Non-state Allies:
61-637: Non-state Opponents: The Islamic Dawah Organization of Afghanistan ( Pashto : د اسلامي دعوت تنظيم افغانستان , Persian : تنظیم دعوت اسلامی افغانستان , Tanzim-e Da'wat-e Islami-ye Afghanistan ) is a political party in Afghanistan led by Abdul Rasul Sayyaf . Founded in the early 1980s as the Islamic Union for the Liberation of Afghanistan ( Ittehad-e Islami bara-ye Azadi-ye Afghanistan , Persian: اتحاد اسلامی برای آزادی افغانستان ), it
122-555: A hundred years after Muhammad's death, in the wake of 'Abbasid propaganda against the then ruling Umayyad clan in the 720s. However, the 'Abbasid daʿwah ceased as soon as the 'Abbasids were in power—a fact that attests to its political nature. Daʿwah as a truly missionary activity, albeit still within the Muslim Ummah , appeared in the form of the Isma'ili daʿwah of the 9th through 13th centuries. Isma'ilis, in many ways, can be seen as
183-579: A kind of war against peoples and cultures." In a statement with Hindu religious leaders, he expressed that he opposes "conversions by any religious tradition using various methods of enticement." Hinduism has a proselytism tradition. Classical Hinduism represents a diversity of views and theology. Its followers are free to follow any among the theistic, non-theistic or other traditions within Hinduism. Followers can pick or change to any philosophy or belief they fancy and worship any personal god or goddess in
244-411: A long history. However, these traditions of conversion did not have to do with an idea which was more objectively valid, or the potential consequences of false ideas in the afterlife, but which was more conducive in understanding the unknowable Brahman as well as promoting righteousness throughout society. The debate on proselytization and religious conversion between Christianity, Islam and Hinduism
305-553: A manner they deem fit, given an unspoken but loud understanding that all paths are equally valid in their purest form. In the modern era, religious conversion from and to Hinduism has been a controversial subject. Many state the concept of missionary activity and proselytism is anathema to the precepts of Hinduism. While proselytism was not a part of the Hindu tradition, religious conversion to and between various traditions within Hinduism such as Vaishnavism , Shaivism and Shaktism has
366-460: A means to achieve a mature stage of love of God. ISKCON adherents view Krishna as the supreme deity that those of other faith traditions worship. A commonly accepted notion among devotees is that ISKCON allows one to recognize the primacy of the supreme deity, Krishna, in the practices and traditions of other faiths. ISKCON promotes the concept of Sanatana-Dharma (Hinduism), the 'eternal law' that other faiths can uncover. Mahavira (599–527 BC),
427-696: A part of their political theory (through relating daʿwah to jihad) and life (using the concept of daʿwah in their political agendas). Taken in general, the intertwining of daʿwah and politics, then, has been a feature throughout the Muslim history, though practical implications of this have been different in different ages. A classical example of diversion in daʿwah can be seen in the case of Yusuf in prison when two prisoners asked him to interpret their dreams. One of them said: "I saw myself pressing wine." The other said: "I saw myself carrying bread on my head and birds were eating from it." They asked: "Inform us of
488-439: A process called travel teaching. When moving or travelling to other countries, Bahaʼis are encouraged to integrate into their new society and apply Bahaʼis principles in living and working with their neighbours. In total, however, only a small minority of Bahaʼis are directly teaching their religion to others. Despite this, as of 2010, the religion had grown "at least twice as fast as the population of almost every UN region" over
549-565: A religion and allowed to preach. Some countries such as Morocco prohibit it except for Islam. Some restrict it in various ways such as prohibiting attempts to convert children or prohibit offering physical benefits to new converts. Religious groups also draw lines between what they are willing to do or not do to convert people. For instance the Catholic Church in Ad gentes states that "The Church strictly forbids forcing anyone to embrace
610-404: A religious worker or in a volunteer community effort, is called a dāʿī ( داعي , plural duʿāh دعاة [dʊˈʕæː] ). A dāʿī , is a person who invites people to understand and accept Islam through dialogue and other techniques, who may be regarded as a missionary inviting people to the faith, prayer, and manner of Islamic life. The term daʿwah has other senses in
671-576: Is discouraged in the major Buddhist schools and Buddhists do not engage in the practice of proselytization. Some adherents of Nichiren Buddhism proselytise in a process called shakubuku . The Dalai Lama has critiqued proselytization and certain types of conversion, believing the practices to be contrary to the fundamental ideas of religious harmony and spiritual practice. He has stated that "It's very important that our religious traditions live in harmony with one another and I don't think proselytizing contributes to this. Just as fighting and killing in
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#1732766133951732-456: Is given the connotation of aggressively teaching the religion to others – as such, Bahaʼi proselytism is prohibited. Every Bahaʼi has the obligation of teaching their religion, as it is seen as the path toward bringing peace and justice to the world. Some Bahaʼis become pioneers , moving to countries or cities where there are a small number of Bahaʼis, with the aim of helping to spread the religion. Some other Bahaʼis move from place to place in
793-640: Is more recent, and started in the 19th century. Religious leaders of some Hindu reform movements such as the Arya Samaj launched the Shuddhi movement to proselytize and reconvert Muslims and Christians back to Hinduism, while those such as the Brahmo Samaj suggested Hinduism to be a non-missionary religion. All these sects of Hinduism have welcomed new members to their group, while other leaders of Hinduism's diverse schools have stated that given
854-526: Is seen as unhelpful towards the pursuit of sādhanā (spiritual practice) and samskaras (intrinsic qualities). Buddhism does not have an accepted or strong proselytism tradition, with the Buddha having taught his followers to respect other religions and the clergy. Emperor Ashoka , however, sent imperial missionaries to various kingdoms and sent his son and daughter as missionaries to Sri Lanka following his conversion to Buddhism. Aggressive proselytizing
915-739: Is supporting the existing Catholic community within Russia and is not proselytizing. In 1993 the Balamand declaration on proselytism was released between the Roman Catholic Church and Orthodox Churches. The Muggletonians , founded by John Reeve and Lodowick Muggleton in mid-17th century London, believed that if a person were exposed to the full tenets of their faith and rejected it they would be irretrievably damned. This risk tempered proselytization: they hesitated to expose people to loss of salvation which may explain their low numbers. In
976-525: Is that God's will is for people to exercise free will. As such, proselytizing is generally regarded as offensive in Judaism. Consequently, Judaism generally does not proselytize non-Jews. Instead, non-Jews are encouraged to follow Noahide Law , assuring a place in the world to come . In ancient times, these observant non-Jews could become geirim toshvim , a term still sometimes used informally to refer to those who strive to follow these laws and who will join
1037-401: Is the proselytism for Islam . The plural is daʿwāt ( دَعْوات ) or daʿawāt ( دَعَوات ). Daʿwah [ˈdæʕwæh] literally means "issuing a summons" or "making an invitation". Grammatically, the word represents a gerund of a verb with the triconsonantal root d-ʕ-w ( د-ع-و ) meaning variously "to summon" or "to invite". A Muslim who practices daʿwah , either as
1098-506: Is the policy of attempting to convert people's religious or political beliefs . Carrying out attempts to instill beliefs can be called proselytization . Sally Sledge discusses religious proselytization as the marketing of religious messages. Proselytism is illegal in some countries. Some draw distinctions between evangelism (or da'wah in Islamic terminology) and proselytism, regarding proselytism as involuntary or coerced;
1159-467: Is to be no compulsion in religion.” “Ikrāh” is the gerund attached to the verb “akraha,” among whose meanings is “he compelled (another to do something he hates doing).” Muslim scholars consider this passage to mean that force is not to be used to convert someone to Islam. Muslims consider inviting others to Islam to be the mission originally carried out by the prophets of Allah and is now a collective duty of Muslims. The Quran states, Invite (others) to
1220-552: The Qur'an . In sura (chapter) 30:25, for example, it denotes the call to the dead to rise on the Day of Judgment . When used in the Qur'an, it generally refers to Allah's invitation to live according to His will. Thus, when used in the first centuries of Islam, it usually referred to that message and was sometimes used interchangeably with sharī‘a and dīn . Daʿwah is also described as
1281-497: The 24th Tirthankara of Jainism , developed an early philosophy regarding relativism and subjectivism known as Anekantavada . As a result of this acceptance of alternative religious practices, the phenomenon of proselytization is largely absent in these religions but not unknown. Converts are welcome to the Jain faith. Sikhism is not a proselytizing religion and proselytism is largely discouraged "through force or inducement" out of
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#17327661339511342-772: The Bahaʼi belief in progressive revelation . Many Christians consider it their obligation to follow what is often termed the Great Commission in the final verses of the Gospel of Matthew : "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto
1403-847: The Banu Amir tribe, but the Muslims were again killed in revenge for the assassination of Khalid bin Sufyan by Muhammad's followers. 70 Muslims were killed during this expedition. During the Expedition of Khalid ibn al-Walid (Banu Jadhimah) in January 630, Muhammad sent Khalid ibn Walid to invite the Banu Jadhimah tribe to Islam. This is mentioned in the Sunni Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari , 5:59:628 . Mus'ab ibn 'Umair
1464-526: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are known in particular for their doctrinal emphasis on proselytizing. The Moscow Patriarchate has repeatedly strongly condemned what it describes as Catholic proselytism of Orthodox Christians within Russia and has therefore opposed a Catholic construction project in an area of Russia where the Catholic community is small. The Catholic Church claims that it
1525-598: The Faith, or alluring or enticing people by worrisome wiles ." The World Council of Churches in The Challenge of Proselytism and the Calling to Common Witness states the following: 19. Proselytism as described in this document stands in opposition to all ecumenical effort . It includes certain activities which often aim at having people change their church affiliation and which we believe must be avoided, such as
1586-678: The Greek Septuagint translation of the Old Testament passed the word 'proselyte' into modern languages with a neutral meaning. It simply meant a convert, someone who changed his or her opinion or religion. And, proselytism meant the attempt to persuade someone to make such a change. But, today proselytism is almost universally seen as a sinister activity when it comes to religious beliefs. The World Council of Churches has indicated that, when used pejoratively, proselytism refers to attempts at conversion by "unjust means that violate
1647-490: The Islamic State's military Afshar operation which had the objective of ending the bombardment on residential areas in northern Kabul conducted by Hezb-i Wahdat. After the military operation had ended and successfully forced Wahdat forces from the area, Ittihad forces started to escalate the situation by turning against the civilian population. During and after the operation 70 combatants and civilians were killed. After
1708-956: The Jewish people in the world to come. A non-Jew who follows Noahide law is considered to believe in Noahidism ; for this end, there is some minor outreach by Orthodox Jewish organizations. Generally, Jews expect any convert to Judaism to come through their own accord. A common source of converts are those who have married a Jew, although there are also many people who join for spiritual or other personal reasons; these people are called "Jews by choice". Rabbis will often discourage new members from joining, although they may provide guidance through seminars or personal meetings for those who are truly interested. Orthodox Judaism in theory neither encourages nor discourages conversion. Standards for conversion can be very challenging, but rabbis will acquiesce to persistent and sincere requests for conversion. Much emphasis
1769-452: The Qur'an preaches monotheism . Muhammad saw Islam as the true religion and mission of all earlier prophets. He believed that their call had been limited to their own people but that his was universal. His mission as the final prophet was to repeat to the whole world this call and invitation ( daʿwah ) to Islam. Muhammad wrote to various non-Muslim rulers, inviting them to convert. The importance of daʿwah has been emphasised many times in
1830-509: The Quran: Who is better in speech than one who calls to Allah, does righteous deeds and says indeed I am among the Muslims. You are the best nation raised up for humankind. You enjoin righteousness, forbid corruption and you believe in Allah . Let there arise among you a group inviting to all that is good, enjoining righteousness and forbidding evil. Those are the successful ones. Call to
1891-540: The belief that each person has a fundamental right to practice their religion freely. In Islam , inviting people to the religion is a meritorious activity. The Quran states, There is no compulsion in the religion. The truth stands clear from error. Whoever rejects falsehood and believes in Allah has grasped a firm hand-hold that will never break, for Allah hears and knows (all things). Al-Baqara 256 The operative phrase /lā ikrāha fī d-dīni/ literally translates as “there
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1952-408: The claimant of God: So speak to him, both of you, mildly in order that he may reflect or fear God. (Quran 20:44 ). Muhammad was reported by his wife, Aisha to have said "Whenever gentleness is in a thing, it beautifies it, and whenever it is withdrawn from something, it defaces." Muhammad was quoted by Jareer as saying,"One deprived of gentleness is deprived of all good." Muslims made it
2013-520: The conscience of the human person", such as by coercion or bribery. The right to change religion and to manifest religion is protected under Article 18 of the UN Declaration of Human Rights. Limitations and regulations on proselytism are considered by some as infringements on freedom of religion and freedom of speech . Some countries such as Greece prohibited all proselytism until 1994 when Jehovah's Witnesses were legally recognized as
2074-399: The duty to "actively encourage fellow Muslims in the pursuance of greater piety in all aspects of their lives", a definition which has become central to contemporary Islamic thought . During the Expedition of Al Raji in 625, Muhammad sent some men as missionaries to various different tribes. Some men came to Muhammad and requested that Muhammad send instructors to teach them Islam, but
2135-603: The end of the world. Amen." The Acts of the Apostles and other sources contain several accounts of early Christians following this directive by engaging in individual conversations and mass sermons to spread the Good News . Most self-described Christian groups have organizations devoted to missionary work which in whole or in part includes proselytism of the non-religious and people of other faiths (including sometimes other variants of Christianity). Jehovah's Witnesses and
2196-458: The following: The religions of the world are divided into two groups: those that actively seek new followers (missionary religions like Christianity) and those that do not (non-missionary religions). This classification dates back to a lecture given by Max Müller in 1873, and is based on whether or not a religion seeks to gain new converts. The three main religions classified as missionary religions are Buddhism , Christianity , and Islam , while
2257-553: The intensive proselytization activities from missionary Islam and Christianity, this "there is no such thing as proselytism in Hinduism" view must be re-examined. One group that takes in willing converts in Hinduism is the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), also known as Hare Krishnas. Devotees have no codified rituals of conversion, but promote recitation of the Hare Krishna mantra as
2318-468: The interpretation of these things. Indeed, we believe you are one of the righteous." He replied: "Whenever food came to you as your provision, I informed you about it before it came. That is from what my Lord has taught me.... As for one of you, he will pour wine for his lord to drink, and as for the other, he will be crucified and birds will eat from his head. This is the case judged concerning which you both inquire." (Quran 12:35–41 ) Doing daʿwah in
2379-518: The men were bribed by the two tribes of Khuzaymah, who wanted revenge for the assassination of Khalid bin Sufyan (Chief of the Banu Lahyan tribe) by Muhammad's followers. A number of missionaries were killed in this expedition, either eight or, according to another account, ten. Then during the Expedition of Bir Maona in July 625 Muhammad sent some missionaries at the request of some men from
2440-485: The mid-19th century two wealthy Muggletonians, Joseph and Isaac Frost, broke with this cautious approach and published several books about the faith. Proselytization is uncommon in Indian religions such as Hinduism , Buddhism , Jainism and Sikhism , especially because they are pluralistic . Instead of the choice of religion, justice is viewed as being determined by concepts such as karma and rebirth. Thus, proselytism
2501-491: The name of religion are very sad, it's not appropriate to use religion as a ground or a means for defeating others." In particular, he has critiqued Christian approaches to conversion in Asia, stating that he has "come across situations where serving the people is a cover for proselytization." The Dalai Lama has labeled such practices counter to the "message of Christ" and has emphasized that such individuals "practice conversion like
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2562-474: The non-missionary religions include Judaism , Zoroastrianism , and Hinduism . Other religions, such as Primal Religions, Confucianism , and Taoism , may also be considered non-missionary religions. In the writings of the Baháʼí Faith , the endeavour to attract people to the religion is strongly emphasized. The process of attracting people to the religion is referred to as teaching. The term proselytism
2623-465: The operation Ittihad troops under the command of Abdul Rasul Sayyaf kidnapped up dozens of people, some of whom were released after ransoms were paid to Ittihad commanders, some escaped by counter-operations by Hizb-e-Wahdat. In 2001, Ittihad's leader Abdul Rasul Sayyaf was suspected of being complicit in the assassination of anti-Taliban leader Ahmad Shah Massoud . In 2005, the Ittihad organization
2684-533: The payment of charity from their wealth obligatory on their rich to be given to their poor. If they accept that, then take it from them and avoid the best part of people's property." With regard to Muhammad's mild nature in preaching Islam , the Quran says: And by the mercy of Allah you dealt with them gently. If you were harsh and hardhearted, they would have fled from around you. (Quran 3:159 ). The Quran says about Moses and Aaron who preached to Pharaoh,
2745-646: The peace and power-sharing agreement Peshawar Accords. In addition, Saudi Arabia and Iran – as competitors for regional hegemony – supported Afghan militias hostile towards each other. According to Human Rights Watch, "Iran assisted the Shia Hazara Hezb-i Wahdat forces of Abdul Ali Mazari , as Iran attempted to maximize Wahdat's military power and influence." Saudi Arabia supported the Wahhabite Abdul Rasul Sayyaf and his Ittihad-i Islami faction. Conflict between
2806-452: The person they are proposing to teach is open to hearing what they have to say. In most countries becoming a Bahaʼi is a simple matter of filling out a card stating a declaration of belief. This includes acknowledgement of Bahá'u'llah as the messenger of God for this age, awareness and acceptance of his teachings, and intention to be obedient to the institutions and laws he established. It does not involve negating one's previous beliefs, due to
2867-485: The pioneers of the organized Muslim missionary activities: their highly institutionalized and sophisticated daʿwah structure has hardly been repeated until today. Moreover, for the Isma'ilis, daʿwah was a state priority. The Isma'ili daʿwah encompassed extra- and intra-ummatic forms and blended both theology and politics. In Islamic theology , the purpose of daʿwah is to invite people, Muslims and non-Muslims, to understand
2928-558: The previous 100 years. Bahá'u'lláh , the founder of the Bahaʼi Faith, wrote that those who would be teaching his religion should emphasize the importance of ethics and wisdom, and he counselled Bahaʼis to be unrestrained and put their trust in God. At the same time he stated that Bahaʼis should exercise moderation, tact and wisdom and not be too aggressive in their teaching. In sharing their faith with others, Bahaʼis are cautioned to make sure
2989-411: The right location. For example, Mount Safa in the time of Muhammad was used for announcements. So Muhammad went there to make his point. He chose that particular location because he knew the people who he was inviting to Islam . He knew their nature and characteristics, so he chose Mount Safa. He climbed up to its summit and addressed his people saying: "O people of Quraysh , if I were to tell you there
3050-685: The two militias soon escalated into a full-scale war. Both Ittihad and Wahdat engaged in large-scale kidnapping campaigns against civilians and combatants of the "other side". The Islamic State and International Committee of the Red Cross regularly tried to mediate between the two sides, but cease-fires commonly were broken in a matter of days. In early 1993, the Hezb-i Wahdat joined an alliance with Gulbuddin Hekmatyar starting to shell northern Kabul. On February 11, 1993, Ittihad forces took part in
3111-533: The two terms can also be understood to merely be synonyms . The English-language word proselytize derives from the Greek language prefix προσ- ( pros- , "toward") and the verb ἔρχομαι ( érchomai , "I come") in the form of προσήλυτος ( prosélytos , "newcomer"). Historically, in the Koine Greek Septuagint and New Testament , the word proselyte denoted a Gentile who
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#17327661339513172-905: The values in which dais should spread the word of Islam to Muslims and non-Muslims. Idris Imad al-Din 's work presents us with an indigenous account of the traditions of the daʿwa in Yaman. His account of the Nizari – Musta'li succession dispute reflects the official view of the Tayyibis . Similarly, modern-day platforms designated for open-air public speaking in the western world also provide platforms for debate between different denominations in Islam, with documented instances of dialogue being reported between demographics such as Quranists and Mahdi'ist based creeds such as Mahdavia . Proselytism Proselytism ( / ˈ p r ɒ s əl ɪ t ɪ z əm / )
3233-671: The war against the PDPA government, Soviet forces and Ba'athist Iraq . Through the financial aid received from Saudi sources, the organization was able to attract a considerable military following. Arab volunteers fought in the militia forces of the organisation. After the ouster of the PDPA government in April 1992, Gulbuddin Hekmatyar initiated a bombardment campaign against the Islamic State of Afghanistan which had been established by
3294-453: The way of your Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching, and reason with them in ways that are best. Your Lord knows best who is straying from His path and who is being guided (towards it). Al Nahl ('The Bees', 16:125) Here the operative phrase /udʿu ilà sabīli rabbika/ "Invite (command to a single male subject) to the way of your Lord" expresses the element direction /ilà/ "to" that is missing in 'The Cow', 2:256. An important tenet of Judaism
3355-563: The way of your Lord with wisdom and good preaching. In the Hadith ("sayings") of Muhammad , daʿwah is mentioned to emphasise importance and virtues: Muhammad sent Muadh ibn Jabal to Yemen and told him "You will be going to Christians and Jews, so the first thing you should invite them to is the assertion of the oneness of Allah, Most High. If they realize that, then inform them that Allah has made five daily prayers obligatory on them. If they pray them, then inform them that Allah has made
3416-462: The worship of God as expressed in the Qur'an and the sunnah of Muhammad and to inform them about Muhammad. Daʿwah as the "Call towards God" is the means by which Muhammad began spreading the message of the Qur'an to mankind. After Muhammad, his followers and the Ummah (Muslim community) assumed responsibility for it. They convey the message of the Qur'an by providing information on why and how
3477-621: Was an army behind this hill would you listen to me?" Various Islamic institutions provide elaborate manuals, trainings and workshops to daʿi to prepare them for successful daʿwah . Daʿi s are given trainings in the form of physical workshops and training sessions. Daʿwah trainings are also provided in the form of online video lessons, webinars, online discussion forums, handouts and quizzes. Modern daʿwah movements are varied in their objectives and activities. Examples include: Methods may also depend upon specific creeds. For instance, among Ismailis, al-Naysaburi 's Code of Conduct depicts
3538-509: Was considering conversion to Judaism . Although the word proselytism originally referred to converting to Judaism (and earlier related to Gentiles such as God-fearers ), it now implies an attempt of any religion or religious individuals to convert people to their belief. Arthur J. Serratelli , the Catholic Bishop of Paterson, New Jersey , observed that the meaning of the word proselytism has changed over time. [O]riginally,
3599-542: Was originally an attempt to bring unity amongst Islamist opposition forces in Afghanistan . However, the creation of the new umbrella organization effectively created a split and the organization became a political party of its own. The organization was part of the ' Peshawar Seven ', the coalition of mujahedin forces supported by the United States , Pakistan and various Arab states of the Persian Gulf in
3660-676: Was registered as a political party with the Ministry of Justice under its new name. Sayyaf and Ittihad are currently allied to the Karzai government. The party is strongest in the Paghman area and receives most of its support from Pashtuns. Ideologically, the party follows and advocates an Orthodox form of Islam. Dawah Daʿwah ( Arabic : دعوة , Arabic: [ˈdæʕwæ] , "invitation", also spelt dâvah , daawa , dawah , daawah or dakwah )
3721-611: Was the first Muslim envoy in September 621. He was sent to Yathrib (now Medina ) to teach the people the doctrines of Islam and give them guidance. After Muhammad's death in 632, from the available historical evidence, it appears that after Muhammad's death Muslims did not immediately embark upon daʿwah activities—during and after the rapid conquests of the Byzantine and Persian lands, they ventured little if at all to preach to local non-Muslims. Daʿwah came into wider usage almost
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