A Scholar Explains What Da‘wah Is Really Missing (ft. Sh Dr Mostafa al-Sheybani)

In this special episode of OnGuard, Hamza Andreas Tzortzis sits with the world-renowned Mauritanian scholar Shaykh Dr Mostafa al-Shaybani for a deeply personal conversation on da‘wah, sincerity, fame, the Qur’an, family, and the crisis of Muslim online influence. Hamza asks the Shaykh to advise him directly — as someone involved in leadership, public da‘wah, online work, and mentoring others — on how Muslim speakers, activists, influencers and students should protect themselves from ego, ostentation, fame, algorithm-chasing and losing sight of the real purpose of calling people to Allāh. The Shaykh’s answer is a powerful reminder: before public da‘wah must come private worship; before chasing followers must come sincerity; and before trying to “win” arguments must come a heart shaped by the Qur’an. This is essential viewing for anyone involved in da‘wah, Islamic content, community work, teaching, activism, or public Muslim discourse. Chapters: 00:00 Hamza asks for sincere mentorship 02:44 Private worship and the weight of da‘wah 06:37 Why are you calling people to Allāh? 08:10 The Qur’an is guidance, not just barakah 12:10 Surah al-Baqarah and reshaping the Muslim mind 17:18 Tadabbur: the Qur’an as transformation 21:22 Reading sīrah as Qur’anic guidance 22:40 Your da‘wah starts at home 24:47 Fame: the enemy of the da‘i 29:40 Basīrah, hikmah and long-term da‘wah 36:10 Qur’an, marriage and the da‘i’s inner life 42:29 Let the Qur’an choose your da‘wah priorities 44:11 Followers, hearts and success from Allāh 46:38 Hamza’s journey back to the Qur’an Subscribe to Islam21c for more conversations on faith, family, da‘wah, politics, society and the challenges facing Muslims today. Share this episode with anyone involved in da‘wah, Islamic content, community leadership or Muslim public discourse. 🌟 Support Our Mission 🌟 To extend the reach of our impactful content, kindly consider making a contribution (https://islam21c.com/guardians). Your support helps us make a difference. 👇 Stay Connected & Never Miss an Update 👇 1️⃣ Subscribe: Hit the 'Subscribe' button and don't forget to ring the 🔔 bell, ensuring you'll be the first to know when we upload fresh content. 2️⃣ Social Media: Stay up-to-date and join the conversation on our social media platforms: 📸 Instagram   / islam21c   👍 Facebook   / islam21c   𝕏 X   / islam21c   🗨️ Telegram https://t.me/islam21c Thank you for your continued support and engagement.