Taxi Dawah...

Assalamualaikum,

A short story about making da'wah. I hope it inspires you to go out there
and become da'is (those who make da'wah). If that's too much to hope for,
at least I hope it inspires you to become better Muslims and set a good
example as Muslims.

Taxi Dawah...
--------------------------

----------------------------- ---------------
Following is a story that I heard recently from a Muslim scholar who was
visiting us in the United States during the holy month of Ramadan. The
Muslim scholar (sheikh) was on a visit to China to give a series of
lectures to the local Muslim community.

One day, he was scheduled to give a lecture at a local hall and was
about to take a taxi along with his companions to that location. They
got into the taxi and the Sheikh asked about the length of time it would
take to get to the lecture hall. The taxi driver, through the
interpreter, answered "Two hours." The Sheikh immediately turned to his
companions and said: "well, we
can't sit in this taxi with the driver for two hours and not tell him
about our religion. If we did that then we would be no different than
any other non-Muslim or kaffir who uses this taxi. We are the people
that Allah (SWT) chose to carry His message and honored us to be
Muslims. It is our duty to tell this person about Islam."

However, the driver was a native Chinese and didn't have a common
language with the Sheikh. They had to communicate through an
interpreter.

Sheikh to interpreter: "Ask the man if he believes in any religion?"
Driver: "No, I don't believe in religion. I just get up in the morning,
go to work and earn money. At the end of the day, I collect my money,
go buy some food and drink for my family. What do I need religion for?"

Sheikh (thru interpreter): "Ask this man if he has ever heard anything
about Islam".
Driver: "Not much. I've seen a tape once that showed Muslims as violent
people. I don't know much else."
Sheikh : "Ask him about computers. What does he think of computers?"
Driver: "I think the computer is an excellent invention. It is very useful
and very sophisticated."
Sheikh: "Does he think that the computer could have invented itself or
does he think that a human being invented it?"
Driver: "A human invented it, of course. It is not capable of inventing
itself."
Sheikh: "Which one is more complicated the computer or the human being?"
Driver: "The human being is more complicated, of course."
Sheikh: "O.K., if the computer must have been invented by a human being,
then it follows that a human being (which is more complicated) must also
have a creator."
Driver: "O.K."
Sheikh: "In Islam, we believe that Allah is the creator of human beings
and all other beings. Fine, now let's move on. Assume that you have
never seen a computer before and never heard of it. If I brought a
computer to you and gave it to you. Would you know what to do with it?
Would you be able to use to its full potential?"
Driver: "No, I wouldn't."
Sheikh: "Now, if I gave you a catalogue for the computer, then you will
be better able to use it, correct?"
Driver: "Correct!"
Sheikh: "In Islam, we view Quran as the catalogue used by human beings to
manage their lives. Without this catalogue, they will ruin themselves!"
Sheikh: "Now, if this inventor of the computer assembled the machine and
printed the catalogue, what would be the next step? He would need to
train some engineers and others on how to spread the message about this
machine. These people would,
in turn, train others and others until everyone knows about the machine.
In the example of Allah and Quran, the prophets of Allah play the role of
the engineers. They learn the message and teach it to others so that the
message will spread. Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him) is the final
messenger of Allah and he was ordered to take the message to all human
beings."

By this time, the trip was coming to an end and they almost reached the
lecture hall. But the Sheikh can see that there were tears coming out of
the driver's eyes. The words of the Sheikh were having a significant
effect on this driver.
Driver:"These ideas are very interesting to me. Do you mind spending 15
more minutes with me to tell me about this religion?"

The Sheikh agreed to spend those few minutes with this person. The man
asked many questions and seemed genuine in his desire to learn more about
this religion. At the end of these few minutes, the driver said: "I want
to join this religion of yours. How do I do that." He was told that all
he needs to do is say: "I bear witness that there is no God but Allah
and I bear witness that Mohammad is his servant and messenger" Allahu
Akbar!! Sounds simple, doesn't it. A taxi trip in the crowded streets of
a
Chinese city can bring the light of Islam into the heart of a Chinese man.
A man who became a Muslim. There are many people out there who are thirsty
for the message of Islam. Gaining them as Muslim brothers and sisters
could be as simple as this story. But someone needs to make the effort.
So, please, make the effort!