Speaking with Ḥikmah: A Call for More Thoughtful Da‘wah in the Public Sphere

In an age where bluntness is marketed as bravery and rudeness as righteousness, a growing number of Muslims are branding certain daʿwah speakers as “unfiltered” and “based.” But while this may feel empowering to some, it misses something essential: Islam does not just care that you speak the truth. It cares how you say it as well.

Tact is not about compromise. It is about delivering truth in a way that persuades, educates, and elevates. That is the way of the Prophet ﷺ, and abandoning it is not boldness. It is a departure from the Prophetic method.

Allah makes clear that da’wah must be rooted in wisdom and deliberate speech:

“Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best.”(Surah 16:125)

This ayah is not only about tone. Wisdom here refers to understanding what is appropriate in a given context, encompassing the choice of words, the timing of speech, and grasping the audience’s mindset.

The Prophet ﷺ adapted his speech to the person and situation. When a man openly asked to commit fornication, the Prophet ﷺ did not shout or humiliate him. He calmly engaged him in dialogue, appealing to his moral instincts:

“Would you like that for your mother? Your sister? Your daughter?” (Aḥmad, no. 22211; classed as Saḥīḥ)

After that, along with the Prophet’s duʿāʾ, the man never inclined toward zinā again.

Likewise, when a Bedouin urinated in the masjid, the Prophet ﷺ stopped the companions from reacting violently. He allowed the man to finish, then instructed him with gentleness. The result was admiration, not resentment.

This is not softness for its own sake. It is calculated tact that produces results.

Some da’wah speakers today take pride in “saying it like it is,” even if it causes outrage or division. They equate being blunt with being brave. But Islam does not praise speaking without limits. Strategic speech is not hypocrisy. It is prophetic intelligence.

There is a legal maxim in Islam: “Harm is to be removed.” This applies to speech as well. Ibnul Qayyim said in Aʿlām al-Muwaqqiʿīn:

فإذا كان إنكار المنكر يستلزم ما هو أنكرُ منه وأبغضُ إلى الله ورسوله فإنه لا يسوغ إنكاره

“So if condemning a wrong leads to something more evil and more hateful to Allah and His Messenger, then it is not permissible to condemn it.”

One must consider the consequences when enjoining good or forbidding evil. If the outcome is a greater harm, then the initial act of “correction” is not justified. If a speaker’s harsh rhetoric causes people to turn away from Islam, provoke anger, or feed anti-Muslim narratives, then that speech is not barakah. It is a breach of responsibility.

Our duty is not just to state the truth, but to serve the truth in the most effective and God-conscious way. Every public da’wah speaker, whether on YouTube or a street corner, becomes, by default, a face of Islam. What they say, how they say it, and the consequences of their words all reflect back on the deen.

Allah warns:

“And do not insult those they invoke besides Allah, lest they insult Allah in enmity without knowledge.”(Surah 6:108)

Even when condemning shirk, Muslims are commanded to speak with strategic restraint. The principle here is that thoughtless speech can backfire and cause greater harm. This applies just as much today, when one viral clip can shape global perceptions.

Da’wah is about people. It is about reaching them where they are and guiding them to where they need to be. If the speaker becomes the center of attention, and the goal becomes going viral or winning debates, then it is no longer da’wah. It is a performance.

Ibn al-Qayyim said in Miftāḥ Dār al-Saʿādah:

وفيه تنبيهٌ للعلماء على سلوك هدي الأنبياء وطريقتهم في التبليغ؛ من الصَّبر، والاحتمال، ومقابلة إساءة الناس إليهم بالإحسان، والرِّفق بهم، واستجلابهم إلى الله بأحسن الطُّرق، وبذل ما يمكنُ من النصيحة لهم؛ فإنه بذلك يحصلُ لهم نصيبُهم من هذا الميراث العظيم قدرُه، الجليل خَطَرُه

“This contains a reminder to the scholars to follow the guidance and methodology of the prophets in conveying the message through patience, endurance, responding to people’s mistreatment with kindness, being gentle with them, drawing them toward Allah in the best ways, and offering whatever sincere advice they can. By doing so, they attain their share of this tremendous and noble inheritance.”

There is a profound difference between being right and being effective. Da’wah is not about proving your point. It is about opening hearts.

In conclusion, speaking plainly has its place. The Prophet ﷺ was direct when necessary. But he was never reckless, sarcastic, or needlessly provocative. His goal was not to vent frustration or appear bold, but to convey the message of Islam in the best possible way.

If you are calling to the truth but closing the hearts of your audience, you are failing the mission. And if you are gaining followers at the expense of the religion’s dignity, then you are building a brand, not a legacy.

Tact is not weakness. It is intelligence. It is mercy. And it is the way of the Messenger ﷺ.