Characteristics of a Daee.

Shaikh Salih al-Fawzan explained the required characteristics of those who enjoin the good and forbid the evil in the following words, "Everyone is not fit for enjoining the good and forbidding the evil because three characteristics are required to accomplish (the responsibility of ) enjoining the good and forbidding the evil.

First Characteristic: Knowledge:

One should be knowledgeable about that which he is enjoining and forbidding, he shouldknow what is evil: the Haraam (prohibited) and the Makrooh (disliked).

In other words, he should know what is prohibited by the Sharee'ah such that he can forbid it, and he should know what is commanded such that he can enjoin it. He must posses knowledge, through which he knows what is forbidden and what is commanded because verily, the harm of enjoining and forbidding without knowledge can be worse than the benefit – because he might enjoin that which is not permissible and he might forbid that is permissible. He might forbid the Halaal and enjoin the Haraam while he is unaware of it and he speaks without knowledge. So, this damage is greater than the benefit – if at all there is any benefit in it – So, the damage is more and the risk is greater.

Second Characteristic: Rifq:

Gentleness. One has to be kind and wise in that which he is forbidding and enjoining.

Third Characteristic: Patience upon the harm.

So, there are three characteristics.

(The first characteristic of ) Knowledge should be before enjoining the good and forbidding the evil.

(The second characteristic of ) Kindness should be during enjoining the good and forbidding the evil.

(and the third characteristic of ) Patience should be after enjoining the good and forbidding the evil.” [Muhadiraat (p. 534)]