Invite others to the path of Deen (Faith)

The main responsibility of a Muslim towards the Sunnah and teachings of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم is that he should himself act upon them and convey them to others. If he himself acts upon them but does not convey them to others then there is every possibility that the benefits which he himself has reaped may go waste. This is because if the company around him remains misguided and unreformed, then there is every possibility that this man may go astray at any time. Take an example. A man has become a regular Namazi,(One who offers Salat) is refraining from sins, but he has paid no attention to the members of his family who are following a different path from his own. As a result he is liable to deviate from the right path he is following. It is, therefore, incumbent on him to try from time to time with love and sympathy to induce the members of his own household to the right path. In addition, he should remain striving to convey the message of Deen to his Kith and Kin, his neighbours, his friends and colleagues. The Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم has said in a Hadith:

One Muslim is a mirror of another Muslim (Abu Daood).

In other words, if one Muslim is committing a sin, it is the duty of another Muslim to draw the attention of the sinner to the sin he is committing. Such admonitory action should, however, be taken with love and friendliness, without any vestige of harshness or taunting, calculated to create feelings of defiance hatred and obstinacy.

Some people complain that their efforts do not bear the desired fruit. They should note that their duty is to convey the message and they are not responsible for the result which depends on Allah's will. Take the example of Hazrat Nooh (Noah -عليه السلام) who spent nine hundred and fifty years in preaching the message during which only nineteen men embraced Islam. Despite that the Prophet of Allah did not give up the work of preaching.

One should not feel disgusted with the work of preaching

It is the duty of a Da'ee (Preacher) not to feel disgusted nor give way to despondency, but he should continue his preaching, irrespective of his preaching has or does not have the desired effect on his addressees. He should do this with the belief that a word of goodness does
have its effect later or sooner. If like the son of Hazrat Nooh (Noah عليه السلام) one is destined to die as an unbeliever, the preacher at any rate shall earn his reward for the work of preaching.

The Da'ee (Preacher) should himself act upon the Sunnah and teachings of the Holy Prophet ^ and seek Allah's forgiveness for his short comings. If he moulds his entire life on this pattern, he will-God willing - attain success. Negligence is a great vice against which the Preacher should guard himself. May Almighty Allah save from the evil of negligence and help us all of us in following the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet #. Aameen