Chapter 43: Amr Bil Ma’ruf wa Nahi Anil
Munkar Commanding Righteousness & Forbidding Evil
Allah ta’aala says
(وَلْتَکُنۡ مِّنۡکُمْ
اُمَّۃٌ یَّدْعُوۡنَ اِلَی الْخَیۡرِ وَیَاۡمُرُوۡنَ بِالْمَعْرُوۡفِ وَیَنْہَوْنَ
عَنِ الْمُنۡکَرِ ؕ وَاُولٰٓئِکَ ہُمُ الْمُفْلِحُوۡنَ ﴿۱۰۴﴾)
‘And there should be such a group of people amongst you,
inviting towards that which is good, and commanding that which is right, and
forbidding that which is evil (wrong), and they are the ones who shall attain
salvation.’ [Surah 3 Verse 104]
(کُنۡتُمْ خَیۡرَ اُمَّۃٍ اُخْرِجَتْ
لِلنَّاسِ تَاۡمُرُوۡنَ بِالْمَعْرُوۡفِ وَتَنْہَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنۡکَرِ
وَتُؤْمِنُوۡنَ بِاللہِ ؕ)
‘You are the best of all the nations,
who emerged within mankind, commanding what is right, and forbidding what is
evil, and believing in Allah.’ [Surah 3
Verse 110]
The Holy Qur’an announces:
(یٰبُنَیَّ اَقِمِ
الصَّلٰوۃَ وَاۡمُرْ بِالْمَعْرُوۡفِ وَانْہَ عَنِ الْمُنۡکَرِ وَاصْبِرْ عَلٰی
مَاۤ اَصَابَکَ ؕ اِنَّ ذٰلِکَ مِنْ عَزْمِ الْاُمُوۡرِ ﴿ۚ۱۷﴾)
(Luqman said to his son): ‘O My Son! Establish prayer
regularly, and command what is right, and forbid what is evil and be patient
over whatever misfortune befalls you. Undoubtedly, this is a matter of
courageousness.’ [Surah 31 Verse 17]
Hadith 1: He from
amongst you, who sees an evil, should change it by his hand, and if he does not
have the ability to do this, then he should change it by means of this tongue
(i.e. speak against it). If he does not even have the ability to do this, then
(he should do it) with the heart. In other words, he should regard it as evil
(i.e. wrong) in his heart, and this is for a person with weak Imaan. [Muslim]
Hadith 2: The example
of one who is facile[1]
in regards to the Hududul’laah[2],
and the one transgressing the Hududul’laah can be understood from this: A
nation drew lots in regards to a ship, and it was decided that some will stay
in the upper deck and others will stay in the lower deck. Those staying in the
lower deck come to the top to collect some water, and in doing so, they walk
pass by those living on the upper deck with this water, causing discomfort to
those on the upper deck (and they complained in regards to this). Therefore,
the one living on the lower deck took a hatchet and started to cut up the lower
deck. When those at the top saw this, they asked what was happening, and asked
his reason for cutting up the lower deck. He said, ‘When I come up to collect
water, you are uncomfortable, and it is necessary for me to fetch water (so I
will chop up the lower deck planks and take my water from here, and in doing
so, I will not cause you people any discomfort)’. In such a situation, those on
the upper deck grabbed hold of his hand and stopped him from cutting into the
planks. By doing this, they saved him and saved themselves as well. If they
leave him to do as he pleases, then they have destroyed (killed) him and
themselves as well. [Bukhari]
Hadith 3: ‘I Swear
by Him, in Whose Hand (Divine Power) is my Life! Either you command that which
is right and forbid what is evil, or Allah will swiftly (soon) send down His
punishment upon you, and you will make Dua (invoke Him) and your Dua will not
be accepted’. [Tirmizi]
Hadith 4: When sin
is being committed on the earth, the example of the one who is present there,
but regards it as wrong, is like the one who is not present there, and as for
the example of the one who is not present there, but is happy with (what is
happening), is like that of the one who is present there. [Abu Dawud]
Hadith 5: Hazrat Abu
Bakr Siddique رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ said, ‘O
People! Do you read this verse!’
(یٰۤاَیُّہَا الَّذِیۡنَ
اٰمَنُوۡا عَلَیۡکُمْ اَنۡفُسَکُمْ ۚ لَا یَضُرُّکُمۡ مَّنۡ ضَلَّ اِذَا
اہۡتَدَیۡتُمْ ؕ)
‘O you who Believe! Protect your
souls; as long as you yourself are (rightly) guided, the one who is astray will
cause you no harm.’ [Surah 5 Verse105]
In other words, after reading this verse, you may think that if we
are on the righteous path, then the corrupt ways of those who are astray cannot
harm us, so there is no need to stop us. Hazrat Umar Farooq رضی اللہ تعالٰی عنہ further says that he heard Rasoolullah صلَّی اللہ تعالٰی علیہ وسلَّم saying,
‘If people see something wrong and they do not change it, then it is near that Allah
will send down such punishment upon them, which will envelope them all’. [Ibn Majah]
Hadith 6: That
nation in which sins are committed and those people who have the power to
change it, do not change it, (then) it is near that Allah ta’aala will send
down punishment upon all (of them). [Abu
Dawud]
Hadith 7: ‘Command
that which is right and forbid those things which are evil, to the extent that
if you notice, that miserliness is being followed and people are following
their self-desires. The materialistic world is being given precedence of Deen,
and every person is arrogant regarding his own point of view, and if you see such
matters, from which you have no other alternative, then protect yourself’. In
other words, safeguard yourself from evil doings, and leave the affairs of the
general public[3]. Ahead of you will come
days of patience, and to have patience then, is like holding burning embers in
your hand. During such an era, the reward of those who practice what is
correct, is the reward of fifty people who practice what is right. People
asked, ‘Ya Rasool’Allah صلَّی اللہ تعالٰی علیہ وسلَّم! Will that one person receive the reward of
fifty people amongst them?’ Huzoor-e-Akram صلَّی اللہ تعالٰی علیہ وسلَّم said, ‘they will receive the reward of fifty amongst
you’. [Tirmizi, Ibn Majah]. The verse which has been mentioned in the fifth Hadith is for such
a moment and such a time.
Hadith 8: The fear
of people should not stop one from saying the truth. When he knows the truth,
he should say it. [Tirmizi]
Hadith 9: Allah will
not send down His punishment because of the actions of a few specific people,
but when something evil (wrong) is taking place there, and people have the
ability to stop it and they do not stop it, then the punishment will befall the
chosen public and the special ones as well. [Sharhus
Sunnah]
Hadith 10: When the
Bani Isra’eel committed sins, then their Ulama stopped them, but they did not
desist. Then the Ulama began to sit in there gatherings and eat and drink with
them (i.e. they too socialised with them), so Allah caused the hearts of the
Ulama to become just like theirs, and He caused them to be cursed by the tongues
of (Hazrat) Dawud and Esa bin Maryam علیہما السلام . This was
because they were disobedient and they transgressed the limits. After this,
Huzoor صلَّی اللہ تعالٰی علیہ وسلَّم said, ‘I swear by Allah! You will either command
righteousness by forbidding evil and grabbing hold of the tyrant’s hand,
stopping him for the sake of truth and keeping them firm on the truth or Allah
ta’aala will cause all your hearts to be alike. He will then curse all of you,
like He cursed all of them’. [Abu
Dawud]
Hadith 11: On the
night of Me’raj, I saw that the lips of some people were being cut with
scissors of fire. I said, ‘O Jibra’eel! Who are these people?’ He said, ‘These
are the orators of your Ummah, who commanded the people to do what is right,
yet they failed to remember themselves’. [Sharhus
Sunnah]
Hadith 12: To
proclaim the truth in the presence of an unjust tyrant Ruler is a great jihad. [Ibn Majah]
Hadith 13: After me,
there shall be leaders; some of their words will be good and some bad. The one
who showed abhorrence to the wrong (bad) is free (from contempt), and the one
who rejected it is safe, but the one who was pleased (with it) and adhered to
it, has been destroyed. [Muslim, Abu
Dawud]
Hadith 14: For every
Nabi whom Allah sent towards any Ummah before me, there were supporters and
companions amongst his Ummah, who would carry the Sunnah of the Nabi and who
obeyed his commands. After them, undutiful people were born, who commanded that
which they did not do themselves, and they would do that which they did not command
others. Whosoever fought against them with their hands, they are Momins and
those who fought against them with their tongues, they are Momins and those who
fought with their hearts, they are Momins, and thereafter, there is no Imaan
(Faith), even equal to a mustard seed. [Muslim]
Laws of Jurisprudence
‘Amr Bil Ma’ruf’ means to command righteousness. For example, to ask
someone to read their Namaaz. ‘Nahi Anil Munkar’ is to forbid evil. Both of
these are Fard. It has been mentioned in the Holy Qur’an,
(کُنۡتُمْ خَیۡرَ اُمَّۃٍ اُخْرِجَتْ
لِلنَّاسِ تَاۡمُرُوۡنَ بِالْمَعْرُوۡفِ وَتَنْہَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنۡکَرِ)
(English translation?) Much emphasis has been
mentioned in this regard in the Hadith Shareef, and we have been cautioned
against acting contrary to this.
Law: If one intended to sin
but did not commit the sin, then there is no sin. There is actually hope of
reward for this, if he abstained from it, by regarding it as a sinful action.
It is evident in this manner from the Ahadith. If one makes a definite intention
to commit a sin, which is known as ‘Azm’ (i.e. he made a firm resolve to commit
that sin no matter what), then this too is a sin, even though he did not commit
the sin, which he made a firm resolve to commit. [Alamgiri]
Law: When noticing someone
committing a sin, caution him (try to stop him) in a meaningful and gentle
manner, and explain it to him in a polite way. If he does not take heed to this
manner of explanation, then caution him firmly. Speak to him firmly (strictly),
but do not be abusive towards him and do not swear at him. He, who has the
power to do something by using his hand, should do so. For example, if he is
drinking alcohol, then pour out the alcohol or break the utensil etc. If he
sings and plays musical instruments, then break the instruments. [Alamgiri]
Law: There are many forms
of ‘Amr bil Ma’ruf’: (1) If one knows that by speaking to a person (who is sinning) about
what he is doing, there is a greater likelihood that he will refrain from it
and take heed, then ‘Amr bil Ma’ruf’ is Waajib (compulsory). It is not permissible
for him to abstain from cautioning such a person. (2) If one knows that the
ones committing the sinful act will level accusations against him and become vulgar
towards him, it is better to avoid it. (3)
If he knows that they will beat him and he
will not be able to bear this beating, or there will be strife and conflict
because of this and a fight or clash will ensue amongst them due to this, then (in
this case too), it is better to desist. (4)
If he knows that by cautioning them they will
hit him, but he will be able to bear this and be patient in this regard, then he
should forbid them from doing the wrong deed. (5)
If this person is a Mujaahid and he knows
that they will not listen to him, and nor will they hit him or be vulgar towards
him, then he has the choice (of either forbidding them or not), and it is
better that he should command what is right. [Alamgiri]
Law: If one fears that by
commanding them to do what is right, they will kill him, and even though he
knew this, he still did it, and these people killed him, he is regarded as a
martyr. [Alamgiri]
Law: It is the
responsibility of the leaders to practice Amr bil Ma’ruf with their hands (i.e.
to physically stop the wrong), by using their power and stately position to
stop such things. The responsibility of the Ulama is to do this with their words.
In other words, they should command what is right and forbid what is evil by
way of their words (i.e. through their discourses and advice etc.), and the
responsibility of the laymen is to think of it as wrong in their hearts. [Alamgiri]. The aim of
this, is as has been mentioned in the Hadith, that if a person sees some wrong,
he should try to change it with his hand, and if he does not have the ability
to do this, he should try to change it by speaking against it, and if he cannot
even do this, he should think of it as wrong in his heart, and this is the
weakest form of Imaan. Here, laymen refers to those who neither have the
courage to stop it by physically, nor do they have the courage to speak against
it. There are many from the general public, like the chiefs (headmen) of the people
and the Landlords (i.e. influential land holders etc), who have the power to
physically put a stop to these things. It is thus necessary for them to put a
stop to such wrongs. For those who have this kind of power and authority, merely
thinking of it as wrong in their hearts is not sufficient.
Law: When practicing Amr
bil Ma’ruf, five things are necessary: The first being knowledge[4].
A person who does not have knowledge will not be able to accomplish this
responsibility properly. Secondly, his aim should be for the pleasure of Allah
and to Uphold the Word of Allah. Thirdly, He should approach the one whom he is
commanding, with kindness and compassion and he should speak to him in a gentle
manner. Fourthly, the person who is commanding right and forbidding evil should
be a patient and tolerant person. Fifthly, this person should be one who is
himself a practicing Muslim[5];
otherwise, this command of the Qur’an will be applicable to him, ‘O Believers! Why do you say that, which you practice
not? It is very abhorrent to Allah, that you say that which you do not act
upon.’ [Surah 61 Verses 2-3] And the Qur’an says: ‘Command not others to do right, whilst you forget
yourselves.’ [Surah 2 Verse 44] [Alamgiri]
Law: The laymen should not
practice Amr bil Ma’ruf with regards to a Qazi, Mufti, or a well-known Aalim,
as this is to be disrespectful. The saying is famous, that, “Khata’e Buzurgaan Giriftan Khata Ast” ‘To point out the
mistakes of wise men, is a mistake by itself.’
At times, it is such that these personalities do certain things after important
consideration, and the common people cannot see the wisdom in that which they
have done. A person starts to think that whatever the pious person has done is
the same as that which I have done, whereas there is vast difference between
both. [Alamgiri]
This ruling is in regards to those Ulama who are steadfast on the Commands
of Shariah, and sometimes, they do such things, which seem incorrect in the
eyes of the common people. This does not refer to those people who do not even
bother about the difference in Halaal or Haraam, thereby causing embarrassment
to the name of (true) knowledge.
Law: If a person sees
someone committing some wrong, but he himself is liable for committing the same
wrong, he should still caution the person against committing such a wrong. For
there are two waajibs for which he is duty bound: One is to personally abstain from
doing that which is wrong, and the other is to stop others from doing what is
wrong. If he is responsible for omitting one waajib, why should he omit the
second waajib! [Alamgiri]
Law: Is it advisable for a
person to write a letter of complaint to the father of a person who is caught
up in committing some sinful act? In regards to this issue, if one knows that
the father has the power to forbid him from committing such an act, and if one
knows that the father will also stop him from doing it, one should then send a written
complaint to him, otherwise of what benefit is it? The same ruling applies if
one wishes to complain about a wife to her husband (or vice versa), and to the
King (Ruler) about his subject, and to the employer with regards to his employee.
If writing a complaint in regards to them is beneficial, it should be written. [Khania]
Law: A father suspects that
if he cautions his son, he will not take heed, but it is still his wish to say
(what is right). In such a case, he should say it in this manner, ‘If you did a
certain thing, it would be really good’. The son should not be instructed,
because in this situation, if he does not do (as his father has instructed), he
will be regarded
as being undutiful, which itself is a serious and major sin. [Alamgiri]
Law: One, who committed an
offence (sin) and then repented with a sincere heart, should not divulge his offence
before a Qazi or Ruler, so that the penalty of Shariah may apply, because to
conceal it is better. [Alamgiri]
Law: If one sees a person
being robbed of his money and he knows that he will be seriously harmed by the
thief if he cautions the victim, he should remain silent. However, if there is
no risk (of being harmed), he should inform him. [Alamgiri]
Law: If when launching an
offensive against the mushrikeen (in a battle), one feels that there is a
greater likelihood of being killed, but he also knows that in doing so, there
is a great likelihood of him killing or wounding some of the combatants.
Alternatively, if he feels that he can defeat them (in doing this), then there
is no harm in him attacking alone. If he feels there is a greater likelihood
that he will not be able to harm them in any way, but he will be killed in the process,
then he should not launch the offensive. If he knows that if he stops sinful
Muslims (Fusaaq) from committing sin, then he will be killed and they will not
lose anything, then too he should caution them. This is the true determination,
but he is also discharged from not forbidding them (i.e. if he forbids them it
is better, but if he does not, he will not be held accountable). [Alamgiri]
The reason for this is that if he is killed in such a situation,
it is not in vain and without advantage. Even though, the advantages may not be
visible immediately, but the results would be positive.
[1]
This refers to a person who sees something being done contrary to
the Shariah but does nothing to remedy it, even though he has the power to stop
it.
[2]
Hududul’laah refers to the limits set by Allah
[3]
In other words, to command what is right and forbid what is wrong
at such a time, is not necessary.
[4]
Knowledge in this sense does not mean that he should be a fully
fledged Aalim, but it means that he should have sufficient knowledge, by which
he is able to differentiate, that a particular action is sinful, and he should
have the manner of explaining right and wrong to the people, so that he may be
able to explain it in a convincing manner.
[5]
This does not mean that the person who himself is not practising,
should not advise others to do good, but it actually means that he should
himself do good and advise others to do so as well.
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