In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful
Imam al-Nawawi records in his book Meadows of the Righteous:
باب في الأمر بالمعروف والنهي عن المنكر
Chapter on enjoining good and forbidding evil.
Source: Riyāḍ al-Ṣāliḥīn 1/82
Allah Almighty said:
وَلْتَكُن مِّنكُمْ أُمَّةٌ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى الْخَيْرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ
Let there be a group among you who call ˹others˺ to goodness, encourage what is good, and forbid what is evil, for it is they who will be successful.
Surat Ali ‘Imran 3:104
And Allah said:
كُنتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَلَوْ آمَنَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَّهُم مِّنْهُمُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَأَكْثَرُهُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ
You are the best community ever raised for humanity. You encourage good, forbid evil, and believe in Allah. Had the People of the Book believed, it would have been better for them. Some of them are faithful, but most are rebellious.
Surat Ali ‘Imran 3:110
And Allah said:
خُذِ الْعَفْوَ وَأْمُرْ بِالْعُرْفِ وَأَعْرِضْ عَنِ الْجَاهِلِينَ
Be gracious, enjoin what is right, and turn away from those who act ignorantly.
Surat al-A’raf 7:199
And Allah said:
وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ يَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَيُطِيعُونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ أُولَٰئِكَ سَيَرْحَمُهُمُ اللَّهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ
The believers, both men and women, are guardians of one another. They encourage good and forbid evil, establish prayer and pay alms-tax, and obey Allah and His Messenger. It is they who will be shown Allah’s mercy. Surely Allah is Almighty, All-Wise.
Surat at-Tawba 9:71
And Allah said:
لُعِنَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِن بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ عَلَىٰ لِسَانِ دَاوُودَ وَعِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ ذَٰلِكَ بِمَا عَصَوا وَّكَانُوا يَعْتَدُونَ كَانُوا لَا يَتَنَاهَوْنَ عَن مُّنكَرٍ فَعَلُوهُ لَبِئْسَ مَا كَانُوا يَفْعَلُونَ
The disbelievers among the Children of Israel were condemned in the revelations of David and Jesus, son of Mary. That was for their disobedience and violations. They did not forbid one another from doing evil. Evil indeed was what they did!
Surat al-Ma’idah 5:78-79
And Allah said:
وَقُلِ الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكُمْ فَمَن شَاءَ فَلْيُؤْمِن وَمَن شَاءَ فَلْيَكْفُرْ إِنَّا أَعْتَدْنَا لِلظَّالِمِينَ نَارًا أَحَاطَ بِهِمْ سُرَادِقُهَا
And say, ‘This is the truth from your Lord. Whoever wills let them believe, and whoever wills let them disbelieve.’ Surely, We have prepared for the wrongdoers a Fire whose walls will completely surround them.
Surat al-Kahf 18:29
And Allah said:
فَاصْدَعْ بِمَا تُؤْمَرُ وَأَعْرِضْ عَنِ الْمُشْرِكِينَ
So proclaim what you have been commanded, and turn away from the idolaters.
Surat al-Hijr 15:94
And Allah said:
فَلَمَّا نَسُوا مَا ذُكِّرُوا بِهِ أَنجَيْنَا الَّذِينَ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ السُّوءِ وَأَخَذْنَا الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا بِعَذَابٍ بَئِيسٍ بِمَا كَانُوا يَفْسُقُونَ
When they ignored the warning they were given, We rescued those who used to warn against evil and overtook the wrongdoers with a dreadful punishment for their rebelliousness.
Surat al-A’raf 7:165
Abu Sa’id al-Khudri reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
مَنْ رَأَى مِنْكُمْ مُنْكَرًا فَلْيُغَيِّرْهُ بِيَدِهِ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَبِلِسَانِهِ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَبِقَلْبِهِ وَذَلِكَ أَضْعَفُ الْإِيمَانِ
Whoever among you sees evil, let him change it with his hand. If he cannot do so, then with his tongue. If he cannot do so, then with his heart, which is the weakest level of faith.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 49, Grade: Sahih
Ibn Mas’ud reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
مَا مِنْ نَبِيٍّ بَعَثَهُ اللَّهُ فِي أُمَّةٍ قَبْلِي إِلَّا كَانَ لَهُ مِنْ أُمَّتِهِ حَوَارِيُّونَ وَأَصْحَابٌ يَأْخُذُونَ بِسُنَّتِهِ وَيَقْتَدُونَ بِأَمْرِهِ ثُمَّ إِنَّهَا تَخْلُفُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِمْ خُلُوفٌ يَقُولُونَ مَا لَا يَفْعَلُونَ وَيَفْعَلُونَ مَا لَا يُؤْمَرُونَ فَمَنْ جَاهَدَهُمْ بِيَدِهِ فَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ وَمَنْ جَاهَدَهُمْ بِلِسَانِهِ فَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ وَمَنْ جَاهَدَهُمْ بِقَلْبِهِ فَهُوَ مُؤْمِنٌ وَلَيْسَ وَرَاءَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ الْإِيمَانِ حَبَّةُ خَرْدَلٍ
Allah did not send any Prophet to the nations before me but that he was given disciples and companions who held to his tradition and followed his command. Then, after them came their successors, who said what they did not practice and who practiced what they were not commanded. He who strove against them with his hand was a believer, and he who strove against them with his tongue was a believer, and he who strove against them with his heart was a believer; after that there is not even a mustard seed of faith.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 50, Grade: Sahih
‘Ubadah ibn al-Samit, may Allah be pleased with him, reported:
بَايَعْنَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَى السَّمْعِ وَالطَّاعَةِ فِي الْعُسْرِ وَالْيُسْرِ وَالْمَنْشَطِ وَالْمَكْرَهِ وَعَلَى أَثَرَةٍ عَلَيْنَا وَعَلَى أَنْ لَا نُنَازِعَ الْأَمْرَ أَهْلَهُ وَعَلَى أَنْ نَقُولَ بِالْحَقِّ أَيْنَمَا كُنَّا لَا نَخَافُ فِي اللَّهِ لَوْمَةَ لَائِمٍ
We pledged allegiance to the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, on the condition that we would listen to and obey our leaders, in adversity and in prosperity, in what we favor and in what we dislike, even if he commits favoritism against us, and that we would not dispute with those in authority unless definitive unbelief is seen from them for which there is clear proof from Allah Almighty, and that we would speak the truth in every circumstance without fearing the rebuke of anyone.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1709, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
Al-Nu’man ibn Bashir reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
مَثَلُ الْقَائِمِ عَلَى حُدُودِ اللَّهِ وَالْوَاقِعِ فِيهَا كَمَثَلِ قَوْمٍ اسْتَهَمُوا عَلَى سَفِينَةٍ فَأَصَابَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَعْلَاهَا وَبَعْضُهُمْ أَسْفَلَهَا فَكَانَ الَّذِينَ فِي أَسْفَلِهَا إِذَا اسْتَقَوْا مِنْ الْمَاءِ مَرُّوا عَلَى مَنْ فَوْقَهُمْ فَقَالُوا لَوْ أَنَّا خَرَقْنَا فِي نَصِيبِنَا خَرْقًا وَلَمْ نُؤْذِ مَنْ فَوْقَنَا فَإِنْ يَتْرُكُوهُمْ وَمَا أَرَادُوا هَلَكُوا جَمِيعًا وَإِنْ أَخَذُوا عَلَى أَيْدِيهِمْ نَجَوْا وَنَجَوْا جَمِيعًا
The parable of those who respect the limits of Allah and those who violate them is that of people who board a ship after casting lots, some of them residing in its upper deck and others in its lower deck. When those in the lower deck want water, they pass by the upper deck and say, ‘If we tear a hole in the bottom of the ship, we will not harm those above us.’ If those in the upper deck let them do what they want, they will all be destroyed together. If they restrain them, they will all be saved together.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 2493, Grade: Sahih
Umm Salamah reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
سَتَكُونُ أُمَرَاءُ فَتَعْرِفُونَ وَتُنْكِرُونَ فَمَنْ عَرَفَ بَرِئَ وَمَنْ أَنْكَرَ سَلِمَ وَلَكِنْ مَنْ رَضِيَ وَتَابَعَ
There will be rulers from whom you will see both goodness and corruption. One who recognizes their evil and hates it will maintain his innocence, but one who is pleased with it and follows them will be sinful.
It was said, “Shall we not fight them?” The Prophet said:
لَا مَا صَلَّوْا
No, as long as they pray.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1854, Grade: Sahih
Zaynab bint Jahsh reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, came to visit me one day while he was frightened and he said:
لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَيْلٌ لِلْعَرَبِ مِنْ شَرٍّ قَدْ اقْتَرَبَ فُتِحَ الْيَوْمَ مِنْ رَدْمِ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ مِثْلُ هَذِهِ
There is no God but Allah! Woe to the Arabs because of an evil that is drawing near! Today an opening of this size has been made in the barrier restraining Gog and Magog.
The Prophet made a circle with this thumb and finger. I said, “O Messenger of Allah, will we perish while there are still righteous people among us?” The Prophet said:
نَعَمْ إِذَا كَثُرَ الْخَبَثُ
Yes, if wickedness prevails.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 3346, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
Abu Sa’id al-Khudri reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
إِيَّاكُمْ وَالْجُلُوسَ عَلَى الطُّرُقَاتِ
Beware of loitering in the roads.
They said, “O Messenger of Allah, we have nowhere else to sit and talk.” The Prophet said:
فَإِذَا أَبَيْتُمْ إِلَّا الْمَجَالِسَ فَأَعْطُوا الطَّرِيقَ حَقَّهَا
If you insist, then give the road its rights.
They said, “What are its rights, O Messenger of Allah?” The Prophet said:
غَضُّ الْبَصَرِ وَكَفُّ الْأَذَى وَرَدُّ السَّلَامِ وَأَمْرٌ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَنَهْيٌ عَنْ الْمُنْكَرِ
Lower the gaze, refrain from harm, return greetings of peace, enjoin good and forbid evil.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 2465, Grade: Muttafaqun Alayhi
Ibn Abbas reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, saw a man wearing a gold ring, so he said:
يَعْمِدُ أَحَدُكُمْ إِلَى جَمْرَةٍ مِنْ نَارٍ فَيَجْعَلُهَا فِي يَدِهِ
One of you will take a live coal and put it on his hand?
It was said to the man after the Prophet left, “Take your ring and use it another way.” The man said:
لَا وَاللَّهِ لَا آخُذُهُ أَبَدًا وَقَدْ طَرَحَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ
No, by Allah, I will not take it after the Messenger of Allah has cast it aside.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 2090, Grade: Sahih
‘Aidh ibn ‘Amr reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
إِنَّ شَرَّ الرِّعَاءِ الْحُطَمَةُ فَإِيَّاكَ أَنْ تَكُونَ مِنْهُمْ
Verily, the worst of shepherds are the cruelest. Beware, lest you be one of them.
Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1830, Grade: Sahih
Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَتَأْمُرُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَلَتَنْهَوُنَّ عَنْ الْمُنْكَرِ أَوْ لَيُوشِكَنَّ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَبْعَثَ عَلَيْكُمْ عِقَابًا مِنْهُ ثُمَّ تَدْعُونَهُ فَلَا يُسْتَجَابُ لَكُمْ
By the One in whose hand is my soul, you must enjoin good and forbid evil, or else Allah will soon send punishment upon you. Then, you will call upon Allah and it will not be answered for you.
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2169, Grade: Hasan
Abu Sa’id al-Khudri reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
إِنَّ مِنْ أَعْظَمِ الْجِهَادِ كَلِمَةَ عَدْلٍ عِنْدَ سُلْطَانٍ جَائِرٍ
Verily, among the greatest acts of jihad is a word of justice before a tyrannical ruler.
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2174, Grade: Sahih
Abu Bakr reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:
إِنَّ النَّاسَ إِذَا رَأَوْا الظَّالِمَ فَلَمْ يَأْخُذُوا عَلَى يَدَيْهِ أَوْشَكَ أَنْ يَعُمَّهُمُ اللَّهُ بِعِقَابٍ مِنْهُ
Verily, if people see an oppressor and they do not seize his hand, Allah will soon send His punishment upon all of them.
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2168, Grade: Sahih
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah writes:
فلا بد من هذه الثلاثة العلم والرفق والصبر العلم قبل الأمر والنهي والرفق معه والصبر بعده
One who enjoins good must have three qualities: knowledge, gentleness, and patience. Knowledge comes before it, gentleness comes during it, and patience comes after it.
Source: al-Amr bil Ma’rūf li-Ibn Taymīyyah 1/20
Success comes from Allah, and Allah knows best.
