to Allah is calling to His way, and thus enjoining people to follow His way. His way consists in believing what He has reported and obeying what He has commanded. It has become clear that both are incumbent upon every individual Muslim as collective obligations, not as individual obligations like the five daily prayers, but rather like jihad.

Fulfilling obligations—whether the obligation of calling to Allah or other duties—requires certain conditions, as stated in the hadith:

“Whoever enjoins what is right and forbids what is wrong should understand what he enjoins and understand what he forbids; be gentle in what he enjoins and gentle in what he forbids; and be forbearing in what he enjoins and forbearing in what he forbids.”

Understanding must precede enjoining, so that what is right may be identified and what is wrong rejected. Gentleness must accompany enjoining, so that one may take the most direct path to achieving the intended purpose. Forbearance must follow enjoining, so that one may patiently endure the harm inflicted by those whom one enjoins and forbids, for one is often harmed on that account.

For this reason, Allah Most High says:

“Enjoin what is right, forbid what is wrong, and patiently endure whatever befalls you.”

He has commanded our Prophet to be patient in many passages, as Allah Most High says at the beginning of Sūrat al-Muddaththir:

“Arise and warn!”
“Magnify your Lord!”
“Purify your garments!”
“Shun defilement!”
“Do not give in order to receive more!”
“And be patient for the sake of your Lord!”

Allah Most High also says:

“Be patient with your Lord’s decree, for you are under Our Eyes.”

And He says:

“Patiently endure what they say.”