and each believer must see himself as though he were the one commissioned—indeed, as though he were the Messenger himself—in conveying the Sacred Law. For that reason the Messenger ﷺ said, “Let those of you who are present convey it to those who are absent.” We, the nation of Muhammad ﷺ, are therefore obliged to communicate his law to all people. He also said, “You have been sent only as facilitators, not as those who make matters difficult.”

This ḥadīth shows that when the Messenger ﷺ addressed the Bedouin with such gentleness and kindness, telling him that these mosques are unfit for any sort of filth or impurity, the Bedouin responded, “O Allah, have mercy on me and on Muhammad, and do not show mercy to anyone else with us.” Notice how his heart opened because of Muhammad’s words.

By contrast, when the group of Companions—may Allah be pleased with them—angered him and rebuked him (he was, after all, an untaught Bedouin), he imagined that Paradise and mercy were reserved for himself and Muhammad alone, and that no one else would be shown mercy. If only he had said, “O Allah, have mercy on me and on Muhammad,” and stopped there; instead he added, “and do not have mercy on anyone else with us,” thereby restricting divine mercy. Yet he was ignorant, and an ignorant person is judged according to his state.

In short, a caller to Allah should be gentle when inviting, commanding, or forbidding. Put it to the test and see which approach is more effective. We know with absolute certainty that gentleness is better, for that is what the Messenger ﷺ taught and what he embodied in his own conduct. Allah alone grants success.