COMMANDING WHAT IS RIGHT AND FORBIDDING WHAT IS WRONGBy
Dr. Ahmad Shafaat
(A khutbah delivered in Khadijah Masjid in Montreal on Oct. 8, 2004)
Commanding what is right and forbidding what is wrong (amr bi al-ma'ruf wa nahi 'an al-munkar) is one of the most important Islamic principles, stressed repeatedly in the Qur'an and the Hadith. Indeed, from one point of view this principle can be seen as the most important Islamic principle; for, if this principle is duly practised in the ummah, then, as a result, all other teachings of Islam will also be practised, while if this one principle is ignored then the rest of Islam will also gradually come to be ignored.
For an individual the practice of this principle provides both a source and an indication of spiritual and moral health. If we ignore this principle and in the face of wrong we do not react in any way, then this means that in a spiritual and moral sense we are dead. 'Abd Allah ibn Mas'ud was once asked, "Who are the living dead?" He replied, "Those who never command something good and never forbid something bad". On the other hand, if we practice this principle in the right way, it can build us up morally and spiritually by strengthening our iman and developing in us an upright character.
Through commanding what is right and forbidding what is wrong the Muslim ummah can fight off various social, moral and spiritual ills and maintain a healthy and dynamic life. Today the ummah is especially in need of such a reforming activity. Muslim countries are suffering greatly from rampant corruption and injustice. In many cases, government officials do not give people the services that they are supposed to provide them without bribery or contacts. Those who bribe or have contacts get special treatment that they do not deserve while those who do not or cannot bribe or have contacts cannot get what they deserve. Dishonesty and lying in personal dealings is common. Things like hijab that God has commanded are prohibited and things that he has prohibited are common. People can be tortured, jailed or killed for simply speaking against the rulers.
Commanding what is right and forbidding what is wrong is needed even beyond the Muslim ummah. Today leaders of countries like the USA, Israel, Britain and Australia are engaged in inflicting death and suffering on weaker nations and in denying them justice and human rights. This needs to be combated by Muslims through the practice of amr bi al-ma'ruf wa nahi 'an al-munkar.
COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY OF ALL BELIEVERS
Amr bi al-ma'ruf wa nahi 'an al-munkar is a collective and individual responsibility of all believers. It is of course required of governmental and religious authorities. The Holy Qur'an says:
"Those who, if We establish them in the land (with authority), establish regular prayers and practise regular charity and enjoin the right and forbid the wrong..." (22:41)
This verse shows that ruling authorities are expected to command the right and forbid the wrong. The following verse shows that the same is expected of religious leaders:
Why do not the rabbis and the priests forbid them from their words of sin and their eating of unlawfully acquired gain? Evil indeed is their handiwork (5:63)
But the work of commanding the right and forbidding the wrong is not limited only to government and religious authorities. Every believer is to do this work according to his or her capacity. The Qur`an often talks about amr bi al-ma'ruf wa nahi 'an al-munkar addressing all the believers:
"You are the best community ever brought forth for humankind (in that) you command the right and forbid the wrong and believe in God." (3:110)
"(Believers) who repent, serve and glorify God...command the right and forbid the wrong..." (9:112)
"Let there among you be a group that summon to all that is beneficial, commands what is right and forbids what is wrong; they are the ones who will prosper." (3:104)
This last ayah shows that commanding the right and forbidding the wrong is a fard al-kifayah. The implication is that to establish a right and uproot a wrong there should arise out of the ummah as a whole as many people as are needed to effectively do the job. If to establish a particular right or to uproot a particular wrong satisfactory and effective work is being done by some people then the rest of the ummah has no longer any obligation in that regard and should divert its efforts in some other direction.
In addition to amr bi al-ma'ruf wa nahi 'an al-munkar the Qur`an also talks about tawsiyah bi (exhorting, instructing) and hadd ‘ala (urging, inciting, and prodding):
He used not to believe in Allah the Great and used not to urge on the feeding of the poor (69:33-34). Have you seen him who denies the judgment? That is he who repulses the orphan and he does not urge on the feeding of the poor (107:1-3). Nay, you do not treat the orphan with respect and generosity. And you do not incite one another on the feeding of the poor (89:17-18).
Then he became among those who believed and exhorted one another to steadfastness and exhorted one another to compassion (90:17). Humankind is indeed in a loss except those who believe and do righteous deeds and exhort one another (to follow the way of) the truth and exhort one another to be steadfast (103:2-3).
These verses state the necessity on our part to urge and incite (hadd ‘ala) each other to help the poor and the needy and to exhort each other to follow the truth and to be steadfast.
The Hadith also contains many reported sayings of the Rasul (salla allah ‘alay hi wa sallam) regarding commanding the right and forbidding the wrong:
"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 add: "there is no part of faith behind that, not even so much as a mustard seed." (Muslim, Tirmidhi, Abu Da`ud, Ibn Majah)
Like the ayat of the Qur`an this hadith also addresses the entire ummah. It says: "If any of you sees a wrong, let him change it..." The hadith does not say: "If any government official or any imam of the mosque sees a wrong, let him change it..." Also, this hadith like the Qur`an links commanding what is right and forbidding what is wrong with iman, making it nothing short of a necessary consequence of iman.
If the work of commanding the right and forbidding the wrong is left only to governmental and religious authorities, what will happen if in some society most of the officials are corrupt? What happens if the government is headed by traitors and the mosques are controlled by their paid supporters? For avoiding this situation it is necessary that all believers do their duty of commanding the right and forbidding the wrong.
NOT LIMITED TO MEN ONLY
The duty of commanding what is right and forbidding what is wrong is not limited to men only. This is not only clear from the fact that when Allah addresses the believers he addresses both men and women but also from the ayah:
"Believing men and believing women are protecting friends of one another; they enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong; they perform salah and give zakat..." (9:71)
So let the believing men encourage their mothers, wives, daughters, and sisters to do amr bi al-ma'ruf wa nahi 'an al-munkar. And let the believing women encourage their fathers, husbands, sons, and brothers to do the same.
In this ayah commanding the right and forbidding the wrong is mentioned along with performing salah (prayers) zakah (obligatory charity), etc., which means that all believers, men and women, are expected to command the right and forbid the wrong just as they are expected to pray and give in charity.
It may be asked: do we not have to have knowledge to do amr bi al-ma'ruf wa nahi 'an al-munkar. Yes, but this does not mean that one should be a scholar. In many matters every Muslim, indeed every human being, knows right from wrong and in such matters he or she should command right and forbid wrong. For example, there are many clear cases of injustice against which we can speak or act without being a scholar. Also, there are some very clear needs of the Muslims such as Islamic education of children and adults for which we can urge each other to act. In matters where right and wrong is less clear we can support and cooperate with Islamic scholars in whom we have trust.
COOPERATING WITH NON-MUSLIMS
Allah says in his book:
And cooperate one another in virtue and righteousness and do not cooperate in sin and transgression (5:2)
The context shows that this principle applies to non-Muslims as much as to Muslims. The first positive part of the principle, "cooperate one another in virtue and righteousness" means that we should whenever possible work with non-Muslims to combat injustices and other obvious wrongs and to strengthen causes that are clearly good. The second negative part, "do not cooperate in sin and transgression" means that it should be understood that any cooperation with a non-Muslim group in specific matters on which Muslims agree is not acceptance of that group’s any other un-Islamic beliefs and practices and that Muslims reserve the right to oppose those beliefs and practices on other occasions. If the price of cooperation in combating one wrong is to give acceptability to another wrong, then we should stay away from such cooperation. Fortunately, today it is possible to cooperate with many non-Muslim groups on this basis.
EXPECT SOME DIFFICULTIES AND FACE THEM WITH
STEADFASTNESS
Following the way of righteousness is never without hardship, but practising the principle of commanding the right and forbidding the wrong is particularly likely to face some difficulties. Therefore the Qur`an instructs:
"(Luqman said to his son) O my son: Establish regular prayer, command the right and forbid the wrong and bear with patience and steadfastness whatever difficulties you have to face (as a result)." (31:17)
In a hadith it is stated that anyone killed while doing amr bi al-ma'ruf wa nahi 'an al-munkar is a shahid (martyr):
A time will come when people who will control your livelihood will sit over you as rulers. When they will talk, they will tell lies, and when they will act, they will act in an evil way. They will not be happy with you unless you praise their evil ways and support their lies. But you should declare the truth in front of them as long as they can tolerate. If they cross the limits (in their hatred of truth and justice), then anyone killed because of this will be a martyr. (Kanz al-‘Ummal)
PUNISHMENT FOR NOT COMMANDING GOOD AND FORBIDDING EVIL
Failure to perform any religious duty may result in divine punishment in this world or the hereafter or both (or it may be forgiven, for God is most forgiving, most merciful). Failure to command the right and forbid the wrong is no exception. The Holy Qur'an mentions the case of the children of Israel who were cursed and punished for, among other things, not forbidding wrong:
"Those among the children of Israel who rejected truth were cursed by the tongue of David and Jesus son of Mary because they disobeyed and committed excesses, because they did not use to forbid one another the wrongs they committed." (5:82)
"When they ignored the warnings given to them, We rescued those who used to forbid wrong and visited the wrong-doers with a grievous penalty for the sins they used to commit." (7:165) "They are not all alike. From the people of the book there are people who are upright. They recite the Ayat of Allah during the hours of the night and they prostrate. They believe in God and the latter day and command the right and forbid the wrong and hasten in doing the good works and they are among the righteous." (3:113-114)
According to one hadith:
"When people see a wrong-doer (zalim) and do nothing to stop him, they may well be visited by God with a punishment." (Abu Da`ud, Tirmidhi)
RIGHT WAY OF COMMANDING THE RIGHT AND FORBIDDING THE WRONG
It is clear that commanding the right and forbidding the wrong should be done in a right way. A wrong way of commanding the right and forbidding the wrong will in itself become one of those wrong things that should be changed by hand, tongue or heart.
Like all religious duties, commanding good and forbidding wrong should also be based on sincere intentions. It should be done for the sake of Allah and not for any other motives. Also, we should practise what we preach. The Qur'an says:
"Do you command other people righteousness and forget your own selves." (2:44)
Finally, we should use the right method for commanding the right and forbidding the wrong. There are, broadly speaking, three methods:
1) By hand, i.e. by action; this includes military, political or legal action.
2) By words, sometimes soft and sometimes harsh, sometimes private and sometimes open and public, as the Qur'an says quoting the Prophet Noah:
"So I have called to them aloud. Further I have spoken to them openly in public as well as secretly in private." (71:8-9)
Here the following verse is also relevant:
"God does not like that evil be publicized except if one is wronged." (4:148)
This verse primarily applies to private actions of individuals which, if bad, should not be publicized unless one suffers some wrong on account of those actions. But the verse has another application: actions or behaviour of public institutions or of individuals in a public capacity as a result of which the society as a whole suffers, may be publicly criticized by anyone, since in such a case every individual in the society is wronged. Of course, if such public criticism is the only peaceful way to correct the harmful action or behaviour then it becomes not only permissible but obligatory.
Muslims generally have a negative view of public criticism even in public matters but the question is that if commanding the right and forbidding the wrong can be done by hand, as the Hadith make clear, then why can't it be done by public criticism, if private persuasion does not work? Is not the use of hand or physical force more serious than non-violent public criticism?
3) By feelings, which include feelings of approval for what is right and of disapproval for what is wrong. It also includes praying in one's heart for the establishment of what is right and the destruction of what is wrong.
We must obviously adopt softer measures whenever they have a chance to work. Even in case of arrogant oppressors it may be best to begin gently. The Holy Qur'an relates that when God sent Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh, He instructed them:
"Speak to him gently, perchance he may heed or fear (God)." (20:44)
Here a question arises regarding the hadith already quoted, which mentions hand, tongue and heart in that order. The first impression conveyed by this hadith is that one should begin by using hand, but this is clearly not the intention of the hadith, since such an interpretation violates preference for peaceful means in the Qur`an and the Hadith. Why then does the hadith mention the hand first? The answer is that this hadith is talking about a wrong about which it is obvious that it may require harsher measures. In the face of such a wrong a believer should be prepared to use all types of measures. The greatest effort, sacrifice and moral courage are usually needed in the use of hand. The hadith links it with the strongest level of iman and therefore mentions it first. The purpose of the hadith really is to tell us that the level of our iman is closely related to the degree to which we are prepared to combat evil. It does not mean to tell us which measure we should adopt first. That will depend on other considerations.