Now, we will move to the second part of this lecture i.e. the impact of Da`wah on the spread of Islam. Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He) sent His Messengers (peace be upon them all) to call people to Allah and guide them to the truth. He (Exalted be He) did not tell us that the early Messengers practiced Jihad to spread their message; as Allah first mentioned Jihad after sending His Messenger Musa (Moses, peace be upon him).
Since the time of Adam (peace be upon him) until the revelation of the Tawrah (Torah), Messengers were just Du`ah, calling to Allah without Jihad. Hence, Allah's Message (Islam) was spread among the people by calling them to Allah, and clarifying the aspects of the message, and the heavenly revealed Books.
Truly, the religion with Allâh is Islâm.
and I have been commanded to be of the Muslims (i.e. those who submit to Allâh's Will).
`Abdullah ibn `Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said, There were ten centuries between Adam and Nuh (peace be upon them) and
they were all on Islam. Then, differences among the people of Nuh took place.
Our Lord! And make us submissive unto You and of our offspring a nation submissive unto You, and show us our Manâsik (all the ceremonies of pilgrimage Hajjand 'Umrah), and accept our repentance. Truly, You are the One Who accepts repentance, the Most Merciful.
You are my Walî (Protector, Helper, Supporter, Guardian, God, Lord) in this world and in the Hereafter. Cause me to die as a Muslim (the one submitting to Your Will), and join me with the righteous.
And Mûsâ (Moses) said: "O my people! If you have believed in Allâh, then put your trust in Him if you are Muslims (those who submit to Allâh's Will)."
and I submit [in Islâm, together with Sulaimân (Solomon)] to Allâh, the Lord of the 'Alamîn (mankind, jinn and all that exists).
And verily, We have sent among every Ummah (community, nation) a Messenger (proclaiming): "Worship Allâh (Alone), and avoid (or keep away from) Tâghût (all false deities i.e. do not worship Tâghût besides Allâh)."
the Messengers with Muhammad (peace be upon him); as Allah sent him with the comprehensive and perfect religion, which has been, is and will be valid for all people since the revelation of the EverGlorious Qur'an until the Day of Judgment.
When a pious person among those people died, they built a place of worship on his grave, and then decorated it with such pictures. They would be the worst of creatures on the Day of Judgment in the sight of Allah.
The people of Prophet Hud (peace be upon him) were destroyed all [except the believers] by a barren wind, and the people of Salih were destroyed completely [except the believers] by the earthquake and the awful cry. Allah (Exalted be He) punished many nations with different types of punishment because of their disbelief, deviation, and rejection of the call to Islam. Allah (Exalted be He) prescribed Jihad during the time of Musa (peace be upon him) to support the right and suppress falsehood. Then, Allah (Exalted be He) legalized Jihad during the time of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in a perfect way.
When Allah (Exalted be He) sent our great Prophet (peace be upon him), he (peace be upon him) stayed in Makkah more than ten years, calling his people to Allah and His Religion without Jihad. His people rejected his call and harmed him and his Companions but he (peace be upon him) was patient. At first, the first stage of Da`wah was secret [limited to those near to him]; then, Allah (Exalted be He) ordered him to declare his message to the public. He (peace be upon him) responded to Allah and endured along with his Companions, the harm of the polytheists. Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq Khadijah, `Aly, and Zayad ibn Harithah (may Allah be pleased with them all) were the first Muslims.
Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) was a noble and venerable man. He was known among his people to be kind, beneficent, and wealthy, and have good morals. He called people secretly to Islam; many people embraced Islam through him including `Uthman, Al-Zubayr ibn Al-`Awwam, Abd Al-Rahman ibn `Awf, Sa`d ibn Abi Waqqas and Talhah ibn `Ubaydullah (may Allah be pleased with them all). Many people in Makkah entered Islam without Jihad, but through Da`wah, guidance, reciting the Qur'an and clarifying the merits of Islam. The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to read the Ever-Glorious Qur'an and clarify the truth to them; hence, they accepted his message and entered the religion of Allah (Glorified and Exalted be He).