Importance and Virtue of Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil
That is, the Muslim Ummah is the best nation. It has been brought into existence for the guidance and direction of all humanity. Its very purpose is to enjoin good and forbid evil.
Without enjoining good and forbidding evil, achieving salvation and success is not possible. The Muslim Ummah can attain the status of the best nation only when it fulfills the duty of guiding and reforming people through enjoining good and forbidding evil.
It is also the responsibility of the Muslim Ummah to use its influence and strength to promote good and eliminate evil—whether inside the home or outside—wherever possible, to command good and forbid evil. Allah the Exalted says:
وَٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍۢ ۚ يَأْمُرُونَ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ ٱلْمُنكَرِ وَيُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَيُطِيعُونَ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥٓ ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ سَيَرْحَمُهُمُ ٱللَّهُ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌۭ ٧١
The believers, male and female, are friends to each other. They bid virtue and forbid vice and establish Salāh and pay Zakāh and obey Allah and His Messenger. Those are the ones whom Allah will bless with mercy. Surely, Allah is Powerful, Wise. (9:71)
From this noble verse, it becomes completely clear that if a person does not stop his family members from evil and sin, and does not guide them in religious matters, then on the Day of Judgment he will be questioned about them and held accountable.
For this reason, Sayyiduna Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (رضي الله عنه) narrates from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) that he said:
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ، ح وَحَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ جَعْفَرٍ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، كِلاَهُمَا عَنْ قَيْسِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ، عَنْ طَارِقِ بْنِ شِهَابٍ، – وَهَذَا حَدِيثُ أَبِي بَكْرٍ – قَالَ أَوَّلُ مَنْ بَدَأَ بِالْخُطْبَةِ يَوْمَ الْعِيدِ قَبْلَ الصَّلاَةِ مَرْوَانُ فَقَامَ إِلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ الصَّلاَةُ قَبْلَ الْخُطْبَةِ . فَقَالَ قَدْ تُرِكَ مَا هُنَالِكَ . فَقَالَ أَبُو سَعِيدٍ أَمَّا هَذَا فَقَدْ قَضَى مَا عَلَيْهِ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ “ مَنْ رَأَى مِنْكُمْ مُنْكَرًا فَلْيُغَيِّرْهُ بِيَدِهِ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَبِلِسَانِهِ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَبِقَلْبِهِ وَذَلِكَ أَضْعَفُ الإِيمَانِ ” .
It is narrated on the authority of Tariq b. Shihab: It was Marwan who initiated (the practice) of delivering khutbah (address) before the prayer on the ‘Id day. A man stood up and said: Prayer should precede khutbah. He (Marwan) remarked, This (practice) has been done away with. Upon this Abu Sa’id remarked: This man has performed (his duty) laid on him. I heard the Messenger of Allah as saying: He who amongst you sees something abominable should modify it with the help of his hand; and if he has not strength enough to do it, then he should do it with his tongue, and if he has not strength enough to do it, (even) then he should (abhor it) from his heart, and that is the least of faith. (Sahih Muslim)
حَدَّثَنَا حَسَنُ بْنُ عَلِيٍّ الْحُلْوَانِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو تَوْبَةَ الرَّبِيعُ بْنُ نَافِعٍ، حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاوِيَةُ، – يَعْنِي ابْنَ سَلاَّمٍ – عَنْ زَيْدٍ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ أَبَا سَلاَّمٍ، يَقُولُ حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ فَرُّوخَ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ عَائِشَةَ، تَقُولُ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ” إِنَّهُ خُلِقَ كُلُّ إِنْسَانٍ مِنْ بَنِي آدَمَ عَلَى سِتِّينَ وَثَلاَثِمَائَةِ مَفْصِلٍ فَمَنْ كَبَّرَ اللَّهَ وَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَهَلَّلَ اللَّهَ وَسَبَّحَ اللَّهَ وَاسْتَغْفَرَ اللَّهَ وَعَزَلَ حَجَرًا عَنْ طَرِيقِ النَّاسِ أَوْ شَوْكَةً أَوْ عَظْمًا عَنْ طَرِيقِ النَّاسِ وَأَمَرَ بِمَعْرُوفٍ أَوْ نَهَى عَنْ مُنْكَرٍ عَدَدَ تِلْكَ السِّتِّينَ وَالثَّلاَثِمِائَةِ السُّلاَمَى فَإِنَّهُ يَمْشِي يَوْمَئِذٍ وَقَدْ زَحْزَحَ نَفْسَهُ عَنِ النَّارِ ” . قَالَ أَبُو تَوْبَةَ وَرُبَّمَا قَالَ ” يُمْسِي ” .
‘A’isha reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: Every one of the children of Adam has been created with three hundred and sixty joints; so he who declares the Glory of Allah, praises Allah, declares Allah to be One, Glorifies Allah, and seeks forgiveness from Allah, and removes stone, or thorn, or bone from people’s path, and enjoins what is good and forbids from evil, to the number of those three hundred and sixty joints, will walk that day having saved himself from the Fire.
Abu Taubah said: “Perhaps he said: ‘Will reach the evening.'” (Sahih Muslim)
Protection from Trials through Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil
It is narrated from Sayyiduna Hudhayfah (رضي الله عنه) that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said:
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي شَقِيقٌ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ حُذَيْفَةَ، قَالَ كُنَّا جُلُوسًا عِنْدَ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ فَقَالَ أَيُّكُمْ يَحْفَظُ قَوْلَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي الْفِتْنَةِ قُلْتُ أَنَا، كَمَا قَالَهُ. قَالَ إِنَّكَ عَلَيْهِ ـ أَوْ عَلَيْهَا ـ لَجَرِيءٌ. قُلْتُ “ فِتْنَةُ الرَّجُلِ فِي أَهْلِهِ وَمَالِهِ وَوَلَدِهِ وَجَارِهِ تُكَفِّرُهَا الصَّلاَةُ وَالصَّوْمُ وَالصَّدَقَةُ وَالأَمْرُ وَالنَّهْىُ ”. قَالَ لَيْسَ هَذَا أُرِيدُ، وَلَكِنِ الْفِتْنَةُ الَّتِي تَمُوجُ كَمَا يَمُوجُ الْبَحْرُ. قَالَ لَيْسَ عَلَيْكَ مِنْهَا بَأْسٌ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ، إِنَّ بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهَا بَابًا مُغْلَقًا. قَالَ أَيُكْسَرُ أَمْ يُفْتَحُ قَالَ يُكْسَرُ. قَالَ إِذًا لاَ يُغْلَقَ أَبَدًا. قُلْنَا أَكَانَ عُمَرُ يَعْلَمُ الْبَابَ قَالَ نَعَمْ، كَمَا أَنَّ دُونَ الْغَدِ اللَّيْلَةَ، إِنِّي حَدَّثْتُهُ بِحَدِيثٍ لَيْسَ بِالأَغَالِيطِ. فَهِبْنَا أَنْ نَسْأَلَ حُذَيْفَةَ، فَأَمَرْنَا مَسْرُوقًا فَسَأَلَهُ فَقَالَ الْبَابُ عُمَرُ.
Narrated Shaqiq: that he had heard Hudhaifa saying, “Once I was sitting with `Umar and he said, ‘Who amongst you remembers the statement of Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) about the afflictions?’ I said, ‘I know it as the Prophet (ﷺ) had said it.’ `Umar said, ‘No doubt you are bold.’ I said, ‘The afflictions caused for a man by his wife, money, children and neighbor are expiated by his prayers, fasting, charity and by enjoining (what is good) and forbidding (what is evil).’ `Umar said, ‘I did not mean that but I asked about that affliction which will spread like the waves of the sea.’ I (Hudhaifa) said, ‘O leader of the faithful believers! You need not be afraid of it as there is a closed door between you and it.’ `Umar asked, Will the door be broken or opened?’ I replied, ‘It will be broken.’ `Umar said, ‘Then it will never be closed again.’ I was asked whether `Umar knew that door. I replied that he knew it as one knows that there will be night before the tomorrow morning. I narrated a Hadith that was free from any misstatement” The subnarrator added that they deputized Masruq to ask Hudhaifa (about the door). Hudhaifa said, “The door was `Umar himself.” (Sahih al-Bukhari)
The Example of Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil
Sayyiduna Nu‘man bin Bashir (رضي الله عنه) narrates that the Noble Prophet (ﷺ) said:
حَدَّثَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ حَفْصِ بْنِ غِيَاثٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي، حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي الشَّعْبِيُّ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ النُّعْمَانَ بْنَ بَشِيرٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ يَقُولُ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ مَثَلُ الْمُدْهِنِ فِي حُدُودِ اللَّهِ وَالْوَاقِعِ فِيهَا مَثَلُ قَوْمٍ اسْتَهَمُوا سَفِينَةً، فَصَارَ بَعْضُهُمْ فِي أَسْفَلِهَا وَصَارَ بَعْضُهُمْ فِي أَعْلاَهَا، فَكَانَ الَّذِي فِي أَسْفَلِهَا يَمُرُّونَ بِالْمَاءِ عَلَى الَّذِينَ فِي أَعْلاَهَا، فَتَأَذَّوْا بِهِ، فَأَخَذَ فَأْسًا، فَجَعَلَ يَنْقُرُ أَسْفَلَ السَّفِينَةِ، فَأَتَوْهُ فَقَالُوا مَا لَكَ قَالَ تَأَذَّيْتُمْ بِي، وَلاَ بُدَّ لِي مِنَ الْمَاءِ، فَإِنْ أَخَذُوا عَلَى يَدَيْهِ أَنْجَوْهُ وَنَجَّوْا أَنْفُسَهُمْ، وَإِنْ تَرَكُوهُ أَهْلَكُوهُ وَأَهْلَكُوا أَنْفُسَهُمْ ”.
Narrated An-Nu`man bin Bashir: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “The example of the person abiding by Allah’s orders and limits (or the one who abides by the limits and regulations prescribed by Allah) in comparison to the one who do wrong and violate Allah’s limits and orders is like the example of people drawing lots for seats in a boat. Some of them got seats in the upper part while the others in the lower part ; those in the, lower part have to pass by those in the upper one to get water, and that troubled the latter. One of them (i.e. the people in the lower part) took an ax and started making a hole in the bottom of the boat. The people of the upper part came and asked him, (saying), ‘What is wrong with you?’ He replied, “You have been troubled much by my (coming up to you), and I have to get water.’ Now if they prevent him from doing that they will save him and themselves, but if they leave him (to do what he wants), they will destroy him and themselves.” (Sahih al-Bukhari)
The Rights of Sitting in Pathways
It is narrated from Abu Sa‘id al-Khudri (رضي الله عنه) that the Noble Prophet (ﷺ) said:
حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاذُ بْنُ فَضَالَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عُمَرَ، حَفْصُ بْنُ مَيْسَرَةَ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَسْلَمَ، عَنْ عَطَاءِ بْنِ يَسَارٍ، عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ” إِيَّاكُمْ وَالْجُلُوسَ عَلَى الطُّرُقَاتِ ”. فَقَالُوا مَا لَنَا بُدٌّ، إِنَّمَا هِيَ مَجَالِسُنَا نَتَحَدَّثُ فِيهَا. قَالَ ” فَإِذَا أَبَيْتُمْ إِلاَّ الْمَجَالِسَ فَأَعْطُوا الطَّرِيقَ حَقَّهَا ” قَالُوا وَمَا حَقُّ الطَّرِيقِ قَالَ ” غَضُّ الْبَصَرِ، وَكَفُّ الأَذَى، وَرَدُّ السَّلاَمِ، وَأَمْرٌ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ، وَنَهْىٌ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ ”.
Narrated Abu Sa`id Al-Khudri: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “Beware! Avoid sitting on he roads (ways).” The people said, “There is no way out of it as these are our sitting places where we have talks.” The Prophet (ﷺ) said, “If you must sit there, then observe the rights of the way.” They asked, “What are the rights of the way?” He said, “They are the lowering of your gazes (on seeing what is illegal to look at), refraining from harming people, returning greetings, advocating good and forbidding evil.” (Sahih al-Bukhari)
From all these blessed hadiths, the virtue of enjoining good and forbidding evil becomes clearly evident.
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