Question:

What do you say regarding those who travel abroad outside the Kingdom for the purpose of da’wah (proselytizing/calling to Islam) despite having never sought religious knowledge? They urge people to do this, repeat strange slogans, and claim that whoever goes out in the cause of Allah for da’wah will be divinely inspired by Allah. They also claim that religious knowledge is not an essential prerequisite—even though you know, Respected Sheikh, that anyone traveling outside the Kingdom will encounter various schools of thought, religions, and questions directed at the caller. Do you not agree that whoever goes out in the cause of Allah must possess the necessary weapons [of knowledge] to face people—especially in East Asia, where they oppose the renewer of the call, Sheikh Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab?

Answer:

“Going out in the cause of Allah” (al-khuruj fi sabilillah) does not refer to what they currently mean by it. “Going out in the cause of Allah” refers to going out for military expedition. As for what they call “going out” today, this is an innovation (bid’ah) that has no precedent among the [pious] Salaf.

When a person goes out to call to Allah, it should not be restricted to specific designated days; rather, one calls to Allah according to their ability and capacity, without restricting themselves to a specific group, or restricting themselves to forty days, or more, or less.

Furthermore, among the obligations upon a caller is that they must possess knowledge. It is not permissible for a person to call to Allah while being ignorant. Allah Almighty says: “Say (O Muhammad): ‘This is my way; I invite unto Allâh (i.e. to the Oneness of Allâh - Islâmic Monotheism) with sure knowledge,…’“ [Yusuf: 108]—meaning upon knowledge. This is because a caller must know what they are calling to—distinguishing between what is obligatory, recommended, prohibited, and disliked. They must recognize what constitutes ‘polytheism’ (shirk), disobedience, ‘disbelief’ (kufr), wickedness, and rebellion, and know the levels and methodology of denouncing wrong.

Moreover, “going out” that distracts from seeking knowledge is a futile endeavor, because seeking knowledge is an obligation, and knowledge can only be acquired through learning—it cannot be acquired through divine inspiration. That claim is among the myths of the misguided Sufis, because action without knowledge is misguidance, and coveting the attainment of knowledge without learning is a false delusion.