A REVIEW OF THE BOOK TITLEDESSENTIAL MANUAL FOR DA'WAH PRACTITIONERS

Abstract

The decision to undertake a review of this volume is informed by two principal considerations: first,
the distinguished personality in whose honour the book is produced; and second, the thematic focus
of the work. Honourable Justice Abdulkadir Orire remains an enduring and formidable figure in the
annals of Islam in Africa and beyond. Indeed, no tribute appears excessive in honouring the pioneer
Grand Kadi of the Kwara State Shariah Court of Appeal. The central theme of the book, da'wah, is
equally significant. The Muslim ummah derives its distinctiveness from its commitment to da'wah,
encapsulated in the Qur'anic injunction to enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong (Q. 3:110). It
is therefore unsurprising that the Prophet accorded the scholars of his community a status
comparable to that of the prophets of the Children of Israel. Consequently, da'wah constitutes a
collective obligation upon all qualified members of the ummah. Neglecting this duty in the face of
pervasive social vices invites consequences reminiscent of the condemnation pronounced upon the
Children of Israel (Q. 5:78–79)