The day after Abu Bakr (ra) accepted Islam, the very next day he invited seven people to accept it too. We are all aware this means in the very, very first stages of Islam. When it was new to even the Prophet (saw).
But Abu Bakr brought seven people, in one day, to this new religion. Now that’s what you call an amazing dawah carrier.
I heard this today and thought wow. The more I learn about the Prophet’s best friend, the more I’m in awe. His kindness, his humble personality must have played a big part. And these are things that good dawah carriers need. But there’s something else that is needed, and that is conviction. Conviction in the message that we try and proclaim. Conviction in every word we utter when we try and win someone else over.
I tried to think about myself first. And then others I know. And thought about people I know, who display good skills in inviting people to the haqq. And here I don’t mean only to non-Muslims. I mean to Muslims too. Family members, relatives, friends, neighbours. Everyone we know.
The reason Abu Bakr was able to convince seven people about a religion he had accepted a day before himself, was his absolute conviction in it. And maybe that’s where I go wrong. Or others go wrong. We’re not even carrying it fully within ourselves and that’s why when we go to convince others of it, it doesn’t bring any real change about. And of course results are with Allah.. We try and do our bit.
But if we look deep within ourselves, we will find that we are forever struggling and faltering back and forth. How much of the Quran had Abu Bakr heard when he accepted Islam? I, on the other hand have all 114 chapters to read, understand, and live by. But do I have the same unwavering conviction? Of course not. And it would be very easy to say that Abu Bakr was special. Which he was. But he was also a slave. He was also like me, a person. A real person.
SubhanAllah. This little snippet from the life of Abu Bakr has got me thinking about how seriously I actually take all that I am commanded of. All that I can’t commit to. And only I know the answer to this. And my Rabb does too. And that makes me feel very uncomfortable and embarrassed. Wouldn’t it be so lovely to have just a little, tiny ounce of the conviction Abu Bakr had? Make dua. And work on it, Umm Y².
These people. These blessed sahabi. They are not fairytales for us. They teach us things too.
And no, this post isn’t about working on ones self first and then others – this is more about looking deep within ones soul and understanding where it is we go wrong. And wrong ourselves by thinking we are doing it all – when actually more can be done. More needs to be done, by me.
A reflection from day 3 of Ramadan 2016
Gilded Dunya 
SubhanAllah!
Very inspiring! 😊
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