They start with the call to Allaah so if they (the disbelievers) accept then all praise is due to Allaah but then if they did not respond to the call then they are fought and jihaad is proclaimed against them in order to raise the word of Allaah.

1. So the disbelievers are called to enter Islam.

2. Those Muslims who have misguidance in Aqeedah are called to the correct Aqeedah.

3. Those Muslims who have correct Aqueedah but they have some sins and wrongness are called to repent and to leave of sins and disobedience.

So the call to Allaah is required and it varies according to the need. So it is a must to have this call to Allaah. It is the work of the Prophets, the Messengers and their followers from amongst the righteous scholars until the hour comes and it is not allowed to leave it. Allaah says praising this nation:

“You are the best nation who have come out to the people, you enjoin good and forbid the evil and you believe in Allaah.” [soorah Imran:110]

Allaah says:

“Let there arise from amongst you a nation who call to that which is good and they enjoin that which is good and forbid that which is evil. They are the successful ones.” [soorah Imran:104]

The aim of this nation is the call to Allaah so that the people are taken out of darkness into light. Allaah ordered His prophet with the call to Allaah:

“Call to the way of Allaah with wisdom and beautiful exhortations and argue with them in ways that are better.” [soorah Nahl:125]

This is an order from Allaah to His Prophet saws. Then He has shown him the methodology that he should follow in his call.

“Say: this is my way, I call to Allaah, upon knowledge, I and whoever follows me, and subhanallaah and I am not from the polytheist.” [soorah Yusuf:108]

In these two verses the ruling of calling to Allaah is clarified for us that it is obligotary since Allaah ordered the Messenger saws. He has also mentioned that His followers must also call to Allaah as the Prophet saws called to: “Say: this is my way, I call to Allaah, upon knowledge, I and whoever follows me”.

Th methodology of the call must be in accordance to what Allaah has legislated and not a methodology that is left for the people (to make up), such that they make a methodology for themselves. Rather the methodology is that Which Allaah clarified and that which the Messenger saws has implemented in his pure life. Those that followed him were upon the methodology of the Messenger saws in his call. Any one who brings a new methodology other than the methodology of the Messenger saws, and that is the way of the Quran and the Sunnah, then they will be wrong and the consequences are that his call will not be successful.

So we should follow the footsteps of the Messenger saws and take his methodology from the Quran and the sunnah. In the above two verses it clearly shows this. First and foremost the caller to Allaah must have sincere intention and the aim of this caller must be to seek reward from Allaah and to establish His religion and to improve the ways of those being called upon in a righteous way. He does not want a gain from the gains of this world nor to be highly honoured in the land nor to show off and to be famous neither a worldly greed. Rather he seeks the face of Allaah. He seeks to take out the people from darkness into light, from misguidance into guidance, from disbelief into (correct) belief and from disobedience into obedience. This is what is sought.

From the saying of Allaah “to Allaah.” Is a clarification of sincerity. Sheikh Muhamad Abdul Wahhab said regarding this verse “I call to Allaah – is a clarification of sincerity, because many people call to themselves.”[Fath al majeed sharh kitaab tawheed 1/185]

I say: Nor does one call to a group or party or person other than Muhammad saws. Nor to a madhab other than the Islamic religion neither to a group except to the group of Muslims Ahlu sunnah wal Jama’ah (and he says I am from amongst the Muslims).

It is upon the caller to invite to Allaah and not to call to himself because many people call to themselves. This is why if some harm, deficiency or obstacle from the obstacles befalls him, it affects him because this affects his personallity. As for the one who calls to Allaah then he is not concerned with the praise of the people or whether they do not praise him. The reason is that he seeks the face of Allaah, the most high. If any harm befalls him then he is upon the path of Allaah.