Words are important but sometimes we don't realize just how important until after its too late, like an opportunity is lost or someone whom we have neglected in life has passed away. In the memory of his loving wife, Thomas Carlyle wrote, "Oh, that I had you yet for five minutes by my side, that I might tell you all." Isn't this the saddest thing? In the 20 or 30 years of your life, never having told your mom you loved her. Or after a full year of getting extra help from your TAs, and treatment from your doctor, and payment from your boss, not telling them about Islam. Is that cold and selfish or what?
C.S. Lewis in Reflections on the Psalms wrote, "It is not out of compliment that lovers keep on telling on another how beautiful they are. The delight is incomplete till it is expressed. It is frustrating to have discovered a new author and not be able to tell anyone how good he is, to come suddenly at the turn of the road upon someone mountain valley of unexpected grandeur and then have to keep silent because the people with you care for it no more than for a tin can in the ditch, to hear a good joke and find no one to share it with."
Or having Islam, the natural religion of all human beings but not telling anyone? A poet once said that those who do not show their love do not love. I am not certain if thats completely accurate, but I know there are many Muslims who do not speak about Islam. In most cases, our friends and acquaintances may know us as individuals but be really confused about Islam as a religion. So the Muslims will protest that they are not very good at expressing themselves and that they show their Islam in other ways, i.e. by smiling or being polite in public. While every act and evidence of following the Qur'an and Sunnah are important, our peers need a verbal (a blog or magazine article is pretty good too) invitation and introduction of Islam on a regular basis. It may only takes a few moments from your day to say that a Creator for the universe exists, that He is One, has a Will, is Powerful, Uncaused, Immaterial and Eternal. قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ
In most cases, Muslims do not convey the message of Islam, do explain the misconceptions unless we want to protest against Qur'an burning of Niqab ban. This causes the public to feel opposed and dissented, as if we are challenging and refusing them. So from fearing the Muslims out of ignorance, the public moves to hating the Muslims.
For those of us who do not verbalize very well, I would like to remind us that apparently we verbalize well enough before we persuaded our boss to give us a job or wrote an essay that earned us an A or talked with our friend or neighbour about Messi bagging a hat-tric or Jennifer Lopez's hair in Monster-in-law. This indicates that our ability to communicate is not the problem. Our lack of interest or even unwillingness to communicate is the major problem.
The sad truth is, many of us do not talk about Islam even after years of studying and consciously practicing it. It is not because we are stingy with information. We will tell others everything from how to change car oil to how to clean kitty litter. But we do not bring Islam into our conversations because (a) we feel shy and afraid of losing our friendship (or whatever relation we have) with others. (b) We had a bad experience before (with the same person or someone else) so we avoid putting ourselves and others in an awkward position.
(a) Every person is born on fitrah, a natural disposition to worship Allah. It is sealed, stamped, printed and impressed upon our soul to submit to the One Who Created us. Every person is Muslim by birth. Therefore, Islam resonates with everyone with a clear conscious. No one can actually resist the profound logic, undeniable scientific proofs and moral virtues of the highest caliber of Islam. They may assassinate the character of Muslims, i..e call us terrorists towel heads, camel lovers etc but they cannot intellectually and morally reject arguments in favour of Islam.
(b) If you are shy like me then I recommend conveying Islam through writing or art. Create a blog, work for an Islamic newspaper or magazine, paint or put together a website about Islam. This will give you the advantage of being able to carefully and less emotionally talk about Islam with others without fear of losing your friendship or being put in an awkward position. Written communication also offers many other benefits, i.e. you can write about anything you like, at any length and in anyway. Make comic strips or posters, write a short fictional story, create a youtube video, publish pamphlets .... whatever, sky is the limit. You know how there are all these hundreds of trashy magazines at every cashier in every mall and grocery store imaginable? Well, become so prolific that you can replace their immodest junk with our Islamic jewels. You know how the Jehovah witnesses go around giving free Bibles and flyers about their religion to like everyone on this planet? Lets beat them at this and print our own Islam Calm Read Fanzines? - How is that for a title? ;)
As for public speaking, I recommend classes like iERA's Call of Duty and How to give Shahada in 10 minutes . Or get involved with Mercy Mission . Or go to Journey of Faith Conference or Ryerson MSA , inshaAllah there will be plenty of opportunities to learn how to give Da'wah. It can be done, when there is a will there is a way. You will receive your own how-to Dawah manuals along with many days of training and even opportunity to hone out your newly acquired skills.
What works for me is not to bringing out a laundry list of perceived ills or problems with the world. Its not my place to patronize. My job is to lovingly and factually introduce my Creator to the listeners. I am careful not to attack anyone. Instead, I address my Islamic beliefs, the way I perceive them as accurately and sincerely as possible from the Qur'an and hadith. I do not pretend to be a scholar or a diplomat. I use everyday language and examples to get my message across. I try not to speak with emotion but wisdom. And thats pretty much it. Try it with the first person you see, happy conveying :)
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