Q: Kindly clarify whether it is correct to say that in the previous ummats, only the Nabi was allowed to give dawat. As proof, it is said that Hazrat Haroon (Alayhis Salaam) was made a Nabi in order to accompany Nabi Musa (Alayhis Salaam). But is it not the case that the person mentioned in Surah Yaseen also gave dawat to people by asking them to follow the Nabi? Also, people in previous ummats had to act to prevent people from wrongdoing (preventing evil is also considered part of dawat). Does this not show that ummatis of the previous ummats also had to engage in some form of dawat?
A: This is not correct. The ummat of each Nabi was also commanded to give dawat and encourage towards good and forbid from evil. In the Qur’an Majeed, Allah Ta’ala says that the Bani Israeel were cursed upon the tongues of their Ambiya (Hazrat Dawood alaihis salaam and Hazrat Esa alaihis salaam) on account of them associating with the people of evil and not preventing them from wrong and sin. Allah Ta’ala says:
لُعِنَ الَّذِیۡنَ کَفَرُوۡا مِنۡۢ بَنِیۡۤ اِسۡرَآءِیۡلَ عَلٰی لِسَانِ دَاوٗدَ وَ عِیۡسَی ابۡنِ مَرۡیَمَ ؕ ذٰلِکَ بِمَا عَصَوۡا وَّ کَانُوۡا یَعۡتَدُوۡنَ ﴿۷۸﴾ کَانُوۡا لَا یَتَنَاہَوۡنَ عَنۡ مُّنۡکَرٍ فَعَلُوۡہُ ؕ لَبِئۡسَ مَا کَانُوۡا یَفۡعَلُوۡنَ ﴿۷۹﴾ (المائدة)
Cursed were those who disbelieved among the Children of Israel on the tongue of (Nabi) Dawood (Alayhis Salaam) and the tongue of (Nabi) Esa (Alayhis Salaam), the son of (Hazrat) Maryam (Alayhas Salaam). That was because they disobeyed and (habitually) transgressed. They never used to prevent one another from the wrongdoing that they perpetrated. How evil was that which they were doing!
And Allah Ta’ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
یٰبُنَیَّ اَقِمِ الصَّلٰوۃَ وَ اۡمُرۡ بِالۡمَعۡرُوۡفِ وَ انۡہَ عَنِ الۡمُنۡکَرِ وَ اصۡبِرۡ عَلٰی مَاۤ اَصَابَکَ ؕ اِنَّ ذٰلِکَ مِنۡ عَزۡمِ الۡاُمُوۡرِ ﴿ۚ۱۷﴾ (لقمان)
Answered by:
Mufti Zakaria Makada
Checked & Approved:
Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)