FROM MAULANA’S DESK

Therefore, dawah is the other name for peaceful dialogue. It is a healthy practice to share one’s ideas with others in an atmosphere of openness. Dawah is a bilateral process which involves sharing of thoughts. During this process, one gives to others and also gains from others’ learning. In this sense, dawah can also be termed mutual learning. We can say that it is a process in which one shares one’s discovery of the truth with others. In one respect it is an invitation, while at the same time it is a means for mutual learning. Contrary to imposing one’s ideas on others, it stands for sharing one’s discovery with others. If dawah is taken in the sense of proselytization, it would serve to be a cause for intellectual stagnation. If, however, it is taken in the sense of dialogue and mutual learning, it would prove to be effective in the intellectual development of people involved. Dawah is not the same as debate. In a debate, one aims to establish one’s superiority over another. This is not a method suitable for an intellectual discussion. Debate does not ignite our thoughts to new ideas presented by others. On the contrary, while doing dawah one enters into a healthy exchange with others on religious subjects. The target for this exchange is to further one’s creative thinking in order to explore and discover new aspects of the truth. Conversion, in Islamic thought, is not synonymous with proselytism. According to Islam, conversion is an event which takes place in a person’s life as a result of an intellectual transformation. It is for the individual to discover the truth after an exhaustive search for it and then willingly make a choice in this matter. Dawah refers to creative interaction. It is a bilateral process. A peaceful exchange of ideas in human society is the basic aspect for the development of the world. Every development was an idea which was converted into action resulting in benefit to humanity. Sharing of ideas with others in an atmosphere of peace and openness is the source of human and intellectual development. During this process, one also learns from others. It is mutual learning. One presents what one has discovered and listens to what the other person has to offer from his discovery in life. If this does not happen then it will lead to intellectual stagnation. If taken in the sense of dialogue Conversion is an event which takes place in a person’s life as a result of an intellectual transformation.