KNOW that ordering all that is right and prohibiting all that is wrong is the greatest single element of this deen and it is the task with which Allah sent all of his messengers, peace be upon them all. If it were to be abandoned, all religion would cease, corruption would appear everywhere and the lands would be destroyed. In Sura Aal 'Imraan, Allah commands us to "hold fast to the rope of Allah altogether and do not divide yourselves". We are commanded to hold fast to the body of the Muslims and strive to promote unity and avoid division. This does NOT include, however, being complacent or cowardly with disobedience to Allah in our midst. Allah said in the very next verse:
Âá ÚãÑÇä
æóáúÊóßõäú ãöäúßõãú ÃõãøóÉñ íóÏúÚõæäó Åöáóì ÇáúÎóíúÑö æóíóÃúãõÑõæäó ÈöÇáúãóÚúÑõæÝö æóíóäúåóæúäó Úóäö ÇáúãõäúßóÑö æóÃõæáóÆößó åõãõ ÇáúãõÝúáöÍõæäó(104)æóáóÇ ÊóßõæäõæÇ ßóÇáøóÐöíäó ÊóÝóÑøóÞõæÇ æóÇÎúÊóáóÝõæÇ ãöäú ÈóÚúÏö ãóÇ ÌóÇÁóåõãõ ÇáúÈóíøöäóÇÊõ æóÃõæáóÆößó áóåõãú ÚóÐóÇÈñ ÚóÙöíãñ(105)
{Let there be among you a group who call to all that is good, order all that is right and prohibit all that is wrong and these are the successful ones. (104) And do not be as those who separated and differed after all clarifications had come to them. For these is a horrendous punishment. (105)
Note that in this verse, what Allah is commanding is fardh kifaya (that which a sufficient number must stand forth to fulfill and once they have, there is no sin on the rest of the Muslims) because Allah said "let there be among you a group" and he did not say "let each of you do this". But Allah Most High attributed success (al-falaah) specifically to those who engage in this most important obligation. There are many other verses in the Qur'an which deal with this obligation of ordering and prohibiting.
So, there is a general obligation upon the Muslims to ensure that all wrongdoing is prohibited and striven against and that all obligations are commanded and maintained in society and individuals. This, as we have said is fardh kifaya. There are situations, however, where ordering an prohibiting becomes fardh 'ain or an individual obligation. This is clearly stated in the following hadith:
ãÓáã
ãóäú ÑóÃóì ãöäúßõãú ãõäúßóÑðÇ ÝóáúíõÛóíøöÑúåõ ÈöíóÏöåö ÝóÅöäú áóãú íóÓúÊóØöÚú ÝóÈöáöÓóÇäöåö ÝóÅöäú áóãú íóÓúÊóØöÚú ÝóÈöÞóáúÈöåö æóÐóáößó ÃóÖúÚóÝõ ÇáúÅöíãóÇäö
Whoever among you sees wrongdoing, let him rectify it with his hand. If he is unable, then with his tongue. And if he is incapable of that then with his heart and that is the weakest level of faith."
If ordering right and prohibiting wrong is negelected on both the individual and the collective level, all will suffer its harm. In the famous hadith about the ship, the Prophet (sas) said:
ÃÍãÏ
ãóËóáõ ÇáúÞóÇÆöãö Úóáóì ÍõÏõæÏö Çááøóåö æóÇáúæóÇÞöÚö ÝöíåóÇ Ãóæú ÇáúãõÏøóåöäö ÝöíåóÇ ãóËóáõ Þóæúãò ÑóßöÈõæÇ ÓóÝöíäóÉð ÝóÃóÕóÇÈó ÈóÚúÖõåõãú ÃóÓúÝóáóåóÇ æóÃóæúÚóÑóåóÇ æóÔóÑøóåóÇ æóÃóÕóÇÈó ÈóÚúÖõåõãú ÃóÚúáóÇåóÇ ÝóßóÇäó ÇáøóÐöíäó Ýöí ÃóÓúÝóáöåóÇ ÅöÐóÇ ÇÓúÊóÞóæúÇ ÇáúãóÇÁó ãóÑøõæÇ Úóáóì ãóäú ÝóæúÞóåõãú ÝóÂÐóæúåõãú ÝóÞóÇáõæÇ áóæú ÎóÑóÞúäóÇ Ýöí äóÕöíÈöäóÇ ÎóÑúÞðÇ ÝóÇÓúÊóÞóíúäóÇ ãöäúåõ æóáóãú äõÄúÐö ãóäú ÝóæúÞóäóÇ ÝóÅöäú ÊóÑóßõæåõãú æóÃóãúÑóåõãú åóáóßõæÇ ÌóãöíÚðÇ æóÅöäú ÃóÎóÐõæÇ Úóáóì ÃóíúÏöíåöãú äóÌóæúÇ ÌóãöíÚðÇ
The analogy of the one who stands firm at Allah's boundaries, the one who transgresses them and the one who compromises regarding them is like a group of people who boarded a ship. Some of them ended up in the lower and more dangerous sections of the ship while others were above that. Every time those in the lower parts of the ship needed water, they passed by those in the upper parts and inconvenienced them. Then some of them said, "We could make a hole in our portion of the ship and we would be able to get water to drink without bothering those above us." If they were to leave them with this business of theirs, all of them would perish but if they seize their hands, all of them would be saved."
In our time, many Muslims have misunderstood Allah's statement:
ÇáÈÞÑÉ
áóÇ ÅößúÑóÇåó Ýöí ÇáÏøöíäö ÞóÏú ÊóÈóíøóäó ÇáÑøõÔúÏõ ãöäó ÇáúÛóíøö Ýóãóäú íóßúÝõÑú ÈöÇáØøóÇÛõæÊö æóíõÄúãöäú ÈöÇááøóåö ÝóÞóÏö ÇÓúÊóãúÓóßó ÈöÇáúÚõÑúæóÉö ÇáúæõËúÞóì áóÇ ÇäúÝöÕóÇãó áóåóÇ æóÇááøóåõ ÓóãöíÚñ Úóáöíãñ(256)
{There is no compulsion in the religion. Guidance has been made clear from falsehood. So, whoever rejects all false objects of worship and believes in Allah has held fast to the most trusted hand-hold which can never break and Allah is the Hearing the Knowing.}
You hear them all the time quoting this hadith as "proof" against acts of ordering the right and forbidding the wrong. For example, if Muslims in an area order the closing of businesses during prayer and order Muslims on the streets to proceed to the masajid, some of them condemn this loudly and say "there is no compulsion in religion". This is the height of ignorance and lack of understanding of the teachings of Islam. The meaning of the above verse is that there is no compulsion INTO the religion, i.e., no one can be forced to convert to Islam. That is both fact and law. It is fact because anyone who said the shahadah under duress would not have become Muslim anyway. It is law because it if forbidden for any Muslim to attempt to force anyone to become Muslim.
It does NOT mean that there are no issues of compulsion in Islam for indeed there are many. If a Muslim refuses to pay zakat to the imam, it can be taken from him by force. The Prophet (sas) said in the following authentic hadith:
ÃÈæ ÏÇæÏ
Ýöí ßõáøö ÓóÇÆöãóÉö ÅöÈöáò Ýöí ÃóÑúÈóÚöíäó ÈöäúÊõ áóÈõæäò æóáóÇ íõÝóÑøóÞõ ÅöÈöáñ Úóäú ÍöÓóÇÈöåóÇ ãóäú ÃóÚúØóÇåóÇ ãõÄúÊóÌöÑðÇ ÞóÇáó ÇÈúäõ ÇáúÚóáóÇÁö ãõÄúÊóÌöÑðÇ ÈöåóÇ Ýóáóåõ ÃóÌúÑõåóÇ æóãóäú ãóäóÚóåóÇ ÝóÅöäøóÇ ÂÎöÐõæåóÇ æóÔóØúÑó ãóÇáöåö ÚóÒúãóÉð ãöäú ÚóÒóãóÇÊö ÑóÈøöäóÇ ÚóÒøó æóÌóáøó áóíúÓó áöÂáö ãõÍóãøóÏò ãöäúåóÇ ÔóíúÁñ
As for livestock of camels, for every forty head, one three year old female and no camels can be separated for the count. Whoever gives seeking thereby a reward will get its reward. And whoever witholds it, we will surely take it and half of his property along with it, a firm command from the commands of our Lord Mighty and Great. And there is nothing therein for the family of Muhammad.
There are countless other examples which could be cited from the law and from ordering right and prohibiting wrong where compulsion is prescribed and ordered in Islam. Please understand this and recognize and correct the next time you hear someone abusing the above words of Allah Most High.
We have already mentioned the hadith about the individual obligation to order and prohibit when wrongdoing is actually witnessed:
Whoever among you sees wrongdoing, let him rectify it with his hand. If he is unable, then with his tongue. And if he is incapable of that then with his heart and that is the weakest level of faith."
Another misunderstanding on the part of many Muslims is that the third level in this hadith means doing nothing and merely "hating the wrong in your heart". This is not correct. The wording of the hadith actually says that the third and weakest level of faith is to rectify with wrongdoing "with your heart". The meaning of this is that you must use the actions of the heart against the wrongdoing. Relevant actions of the heart include friendship, allegience, socializing, etc. If even these are not subjugated to the needs of ordering all right and prohibiting all wrong then as the hadith says, there is no faith at that point. The following hadith should help to make this clear:
ÇáÊÑãÐí
ÞóÇáó ÑóÓõæáõ Çááøóåö Õóáøóì Çááøóåõ Úóáóíúåö æóÓóáøóãó áóãøóÇ æóÞóÚóÊú Èóäõæ ÅöÓúÑóÇÆöíáó Ýöí ÇáúãóÚóÇÕöí äóåóÊúåõãú ÚõáóãóÇÄõåõãú Ýóáóãú íóäúÊóåõæÇ ÝóÌóÇáóÓõæåõãú Ýöí ãóÌóÇáöÓöåöãú æóæóÇßóáõæåõãú æóÔóÇÑóÈõæåõãú ÝóÖóÑóÈó Çááøóåõ ÞõáõæÈó ÈóÚúÖöåöãú ÈöÈóÚúÖò æóáóÚóäóåõãú Úóáóì áöÓóÇäö ÏóÇæõÏó æóÚöíÓóì ÇÈúäö ãóÑúíóãó Ðóáößó ÈöãóÇ ÚóÕóæúÇ æóßóÇäõæÇ íóÚúÊóÏõæäó ÞóÇáó ÝóÌóáóÓó ÑóÓõæáõ Çááøóåö Õóáøóì Çááøóåõ Úóáóíúåö æóÓóáøóãó æóßóÇäó ãõÊøóßöÆðÇ ÝóÞóÇáó áóÇ æóÇáøóÐöí äóÝúÓöí ÈöíóÏöåö ÍóÊøóì ÊóÃúØõÑõæåõãú Úóáóì ÇáúÍóÞøö ÃóØúÑðÇ
The Prophet (sas) said, "When Banu Israel fell into disobedience, their scholars prohibited them but they did not stop. But they [the scholars] continued to sit with them in their gatherings and eat with them and drink with them so Allah struck all of their hearts together and cursed them {,,,upon the tongues of Daud and isa the son of Maryam. That was for their disobedience and the transgressions they committed}." The Prophet (sas) then sat up - he had been reclining - and said, "By the One in whose hand my soul is! Not until you take them to the truth forcefully!"
There are many forms of ordering and prohibiting and its disappearance is a sure sign of the corruption and decline of this Ummah. One of the highest forms is a word of truth - in spite of the danger - in the face of a corrupt ruler.
ÇáäÓÇÆí
Ãóäøó ÑóÌõáðÇ ÓóÃóáó ÇáäøóÈöíøó Õóáøóì Çááøóåõ Úóáóíúåö æóÓóáøóãó æóÞóÏú æóÖóÚó ÑöÌúáóåõ Ýöí ÇáúÛóÑúÒö Ãóíøõ ÇáúÌöåóÇÏö ÃóÝúÖóáõ ÞóÇáó ßóáöãóÉõ ÍóÞøò ÚöäúÏó ÓõáúØóÇäò ÌóÇÆöÑò
...that a man asked the Prophet (sas) when he (sas) had already placed his foot in the stirrup, "Which jihad is best?" He (sas) said, "A word of truth in the presence of an unjust ruler."
ÃÍãÏ
ÅöÐóÇ ÑóÃóíúÊõãú ÃõãøóÊöí ÊóåóÇÈõ ÇáÙøóÇáöãó Ãóäú ÊóÞõæáó áóåõ Åöäøóßó ÃóäúÊó ÙóÇáöãñ ÝóÞóÏú ÊõæõÏøöÚó ãöäúåõãú
When you see my nation in fear of the oppressor such that they are unable to say to them, "You are surely an oppressor", then he has gained their agreement [to his oppression]."
Ordering and prohibiting cannot be neglected and it is not enough to rectify your own actions. Misunderstanding of this concept is very dangerous and dates all the way back to the Companions.
ÃÍãÏ
ÞóÇãó ÃóÈõæ ÈóßúÑò ÑóÖöíó Çááøóåõ Úóäúåõ ÝóÍóãöÏó Çááøóåó ÚóÒøó æóÌóáøó æóÃóËúäóì Úóáóíúåö ÝóÞóÇáó íóÇ ÃóíøõåóÇ ÇáäøóÇÓõ Åöäøóßõãú ÊóÞúÑóÁõæäó åóÐöåö ÇáúÂíóÉó íóÇ ÃóíøõåóÇ ÇáøóÐöíäó ÂãóäõæÇ Úóáóíúßõãú ÃóäúÝõÓóßõãú áóÇ íóÖõÑøõßõãú ãóäú Öóáøó ÅöÐóÇ ÇåúÊóÏóíúÊõãú Åöáóì ÂÎöÑö ÇáúÂíóÉö æóÅöäøóßõãú ÊóÖóÚõæäóåóÇ Úóáóì ÛóíúÑö ãóæúÖöÚöåóÇ æóÅöäøöí ÓóãöÚúÊõ ÑóÓõæáó Çááøóåö Õóáøóì Çááøóåõ Úóáóíúåö æóÓóáøóãó íóÞõæáõ Åöäøó ÇáäøóÇÓó ÅöÐóÇ ÑóÃóæúÇ ÇáúãõäúßóÑó æóáóÇ íõÛóíøöÑõæåõ ÃóæúÔóßó Çááøóåõ Ãóäú íóÚõãøóåõãú ÈöÚöÞóÇÈöåö
Abu Bakr stood up, praised Allah Mighty and Great and said, "O people, you read this verse {O you who believe, upon you is your selves, those who go astray cannot harm you when you are upon guidance...} and you surely distort and misunderstand its meaning. Verily, I heard the Messenger of Allah (sas) say, "Surely if the people see wrongdoing and do not rectify it, Allah is just about to gerneralize his punishment to all of them."