What is the ruling on a person who repels people away from Islam, either intentionally or unintentionally? Some people may get angry because of their overzealousness and this may lead them to do things that may cause people to detest Islam. While others may stress minute details in the religion that may be regarded by other people as extremism or useless fanaticism. Please clarify this.

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, warned us against repelling people away from Islam. It was narrated that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, ordered us to facilitate things and forbade us from complicating things in all matters that relate to religion or worldly affairs. [Al-Bukhari and Muslim]

Moreover, Allaah The Almighty urged us to call people with wisdom and good speech and to argue with them using what is best as He Says (what means):

•        {Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best.   Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has strayed from His way, and He is most knowing of who is [rightly] guided} [Quran 16:125]

Consequently, repelling people away from Islam because of a person’s bad behavior or lack of tactfulness is considered a mistake.

However, if the caller is adhering to what is ordained in Islam and people detest it because they are ignorant or unaware, then he would not be sinful. Moreover, if he forbids people from doing evil things and they are repelled away from Islam because of this, he would not be mistaken. This is because people were repelled from the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and wondered how they had someone from among themselves to warn them. Allaah the Almighty Says (what means):

•        {Has he made the gods [only] one God? Indeed, this is a curious thing."} [Quran 38:5]

The caller to Allaah The Almighty should choose what is best for the people by using the most suitable lawful means, while completely adhering to the correct methodology of Islam.

Allaah Knows best.