Part 4

All of this and anything like it is the associationism (shirk) forbidden by Allah on the tongues of all of His prophets. Everything which Allah has forbidden is also part of the munkar such as unjustified killing, taking people's property by unlawful means, taking of property by force or intimidation, interest, or gambling, all types of sales or contracts which the Prophet has prohibited, breaking of family ties, cruelty to parents, cheating in weights and measures, and any form of transgression on the rights of others. Also in this category are all innovated acts of "worship" which Allah and His prophet have not ordained or sanctioned. Let Your Enjoining Of Good Be Itself Good Friendliness and sympathy are the correct way in enjoining right and forbidding wrong. For this reason, it has been said: "Let your enjoining of good be good, and let not your forbidding of bad be bad." Benefits Must Outweigh Negative Consequences Enjoining right and forbidding wrong being one of the greatest obligations or commendable acts in Islam, it is essential that the benefit therein outweigh its negative consequences. This is the general spirit of the messages of the prophets and the revealed books, and Allah does not like chaos and corruption. All that which Allah has enjoined is beneficial, and the epitome of benefit. Allah has praised "salah" (the opposite of corruption) and the Enjoining Right & Forbidding Wrong - 8 Translated by Salim Abdallah ibn Morgan "musliheen" (reformers, or those who bring about salah). And He has praised those who believe and do good works (saalihaat), while condemning corruption (fasaad) and those who cause it in many places in the Quran. Thus whenever the adverse effects (mafsada) of any act of enjoining or forbidding are greater than its benefit (maslaha), it is no longer part of what Allah has enjoined upon us, even if it be a case of neglecting obligations or committing the forbidden. This is because it is upon the believer to fear Allah in relation to His slaves, and their guidance is not his responsibility. This is part of the meaning of the verse in which Allah says: [O, you who believe, your selves are your responsibility, those who go astray will not harm you when you stick to guidance.] "Sticking to guidance" is only accomplished by fulfilling and carrying out all obligations. Thus, when a Muslim does what is obligatory upon him by way of enjoining right and forbidding wrong, just as he fulfilled all other obligations, the going astray of those who go astray will not do him any harm. Methodology Of Enjoining Right And Forbidding Wrong Enjoining right and forbidding wrong is done sometimes with the heart, sometimes with the tongue, and sometimes with the hand (i.e. physical force). As for practicing it with the heart, it is obligatory upon everyone in every time and situation, since its practice brings no hardship. Whoever fails to do even that is not even a believer as in the full version of the previously cited hadith: "Whoever of you sees wrong being committed, let him rectify it with his hand, if he is unable, then with his tongue, and if he us unable, then with his heart, and this is the weakest of faith -- or in another version: beyond this there is not a single mustard seed's weight of faith (iman)." Ibn Masood was once asked: "Who are the living dead?" to which he replied:"He who does not acknowledge the right as such, and does not reject the wrong." He is referring to the person described in the following agreed-upon hadith who consistently failed to reject wrong when tested. The Prophet said: Enjoining Right & Forbidding Wrong - 9 Translated by Salim Abdallah ibn Morgan "Tests are shown to the hearts like a straw mat, straw by straw. Whichever heart accepts them, and absorbs them, gets a black spot placed on it, and whichever heart rejects them, gets a white, clear spot on it.