Enjoining Good

عن أبي سعيد الخُدْريِّ رضي الله عنه قال: سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: «‌مَنْ ‌رَأَى ‌مِنْكُمْ ‌مُنْكَرًا فَلْيُغَيِّرْهُ بِيَدِهِ، فَإِنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَبِلِسَانِهِ، فَإِنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَبِقَلْبِهِ، وَذَلِكَ أَضْعَفُ الْإِيمَانِ».

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) commands that evil deeds - they are everything prohibited by Allah and His Messenger - should be changed, according to one's ability. So, if one sees some evil deed, he should change it with his hand, if he has the ability to do so. If he is unable to do this, then he should change it with his tongue, by forbidding the one who commits it, demonstrating its harm to him, and guiding him to goodness instead of that evil. If he is unable to fulfill this level, then he should change it with his heart, by disliking that evil deed and determining to change it if he has the ability. Changing evil deeds with the heart is the lowest level of faith in this regard.

• This Hadīth is a key source in outlining the levels of changing evil deeds.
• We are enjoined to adopt gradation in forbidding evil deeds, each according to his capacity and ability.
• Forbidding evil deeds is a fundamental element in religion, and it does not cease to be due upon everyone. Rather, every Muslim is obligated in accordance with his ability.
• Enjoining what is right and forbidding what is evil is one of the characteristics of faith, and faith increases and decreases.
• For forbidding evil, it is required to know that the act in question is evil.
• For changing something evil, it is required that this does not lead to greater evil.
• Forbidding evil has certain etiquettes and requirements that should be learned by Muslims.
• Forbidding evil needs a Shar‘i policy, knowledge, and insight.
• The lack of disapproval of something evil within the heart is an indication of weak faith.

صحيح مسلم (1/ 69). جامع العلوم والحكم (2/245). المعين على تفهم الأربعين (ص 393). شرح الأربعين النووية للعثيمين (ص: 336). البحر المحيط الثجاج (2/204). فتح القوي المتين للعباد (ص 116).

عَنِ النُّعْمَانِ بْنِ بَشِيرٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «مَثَلُ القَائِمِ عَلَى حُدُودِ اللَّهِ وَالوَاقِعِ فِيهَا، كَمَثَلِ قَوْمٍ اسْتَهَمُوا عَلَى سَفِينَةٍ، فَأَصَابَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَعْلاَهَا وَبَعْضُهُمْ أَسْفَلَهَا، فَكَانَ الَّذِينَ فِي أَسْفَلِهَا إِذَا اسْتَقَوْا مِنَ المَاءِ مَرُّوا عَلَى مَنْ فَوْقَهُمْ، فَقَالُوا: لَوْ أَنَّا خَرَقْنَا فِي نَصِيبِنَا خَرْقًا وَلَمْ نُؤْذِ مَنْ فَوْقَنَا، فَإِنْ يَتْرُكُوهُمْ وَمَا أَرَادُوا هَلَكُوا جَمِيعًا، وَإِنْ أَخَذُوا عَلَى أَيْدِيهِمْ نَجَوْا، وَنَجَوْا جَمِيعًا».

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) stated that the example of those who comply with the limits set by Allah, adhere to the commands of Allah, enjoin what is good, and forbid what is evil; and the example of those who transgress the limits set by Allah, refrain from what is good and commit what is evil, and the effect of this on the salvation of the society, is like the example of a people who boarded a ship and drew lots to decide who would sit in the upper part of the ship and who would sit in its lower part. Some of them got the upper part, while others got its lower part. Whenever those in the lower part wanted to bring water, they had to pass by those above them. So, those in the lower part said: If we could only make a hole in our place in the lower part to bring water therefrom without bothering those above us. If those in the upper part let them do that, the ship would sink with all of them. However, if they forbade and prevented them from doing this, both groups would be saved.

• The importance of enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil in protecting and saving societies.
• Giving examples is one of the teaching methods that convey meanings in a tangible form.
• Committing what is clearly wrong and having none to forbid is a cause of corruption that brings harm to all people.
• The destruction of society results from leaving the evildoers to spread mischief on earth.
• A wrong action and a good intention are not sufficient for deeming a deed righteous.
• Responsibility in the Muslim community is communal and is not entrusted to a certain individual.
• All are punished for the sins committed by some if they are not forbidden.
• The evildoers present their evil to society in a good form just like the hypocrites.

صحيح البخاري (3/ 139) (2493). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (1/ 277). تطريز رياض الصالحين، لفيصل آل مبارك (ص149). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (2/ 430). كنوز رياض الصالحين، مجموعة من الباحثين (4/ 39). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، مجموعة من الباحثين (1/ 210).

عَنْ أَبِي بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقِ رضي الله عنه أَنَّهُ قَالَ: أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ، إِنَّكُمْ تَقْرَؤُونَ هَذِهِ الآيَةَ: {يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْفُسَكُمْ لاَ يَضُرُّكُمْ مَنْ ضَلَّ إِذَا اهْتَدَيْتُمْ}، وَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «إِنَّ النَّاسَ إِذَا رَأَوْا الظَّالِمَ فَلَمْ يَأْخُذُوا عَلَى يَدَيْهِ أَوْشَكَ أَنْ يَعُمَّهُمُ اللَّهُ بِعِقَابٍ مِنْهُ».

Abu Bakr as-Siddīq (may Allah be pleased with him) informs that people recite the following verse: {O you who believe, take care of your own selves. Those who have gone astray will not harm you as long as you are guided.} [Surat al-Mā’idah: 105] and the meaning they grasp therefrom is that one should work on reforming himself alone, bearing in mind that the misguidance of others can never harm him after that and that they are not required to enjoin good or forbid evil. However, he informed them that this was not the true meaning of the verse and that he heard the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: When people see the oppressor and do not stop him from practicing his oppression, despite having the ability to do so, Allah will soon overwhelm all of them, the evildoer and the one remaining silent regarding this, with a punishment from Him.

• Exchanging advice, enjoining good, and forbidding evil are among the Muslims' duties.
• Allah's universal punishment includes the oppressor for his oppression and the one who remains silent without forbidding such oppression if he has the ability to forbid it.
• Teaching common people and helping them understand the Qur’anic texts in the right manner.
• One should assign good care to understanding the Book of Allah Almighty so as not to understand it in a way different from that which He has meant it to be understood.
• Guidance cannot be attained without enjoining good and forbidding evil.
• The right interpretation of the verse: keep guarding yourselves against sins, and if you guard yourselves, the misguidance of whoever commits the prohibitions will not harm you, if you are not able to enjoin good and forbid evil and if you are guided to avoid such prohibitions.

سنن الترمذي (4/ 40) (2168). سنن أبي داود (6/ 393) (4338). السنن الكبرى للنسائي (10/ 88) (11092). سنن ابن ماجه (5/ 139) (4005). مسند أحمد (1/ 197) (16). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (1/ 286). كنوز رياض الصالحين، مجموعة من الباحثين (4/ 126). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (2/ 454). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (1/ 218).