Elements of emotional and spiritual intelligence in Mohammad Natsir’s approach of da’wah

Abstract

Current discourse on methodologies of da’wah has focused on various
areas, such as management, leadership and media but is lacking in dimensions
of emotional and spiritual intelligence in delivering the message of Islam.
This lack will contribute to confusion, hatred and finally the rejection of the
message itself. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a thorough understanding
of emotional and spiritual intelligence in delivering the divine message of
Islam locally and globally, one which is currently neglected by some Muslims.
This article aims at exploring elements of emotional and spiritual intelligence
in Mohammad Natsir’s (1908-1993) approach of da’wah. Through content
analysis, this study found that Mohammad Natsir’s magnum opus “fiqhud
da’wah”, exhibits several core elements of emotional and spiritual intelligence,
which contribute to the sustainability of his da’wah. This is reflected through
his discussion on ethics (akhlÉq) characterized by the concept of emotional
bridging, Íikmah and purification of the soul.