The Quraand#772;nic concept of dawah contemporary relevance

Abstract

The purpose of the study has been first to discern how daand#703;wah can be derived from the Qurand#702;aand#772;n, both in terms of its rationale, motive and aim and how it must function. The first chapter deals with the theology of daand#703;wah in the Qurand#702;aand#772;n. That is, what is the duty of daand#703;wah in the Qurand#702;aand#772;n and why it needs to be performed at all. The second chapter is about the conduct or methodology of daand#703;wah from the Qurand#702;aand#772;n. The characteristics of daand#703;wah which are of applicability to a daand#772;and#703;iand#772; today can be adduced from the manner of revelation of the Qurand#702;aand#772;n, its style in introducing religious tenets and the methods of argument it utilizes. newlineIn the third chapter there is a discussion on daand#703;wah in the writings of the contemporary scholar Wahiduddin Khan, with a comparative subsection on how daand#703;wah has been treated by five other prominent scholars: Amin Ahsan Islahi, Syed Abul Ala Mawdudi, Khurram Murad, Ismail Raji al-Faruqi and Javed Ahmad Ghamidi. There is a discussion on key points of difference and similarity between Khan and the other scholars. Khan s framework on daand#703;wah provides insights into theological issues concerning daand#703;wah, relations between daand#772;and#703;iand#772; and madand#703;uand#772; as individuals and communities, the relationship of daand#703;wah with changes in the modern age such as freedom of religion and expression. Khan is an author who it can be said differs from previous writers due to the change in paradigm to the narrative of daand#703;wah he has provided. Khan s study of daand#703;wah with respect to the present age has led him to propose a reinterpretation of certain key concepts of Islam such as the idea of Muslim political dominance and jihaand#772;d. newlineThe fourth chapter analyzes the patterns of daand#703;wah from Muslim history, a critique of Poston s conception of Islamic daand#703;wah and an interpretation of daand#703;wah from the perspective of history. For the last chapter there is a study of a iERA, a UK-based contemporary daand#703;wah organization. newline