The Call to Truth

they learnt the Kashmiri language and, adjusting to the prevailing circumstances, they took pains to find a place in this alien land. In this way, leading a life of patience and forbearance, they continued their peaceful dawah mission. Discussing this with an educated Kashmiri Muslim, I told him that the right path for the Kashmiris to follow was to recall the peaceful dawah mission of Shah Hamadan in Kashmir. If Shah Hamadan achieved extraordinary success in Kashmir, it was because dawah was his sole mission. Many kinds of problems existed in the times of Shah Hamadan, both political and non-political. But, ignoring all these problems, he made dawah ilallah (calling people to God) his sole target. Consequently, he achieved tremendous success in Kashmir. This Kashmiri I was in conversation with, said that a large number of non-Muslims formerly lived in Kashmir, whereas today only Muslims lived there. Then to whom should they direct their dawah efforts? I said that Kashmir afforded opportunities for international dawah work. A case in point was the Indian army which was there in Kashmir in full force. All of its members were in the position of being madu. Besides, as is well known, Kashmir is a tourist spot, and therefore receives tourists from all over the world. Furthermore, a number of Hindu Pundits are still living there. Then a large number of pilgrims visit its ancient mandirs (shrines) the whole year round. All these people are madu for us. If dawah consciousness is awakened within one, one will find that there are madu all over Kashmir in large numbers. Similarly, there is another field of dawah work in Kashmir-- that of Muslims who are suffering from intellectual discontent regarding Islam, due to their exposure to modern thought. These people also have the status of madu for you. For non- Muslims, Islam has to be made a matter of discovery, while for Muslims Islam has to be made a matter of re-discovery. It is a fact that the Muslims of Kashmir are twice blessed. Firstly, Kashmir is called Jannat Nazir (similar to Paradise), which means that God has given the Kashmiris the paradise of this world. Secondly, God has sent to Kashmir madus from all over the world in order that the Kashmiris may secure the paradise of the next world by performing dawah work. The present world is the world of the printing press. This, in present times has rendered dawah work extremely simple. The translation of the Quran, and other books on Islam are all available in print. You can keep these books with you and give them to people on all occasions. Similarly, use all opportunities for the peaceful propagation of Islam, especially, by distributing the The Call to Truth