Street Dawah conversations. 

In response to queries regarding what daiis speak about in the UK….

 Been asked by a couple of people about my conversations last night, so I may as well make a small post/ blog about this. Perhaps it could benefit aspiring daais.

For many years I’ve been mostly engaging with Muslims. Muslims by name but far away from the Deen. Agnostics etc. This experience was unique as it was in an area which seems like a sea of Non Muslims, who were clued up and well spoken!

 So yeah challenging and I was well up for it!

My first encounter was with a smart looking sharply dressed banker. He was heading towards the Casino and I in my usual cheeky banter style said, v nice suit mate, you in a rush? He replied well yes but said he liked my approach. He was of Jewish origins but now professes atheism. He studied physics at university and knew his science! He even knew some of the arguments that theists use eg design, origins etc. So I i was thinking in my head maybe I should just give him a flyer and call it quits. So he said, you religious guys don’t come up with anything new! But Alhumdulillah my mind just said the challenge of the Quran! He was stumped and was curious and then repeatedly kept saying this is a very strong argument. 

The next person was a Turkish sister who wanted a flyer. She said her family is Muslim but she doesn’t believe in anything. She had the same old cliched opinions that Islam oppresses women …and said she was a staunch feminist. I appreciated her stopping me, commended her curiosity and humbly advised that maybe look at the foundations of Islam objectively. I explained what I meant. In conclusion she was still hesitant but agreed to research the basis of Islam objectively and not react to shariah rules.

Another guy was a guy of Chinese origins. Reluctant to stop and chat and I offered just a few mins of his time and he agreed. Yet another Atheist and his stance was that religions are narrow minded and stop scientific progress. So I explained how once extremely primitive desert Arabs had developed a civilisation with numerous scientific discoveries because of the Quranic injunction ” Do they not reflect “! And also explained how western academics have had to concede that the inspiration for the European Renaissance came as a direct result of Islamic Spain. So this was a fallacy that religions and in particular Islam quashes thought and progress! He listened attentively & appreciated this.

Finally we engaged with a highly cheeky young “couple “. The girl was asking all sorts of questions …why you guys have a beard..why can’t I find men and women attractive in Islam..why this and why that. We heard all of their whys! Then the guy exclaimed! Come on ..yes or no…why can’t she be a lesbian and I as a guy not go into females toilets in a mosque! So I said…so you have a lot of questions and some of them ridiculous! He protested and said..why is this ridiculous…and pressed me for an answer. At this point I said..ok for the next minute..keep quite and listen up! I went on and said until you are intellectually convinced that a creator exists..until you come to the conclusion that the Quran is a linguistic miracle and come to learn about the truth of prophethood..and then you realise that you have to “hear and obey”. Until all of this is has been researched objectively…you will always have whys…and said you will then realise the utter silliness and inferiority of your questions! He went totally quite and I said God bless and guide you. Good evening! 

So Alhumdullah the experience was amazing and Imaan boosting. I feel like reading up and researching more. But the buzz and lure of street Dawah is indescribable. I encourage one and all..to experience this form of Dawah…where ever you are!