Enjoining Good and forbidding Evil

Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Whoever amongst you sees an evil, he must change it with his hand; if he is unable to do so, then with his tongue; and if he is unable to do so, then with his heart; and that is the weakest form of Faith".

[Muslim].

فالأول: عن أبي سعيد الخدري رضي الله عنه قال: سمعت رسول الله ﷺ يقول: "من رأى منكم منكرًا فليغيره بيده ، فإن لم يستطع فبلسانه، فإن لم يستطع فبقلبه وذلك أضعف الإيمان" ((رواه مسلم)).

Abdullah bin Mas'ud (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "Never a Prophet had been sent before me by Allah to his people but he had, among his people, (his) disciples and companions, who followed his ways and obeyed his command. Then there came after them their successors who proclaimed what they did not practise, and practised what they were not commanded to do. And (he) who strove against them with his hand is a believer; he who strove against them with his heart is a believer; and he who strove against them with his tongue is a believer ; and beyond that there is no grain of Faith".

[Muslim].

الثاني: عن ابن مسعود رضي الله عنه أن رسول الله ﷺ قال: "ما من نبي بعثه الله في أمة قبلي إلا كان له من أمته حواريون وأصحاب يأخذون بسنته ويقتدون بأمره، ثم إنها تختلف من بعدهم خلوف يقولون مالا يفعلون ويفعلون ما لا يؤمرون، فمن جاهدهم بيده فهو مؤمن، ومن جاهدهم بقلبه فهو مؤمن، ومن جاهدهم بلسانه فهو مؤمن ، وليس وراء ذلك الإيمان حبة خردل" ((رواه مسلم)).

'Ubadah bin As-Samit (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
We swore allegiance to Messenger of Allah ﷺ to hear and obey; in time of difficulty and in prosperity, in hardship and in ease, to endure being discriminated against and not to dispute about rule with those in power, except in case of evident infidelity regarding which there is a proof from Allah. We swore allegiance to Messenger of Allah ﷺ to say what was right wherever we were, and not to fear from anyone's reproach.

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

الثالث: عن أبي الوليد عبادة بن الصامت رضي الله عنه قال: “بايعنا رسول الله ﷺ على السمع والطاعة في العسر واليسر والمنشط والمكره، وعلى أثرةٍ علينا، وعلى أن لا ننازع الأمر أهله إلا أن تروا كفرًا بواحًا عندكم من الله تعالى فيه برهان ، وعلى أن نقول بالحق أينما كنا لا نخاف في الله لومة لائم" ((متفق عليه)) . (1)

Nu'man bin Bashir (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Prophet ﷺ said, "The likeness of the man who observes the limits prescribed by Allah and that of the man who transgresses them is like the people who get on board a ship after casting lots. Some of them are in its lower deck and some of them in its upper (deck). Those who are in its lower (deck), when they require water, go to the occupants of the upper deck, and say to them : 'If we make a hole in the bottom of the ship, we shall not harm you.' If they (the occupants of the upper deck) leave them to carry out their design they all will be drowned. But if they do not let them go ahead (with their plan), all of them will remain safe".

[Al-Bukhari].

الرابع: عن النعمان بن بشير رضي الله عنهما عن النبي ﷺ قال: "مثل القائم على حدود الله والواقع فيها كمثل قوم استهموا على سفينة، فصار بعضهم أعلاها وبعضهم أسفلها، وكان الذين في أسفلها إذا استقوا من الماء مروا على من فوقهم فقالوا: لو أنا خرقنا في نصيبنا خرقًا ولم نؤذ من فوقنا ‎، فإن تركوهم وما أرادوا هلكوا وهلكوا جميعًا، وإن أخذوا على أيديهم نجوا ونجوا جميعا" ((رواه البخاري)).

Umm Salamah (May Allah be pleased with her) reported:
The Prophet ﷺ said, "You will have rulers some of whom you approve and some of whom you will disapprove. He who dislikes them will be safe, and he who expresses disapproval will be safe, but he who is pleased and follows them (will be indeed sinful)". His audience asked: "Shall we not fight them?" He replied, "No, as long as they establish Salat amongst you".

[Muslim].

الخامس: عن أم المؤمنين أم سلمة هند بنت أبي أمية حذيفة رضي الله عنها، عن النبي ﷺ أنه قال: " إنه يستعمل عليكم أمراءُ فتعرفون وتنكرون فمن كره فقد برئ، ومن أنكر فقد سلم، ولكن من رضي وتابع” قالوا: يا رسول الله ألا نقاتلهم؟ قال: "لا ، الإمام أقاموا فيكم الصلاة" ((رواه مسلم)).

Zainab (May Allah be pleased with her) reported:
The Prophet ﷺ came to visit me one day frightened and he ﷺ said: "La ilaha illallah (There is no true God but Allah). Woe to the Arabs because of an evil which has
drawn near! Today an opening of this size has been made in the barrier restraining Ya'juj and Ma'juj (Gog and
Magog people)." And he ﷺ made a circle with his thumb and index finger. I said, "O Messenger of Allah!
Shall we perish while still there will be righteous people among us?'' He ﷺ replied, "Yes, when wickedness
prevails".

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

السادس: عن أم المؤمنين أم الحكم زينب بنت جحش رضي الله عنها أن النبي ﷺ دخل عليها فزعا يقول: "لا إله إلا الله، ويل للعرب من شر قد اقترب، فتح اليوم من ردم يأجوج ومأجوج مثل هذه” وحلق بأصبعيه الإبهام والتي تليها. فقلت: يا رسول الله أنهلك وفينا الصالحون؟ قال: "نعم إذا كثر الخبث" ((متفق عليه)) .

Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri (May Allah be pleased with him) reported:
The Prophet ﷺ said, "Beware of sitting on roads (ways)." The people said: "We have but them as sitting places." Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "If you have to sit there, then observe the rights of the way". They asked, "What are the rights of the way?" He ﷺ said, "To lower your gaze (on seeing what is illegal to look at), and (removal of harmful objects), returning greetings, enjoining good and forbidding wrong".

[Al-Bukhari and Muslim].

السابع: عن أبي سعيد الخدري رضي الله عنه عن النبي ﷺ قال: "إياكم والجلوس في الطرقات" فقالوا : يا رسول الله ما لنا من مجالسنا بد؛ نتحدث فيها! فقال رسول الله ﷺ: "فإذا أبيتم إلا المجلس فأعطوا الطريق حقه" قالوا: وما حق الطريق يا رسول الله؟ قال: "غض البصر وكف الأذى ورد السلام، والأمر بالمعروف ، والنهي عن المنكر" ((متفق عليه)) .

'Abdullah bin 'Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) reported:
Messenger of Allah ﷺ saw a man wearing a gold ring. So he (the Prophet ﷺ) pulled it off and threw it away, saying, "One of you takes a live coal, and puts it on his hand." It was said to the man after Messenger of Allah ﷺ had left: "Take your ring (of gold) and utilize it," whereupon he said: "No, by Allah, I would never take it when Messenger of Allah ﷺ has thrown it away".

[Muslim].

الثامن : عن ابن عباس رضي الله عنهما أن رسول الله ﷺ رأى خاتمًا من ذهب في يد رجل، فنزعه فطرحه وقال: " يعمد أحدكم إلى جمرة من نار فيجعلها في يده !" فقيل للرجل بعد ما ذهب رسول الله ﷺ : خذ خاتمك؛ انتفع به. قال: لا والله لا آخذه أبدًا وقد طرحه رسول الله ﷺ. ((رواه مسلم)).

Abu Sa'id Al-Hasan Basri reported:
'Aidh bin 'Amr (the Companion) (May Allah be pleased with him) visited 'Ubaidullah bin Ziyad (the ruler) and said to him: "Son, I heard Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying, 'The worst shepherds (rulers) are those who deal harshly in respect of supervision. Beware, Don't be one of them!"' Ibn Ziyad said to him, "Sit down, you are but husk from among the Companions of the Prophet ﷺ." 'Aidh bin 'Amr (May Allah be pleased with him) retorted: "Was there any husk among them? Surely, husk came after them and among others than them".

[Muslim].

التاسع: عن أبي سعيد الحسن البصري أن عائذ بن عمرو رضي الله عنه دخل على عبيد الله بن زياد فقال: أي بني، إني سمعت رسول الله ﷺ يقول: "إن شر الرعاء الحطمة” فإياك أن تكون منهم. فقال له : اجلس فإنما أنت من نخالة أصحاب محمد ﷺ ، فقال: وهل كانت لهم نخالة، إنما كانت النخالة بعدهم وفي غيرهم ! ((رواه مسلم)).

Hudhaifah (May Allah bepleased with him) reported:
The Prophet ﷺ said, "By Him in Whose Hand my life is, you either enjoin good and forbid evil, or Allah will certainly soon send His punishment to you. Then you will make supplication and it will not be accepted".

[At-Tirmidhi].

العاشر: عن حذيفة رضي الله عنه عن النبي ﷺ قال: " والذي نفسي بيده لتأمرن بالمعروف، ولتنهون عن المنكر، أو ليوشكن الله أن يبعث عليكم عقابًا منه، ثم تدعونه فلا يستجاب لكم" ((رواه الترمذي وقال: حديث حسن صحيح)).

Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri (May Allah bepleased with him) reported:
The Prophet ﷺ said, "The best type of Jihad (striving in the way of Allah) is speaking a true word in the presence of a tyrant ruler."

[Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi].

الحادي عشر: عن أبي سعيد الخدري رضي الله عنه عن النبي ﷺ قال: "أفضل الجهاد كلمة عدل عند سلطان جائر" ((رواه أبو داود، والترمذي وقال: حديث حسن)).

Abu 'Abdullah Tariq bin Shihab (May Allah bepleased with him) reported:
A person asked the Prophet ﷺ (when he had just put his foot in the stirrup): "What is the highest form of Jihad?" He ﷺ said, "Speaking the truth in the presence of a tyrant ruler".

[An-Nasa'i].

الثاني عشر: عن أبي عبد الله طارق بن شهاب البجلي الأحمسي رضي الله عنه أن رجلاً سأل النبي ﷺ، وقد وضع رجله في الغرز: أي الجهاد أفضل؟ قال: “كلمة حق عند سلطان جائر" ((رواه النسائي بإسناد صحيح)).

'Abdullah bin Mas'ud (May Allah bepleased with him) reported:
Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "The first defect (in religion) which affected the Children of Israel in the way that man would meet another and say to him: 'Fear Allah and abstain from what you are doing, for this is not lawful for you.' Then he would meet him the next day and find no change in him, but this would not prevent him from eating with him, drinking with him and sitting in his assemblies. When it came to this, Allah led their hearts into evil ways on account of their association with others." Then he ﷺ recited, "Those among the Children of Israel who disbelieved were cursed by the tongue of Dawud (David) and 'Isa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary). That was because they disobeyed (Allah and the Messengers) and were ever transgressing beyond bounds. They used not to forbid one another from the Munkar (wrong, evildoing, sins, polytheism, disbelief) which they committed. Vile indeed was what they used to do. You see many of them taking the disbelievers as their Auliya' (protectors and helpers). Evil indeed is that which their own selves have sent forward before them; for that (reason) Allah's wrath fell upon them and in torment will they abide. And had they believed in Allah and in the Prophet (Muhammad ﷺ) and in what has been revealed to him, never would they have taken them (the disbelievers) as Auliya' (protectors and helpers), but many of them are the Fasiqun (rebellious, disobedient to Allah)." (5:78-81)

Then he ﷺ continued: "Nay, by Allah, you either enjoin good and forbid evil and catch hold of the hand of the oppressor and persuade him to act justly and stick to the truth, or, Allah will involve the hearts of some of you with the hearts of others and will curse you as He had cursed them".

[Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi].

The wording in At-Tirmidhi is: Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "When the Children of Israel became sinful, their learned men prohibited them but they would not turn back. Yet, the learned men associated with them and ate and drank with them. So, they were cursed at the tongues of Dawud and 'Isa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Mary), because they were disobedient and were given to transgression." At this stage Messenger of Allah ﷺ who was reclining on a pillow sat up and said, "No, By Him in Whose Hand my soul is, there is no escape for you but you persuade them to act justly."

الثالث عشر: عن ابن مسعود رضي الله عنه قال: قال رسول الله ﷺ : "إن أول ما دخل النقص على بني إسرائيل أنه كان الرجل يلقى الرجل فيقول: يا هذا اتق الله ودع ما تصنع فإنه لا يحل لك، ثم يلقاه من الغد وهو على حاله، فلا يمنعه ذلك أن يكون أكيله وشريبه وقعيده، فلما فعلوا ذلك ضرب الله قلوب بعضهم ببعض" ثم قال: {لعن الذين كفروا من بني إسرائيل على لسان داود وعيسى ابن مريم ذلك بما عصوا وكانوا يعتدون. كانوا لا يتناهون عن منكر فعلوه لبئس ما كانوا يفعلون. ترى كثيرًا منهم يتولون الذين كفروا لبئس ما قدمت لهم أنفسهم } إلى قوله: {فاسقون} ((المائد: 78،81)) ثم قال: " كلا، والله لتأمرن بالمعروف ولتنهون عن المنكر، ولتأخذن على يد الظالم ولتأطرنه على الحق أطرا، ولتقصرنه على الحق قصرا، أو ليضربن الله بقلوب بعضكم على بعض، ثم ليلعننكم كما لعنهم" ((رواه أبو داود، والترمذي وقال: حديث حسن)). هذا لفظ أبي داود، ولفظ الترمذي: قال رسول الله ﷺ: لما وقعت بنو إسرائيل في المعاصي نهتهم علماؤهم فلم ينتهوا، فجالسوهم في مجالسهم وواكلوهم وشاربوهم، فضرب الله قلوب بعضهم ببعض، ولعنهم على لسان داود وعيسى ابن مريم ذلك بما عصوا وكانوا يعتدون فجلس رسول الله ﷺ، وكان متكئًا فقال: لا والذي نفسي بيده حتى تأطروهم على الحق أطرا .قوله: تأطروهم أي تعطفوهم. ولتقصرنه أي لتحبسنه.