The Mediums Available For Dawah

Question :

Those who invite others to Allah Almighty disagree among themselves about various mediums of Da'wah. Some of them say that Da'wah is a form of worship, which must be done in accordance with what is prescribed. Those who say this will inevitably be against sports, educational events, and plays as means of giving Da'wah to the youth. Others say that means of giving Da'wah change according to the times. They say that we should use any lawful and effective means of calling others to Allah Almighty. Please, noble Shaykh, clarify this issue for us?

Answer:

All praise is for Allah Almighty, Lord of the Worlds. For sure, Daw'ah to Allah Almighty is worship, for Allah Almighty commanded us to do it:
"Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and fair preaching, and argue with them in a way that is better."

The one who invites others to Allah Almighty feels that he is following Allah's Commands and drawing nearer to Him by doing so. There is also no doubt that the best way of calling to Islam is with Allah's Book and the Sunnah of His Messenger ﷺ, since the Book of Allâh is most important exhortation for people:

"O mankind! There has come to you a good advice from your Lord (i.e., the Qur'an, ordering all that is good and forbidding all that is evil), and a healing for that (disease of ignorance, doubt, hypocrisy, and differences, etc.) which is in your breasts - a guidance and a mercy (explaining lawful and unlawful things, etc.) for the believers."

Also, the Prophet would give the most poignant of sermons; the Companions said that those sermons would cause hearts to shake and eyes to shed tears. So if one can use such means that there is no doubt that this is the best way, whether it is with the Book of Allah or the Sunnah of His Messenger ﷺ.

If, however, he wishes sometimes to add to that other lawful means, he is at liberty to do so, on condition that the means he uses do not contain anything unlawful in them lying, playing the role of disbelievers in plays, acting the role of a Companion -may Allah be pleased with them or of a famous Muslim Imam, or something similar that we fear might belittle noble Muslim Imams. Also, no male actor should play a female role and vice versa, because the Prophet ﷺ cursed such a practice. He cursed men who imitate women, and women who imitate men.

If some of these means are used for some benefit, and they don't contain anything unlawful, I don't see anything wrong in using these means. However, I don't agree with exaggerating and over- emphasizing these means by making them the only way of calling to Allâh Almighty, while disregarding the Qur'an and Sunnah. In fact, I see this to be unlawful, because to divert people from the Qur'an and Sunnah is unlawful. But as I said before, if used moderately without anything unlawful, I don't see the wrong in using these means.

Source:
Ibn 'Uthaimin
Fatawa Islamiyah, Vol. 8 Pages 73-74-75