Part 5

there was no faith, not even as much as a mustard seed."10 Abu Bakr related that the Prophet said, "If acts of disobedience occur among any people and they do not change them even though they are able to do so, Allah will soon punish them all."11 Guidelines on Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil Knowledge In order to enjoin good and forbid evil, you must know the principles governing them and how to distinguish between them. Actions will not be any good if they are not done with full knowledge and wisdom. `Umar Ibn Abdul Aziz said, "Whoever worships Allah without knowledge, will do more damage than what he puts right." Mu'adh Ibn Jabal said: "Knowledge should precede action, because if action and intention are done without knowledge, then ignorance, misguidance and desires will prevail." So if a believer knows that by forbidding a particular evil, his action will lead to a greater evil, then he should not forbid that evil in the first place; or if his action will lead to the elimination of what is of greater benefit to the Muslims, then again, he should not forbid that evil. The Prophet t did not kill Abdullah Ibn Ubai Ibn Salul, the leader of the hypocrites, and his friends, because they enjoyed significant support from among their tribes. So the Prophet avoided killing Abdullah Ibn Ubai Ibn Salul, because people might think that he was killing his companions, and also because Abdullah Ibn Ubai Ibn Salul's tribe might have risen up against the Prophet , and sought to avenge their leader's death. Accordingly, you must consider the issues of maslaha and mafsada12 before embarking on enjoining good and forbidding evil. Gentleness You should be kind and gentle in enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong. The Prophet A said, "Be gentle, for if gentleness is present in anything, it adorns it - and if it is absent from anything, it damages it."13 The Prophet also said, "Allah it likes gentleness in all matters and rewards it more than He rewards harshness."14 Jarir related, "I heard the Messenger of Allah say, "Whoever is deprived of gentleness is deprived of good."15 Sufyan ath-Thawri said, "Only he who has the following qualities can enjoin good and forbid evil: he should be gentle and just and he should know the principles of enjoining good and forbidding evil." Patience Whoever intends to enjoin good and forbid evil must have patience in the face of adversities 10 Muslim, 2/27. 11 Abu Dawud, 4316; Ibn Majah, 4005; Ahmed, 1/16. 12 maslaha (plural: masa'lih): considerations of public interest, human welfare, utility, and human good. AshSha'tibi said: "What concerns the subsistence of human life, the wholeness of his way of life, and the acquiring of what man's emotional and intellectual faculties require of him in their absolute sense." mafsada (plural: mafa'sid): Evil, namely anything which violates addaruriyat al-khamsa, the five essential values of deen, life, intellect, lineage and property; the opposite of maslaha. 13 Muslim, 16/146; Abu Dawud, 2461; Ahmed, 6/58. 14 al-Bukhari, 12/280; Muslim, 16/146. 15 Muslim, 16/145. and hard times. He should know, beforehand, that he will be subjected to tribulation, just as Luqman told his son: ( My son, establish salah, and command what is right and forbid what is wrong and be steadfast in the face of all that happens to you. That is certainly the most resolute course to follow. ) (31: 16) Allah also ordered His Messenger to be patient: ( You who are enveloped in your cloak! Arise and warn!