Advice for daa’iyahs travelling abroad

Calling people to Allaah is one of the most essential
duties, and it is the way of the Prophets and Messengers and their followers,
namely the scholars, daa’iyahs and reformers. Hoping that you will be
able to fulfil the purpose of your da’wah trip and make the most of
your precious time with which you seek to earn reward from Allaah, we
offer you the following advice:  

1 – Fear Allaah (taqwa) and be aware that He is watching
you in secret and in public. The Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Fear Allaah wherever
you may be…” (narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 1910; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani
in Saheeh al-Tirmidhi, 1618). Fearing Allaah is the main thing,
and it is the means of being granted strength in this world and reward
in the Hereafter. And seek reward with Allaah and have sincerity of
intention towards Allaah in all that you say and do. “Actions are but
by intentions and every man shall have but that which he intended.”
(Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1; Muslim, 3530). These are things which will
help the daa’iyah and make his actions blessed, just as fearing Allaah
is the main thing, and it is the means of being granted strength in
this world and reward in the Hereafter. 

2 – Be a good example in your words, appearance, eating
and sleeping. In all of that, follow the example of the Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) in his words and actions. 

3 – Strive to lower your gaze, especially in countries
where display of women’s charms is prevalent and there is no veiling. 

4 – It is preferable to wear Arabic clothing because
that serves many interests. It is not preferable to wear European clothing.
With regard to what is said about the dangers of wearing Arabic clothing
abroad, these are merely rumours and have no basis in reality. One may
take off the headcover and wear only the cap if necessary. 

5 – The siwaak is one of the Sunnahs of the Prophet

(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and it is rare in most countries,
so it is a gift which will be appreciated by many Muslims. 

6 – Use your hand-luggage for clothes, because it is
possible that luggage may be lost in those countries.  This also
frees up room in your suitcases for the books you will need. Change
your money into dollars so that you will have it available to spend
during your trip. 

7 – Take all the necessary precautions before travelling,
such as vaccinations against the diseases that are prevalent in the
countries to which you are travelling. Take the yellow international
vaccination card with you. 

8 – Take all the addresses that you will need with you,
such as the addresses of the embassies of some Arab and Muslim countries,
and the addresses of well known and trustworthy Islamic centers and
organizations. 

Beware of giving the impression to the Muslims with whom
you mix that you have come to offer them material help, because this
opens the door to requests for help and personal demands. Indeed, some
people may think that you have a lot of money with you and will lie
in wait to do you harm. But this does not mean that you cannot take
some zakaah and charity with you, to give to needy people once you are
sure of their need, but this must be done with caution and secretly. 

9 – Do not indulge in unnecessary talk, and beware of
referring to matters of marriage, even in a joking manner, especially
with interpreters. There have been unfortunate cases where some daa’iyahs
got married at the beginning of their trips and got divorced at the
end, which has led to tarnishing of the reputation of the daa’iayahs
and neglect of children and wives. 

10 – Equip yourself with the following: 

·A pocket-sized copy of
the Qur’aan, preferably with a translation of the meanings and footnotes
describing the reasons for revelation.

·A book or two about ‘aqeedah (beliefs, doctrines), especially Tawheed (Divine Oneness) and refutation of misguided groups such as the Sufi tareeqahs.

·One or two books on the
fiqh of worship, especially the fiqh of tahaarah (purity), prayer and
fasting.

·Riyaadh al-Saaliheen
by Imam al-Nawawi, which is a comprehensive resource, especially which
regard to the fiqh of tahaarah and fasting.

·Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah
(fatwas of the Standing Committee)

·A selection of lessons
and lectures recorded on tapes, so that one may make use of them especially
during long car journeys.

·Keep with you a compass
for determining the direction of the Qiblah and an alarm clock. It is
preferable to buy a small tape recorder to record some words and interviews
with local inhabitants when necessary, as well as da’wah meetings.

The things mentioned above will help the daa’iyah to
prepare talks, lessons and lectures, and to answer questions. It will
also help him to organize his time and make the most of it, in sha Allah. 

11 – Use your time as much as possible to benefit the
da’wah, so that your visit will be a gain for the Muslims in that country.
Make the most of every opportunity to do good and do not hesitate. That
should be done by coordinating with the brothers in charge of organizing.
 

12 – When discussing any topic or issue, pay attention
to the fact that people may be lacking in knowledge or ignorant, and
that there may be differences of madhhabs. Avoid indulging in controversial
issues or stereotyping people, and try to explain the truth without
criticizing individuals.  

13 – Wisdom is one of the most important basics in calling
people to Allaah, especially when travelling. It is essential when prioritizing
and outlining the steps to be taken to achieve one’s goals, and it is
also required when dealing with different types of people. It is wise
to show due respect to people according to their status and to acknowledge
their positions. 

14 – The daa’iyah will find that some questions of fiqh
are posed to him during his trip, especially after giving lessons and
talks. He should be deal with this matter in a proper way, replying
to questions with evidence and quoting the words of the scholars, or
else saying “I don’t know”. It was said that “the one who says ‘I don’t
know’ has issued a fatwa (answered the question).” There is nothing
to stop you delaying giving an answer until you have had time to review
the matter. 

15 – It is better for the members of the group to take
turns in giving lessons and talks. We do not think that only one person
should take all the responsibility so that he becomes the mufti and
khateeb and preacher, even if he is more capable, because one of the
aims of these trips is to offer practical da’wah training to the daa’iyahs.
These trips offer a valuable opportunity for training in preaching and
giving khutbahs, especially for brothers who find it difficult to do
that in their home country because there are so many scholars and seekers
of knowledge there. 

16 – Getting to know about the situation of the Muslims,
by finding out about the Islamic situation in general and the situation
of local Islamic organizations and institutions, both official and non-official,
in particular; writing down their addresses and reports on their activities;
finding out about prominent and influential Muslim personalities in
the society; attempting to win them over by visiting them and speaking
to them nicely, so as to advance the cause of Islam and the Muslims.
All of this must be done within the guidelines of sharee’ah. We must
also try to find out about anti-Islamic activities in the region. 

17 – Strengthening ties with official religious bodies,
by holding friendly meetings, giving gifts of Islamic books and audio
materials, etc. This will make your work much easier for you and will
be more effective in spreading the message. 

Finally, we ask Allaah to give you strength and make
you steadfast. Peace be upon you, and the mercy and blessings of Allaah.