Enjoining the Evil and Forbidding the Good

Allah Azzawajal informs us in the Qur’an about the wise advice that was given by Luqman (AS) to his son: “O my son! Perform prayers, enjoin the people to all good (Al-Ma’roof) and forbid them from all evil (Al-Munkar) and bear with patience whatever befalls you” (TMQ Luqman: 17)

These words of wisdom apply to all of us for all time. Application of them in both speech and action will, Insha Allah, enable us to fall under the banner of the righteous Ummah of Muhammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam - amongst those who enjoin that which is good and forbid that which is evil.

"Whoever sees something evil should change it with his hand. If he cannot, then with his tongue; and if he cannot do even that, then in his heart and that is the weakest form of faith" (Sahih Muslim)

Sadly the shayateen have so deeply influenced many Muslims today, that they are unknowingly eradicating even the lowest form of this characteristic, which is holding hatred for evil in one’s the heart. Oh Muslims, embrace the advice of Umar radiallaahu 'anhu who said: “Call yourselves to account before you are called to account”. Do this by always striving to attain the highest level of faith possible at all times. Maintain the pleasure of Allah as your goal and be sure that if all men were to maintain the weakest form of faith, then evil will continue to spread and grow.

“And If Allah did not check one set of people by means of another, the whole world would indeed be full of mischief.” (TMQ Al Baqarah: 251)

Know O brothers and sisters that Allah Most Merciful desires the best for all people at all times. Enjoining of the good and forbidding of the evil is a means of attaining the pleasure of Allah Azzawajal for it aids in establishing Allah’s law thus bringing about benefit for the people.

Surely foolish is the one who harms himself by preaching good yet practicing evil:

“A man will be brought on the Day of Resurrection and thrown in the (Hell) Fire, so that his intestines will come out (be hanging) and he will walk around like a donkey goes around a millstone. The people will gather around and say: ‘O so and so! What is wrong with you? Did you not order us to all that is good and forbid us from all that is evil and bad?’ He will reply: ‘Yes, I used to order you to Al-Ma’ruf (The good) but I did not do it myself and I used to forbid you from Al-Munkar (The Evil and bad) while I used to do it myself” (Sahih Bukhari)

Be sure O servant of Allah that He (Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala) will reward those who act according to the good advice, whether given to or taken from others!

Allah Azzawajal regards this Ummah as a global one that extends beyond the corners of the masaajid, beyond our homes, beyond merely oneself and beyond any nationalistic boundary or classification. Thus we strive to be amongst the best of those who realize that actions impact upon communities and thus the good yields good and evil yields evil. Neither is relative to people but determined by Allah Azzawajal and His Rasul sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam.

How can a system of democracy (people’s law) yield any good at the expense of the Shari’ah (Allah’s law)?

The sincere Muslim will continue enjoining the good and forbidding the evil upon himself. He/she understands that, if enjoining the good and forbidding the evil upon others requires perfection of character, then no one would be qualified for it, since nobody is perfect. This would indeed be a mockery of the Words of Allah Azzawajal!

“There was not a single Prophet among those who were sent before me who did not have disciples and companions that followed his Sunnah and obeyed his commands. But afterwards other generations came whose words belied their deeds, and whose deeds were not in accordance with what they commanded others to do. Whoever struggles against them with his hand is a believer. Whoever struggles against them with his tongue is a believer. And whoever struggles against them with his heart is a believer. But when none of these things are done, then not a single mustard's seed weight of faith is present." (Sahih Muslim)

The very nature of enjoining good and forbidding evil is aimed at improving all of our actions based upon righteousness. It is not an individual judgment based upon desire, envy, arrogance or jealousy.

"Help each other in righteousness and piety, not in sin and transgression" (TMQ Al Ma’idah: 2)

Thus, if some evil appears within an individual, a community or an organization, Muslims should cooperate in eradicating this evil. This is more reflective of one Ummah and is a part of loving for your brother what you love for yourself!

“Let there arise out of you a group of people inviting to all that is good, enjoining good and forbidding evil. And it is they who are the successful” (TMQ Aal Imran: 104)

O creation and slave of Allah Azzawajal!
Do you think that you are exempt from this duty due to your age or because of the era or society that you live in today?
Do you truly desire to be amongst the best of nations?

"Those who turn (to Allah) in repentance; who worship (Him), who praise (Him); who go out in the cause of Allah; who bow down and prostrate themselves (in prayer); who enjoin good and forbid evil; and observe the limits set by Allah - so proclaim glad tidings to the believers." (TMQ At Taubah: 112)

Do you choose to stand among the mu’mineen (believers), muslimeen (Muslims), muhsineen (Good doers), muttaqun (the God fearing) and mujahideen (those fighting in the cause of Allah)?

Or do you choose to stand amongst the kaafiroon (disbelievers), munafiqun (hypocrites), fasiqun (evil people), and zaalimun (oppressors)?

“The believers, men and women, are auliya (helpers, supporters, friends and protectors) of one another; they Enjoin (people to) good and Forbid (people) from evil.” (TMQ At Taubah: 71)

DO YOU ENJOIN THE EVIL AND FORBID THE GOOD?

Do you encourage democracy and ridicule those who call for the Shari’ah?
Do you encourage, support and assist the kuffaar, yet discourage and insult the believers and those who fight in Allah Azzawajal’s cause?
Do you encourage the payment, receipt, recording or witnessing of Riba?
Do you accept the kuffaar dress and reject the Muslim dress (male or female)?
Do you support intermingling of the sexes – looking down upon those who do not?

“The hypocrites, men and women, are from one another; they enjoin (people) to evil and forbid (people) from good.” (TMQ At Taubah: 67)

Brothers and sisters in Islam, avoid succumbing to the pressures of our time by contradicting belief with disbelieving actions. Whilst thousands of Muslims are killed all over the world and many more are imprisoned and tortured for calling to the path of Allah and for enjoining the good and forbidding the evil, most of us remain remarkably silent and have no worry except for the material things of life!

Why have our hearts been filled with the love of this temporary life and the forgetfulness of the eternal life of the Hereafter?

We claim to believe in and love Allah Azzawajal and His Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam and while we witness His sanctities being violated, His religion being abandoned, the Sunnah of His Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam being shunned, we choose to remain still with a cold heart and a shut mouth!
WHY???

Beloved brothers and sisters! We must begin enjoining that which is good and forbidding that which evil. We must fulfill this obligation according to what Allah Azzawajal and His Messenger sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam have ordained as good and evil and not according to our desires.

Remain focused O believers, in both ease and difficulty, by worshipping Allah Ta'ala alone, by establishing the obligatory deeds, by increasing all righteous deeds, by acquiring beneficial knowledge, by calling others to Islam and by striving with your life and wealth in Allah Ta'ala’s cause in order to assist in the establishment of the Deen and Shari’ah on earth. These are amongst the greatest of good deeds that we may pursue.

“You are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind; you enjoin the good and forbid the evil, and you believe in Allah” (TMQ Aal Imran: 110)

This is the ideal that we must strive towards, both individually and collectively, at home and within the workplace, within ourselves and upon others. We must remember the oppressed Muslims worldwide ( Palestine , Afghanistan , Iraq , Chechnya , Kashmir , etc). We must recognize evils such as prostitution, alcohol, drugs, racism, democracy, nationalism and secularism in order that we may shun them. We must know that the greatest of evils are shirk (associating partners with Allah) and kufr (disbelief) with nifaaq (hypocrisy) as an ever growing evil. If you are unaware of these matters then know that it is only familiarity that breeds contempt.

“Oh Allah, show me the good as good and help me to practise it and show me the evil as evil and help me to stay away from it.” Du’aa of Muhammad sallallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam