Al-Risala (English), June 1988

Principles and Conduct

1988 6 June 2 Principles and Conduct (293)

ISLAM SPEAKS FOR ITSELF

In a travelogue published in a widely circulated Indian magazine, Mr. Khushwant Singh asserts that on his last visit to Kenya and Uganda, he “checked on the activities of Christian and Muslim missionaries working amongst the Negro tribes. Christians conceded that despite the unpleasant memories of Muslim Arab slavers, Islam was claiming more converts amongst African blacks than Christianity. “(Illustrated Weekly of India, July, 7 1974, p.27).

This shows how wrong it is to say that Muslims who fall below Islamic standards, because they themselves do not follow Islamic teachings, are incapable of introducing Islam to non-believers. Their own dereliction is no obstacle to their being able to bring others to the faith. This is because those who accept Islam do so because its principles have found favour with them and not because, necessarily, they have been impressed with Muslim conduct.

The converse is also true. Even where Muslim conduct is strictly patterned on Islamic ideals, there is not necessarily 100 per cent acceptance of the faith. If this had been so, would not Islam have been embraced by every single member of the communities addressed by the prophets. It is on record that this never actually happened. Throughout the ages, the prophets have evinced the utmost perfection of character and behaviour – but their hearers have not immediately thronged, as might have been expected, to pledge themselves to God’s cause. Had proper Islamic behaviour been enough, no member of the community to which the prophets belonged, would have remained a non-believer.

Ibn ‘Umar reported that the Messengers of God said: “A man should not enter into bargaining in opposition to his brother and should not give proposal of marriage in opposition to the proposal of his brother except with his consent.

Sahih Muslim