Da‘wah is one of the greatest righteous deeds since it has great benefits and interest for both the Daa‘iyah (caller to Allah) and the people whom he is calling to Allah - the society, the nation and all of mankind. Allah The Exalted praises those who call people to Him as He Says (what means): {And who is better in speech than one who invites to Allah and does righteousness and says, “Indeed, I am of the Muslims.”} [Quran 41:33]
Hajj is a golden opportunity and a distinguished season in which Muslims can call each other to Allah The Exalted, and enlighten each other about Islam. Millions of pilgrims are mobilized from all over the world during this virtuous season. All share the same aim which is worshiping Allah The Almighty duly. They are in great need of someone who would guide them to righteous deeds, Ihsaan [Worshiping Allah as if seeing Him], and all that is good both in this life and the Hereafter.
Furthermore, Da‘wah during Hajj time is an act of Sunnah; the Prophet, , would call people to Islam during Hajj, and he dispatched a number of his Companions for this very purpose. In the Farewell Hajj, the Prophet, , gave Muslims a comprehensive piece of advice, clarified everything for them and fulfilled his due duty, which was the duty of conveying a clear notification. Muslim scholars and sincere callers to Allah have followed in the Prophet’s footsteps in making full use of such a great and virtuous season. They seized this great opportunity to awaken the hearts and open the eyes of people to see the essence of Islam, display the true Islam, warning Muslims against the perils of Shirk (associating partners with Allah) and advise that they recognize the stains of religious innovations and evil doings.
What further asserts the importance of Da‘wah in Hajj is what follows:
1- The great number of Muslims who are performing Hajj, which is ever increasing.
2- The spread of religious ignorance among Muslims nowadays and the general ignorance of the beliefs and rulings of Islam. Add to this the spread of certain types of Shirk, religious innovations, and myths among many pilgrims.
3- Some of pilgrims may belong to a relatively rich class and high
social status; this will render them more likely to be capable of influencing their people and families when they call them to Allah The Exalted after they return home.
4- The readiness and psychological willingness of the pilgrims to listen, learn and accept during this blessed season in which hearts are open to guidance and ears are eager to listen.
5- The easy and efficient movement between the camps of pilgrims, which helps in spreading the call to Allah among them.
Da‘wah during such a blessed season of this great Muslim gathering is not the job of government officials working in the field of Da‘wah alone, such as Khateebs (orators), Imaams, and callers to Allah The Exalted – although they play the main role - it is rather the role of all Muslims. Every Muslim should shoulder this great responsibility, each according to his capabilities, while taking into account the circumstances, conditions and appropriate methods of Da‘wah.
Da‘wah in Hajj starts before the arrival of pilgrims at the Holy places, and even before they leave their countries. In fact, the phases of Da‘wah in Hajj can be identified as follows:
1- Before their arrival at the Holy sites:
This can be done through coordination with the Da‘wah authorities, Islamic centers and organizations. A number of callers to Allah in various countries could be assigned to accompany the pilgrims from their countries on the way to Hajj so as to teach them and enlighten them on performing Hajj.
2- Da‘wah in airports, land stations and seaports:
This could be done through serving pilgrims, meeting their needs, welcoming them hospitably, facilitating their required arrival procedures, and making use of the time they spend in these ports by educating them on Hajj and various religious matters and providing them with Da‘wah-related kits.
3- Practicing Da‘wah with pilgrims while they are moving between the Holy sites so as not to let such times be wasted.
This is the role of those who are organizing Hajj journeys. They should choose qualified efficient people to serve the pilgrims, whether drivers or others, to offer advice and good instruction to the pilgrims.
Bus drivers should receive special training sessions before the Hajj season to help them be better callers to Allah and represent the true image of Islam.
4- Da‘wah in camps and accommodations:
Pilgrims spend long intervals of time in their camps or accommodation. As ready as pilgrims are to listen and learn more about Islam, special programs should be organized to make use of that time duly.
Add to that the role played by hotel workers. They should also be at the due level of awareness, responsibility, and commitment so as to fulfill their role well and leave a good impression on the pilgrims.
5- Da‘wah in mosques:
Da‘wah should be conducted in mosques, at the top of which comes Al-Masjid Al-Haraam [the Sacred Mosque in Makkah] and the Prophet's Mosque [Al-Masjid An-Nabawi]. Mosques are crowded with worshipers during the season of Hajj, and some of them have perhaps never had a previous opportunity to go to a mosque. The season of Hajj is a golden opportunity to advise such people, enjoin them to do good, call them to Allah, and guide them to the right path.
6- Da‘wah in markets:
During the Hajj season markets are crowded with people, pilgrims and others. Markets are the places that most likely involve religious negligence. Moreover, Satan and his helpers do their best to drive people into markets to be inattentive and unmindful of duly adhering to the provisions of Allah The Almighty. Therefore, Da‘wah in markets is very significant and effective. It is appropriate here to offer our thanks to the men of the Hisbah Organization who are in charge of enjoining good and forbidding evil (in Saudi Arabia), for their great efforts.
Using explanatory signs and posters that welcome pilgrims and bid them farewell signed by Da‘wah organizations, and benefiting from modern technologies in this respect is another means of Da‘wah that should be given sufficient attention. Another means is printing books and brochures that clarify the fundamentals of Islam in an easy and clear manner, as well as distributing copies in several languages of pilgrim’s guides which include the contact details of important Islamic advocacy and service organizations. The guide should also list the phone numbers of bilingual callers to Islam, specifying the language each of them speaks.
Furthermore, it is important to give due care to field work by appointing field callers to Allah, both male and female, who can speak different languages and possess the needed skills and art of offering advice and request that they walk about by car or on foot among the camps and accommodations of pilgrims to call them to Allah with wisdom and good instruction.
Another means of Da‘wah during Hajj is the establishment of religious advocacy offices in the camps and accommodations of pilgrims as well as at the Mawaaqeet (specified places from where pilgrims are required to assume Ihraam). It is important to dedicate some of these offices for female pilgrims as well as for males.
It is also very important to have local instructive and communicative television channels that broadcast in different languages in the Holy sites through which scholars and callers to Islam may teach, advise, and educate the pilgrims about all that is of benefit to them in this life and in the Hereafter.
This was a brief account of Da‘wah in Hajj and some of its means. We beseech Allah The Almighty to guide Muslims who have gone astray, enlighten the ignorant among them, and accept their acts of worship.