The Stages of the Daʿwah

The fifth reason: his life (peace be upon him) illustrates the methodological steps of the Islamic movement. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) went through stages: he started with a secret daʿwah, then it became public, and then later, jihad. So it went through stages, and these stages are important for Islamic movements to learn and study. Munir al-Ghaḍbān says, "We believe that this methodological progression of the Prophet's life is divinely directed, for Allah has guided His Prophet in all of his steps, and it was not a result of a reaction to emerging circumstances." So these events that happened in the life of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) were not haphazard; they were planned by Allah (swt) so that they would be a guidance for us in the effort to establish Islam again. So it is very important that a close look be taken at the stages that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) went through, and the progression of his daʿwah.

Rashīd Riḍā says: were it not for the education and training, verbal direction wouldn't suffice, for the sīrah taught them how to be guided by the Qur'an and trained them to be just and moderate in all matters. So there are the Qur'an and the Sunnah — the verbal teachings. But how are these verbal teachings applied? By looking into the application of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them). They took this verbal teaching into action, and that is something that only the Muslims have. The followers of other scriptures have lost the sīrah of their prophets. But among the Muslims, it is known how the Qur'an was being practiced; it is known how the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) was being practiced and applied.

There is an ayah in the Qur'an that says eating and drinking can continue at night in Ramaḍān until the white string is distinguished from the black string. One of the Companions took this literally: what he did is he had a string under his pillow, and he would eat, and then he would uncover the string — he would pick up the pillow, he wouldn't see the string, so he would continue eating. He kept on doing that, and then he went to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and said, "This is what I've done." The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) laughed and said, "It doesn't mean that you take a string in your room and look at it — it means the white string, which is the first emergence of light. Apply that. Because I could be in a dark room with no windows, and I have a string with me, and it could be noontime, and I still can't see it, and I'm continuing to eat." So the application of the āyāt and the aḥādīth of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) are shown in the life of Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the life of the Companions, may the blessings and pleasure of Allah (swt) be with them all.