How to Give a Shahadah in 10 Minutes

tips, tools and training providing

effective methods of giving dawah

by Kamal ElMekki
 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]

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
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’
 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.
Methods

1. Pamphlet pushing
2. Group Dawah
3. One-on-one style street Dawah
4. One-on-one sit down Dawah
5. Internet Dawah
6. Indirect Dawah
 Pamphlet Pushing

1.Setting: Any heavy traffic areas

2.Goal: hand out as much material as possible
3.Requires a plan for canvassing the area
4.Not much talking
5.Don’t stop to chit chat
6.Cover the entire pathway so you don’t miss a single
person
7.Have a catch phrase to arouse interest
 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

 ONE on ONE
Street Dawah

●
Time is of the essence!
●
Drunk move on! Argument move on!
If conversation is getting long: make an appointment
●
 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.
 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
Do's and Don'ts

These are helpful tips to remember to utilize

all your potential assets for the best possible
Dawah effort.
  DOs:

1. Be patient: be prepared to run across people who

don’t want your dawah

1. Sometimes humor can be helpful

1. 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!

  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
  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

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.
  DO:

• Smile

• Looks

• Lean forward

• Nod
  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'
  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

  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.
  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

 Walk –away
points

• Depends on the type of

Dawah
– but what would they be?
II part
Understanding Dawah
From the Quran

َ ‫يل َربِّ َك ِبا ْل ِح ْك َم ِة َوا ْل َم ْو ِعظَ ِة ا ْل َح‬

‫سنَ ِة َو َجا ِد ْل ُهم بِالَّتِي‬
1

ِ ِ‫س ب‬
َ ‫ْع إِلِى‬
ُ ‫اد‬ 2
5

َ ‫ِه َي أَ ْح‬
‫س ُن‬
"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}
 
  ‫ين ظَلَم‬
‫وا‬ ُ َ ‫س ُن إِاَّل الَّ ِذ‬ َ ‫اب إِاَّل بِالَّتِ ي ِه َي أَ ْح‬ ِ َ‫َواَل تُ َجا ِدلُوا أَه َْل ا ْل ِكت‬  

‫ِم ْن ُه ْم َوقُولُوا آ َمنَّ ا بِالَّ ِذي أُن ِز َل إِلَ ْينَ ا َوأُن ِز َل إِلَ ْي ُك ْم َوإِلَ ُهنَ ا َوإِلَ ُه ُك ْم‬
‫ون‬
َ ‫سلِ ُم‬ ْ ‫اح ٌد َونَ ْح ُن لَهُ ُم‬ ِ ‫َو‬
" 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}
Understanding Dawah
From the Quran

 ‫صي َر ٍة أَنَاْ َو َم ِن اتَّبَ َعنِي‬

ِ َ‫سبِيلِي أَ ْد ُعو إِلَى هّللا ِ َعلَى ب‬ َ ‫قُ ْل َهـ ِذ ِه‬
1
2
5

‫ين‬ ْ ‫ان هّللا ِ َو َما أَنَاْ ِم َن ا ْل ُم‬

َ ‫ش ِر ِك‬ َ ‫س ْب َح‬
ُ ‫َو‬
" 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.

 Knowledge
Hadith:

• " 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
 Patience

• ‫وذو ْا َحتَّى‬ ُ ُ‫صبَ ُرو ْا َعلَى َما ُك ِّذبُو ْا َوأ‬َ َ‫س ٌل ِّمن قَ ْبلِ َك ف‬ ُ ‫َولَقَ ْد ُك ِّذبَتْ ُر‬
‫ين‬
َ ِ‫سل‬َ ‫ت هّللا ِ َولَق ْد َجاء َك ِمن نَّبَإِ ا ْل ُم ْر‬ ْ َ‫أَتَا ُه ْم ن‬
ِ ‫ص ُرنَا َوالَ ُمبَ ِّد َل ِل َكلِ َما‬
• “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.”

• ٌ‫اح ٌر أَ ْو َم ْجنُون‬
ِ ‫س‬َ ‫ول إِاَّل قَالُوا‬
ٍ ‫س‬ َ ‫َك َذلِكَ َما أَتَى الَّ ِذ‬
ُ ‫ين ِمن قَ ْبلِ ِهم ِّمن َّر‬
• “Likewise no messenger came to the previous people
except that the said, He I a sorcerer and/or
madman.”

• َ ‫َو َك َذلِ َك َج َع ْلنَا لِ ُك ِّل نَبِ ٍّي َع ُد ًّوا ِّم َن ا ْل ُم ْج ِر ِم‬

‫ين َو َكفَى ِب َربِّكَ َها ِديًا‬
ِ َ‫َون‬
‫صي ًرا‬
• “And for each of the prophets We have made an
enemy fro the idol worshippers”
 Patience

• َ ‫إِنَّا نَ ْح ُن نَ َّز ْلنَا َعلَ ْي َك ا ْلقُ ْر‬

‫آن تَن ِزياًل‬
“Indeed it is We who have sent down this Quran to
you, Gradualy. ”

• ‫اصبِ ْر لِ ُح ْك ِم َربِّ َك َواَل تُ ِط ْع ِم ْن ُه ْم آثِ ًما أَ ْو َكفُو ًرا‬

ْ َ‫ف‬
“So be patient with what your Lord has decreed”
 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'')
 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.
 Use Stories

1. Religion under microscope, can't all be right

(there are as many paths…), no flaws no
inconsistencies, discrepancies, contradictions
2. Human value system
3. Humans affected by environment and society.
Dog and child
4. Evil and Jar of darkness
5. Religion and violence
1. most violence not because of religion
2. Media, politics vs. pure teaching to kill
6. Women polygyny 1+1=2 Media and culture
blame
 Use Stories
cont…

1. Concept of Justice, child hits head, resurrection

fairness judgment
2. Prophet continuation chart
3. Organized religion
4. 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
5. Kill someone if apostatize, cut off hands. Eye on the
ball!
6. Jesus and Moses mentioned in Quran more than
Mohammed .
7. Tawheed no partner mention children, wives,
friends helpers, ridiculous .
8. Explain concept/ logic then ask problem with logic
then explain how one becomes a Muslim
 Why do people
convert

1. Agrees with human nature and makes sense

1. Prayers

1. solutions

1. devotion of Islam's followers,

1. Terrorism!
 Create the Sense
of Urgency

• Uqbah ibn abi Mueet

• Omar ibn Al khattab

• Abu sufyaan
• Say “La ilaha ilalah”
How to approach
people

Direct and Indirect approaches

 How to approach
people

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

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

1. Direct Approach
1. Are you a Muslim?
• Why not?
• From this response you see how far or
close they are to Islam
 Believe in God but not
organized religion?

1. Disorganized ?
2. Fallacy of religion and war.
3. Evil in the world/ Jar of darkness.
4. What is good and what is bad?
5. Science & Quran
1. (SIT DOWN RULE! USE A SHEET OF
PAPER AND WRITE POINTS AGREED
UPON ! WHY?
6. Islam fastest growing religion for a
reason
7. All claim to have the truth, put religion
under the microscope
 Atheist

1. Building in desert /watch in the woods.

Ridiculous to come from nothing.
2. How did we hear of creator? Upstairs
neighbor.
3. Fairness/ sending prophets
4. Justice.
5. Authored a Book, no flaws/ consistent.
6. Sit-down
7. Fastest growing religions.
 Other faith

1. If you were of the same faith before

then share!
2. Two theories:
1. 'Strong faith' shake the foundations , when
they reel back then show them Islam
2. 'weaker faith', don't get into biblical debate
unless necessary, just present Islam, it
makes more sense and is more acceptable
in its theories