The History of Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil in Devine Religions
Undoubtedly, Islamic Sharia guarantees the protection of life, dignity, property, wealth, religion, and human intellect and thought. To fulfill this great responsibility, it has established means and tools, among which we can mention Sharia limits, punishments for crimes, and other measures. These rulings are reserved and safeguarded to protect the rights of the general public and are safe from any kind of assault, violation, and destruction. To implement these purposes, principles and rules have been established; one of these principles is to guard against and prevent encroachment on the personal property of others and their Shariah rights.
The issue of enjoining what is good and forbidding what is bad, or calling and propagating the religion of Islam, is a correct and well-researched approach, free from any kind of fraud and negligence.
Since the preservation, survival, and application of any religion and Sharia are dependent on its calling and preaching, enabling its purposes to be realized; Allah Almighty has always introduced the matter of calling and preaching as His first and most important duty with the sending of every prophet and has ordered all the prophets (peace be upon them) to do so. This responsibility is sometimes called Da’wat, sometimes called preaching, and sometimes referred to as enjoining good and forbidding evil.
The most fundamental discussion here is the background of enjoining good and forbidding evil in previous heavenly religions. Perhaps the extraordinary importance of this principle in Islam is due to the fact that this religion has been legislated for all people in all ages and is the last divine law. Therefore, all believers, especially Islamic scholars, should strive to expand and spread, preserve, and protect Islamic Sharia. They should act as successors of Allah and the divine prophets on Earth, making Islam eternal by adhering to these two duties of “enjoining good and forbidding evil.”
As Allah, the Exalted, says about the Jews who did not observe the divine religion and law, betrayed Allah and His Prophet, rose up against the religion and its message, and finally fought against the divine callers and His prophets in a very cruel manner: «إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَكْفُرُونَ بِآيَاتِ اللَّهِ وَيَقْتُلُونَ النَّبِيِّينَ بِغَيْرِ حَقٍّ وَيَقْتُلُونَ الَّذِينَ يَأْمُرُونَ بِالْقِسْطِ مِنَ النَّاسِ فَبَشِّرْهُمْ بِعَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ» Translation: “They are those who disbelieve in the signs of Allah, kill the prophets unjustly, and kill those of the people who call them to justice; give them news of a painful punishment.”
It is clear from the above verse that these two duties are not specific to Islamic Sharia; they were obligatory in previous Sharia as well. Although its scope was not as extensive as that of Islamic Sharia, based on a narration from the Holy Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), «الَّذیِن یأمُروُنَ بِالقِسْطِ» refers to a group of Israelites who were not only adversaries of the Prophets and the divine call, but also condemned the murderers of the Prophets and met with martyrdom in this manner.
Imam Qurtubi (may Allah have mercy on him) writes in the commentary of the above verse: “This verse indicates that enjoining good and forbidding evil were obligatory in previous nations.”
Dr. Abdul Rauf Mukhlis, one of the country’s contemporary scholars, wrote in his significant commentary under this verse: “Mubarad explains the reason for the revelation of this holy verse, stating that a group of Israelites killed the prophets who came to them and invited them to Allah Almighty. Then, other believers rose in response to the invitation, but they also killed this group. Therefore, these verses refer to the Jews who deviated from the right path and are threatened and blamed until the Day of Judgment.”
Mr. Mukhlis continued by quoting a hadith from Hazrat Abu Ubaidah bin Jarrah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), clarifying the matter and emphasizing the dimensions of the discussion. He mentioned the following hadith: “Abu Ubaidah asked the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace): ‘Who will receive a more severe punishment on the Day of Judgment?’ The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) replied: ‘A man who kills a prophet or a person who commands what is good and forbids what is bad.'” This serves as a reminder that enjoining good and forbidding evil was also obligatory for previous nations.
In the following verse, Luqman Hakim advises his son to pray and enjoin what is good and forbid what is bad; he also advises him to be patient. This advice suggests a historical context where some individuals faced hardships on the path of inviting and enjoining good and forbidding evil. Luqman Hakim, considering the conditions of the time and place, where the people would likely not accept his son’s invitation and might even persecute him, advised him to be patient and to consider this a firm resolution: «يَا بُنَيَّ أَقِمِ الصَّلَاةَ وَأْمُرْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَانْهَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَاصْبِرْ عَلَى مَا أَصَابَكَ إِنَّ ذَلِكَ مِنْ عَزْمِ الْأُمُورِ»
Translation: “Oh my son! Establish prayer, enjoin what is good, forbid what is bad, and be patient for whatever comes to you. Undoubtedly, this is one of the great works.”
Thus, from the story of Luqman and his son, we can conclude that before the commencement of the Muhammadi Sharia, enjoining good and forbidding bad were fundamental principles in previous Sharias, guiding people toward good deeds and away from evil by any means necessary.
Allama Alusi narrates from Ibn Abi Hatam, who said about this verse: “Command what is good, that is, monotheism, and forbid what is evil, that is, polytheism.” It is evident that this practice has a historical precedent in other nations, as monotheism has been the first and most important subject of all divine prophets’ calls, while polytheism and idolatry were the first practices prohibited. Prophets and believers may have lost their lives, property, and even families while steadfastly adhering to this path.
Additionally, it is mentioned in Surah Ma’idah about a group of Israelites who were cursed due to disbelief and neglecting to forbid what is evil, as stated by Prophet David and Jesus (peace be upon them): «لُعِنَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِنْ بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ عَلَى لِسَانِ دَاوُدَ وَعِيسَى ابْنِ مَرْيَمَ ذَلِكَ بِمَا عَصَوْا وَكَانُوا يَعْتَدُونَ (۷۸) كَانُوا لا يَتَنَاهَوْنَ عَنْ مُنْكَرٍ فَعَلُوهُ لَبِئْسَ مَا كَانُوا يَفْعَلُونَ» Translation: “The disbelievers of Bani Israel were cursed by the words of David and Jesus, son of Mary, because they disobeyed and transgressed. They did not forbid each other from the ugly work they were doing; they were definitely doing something bad.”
From the story of the Companions of the Sabt in the Holy Qur’an, it is clear that enjoining good and forbidding evil have been foundational commands and orders from the Lord of the Worlds in previous nations, with the same significance as in Islamic Sharia. Those who neglected this duty were punished, while only a few who engaged in forbidding evil were saved. This emphasizes that the position of enjoining good and forbidding evil was present in previous laws. As Allah, the Exalted, says: «فَلَوْلَا كَانَ مِنَ الْقُرُونِ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ أُولُو بَقِيَّةٍ يَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْفَسَادِ فِي الْأَرْضِ إِلَّا قَلِيلًا مِمَّنْ أَنْجَيْنَا مِنْهُمْ وَاتَّبَعَ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مَا أُتْرِفُوا فِيهِ وَكَانُوا مُجْرِمِينَ (۱۱۶) وَمَا كَانَ رَبُّكَ لِيُهْلِكَ الْقُرَى بِظُلْمٍ وَأَهْلُهَا مُصْلِحُونَ» Translation: “Then why were there no wise people among the nations before you who prevented [people] from corrupting the earth?! Except for a few of those whom We saved, and those who did wrong, followed [worldly] pleasures and ease, and were sinners [and perished]… and [O Prophet] Your Lord was not like that to destroy cities [and settlements] by oppression, while their people are [worthy and] virtuous.”
Similarly, a group of Christian and Jewish scholars who failed to forbid sinful speech, idle talk, and immorality, and who turned a blind eye to people’s mistakes, were also condemned. Allah, the Exalted, says about them: «لَوْلَا يَنْهَاهُمُ الرَّبَّانِيُّونَ وَالْأَحْبَارُ عَنْ قَوْلِهِمُ الْإِثْمَ وَأَكْلِهِمُ السُّحْتَ لَبِئْسَ مَا كَانُوا يَصْنَعُونَ» Translation: “Why don’t scholars stop them from their sinful speech and immorality? What they were doing is really bad.”
In the interpretation of the above verse, Allamah Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates a hadith from Hazrat Abdullah bin Abbas, stating: “There is no verse in the Qur’an that reprimands more severely than this verse.”
Additionally, Allah, the Exalted, says: «يُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَيُسَارِعُونَ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ وَأُولَئِكَ مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ» Translation: “They believe in Allah and the Last Day, and enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil, and hasten to [do] good deeds, and they are among the righteous.”
Allamah Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates from Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that this verse was revealed about those Jewish scholars who believed, such as Abdullah bin Salam, Asad bin Ubaid, Thaalba bin Sa’iyya, Asid bin Sa’iyya, and others. This serves as strong proof and evidence that enjoining good and forbidding evil holds a special and significant place in all Sharia.
Allama Shoukani (may Allah have mercy on him) wrote about the importance of enjoining good and forbidding evil in different periods of human life: “Enjoining good and forbidding evil towards the Islamic Ummah is among the greatest obligations of Islam and one of the basic principles and an important pillar of Islam. The dignity and respect of the Islamic system depend on the implementation of what is good and the prohibition of what is bad.”
Enjoining good and forbidding evil is more important in the Shariah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) compared to previous laws, and for this reason, one of the characteristics of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in the Torah is the commandment of what is good and the prohibition of what is evil: «الَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ الرَّسُولَ النَّبِيَّ الْأُمِّيَّ الَّذِي يَجِدُونَهُ مَكْتُوبًا عِنْدَهُمْ فِي التَّوْرَاةِ وَالْإِنْجِيلِ يَأْمُرُهُمْ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَاهُمْ عَنْ الْمُنْكَرِ وَيُحِلُّ لَهُمُ الطَّيِّبَاتِ وَيُحَرِّمُ عَلَيْهِمُ الْخَبَائِثَ وَيَضَعُ عَنْهُمْ إِصْرَهُمْ وَالْأَغْلَالَ الَّتِي كَانَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ فَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِهِ وَعَزَّرُوهُ وَنَصَرُوهُ وَاتَّبَعُوا النُّورَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ مَعَهُ أُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ» Translation: “Those who follow this messenger who is uneducated, who finds his name written with them in the Torah and the Bible. [The same Prophet who] commands them to do what is good and forbids them from what is bad and makes clean things lawful for them and unclean things forbidden for them and removes from [their shoulders] the restrictions that were on them. Therefore, those who believed in him, respected him, helped him, and followed the light that was revealed with him—they are the Pious.
