In truth, what has diminished the desired impact of preaching for centuries is the contradiction experienced by Muslims: a process of both destruction and construction. While both the process of destruction and construction are ongoing, the process of destruction is stronger and more active, and those involved in it are more powerful and active, possessing means that sincere preachers do not have. Unfortunately, on the other hand, the process of construction is slow and unequipped, filled with many shortcomings. What the preachers build in days and weeks can be demolished in hours and minutes.
Furthermore, the absence of sincere preachers who dedicate their lives, talents, and energies to rebuild faith in the hearts of the youth and restore confidence in the competence of Islam not only for survival but also for the leadership of humanity is a significant factor.
My experience and study show that many young people have lost this confidence, even if they do not openly admit it. There is a cognitive shift that has affected Islamic societies, particularly among the youth. It is not rational or decent for someone to go to the church and declare conversion to Christianity. This is not accepted by any Muslim.
However, if we examine their beliefs and their faith in Allah, the Prophet, the afterlife, and the teachings of Islam as presented in the Quran, we find that they have lost confidence in their compatibility with reason and everyday life. They doubt whether these teachings carry a message for humanity for the modern person.
They believe that Islam played a commendable role in the early Islamic era by prohibiting the killing of daughters and rejecting the worship of idols. However, what about this advanced, civilized, and sophisticated era?
They believe that Islam does not have a message for this era. The main issue is to restore faith in the hearts of the youth, then regain confidence in the legitimacy of Islam and affirm that Islam is the eternal religion of Allah, the final message.
The real problem we are facing now is the swinging of Muslim youth between the processes of destruction and construction, between rebuilding and sabotage, between negation and affirmation.
Taken from the book “Jurisprudence of Dawah: Features and Perspectives.”
Read the article in Arabic
