Conditions for the Duty of Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil
قُلْ هَـٰذِهِۦ سَبِيلِىٓ أَدْعُوٓا۟ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ ۚ عَلَىٰ بَصِيرَةٍ أَنَا۠ وَمَنِ ٱتَّبَعَنِى ۖ وَسُبْحَـٰنَ ٱللَّهِ وَمَآ أَنَا۠ مِنَ ٱلْمُشْرِكِينَ ١٠٨
Say, “This is my way. I call (people) to Allah with full perception, both I and my followers. Pure is Allah; and I am not among those who associate partners with Allah.” (12:108)
Imam al-Bukhari (رحمه الله) has established a chapter in Sahih al-Bukhari with the title:
بَابُ الْعِلْمِ قَبْلَ الْقَولِ وَالْعَمَل
And under it, he has cited this verse as evidence:
فَٱعْلَمْ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ وَٱسْتَغْفِرْ لِذَنۢبِكَ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مُتَقَلَّبَكُمْ وَمَثْوَىٰكُمْ ١٩
So, be assured that there is no god but Allah, and seek forgiveness for your fault, and for (the faults of) the believing men and believing women. And Allah knows your moving from place to place and your permanent abode. (47:19)
ٱذْهَبَآ إِلَىٰ فِرْعَوْنَ إِنَّهُۥ طَغَىٰ ٤٣
Go, both of you, to Pharaoh; he has indeed transgressed all limits. (20:43)
فَقُولَا لَهُۥ قَوْلًۭا لَّيِّنًۭا لَّعَلَّهُۥ يَتَذَكَّرُ أَوْ يَخْشَىٰ ٤٤
So speak to him in soft words. May be, he accepts the advice or fears (Allah)”. (20:44)
Here, an important point to reflect upon is that if there is a command to speak gently even to a tyrant like Fir‘awn, then for Muslims, it is even more necessary to adopt gentleness.
And Allah the Exalted, while describing the method of calling toward Him, says:
ٱدْعُ إِلَىٰ سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِٱلْحِكْمَةِ وَٱلْمَوْعِظَةِ ٱلْحَسَنَةِ ۖ وَجَـٰدِلْهُم بِٱلَّتِى هِىَ أَحْسَنُ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِۦ ۖ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِٱلْمُهْتَدِينَ ١٢٥
Invite (people) to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good counsel. And argue with them in the best of manners. Surely, your Lord knows best the one who deviates from His way, and He knows best the ones who are on the right path. (16:125)
The Noble Prophet (ﷺ) Was the Best Example of This
He (ﷺ) always adopted gentleness and patience in the path of دعوت. There are countless examples of this in the books of Seerah. Among them is the following:
Sayyiduna Anas (رضي الله عنه) narrates that we were in the mosque with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) when a Bedouin came and began to urinate in the mosque. The Companions (رضي الله عنهم) immediately rushed toward him and said, “Stop! Stop!” Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
لَا تُزْرِمُوهُ دَعُ
Do not interrupt him; leave him.
وَعَن أنس قَالَ: بَيْنَمَا نَحْنُ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذْ جَاءَ أَعْرَابِيٌّ فَقَامَ يَبُولُ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَقَالَ أَصْحَابُ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَهْ مَه قَالَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «لَا تَزْرِمُوهُ دَعُوهُ» فَتَرَكُوهُ حَتَّى بَالَ ثُمَّ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ دَعَاهُ فَقَالَ لَهُ: «إِنَّ هَذِهِ الْمَسَاجِدَ لَا تصلح لشَيْء من هَذَا الْبَوْل وَلَا القذر إِنَّمَا هِيَ لذكر الله عز وَجل وَالصَّلَاةِ وَقِرَاءَةِ الْقُرْآنِ» أَوْ كَمَا قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ فَأمر رَجُلًا مِنَ الْقَوْمِ فَجَاءَ بِدَلْوٍ مِنْ مَاءٍ فسنه عَلَيْهِ
Anas said: While we were in the mosque with God’s messenger a desert Arab came and began to pass water in the mosque. The companions of God’s messenger said, “Stop! Stop!” but God’s messenger said, “Don’t interrupt him; leave him alone.” They left him alone, and when he had finished God’s messenger called him and said to him, “These mosques are not suitable places for urine and filth, but are only for remembrance of God, prayer and recitation of the Qur’an,” or however God’s messenger expressed it.* Anas said that he then grave orders to one of the people who brought a bucket and poured water over it. *Indicating that the transmitter is not sure of the exact words. (Mishkat al-Masabih)
يرْحَمُكَ الله
The people began to look at me sharply. I said, “May my mother lose me! What is wrong with you that you are looking at me like this?” Then they began striking their hands on their thighs. When I realized that they were signaling me to remain silent, I became quiet.
When the Noble Prophet (ﷺ) finished the prayer, (may my father and mother be sacrificed for him):
مَا رَأَيْتُ مُعَلَّمًا قَبْلَهُ وَلَا بَعْدَهُ أَحْسَنَ تَعْلِيمًا مِنْهُ ، فَوَ اللَّهِ مَا كَهَرَنِي وَلَا ضَرَبَنِي وَلَا شَتَمَنِي
I have never seen a better teacher than you, neither before you nor after you. By Allah, he neither scolded me, nor struck me, nor spoke harshly to me.
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ، مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الصَّبَّاحِ وَأَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ – وَتَقَارَبَا فِي لَفْظِ الْحَدِيثِ – قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ، عَنْ حَجَّاجٍ الصَّوَّافِ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ أَبِي كَثِيرٍ، عَنْ هِلاَلِ بْنِ أَبِي مَيْمُونَةَ، عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ، عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ السُّلَمِيِّ، قَالَ بَيْنَا أَنَا أُصَلِّي، مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِذْ عَطَسَ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ فَقُلْتُ يَرْحَمُكَ اللَّهُ . فَرَمَانِي الْقَوْمُ بِأَبْصَارِهِمْ فَقُلْتُ وَاثُكْلَ أُمِّيَاهْ مَا شَأْنُكُمْ تَنْظُرُونَ إِلَىَّ . فَجَعَلُوا يَضْرِبُونَ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ عَلَى أَفْخَاذِهِمْ فَلَمَّا رَأَيْتُهُمْ يُصَمِّتُونَنِي لَكِنِّي سَكَتُّ فَلَمَّا صَلَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَبِأَبِي هُوَ وَأُمِّي مَا رَأَيْتُ مُعَلِّمًا قَبْلَهُ وَلاَ بَعْدَهُ أَحْسَنَ تَعْلِيمًا مِنْهُ فَوَاللَّهِ مَا كَهَرَنِي وَلاَ ضَرَبَنِي وَلاَ شَتَمَنِي قَالَ ” إِنَّ هَذِهِ الصَّلاَةَ لاَ يَصْلُحُ فِيهَا شَىْءٌ مِنْ كَلاَمِ النَّاسِ إِنَّمَا هُوَ التَّسْبِيحُ وَالتَّكْبِيرُ وَقِرَاءَةُ الْقُرْآنِ ” . أَوْ كَمَا قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي حَدِيثُ عَهْدٍ بِجَاهِلِيَّةٍ وَقَدْ جَاءَ اللَّهُ بِالإِسْلاَمِ وَإِنَّ مِنَّا رِجَالاً يَأْتُونَ الْكُهَّانَ . قَالَ ” فَلاَ تَأْتِهِمْ ” . قَالَ وَمِنَّا رِجَالٌ يَتَطَيَّرُونَ . قَالَ ” ذَاكَ شَىْءٌ يَجِدُونَهُ فِي صُدُورِهِمْ فَلاَ يَصُدَّنَّهُمْ ” . قَالَ ابْنُ الصَّبَّاحِ ” فَلاَ يَصُدَّنَّكُمْ ” . قَالَ قُلْتُ وَمِنَّا رِجَالٌ يَخُطُّونَ . قَالَ ” كَانَ نَبِيٌّ مِنَ الأَنْبِيَاءِ يَخُطُّ فَمَنْ وَافَقَ خَطَّهُ فَذَاكَ ” . قَالَ وَكَانَتْ لِي جَارِيَةٌ تَرْعَى غَنَمًا لِي قِبَلَ أُحُدٍ وَالْجَوَّانِيَّةِ فَاطَّلَعْتُ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ فَإِذَا الذِّيبُ قَدْ ذَهَبَ بِشَاةٍ مِنْ غَنَمِهَا وَأَنَا رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي آدَمَ آسَفُ كَمَا يَأْسَفُونَ لَكِنِّي صَكَكْتُهَا صَكَّةً فَأَتَيْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَعَظَّمَ ذَلِكَ عَلَىَّ قُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَفَلاَ أُعْتِقُهَا قَالَ ” ائْتِنِي بِهَا ” . فَأَتَيْتُهُ بِهَا فَقَالَ لَهَا ” أَيْنَ اللَّهُ ” . قَالَتْ فِي السَّمَاءِ . قَالَ ” مَنْ أَنَا ” . قَالَتْ أَنْتَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ . قَالَ ” أَعْتِقْهَا فَإِنَّهَا مُؤْمِنَةٌ ” .
Mu’awiya b. al-Hakam said: While I was praying with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ), a man in the company sneezed. I said: Allah have mercy on you! The people stared at me with disapproving looks, so I said: Woe be upon me, why is it that you stare at me? They began to strike their hands on their thighs, and when I saw them urging me to observe silence (I became angry) but I said nothing. When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had said the prayer (and I declare that neither before him nor after him have I seen a leader who gave better instruction than he for whom I would give my father and mother as ransom). I swear that he did not scold, beat or revile me but said: Talking to persons is not fitting during the prayer, for it consists of glorifying Allah, declaring his Greatness. and recitation of the Qur’an or words to that effect. I said: Messenger of Allah. I was till recently a pagan, but Allah has brought Islam to us; among us there are men who have recourse to Kahins. He said, Do not have recourse to them. I said. There are men who take omens. That is something which they find in their breasts, but let it not turn their way (from freedom of action). I said: Among us there are men who draw lines. He said: There was a prophet who drew lines, so if they do it as they did, that is allowable. I had a maid-servant who tended goats by the side of Uhud and Jawwaniya. One day I happened to pass that way and found that a wolf had carried a goat from her flock. I am after all a man from the posterity of Adam. I felt sorry as they (human beings) feel sorry. So I slapped her. I came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and felt (this act of mine) as something grievous I said: Messenger of Allah, should I not grant her freedom? He (the Holy Prophet) said: Bring her to me. So I brought her to him. He said to her: Where is Allah? She said: He is in the heaven. He said: Who am I? She said: Thou art the Messenger of Allah. He said: Grant her freedom, she is a believing woman. (Sahih Muslim)
And (remember) when Luqman said to his son, while advising him:
يَـٰبُنَىَّ أَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَأْمُرْ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَٱنْهَ عَنِ ٱلْمُنكَرِ وَٱصْبِرْ عَلَىٰ مَآ أَصَابَكَ ۖ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ مِنْ عَزْمِ ٱلْأُمُورِ ١٧
My dear son, establish Salāh , and bid the Fair and forbid the Unfair, and observe patience on what befalls you. Surely, this is among the matters of determination; (31:17)
Likewise, when Allah the Exalted entrusted the Messenger (ﷺ) with the responsibility of دعوت, He addressed him saying:
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلْمُدَّثِّرُ ١
O you, enveloped in a mantle, (74:1)
قُمْ فَأَنذِرْ ٢
stand up and warn, (74:2)
وَرَبَّكَ فَكَبِّرْ ٣
and pronounce the greatness of your Lord, (74:3)
وَثِيَابَكَ فَطَهِّرْ ٤
and purify your clothes, (74:4)
وَٱلرُّجْزَ فَٱهْجُرْ ٥
and keep away from filth, (74:5)
وَلَا تَمْنُن تَسْتَكْثِرُ ٦
and do not do a favour (to anyone merely) to seek more (in return). (74:6)
وَلِرَبِّكَ فَٱصْبِرْ ٧
And for the sake of your Lord, observe patience. (74:7)
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