Methods of Tabligh (propagation):
Morteza Agha mohammadi
The elements of propagation:
1- The propagator.
2- The addressee (audience).
3- The message.
4-the medium of propagation
First: The elements of propagator:
A. Where he/she is from.
B. What sort of education he/she has.
C. purification:
Imam Ali A.S said:
*مَنِ اتَّخَذَ الْحَقَّ لِجَاماً اتَّخَذَهُ النَّاسُ إِمَاماً*(1)
D. To have pure intention:
*لاأَسْئَلُكُمْعَلَيْهِأَجْرا*ً(2)
"I do not ask you any reward for it"
E. To be moderate:
Imam Ali A.S said:
ألاأُخْبِرُكُمْبِالْفَقِيهِحَقِّالْفَقِيهِمَنْلَمْيُقَنِّطِالنَّاسَمِنْرَحْمَةِاللَّهِوَلَمْيُومِنْهُمْمِنْعَذَابِاللَّهِوَلَمْيُرَخِّصْلَهُمْفِيمَعَاصِياللَّهِ(3)
F. being handsome i.e. not short or thin or …
Appearance: How do you appear in front of the audience?
Wearing chines clothes doesn’t mean that you are chines, so you can wear their clothes while you are in china. This is what Christians do, i.e. they change their clothes easily when they travel to another country with a different culture.
Note: not only it's not bad but also it is recommended not to be turbaned always outside Iran. To wear their clothes gives a better impression to the audience. If there is no reason, don’t wear your uniform, e.g. in a market or a mall.
The first impression gives the picture.
Wearing long beard in European countries doesn’t mean that you are a great scholar; on the contrary they don't like to see such a person.
G. To have good temper and noble characteristics like being patient, sincere, humble.
H. To be knowledgeable enough to be able to rationalize the traditions and believes.
Note: They don’t expect you to know everything. And if you tell
them that you don’t know something, they accept and beside they consider you a real man of God.
I. To appear as a man of God because if they realize that the propagator is propagating himself/herself they will avoid him/her.
J. To love people. The propagator should show them that he/she loves them by helping them and showing affection to them. God loves them with all of their sins so the same should be with us.
K. Certainty. The messenger should be sure about what he/she preaches.
Second element: The addressee (audience).
Women abroad think that: not looking at them is a kind of disrespect to them, and even they might think that you don’t consider them as a human.
Question: then how the propagator can look at them and at the same time avoid committing haram looking?
The solutions:
1- Looking at them is not Haram according to Ayatollah Sistani.
2- If we explain for them that it is our religion and it's not something personal, most of them understand it.
3- In the verse 30 chapter 24 it reads:
قُلْ لِلْمُؤْمِنينَ يَغُضُّوا مِنْ أَبْصارِهِمْ...**
"Tell the faithful men to cast down their looks"
The concept of " غض بصر" doesn't mean not looking at them but it means to avoid staring at their body.
Third: The message.
The propagator can begin with:
üGod's existence, His mercy toward all people, his kindness
üSome questions about Islam, peaceful nature of Islam.
üWomen's rights and their duty inside the home
üDon’t talk about something that they don’t accept or annoys them, for
example don’t start with a Hindu with "Why do you respect cow?" Or
never talk with a Christian about the reason that they don’t enter into political issues.
ü The first step is getting friend with them.
üNever begin with what is highly accepted by the audience.
Note: talking about politics is not beneficial.
Fourth: the medium of propagation:
"Yes you are right" it is good for them to have your confirmation.
A. it’s convenient and reachable and other can contact you.
B. It has no problem seating between to women.
C. show you are eagerness.
D. Don’t bend over.
E. Don’t show you are ready to answer.
F. Show you are relaxed.
Don’t criticize the customs or culture and say: how is it beautiful! Just if they serve alcohol tell them: Based on my religion I can’t drink this.
1 -عيون الحكم و المواعظ (لليثي)، ص: 457
2- Surah 11 : 51
3- كافي،ج1 ، ص 36