Reaching Out to the Non-Muslims: The Challenges and the Prospects of Islamophilia

• Main Authors: Muhammad Yusuf Khalid, Wan Mohd Fazrul Azdi Wan Razali
• Format: Article
• Language: en_US
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: Islamophobia; Islamophilia; Islamic outreach
• Online Access: http://ddms.usim.edu.my/handle/123456789/5283
• Institution: Universiti Sains Islam Malaysia

This paper attempts to enlighten the challenges and prospects in the outreach program (da'wah to the non-Muslims) through the use of Islamophilic programs, to combat the notions of Islamophobia. Post 9/11 incident signifies that a new thread should be taken to clothe the garb of Islamic da'wah. Interestingly, an Islamophilic outreach program is nothing new in the histovy of dacwah, but to make it today as a mainstream is vital to ensure a rise at the understanding level of Islam and possession of a correct comprehension of its teachings amidst the non-Muslims. The prospects are great but the promotions of it are very little and slow due to the perception to segregate between the Da'wah to the Muslims or also called Islah, from the da'wah to the non-Muslims in toto. Due to that, this paper tries to promote the prospects of outreach program in Islam through the three main mediums, which first is through the use Al-Hikmah, next is Al-Maw'izah Al-Hasanah from the outreach activities e.g.: Cordova Initiative, Kalimatin Sawi' and many more. Thirdly is through the use of Al- Mujidalah Al-Hasanah, like the exemplary harmonious debates of the late Ahmed Hussein Deedat (1918-2005), Dr: Zakir Abdul Karim Naik (born 1965) and many Muslim reverts. Reaching ozit is one thing and reverting others to Islam is another different thing, because only Allah can revert one from a religion to Islam. The duty of mankind is just to convey the message.