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In this light, how about if Allāh guides a congregation through you? How about if Allāh guides a nation through you? How about if Allāh guides generations after you by way of you? This indicates the excellence of calling to Allāh.

On the day of Khaybar, the Messenger of Allāh (صلى الله عليه وسلم) mentioned that he would give the flag to someone who will be given victory (by Allāh) and who loves Allāh and His Messenger and is loved by Allāh and His Messenger. The Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) ended up giving the flag to ʿAlī ibn Abī Tālib (رضي الله عنه) and he advised him by saying:

فَوَاللَّهِ لأَنْ يَهْدِيَ اللَّهُ بِكَ رَجُلاً خَيْرٌ لَكَ مِنْ أَنْ يَكُونَ لَكَ حُمْرُ النَّعَمِ

By Allāh, if Allāh guides someone through you, it is better for you than a herd red camels.

Shaykh Ṣāliḥ al-Fawzān comments upon this statement of the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم):

The Messenger of Allāh (صلى الله عليه وسلم) explains to us the excellence of giving daʿwah by saying “wallāhi”, he (صلى الله عليه وسلم) swore, while he is al-Ṣādiq (the truthful) al-Maṣdūq (the one who was believed in). At times, making an oath precedes important emphasis. The Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) said: By Allāh, if Allāh guides someone through you, it is better for you than a herd red camels. At the time, red camels were the most precious of all commodities for the Arabs.

In this light, how about if Allāh guides a congregation through you? How about if Allāh guides a nation through you? How about if Allāh guides generations after you by way of you? This indicates the excellence of calling to Allāh.

Ponder upon the goodness which Allāh has established by way of the daʿwah of Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah (رحمه الله) and all the people who were guided through him, generation after generation, and continue to be guided even in this time of ours now, and all praise and thanks belongs to Allāh. Also, from the fruits of the daʿwah of Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah is the daʿwah of Shaykh Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhāb because Shaykh Muḥammad ibn ʿAbd al-Wahhāb studied under the books of Shaykh al-Islām ibn Taymiyyah in the matters related to creed, thereafter, establishing his own blessed daʿwah.

Therefore, what is the reward of the initial caller? It is as the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) mentioned in another narration:

مَنْ دَعَا إِلَى هُدىً كانَ لهُ مِنَ الأجْر مِثلُ أُجورِ منْ تَبِعهُ لاَ ينْقُصُ ذلكَ مِنْ أُجُورِهِم شَيْئًا

Whoever calls to guidance will have a reward equal to the reward of those who follow him, without their reward being diminished in any respect on that account.

In that case, how about the reward of the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم), the chief and leader of all callers to Allāh? The Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) will have a reward equal to the reward of all those who believe from the creation up until the Day of Judgement. Similarly the Imams and the callers to Allāh who came after the Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم) will also have a reward equal to the reward of those who follow them. We ask Allāh the Most Generous to grant us this virtue.

This indicates the excellence of calling to Allāh. Calling to Allāh is to call the people to the book of Allāh, the Sunnah of His Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم), sincerity in worshipping Allāh and judging with that which Allāh revealed. This is the true call to Allāh, daʿwah is not by mere association or holding ceremonies and slogans. This is why every call which emphasizes the correct methodology will be successful in shāʾ Allāh, even if it be after some time.

Source: إعانة المستفيد ص.١١٢–١١٣
Translated by: Munīb al-Ṣumālī