Tabligh (), or conveying or propagation, is a major process of an Islamic mission (dawah) on which Islam has built its existence and identity in human life. Per the Oxford Dictionary of Islam, the modern use of the term is interchangeable with dawah.
According to scholars, in Islam, tabligh is Quranic preaching as conveying the truth to people’s minds and bringing them out of the darkness of ignorance. Islam claims monotheism as a bright truth called tawhid. Tabligh means conveying that truth to people’s minds and intellects. It can also be said that tabligh is teaching people the rulings of Islam and divine knowledge, giving people good tidings of paradise and the blessings of Allah, encouraging them to work to obtain the pleasure of Allah, warning them against disobeying the commands of Allah and calling them to believe in the fundamentals of Islam and to act on the branches.
Etymology
The linguistic meaning of at-tabligh is propagation, conveyance, deliver or distribution, and its noun is adulthood or youth. Bulug, ablagh and tabligh mean to reach, transport, convey and deliver to a desired goal or desired limit, whether this limit or goal is a place, time or a morally determined matter. This meaning implies a sense of exaggeration in the expression, which takes the word beyond the limits of a realistic meaning.
Definition
It can be deduced from the linguistic meaning and Quranic usage that Tabligh in Islam is presenting and conveying the divine Islamic teachings and guidance to people. Allah said: “O Messenger, proclaim that which has been revealed to you from your Lord. And if you do not, then you have not conveyed His message. And God will protect you from the people.” Many Quranic verses and narrations are found that speak about the status of Tabligh and calling and their importance in the lives of nations and peoples throughout history, due to their connection to the various aspects of human society, its levels, and its otherworldly and worldly requirements, and the fact that they represent the direct intermediary between heaven and earth, and the means that Allah chose to guide, teach, and purify His creation. The detailed hadith that was mentioned about the call, communication, guidance, direction, enjoining good and the like in many places in the Book and Sunnah is nothing but the best evidence of the divine keenness to convey the heavenly laws, especially the Islamic law, and to teach its rulings to the people, which is what we call “the process of communication and calling to Allah.” Therefore, informing people about Islamic rulings and divine knowledge, giving believers good tidings of Paradise and divine bliss, warning those who disobey of punishment, and warning them against the consequences of deviating after worldly desires and pleasures and forgetting the Hereafter is the purpose of Islamic preaching. Preaching is the goal of the existence of every prophet. If it were not for the mission of preaching, sending prophets would have been in vain and meaningless. Sending prophets is a manifestation of the attribute of mercy and compassion. They are like the sun in guidance and benefit to humanity. These two attributes were most evident in Muhammad in the words of Allah in Surat Al-Anbiya: “And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a mercy to the worlds.” If he had not come and renewed the call of the previous prophets, Allah’s mercy would not have been revealed to us, and we would have remained lost and confused in the desert of ignorance, disbelief, and the desolate misguidance.
Quran
The word is mentioned in many places of the Quran, including Verse 67 of Sura al-Ma'idah.
The word balagh and its derivatives in the Quran originally have that meaning. For example, the Quran says:
That is, until the sacrificial animal reaches its designated place, and the goal or objective here is spatial. For example, the Almighty said: “Until, when he reaches his full strength and reaches forty years, he says, ‘My Lord, inspire me to be grateful for Your favor.’” Until he reaches the time when he is mentally and physically complete, which is the time when he has completed forty years of his life. The goal, as is clear, is temporal. And similar to the saying of Allah: He said, "If I ask you about anything after this, do not accompany me. You have already reached an excuse from me." meaning that I have reached the point where my excuse is not accepted. This is a spiritual matter. Hence, the meaning of tabligh or conveying that is intended to be explained is to deliver one thing to another. The meaning of tabligh or conveying is often used in spiritual matters and is less often used in tangible matters, such as when we say: I conveyed or delivered a message to Zaid, or someone a warning. Allah said: "I convey to you the messages of my Lord and advise you.' meaning that I am charged with conveying to you the messages of Allah, which are His teachings and guidance.
The Quran has used different terms such as the following, but all have the same meaning:
- Dawah (), or call, such as Allah'ssaying in Surah Nuh: “He said, ‘My Lord, indeed I have called my people night and day.’” [Nuh: 5].
- Irshad () or guidance, such as Allah's in Surah Al-Jinn: “He guides to the right path, so we have believed in him, and we will never associate with our Lord anyone.” [Al-Jinn: 2].
- Tabligh (), or conveying the message, such as Allah's saying in Surah Al-Ahzab: “Those who convey the messages of Allah and fear Him and do not fear anyone except Allah. And sufficient is Allah as Accountant.” [Al-Ahzab: 39].
- Tabshir (), or giving good tidings, such as Allah's saying in Surah Al-Furqan: “And We have not sent you, [O Muhammad], except as a bringer of good tidings and a warner.” [Al-Furqan: 56].
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That is, until the sacrificial animal reaches its designated place. The goal or objective here is spatial. For example, Quran said: