How should the hadeeth, “Convey from me, even if it is one verse”, be understood?

Sheikh Muhammad bin Saalih al-Uthaimeen رحمه الله said:

“When a person has knowledge and insight into that which he is calling to, then there is no difference between the one who has a great amount of knowledge, or a student of knowledge who has recently started in pursuit of knowledge or a lay person – as long as he has certain knowledge of the issue at hand.

The Prophet صلّى اللَّهُ عليه وسلّم said:

“Convey from me, even if it is one verse.”

[Saheeh al-Bukhari]

So it is not a condition upon the da’ee (the one calling) to attain a great amount of knowledge, but the condition is that one must have knowledge of what one is calling to. If this calling is established upon ignorance and built upon emotion and passion, then it is not permissible.

Thus, we see that some of the brothers who call to Allaah سُبحانه وتعال, they do not have except a little knowledge. We see them, due to their strong emotions, prohibiting that which Allaah has not prohibited, whilst making obligatory that which Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى has not made obligatory upon His worshippers. This is a very dangerous matter, since permitting what Allaah has made haraam (unlawful) is like prohibiting what Allaah has made halaal (lawful). So when they begin prohibiting people for making a particular matter then others will rebuke them for making it haraam.

Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى says:

وَلاَ تَقُولُواْ لِمَا تَصِفُ أَلْسِنَتُكُمُ الْكَذِبَ هَـذَا حَلاَلٌ وَهَـذَا حَرَامٌ لِّتَفْتَرُواْ عَلَى اللّهِ الْكَذِبَ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَفْتَرُونَ عَلَى اللّهِ الْكَذِبَ لاَ يُفْلِحُونَ

“And do not say, concerning that which your tongues falsely put forward, ‘This is lawful and this is forbidden,’ so as to invent lies against Allaah. Indeed, those who invent lies against Allaah will never prosper.”

(Surah al-Nahl 16:116)

As for the lay person, then he must not call to Allaah if he does not have knowledge. Rather, it is essential to have knowledge in accordance with the saying of Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى:

قُلْ هَـذِهِ سَبِيلِي أَدْعُو إِلَى اللّهِ عَلَى بَصِيرَةٍ

“Say: This is my path. I call to Allaah upon sure knowledge.”

(Surah Yoosuf 12:108)

So it is a must to call to Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى upon knowledge. However, if a matter is clearly known to be evil or good, then one can command it – if it is good, or forbid it – if it is evil.

So the callers to Allaah must start with knowledge. Whosoever calls to Allaah سُبحانه وتعالى without knowledge, then such a person will cause greater harm than good – as is evident. So it is obligatory for a person to first acquire knowledge, then to do Da’wah. As for the clear evils and that which is clearly good, then the good is enjoined and the evil prohibited.”

{From: As-Sahwatul-Islaamiyyah (pp.59-60) of Sheikh lbn al-Uthaimeen}