The early period of Da‘wah (Islamic propagation) depended on secrecy and individual action, and the prophetic planning was precise, organized and politically astute. The Prophet, sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ), did not choose the house of Al-Arqam simply to gather the Muslims to receive recommendations and hear sermons. This house was a command centre and a school for learning, education, preparation and qualification for the Da‘wah and leadership through deep and calm individual nurturing. This house created an opportunity for choosing and paying special attention to certain members to qualify them to bear the burdens of Da‘wah and leadership.
The leader, the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) precisely and wisely defined the role of each of those individuals. All Muslims at that stage participated and were all fully aware of the nature of Da‘wah and the nature of the phase through which it was passing. They all adhered to caution, watchfulness, secrecy and absolute discipline.
Building the believing community in Makkah took place very calmly, gradually and secretly. The slogan of this period was the following Quranic verse, in which Allah the Almighty Says (what means): {And keep yourself patient [by being] with those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening, seeking His countenance. And let not your eyes pass beyond them, desiring adornments of the worldly life, and do not obey one whose heart We have made heedless of Our remembrance and who follows his desire and whose affair is ever [in] neglect.} [Quran 18:28] This honorable verse commands the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) to show patience with the negligence and mistakes of those who responded to his Da‘wah and to patiently answer their ceaseless questions, especially the erroneous ones. He was also commanded to show patience with their hesitation in accepting his directives and to do his best to make them endure the tribulations of the enemies of the Da‘wah patiently.
The Messenger of Allah sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) was also commanded to clarify the nature of the method of Da‘wah and to inform his Companions about how difficult it is. He was warned against believing in or listening to whoever might try to take him away from them or whoever would try to disparage them. He was also warned against obeying those who were arrogant among them and whose hearts were blinded by Allah The Almighty to see the reality and true nature of things.
The aforementioned Quranic verse states some of the attributes of the early Muslim community. The following are the most important of these attributes:
A- Patience {And keep yourself patient}: The word patience is frequently repeated in the Noble Quran and the Hadeeths of the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ). In addition, people constantly advise each other to show patience. Furthermore, patience is so important that it became one of the four unique attributes of those who will not be in loss. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {By time. Indeed, humankind is in loss. Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.} [Quran 103:1-3] In this chapter, Allah The Almighty states that all people, every single one of them, are in a state of loss except those who acquire the following four attributes:
1. Faith in Allah The Almighty
2. Doing righteous deeds
3. Advising one another to truth
4. Advising one another to patience
Man’s salvation lies in perfecting his self through faith and good deeds and trying to perfect others through giving advice and guidance. By doing so, he would be performing his duties towards Allah The Almighty and others. Advising one another to have patience is also necessary because adhering to faith and good deeds as well as guarding the Islamic creed are among the most difficult tasks that face the individual as well as groups. Hence, there should be patience when fighting one’s desires and when confronting others. In addition, there should be patience in the face of harm and difficulty. Furthermore, patience is required in confronting falsehood on the long road as well in the grueling slow phases - and at the disappearance of landmarks as well as the remoteness of the end.
B- Supplication to Allah The Almighty frequently and insistently: This is clearly stated in the part (what means): {…With those who call upon their Lord in the morning and the evening}. Supplication is a magnificent means of obtaining the successive and ceaseless blessings of Allah The Almighty. Hence, those individuals who are being prepared to undertake the mission and fulfill the obligation of Da’wah should be taught how to be in contact with Allah The Almighty and how to keep supplicating to Him frequently, as these are among the most powerful and greatest means of attaining victory.
C- Offering everything with full sincerity to Allah The Almighty: This attribute is clearly stated in the part (what means): {…Seeking His countenance}. When preparing Muslim individuals according to the Divine methodology, a Muslim must be familiarized to speaking and acting only to seek the pleasure and reward of Allah The Almighty and disregarding any other profit, high rank, title or anything else. In this way, he would be a soldier who guards the creed and defends the Divine methodology. The slogan of such a Muslim must be, {Indeed, my prayer, my rites of sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allah, Lord of the Worlds, no partner has He. And this I have been commanded, and I am the first [among you] of the Muslims.} [Quran 6:162-163]
It is known that offering anything with full sincerity to Allah The Almighty in addition to compliance with the Sunnah of the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) are necessary conditions for deeds to be accepted by Allah The Almighty.
D- Steadfastness: This is clearly stated in the part (what means): {And let not your eyes pass beyond them, desiring adornments of the worldly life} [Quran 18:28] This type of steadfastness is a sub-form of a more general concept of steadfastness that should be a characteristic of every true Islamic caller. Allah The Almighty Says (what means): {Among the believers are men true to what they promised Allah. Among them is he who has fulfilled his vow [to the death], and among them is he who awaits [his chance]. And they did not alter [the terms of their commitment] by any alteration.} [Quran 33:23]
These honorable verses imply three attributes: Faith, Manhood and Truthfulness. These attributes are crucial for adherence to the methodology of the truth because faith makes one adhere to noble values, and he would thus even sacrifice himself to protect the sublime principle. Manhood leads the person to this objective and makes him disdain trivial things and trivial people. It also constantly pushes him towards the sublime objective and the lofty principle, and it is here that we find the role of truthfulness, which prevents the person from changing his course of life.
Finally, all these attributes unite to form steadfastness, which makes one adhere to his beliefs even if he is about to be beheaded or executed or if he is forced to lose a worldly benefit. Undoubtedly, the bricks that are prepared for bearing the duty of Da‘wah, establishing the state and making the civilization, need to be firm and solid in order to achieve the sublime objectives and high values.
These were the most important attributes of the early Muslim community.
