While guiding new converts to Islam, Muslims today must follow the guidelines outlined by the Prophet (Pbuh). He had a systematic way to explain Islam to new believers. The Prophet sent his companion Mu’adh ibn Jabal to Yemen as governor. A reasonable percentage of the population there were Muslims already and Islam was continuing to spread among them. The Prophet (Pbuh) outlined for him the method of approach he was to follow.

When dealing with new converts to Islam, some of us are very eager to get them to understand all aspects of their new faith and what it requires of them. They want these new Muslims to lead a perfectly complete Islamic way of life from the first day they declare their acceptance of the faith. This often puts new Muslims in a difficult position, and gives them a sense of falling short of what God expects of them. It is important, therefore, to try to understand what the Prophet (peace be upon him) did with new Muslims, and whether he immediately gave them a list of duties to fulfil and recommended practices to observe.

The Prophet (Pbuh) sent his companion Mu’adh ibn Jabal to Yemen as governor. A reasonable percentage of the population there were Muslims already and Islam was continuing to spread among them. Hence, Mu’adh’s duties included a good measure of advocacy of Islam among the local population. The Prophet (Pbuh) outlined for him the method of approach he was to follow. He said to him: “You are going to people who believe in their Scriptures. When you are with them call on them to declare that there is no deity other than God and that Muhammad is God’s Messenger. If they accept this from you then tell them that God has imposed on them a duty to offer five prayers every day. If they also accept this from you then tell them that God has made it a duty for them to pay a certain amount of charity which is taken from the rich among them and distributed to their poor. If they accept this from you, do not touch their precious property. Beware of a prayer by a person suffering injustice; for such a prayer goes directly to God, with no barrier to stop it.” (Related in all six authentic anthologies).

The important point in this Hadith is the gradual approach the Prophet outlines for his companion who was to be governor over a large portion of the expanding Muslim state. It should be remembered that Mu’adh was sent on this mission about a year before the Prophet’s pilgrimage; that is, in year 9 of the Islamic calendar. However, some reports suggest that it was a little earlier and one report puts the date as the early days of year 10. Whichever was true, it was towards the end of the Prophet’s lifetime, when practically all Islamic laws had been in place. Mu’adh was certainly aware of all major duties of Islam, including fasting in Ramadan, which was started in year 2, and the pilgrimage, which was made obligatory before year 8, while prayer and zakah started much earlier. Nevertheless, the Prophet told Mu’adh to call on people first to believe in God and His Messenger. It is clear that he was concentrating on the approach to follow, not the outline of all duties. It is well known that all Islamic duties are required of believers; they do not apply to other people. If a person does not believe in God and in Muhammad as God’s Messenger, no prayer or zakah is of use, because they would be lacking the proper basis they should have.

It should be noted that the Prophet tells Mu’adh not to speak to those people about prayer until they have believed in God’s oneness and Muhammad’s message. The Prophet was aware that most of them followed earlier religions, and the concept of believing in God was not new to them, but they had first to correct this belief so as to bring it to the proper Islamic way of believing in God’s absolute oneness and in Muhammad as God’s Messenger. When this is in place, then Mu’adh was to explain to them their prayer duty. Needless to say, the Prophet did not expect him to stop at saying that your prayers must be offered five times a day. He was to explain to them the benefit of prayer, and the wisdom of spreading it over the whole day, from dawn to night time, so as to make a Muslim always in contact with God.

At this stage of explaining the duty of prayer, Mu’adh was not to speak about other duties, but when the people accepted that they must offer their prayers and actually began to do so, he was to take the next step and tell them about zakah. Needless to say, attending regularly to prayer will make people submit more fully to God’s orders. They would know that a human being submits himself, time, effort and all that he owns to God Almighty. Hence, they would accept the next duty that provides for social security for all. “If they accept this from you then tell them that God has made it a duty for them to pay a certain amount of charity which is taken from the rich among them and distributed to their poor.” Mu’adh would need to explain that such zakah purges the giver of greed and the desire for self-aggrandizement. It gives him the feeling of mutual care in society. Both giver and taker will be rewarded because zakah ensures that the community is coherent and that everyone is looked after. Under the Islamic system, no one goes hungry from one day to the next.

The Prophet (Pbuh) also explains to Mu’adh that he was not to touch what is dear and precious. Zakah is taken from the general wealth of a person. It must not be of the worst type, but when it is paid, the giver has fulfilled the duty God requires of him. He is then free to enjoy what God has given him.

The next point the Prophet tells Mu’adh is that when the people have paid their zakah he was not to try to get what is precious for them. They pay their zakah from the average they have, keeping the best for themselves. This is perfectly acceptable as long as they do not give away the worst they have.

Needless to say, Mu’adh would then call on them to implement other Islamic teachings. But the points specified by the Prophet take priority. The Prophet gives Mu’adh a warning against something very serious. As a governor, he needs to make sure of maintaining justice. Any governor who fails to do so is liable to be the target of prayers by the victims of injustice. The Prophet warns Mu’adh and every ruler and governor that such a prayer is definitely answered. God is certainly aware of whatever injustice is perpetrated. He knows who perpetrates it and who is its victim. The victim will always have access to God’s help through prayer. God will certainly support those who are unjustly treated. He has forbidden injustice and will punish its perpetrators.