Monday, May 28, 2012

Enjoining The Good And Forbidding The Evil

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful, Most Compassionate
Assalaamu alaykum

Dear Friends

I pray that you are well.

If there is a political, social or economic injustice or aggression that leads to the taking of innocent lives, what does one do to stand up against this?

Taking of another's life is a grave sin. Unless the killer truly repented and regret it, he will not be forgiven for the sin. He will be under the curse and anger of Allah.
وَمَن يَقْتُلْ مُؤْمِنًا مُّتَعَمِّدًا فَجَزَآؤُهُۥ جَهَنَّمُ خَـٰلِدًا فِيهَا وَغَضِبَ ٱللَّـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَلَعَنَهُۥ وَأَعَدَّ لَهُۥ عَذَابًا عَظِيمًا

But whoever kills a believer intentionally - his recompense is Hell, wherein he will abide eternally, and Allah has become angry with him and has cursed him and has prepared for him a great punishment.
[Qur'an An-Nisa 4:93]

We have a collective duty of commanding the good and forbidding the evil.
وَلْتَكُن مِّنكُمْ أُمَّةٌ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى ٱلْخَيْرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ ٱلْمُنكَرِ ۚ وَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ

And let there be [arising] from you a nation inviting to [all that is] good, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong, and those will be the successful.
[Qur'an AleImaran 3:104]
وَٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍ ۚ يَأْمُرُونَ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ ٱلْمُنكَرِ وَيُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَيُطِيعُونَ ٱللَّـهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥٓ ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ سَيَرْحَمُهُمُ ٱللَّـهُ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّـهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ

The believing men and believing women are allies of one another. They enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and establish prayer and give zakah and obey Allah and His Messenger. Those - Allah will have mercy upon them. Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.
[Qur'an At-Tawba 9:69]

Enjoining the good and forbidding the evil is one of the most important Islamic principles, stressed repeatedly in the Qur'an and Hadith. It provides a mechanism whereby the Muslim Ummah can fight off various social, moral and spiritual ills, and maintain a healthy and dynamic life. If one practices this principle, it provides both a source and an indication of spiritual and moral health. If one does not react in any way in the face of wrong, then this means that in a spiritual and moral sense, one is dead.

`Abd allah ibn Mas'ud was once asked, "Who are the living dead?" and he replied, "Those who never command something good and never forbid something bad".

The Prophet, Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:
If one of you sees something wrong, let him change it with his hand; if he cannot, then with his tongue; if he cannot, then with his heart and this is the weakest faith.

Some versions added:
...there is no part of faith behind that, not even so much as a mustard seed.
One should fix oneself, avoiding sins and doing good as much as one can. Fixing oneself includes commanding good and forbidding evil. One cannot be fully guided until he fulfills what Allah has obligated upon him of commanding the good and forbidding the evil. At the very least one should have concern of those who are being wronged.

May Allah bring guide the Ummah. Ameen. Please don't forget us in your night prayers. JazakAllahu khairan.

And Allah knows best.
Wassalaam

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