَ مِن نَّبَإِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ • “Indeed messengers before you, Muhammad, were denied and rejected but they patiently bore the denial, rejection and harm of their people until Our aid came to them.” • كَذَلِكَ مَا أَتَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِم مِّن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا قَالُوا سَاحِرٌ أَوْ مَجْنُونٌ • “Likewise no messenger came to the previous people except that the said, He I a sorcerer and/or madman.” • وَكَذَلِكَ جَعَلْنَا لِكُلِّ نَبِيٍّ عَدُوًّا مِّنَ الْمُجْرِمِينَ وَكَفَى بِرَبِّكَ هَادِيًا وَنَصِيرًا • “And for each of the prophets We have made an enemy fro the idol worshippers”

28. Patience • إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْقُرْآنَ تَنزِيلًا “Indeed it is We who have sent down this Quran to you, Gradualy. ” • فَاصْبِرْ لِحُكْمِ رَبِّكَ وَلَا تُطِعْ مِنْهُمْ آثِمًا أَوْ كَفُورًا “So be patient with what your Lord has decreed”

29. The Simplicity of the Matter • (They said: "Are you the one who has done this to our gods, O Ibrahim'' He said: "Nay, this one, the biggest of them did it...'') referring to the one he had left alone and had not broken. • (Ask them, if they can speak!) He was hoping that they would admit of their own volition that these idols could not speak and that this idol would not say anything because it was inanimate. • (64. So they turned to themselves and said: "Verily, you are the wrongdoers.'') (65. Then they turned to themselves: "Indeed you know well that these speak not!'') (66. He said: "Do you then worship besides Allah, things that can neither profit you nor harm you'') (67. "Fie upon you, and upon that which you worship besides Allah! Have you then no sense'')

30. The Simplicity of the Matter • Questionnaire: Retarded why? • Questions you can ask • What is the Purpose of Life? • Trinity: three in one or one in three? • sit at my right hand? • how many Gods where there when Jesus died for three days? • Why never an explicit mention of Trinity in the Bible since it is the crux of the religion? Most people think problems with their religion automatically apply to others.

31. Use Stories • Religion under microscope, can't all be right (there are as many paths…), no flaws no inconsistencies, discrepancies, contradictions • Human value system • Humans affected by environment and society. Dog and child • Evil and Jar of darkness • Religion and violence • most violence not because of religion • Media, politics vs. pure teaching to kill • Women polygyny 1+1=2 Media and culture blame

32. Use Storiescont… • Concept of Justice, child hits head, resurrection fairness judgment • Prophet continuation chart • Organized religion • look back at life, many long years, moments and days, good times just memories can't do anything with them. Might as well invest time and worship Allah • Kill someone if apostatize, cut off hands. Eye on the ball! • Jesus and Moses mentioned in Quran more than Mohammed . • Tawheed no partner mention children, wives, friends helpers, ridiculous . • Explain concept/ logic then ask problem with logic then explain how one becomes a Muslim

33. Why do people convert • Agrees with human nature and makes sense • Prayers • solutions • devotion of Islam's followers, • Terrorism!

34. Create the Sense of Urgency • Uqbah ibn abi Mueet • Omar ibn Al khattab • Abu sufyaan • Say “La ilaha ilalah”

35. How to approach people Direct and Indirect approaches

36. How to approach people • Indirect Approach • Dawah through manners and behavior • Having a discussion with a friend or partner intending for non-Muslims to hear it • Performing acts of worship in Public • Story of girl and prayer/airport • Foot in the sink • American with picture of Kaaba • Leaving pamphlets on train and bus seats/ bus stations/ in doorstep etc • Other methods

37. How to approach people • Direct Approach • If you have a dawah table • In street dawah the approach is very straight forward here. • Very direct. What is the purpose of life? •  But in an elevator or store? How? What ways are there to strike up a conversation?

38. How to approach people • Direct Approach • Are you a Muslim? • Why not? • From this response you see how far or close they are to Islam

39. Believe in God but not organized religion? • Disorganized ? • Fallacy of religion and war. • Evil in the world/ Jar of darkness. • What is good and what is bad? • Science & Quran • (SIT DOWN RULE! USE A SHEET OF PAPER AND WRITE POINTS AGREED UPON ! WHY? • Islam fastest growing religion for a reason • All claim to have the truth, put religion under the microscope

40. Atheist • Building in desert /watch in the woods. Ridiculous to come from nothing. • How did we hear of creator? Upstairs neighbor. • Fairness/ sending prophets • Justice. • Authored a Book, no flaws/ consistent. • Sit-down • Fastest growing religions.

41. Other faith • If you were of the same faith before then share! • Two theories: • 'Strong faith' shake the foundations , when they reel back then show them Islam • 'weaker faith', don't get into biblical debate unless necessary, just present Islam, it makes more sense and is more acceptable in its theories