There are two types of organized movements or missions. One type is that which has a popular base. In this case, people have a shared concern for a particular issue or cause and launch a movement for it. Leaders of such movements mobilize support by rousing people’s sentiments. Often, their aim is to draw large crowds. For the success of such a movement, it is thought that impressive public speeches do the work. And so, people who launch such movements, do not find it necessary to turn to God and pray to Him for any help.
Relief work, social work, community work, rehabilitation work etc., are causes for which those who are engaged in them already feel very strongly about. It is thought that it is enough to issue a call to people to lend their support to such efforts to succeed. That in itself would draw people to participate in them in large numbers, because they already have great enthusiasm for these issues. When a function is organized on such issues, it turns into a ‘grand affair’.
The work of calling people to God is just the opposite of this. Dawah that is calling people to God which is akin to calling people to be God’s worshippers and people’s well wishers is such a task that people do not have great enthusiasm for it beforehand.
It is something that goes against popular taste. Because of this, there is no pre-existing crowd ready to take up this work. Only such people will join this sort of movement who are humble and sincere. Such people are not concentrated in one place. They are scattered in different places. It is not within human capacity to bring them together and form a team. That is why this task from its very beginning, becomes a movement that is based on asking God for help. From the very first day the caller has to supplicate to God.
The task of calling people to God is something that goes against popular taste. Only such people will join this sort of movement who are humble and sincere.
Every movement has a certain psyche. Every movement’s psyche shapes the mentality of those who are active in it. For instance, ‘people’s movements’ are people-oriented. Their psyche is such that their leaders say every sort of thing that serves to rouse the emotions of people so that they are drawn to support the movement. In contrast to this, a dawah is a God-oriented movement, it is a mission of peace and love for people. Its psyche is such that it stresses maximum possible on the caller turning to God in all humility to supplicate to God to shower His blessings on everyone. In this work God is accorded the position which in other movements, is accorded to the cause.
In the call towards God, the caller has to be a spiritual human being and a peaceful soul first. He should be a person who contributes positively towards the good of humanity. He should believe one hundred percent that all belong to God. He cannot afford to think in terms of just one community. He cannot afford to categorize in terms of superior or inferior, rich or poor.
Further, for this mission it is necessary for those who are in it to cleanse themselves of negative thinking and replace it with positive thinking. They must learn to love people, in place of resenting or hating them. They must forget and forgive the oppression of others, and, on a unilateral basis, become their wellwishers. They must set about doing this without any worldly motive and solely with enthusiasm for the rewards in the Hereafter. They must completely abandon thinking in terms of 'they and us' and consider the entire mankind as a global family.
In the call towards God, the caller has to be a spiritual human being and a peaceful soul first. He should be a person who contributes positively towards the good of humanity.
While amassing a large following or mobilizing huge crowds, organizing big rallies and collecting donations are considered the indicators of success of a ‘people’s movement’, the indicator of success of peaceful dawah work is based on God’s help, as the Quran says: “God will surely help him who helps His cause.” (22:40). The angels will join such efforts.
