The Consequences of Abandoning Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil
The Spread of Ignorance and the Dismantling of Knowledge and Wisdom
In societies where enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil does not play a key role, ignorance gradually casts a shadow over such societies and nations. The foundation of knowledge and wisdom is dismantled, and eventually, ignorance becomes widespread, causing societies to succumb to it. In the absence of enjoining good and forbidding evil, the errant and corrupt individuals believe that their path is right, their actions are correct, and their thoughts align with religious truths. This self-righteousness leads to a diminished need for science and knowledge, resulting in a decreased reliance on Islamic scholars, scientists, and jurists. Over time, communication between the majority of society and the minority of scholars is severed, leading to a disconnection that creates distance and demarcation. Such an approach risks the propagation of theories advocating for the separation of religion from the state, society, and all aspects of life—a broad topic that cannot be fully covered in this article.
Therefore, it should be understood that enjoining what is good and forbidding what is bad plays a vital and fundamental role in lifting the veil of ignorance from society. Otherwise, for all nations, the distinction between what is good and what is bad becomes suspect. Commanding good is, in essence, commanding knowledge, understanding, wisdom, and reasoning, while forbidding evil corresponds to forbidding ignorance, mistakes, errors, and actions against reason and religion. In simpler terms, enjoining good and forbidding evil define the right path, which requires knowing and recognizing the right things; this, in itself, constitutes knowledge, understanding, and science.
As is frequently the case with those who commit errors, mistakes, and sins, Allah Almighty indicates that the majority of them do not know, do not understand, do not comprehend, are ignorant, do not reason, etc. For example: “وَمَثَلُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا كَمَثَلِ الَّذِي يَنْعِقُ بِمَا لَا يَسْمَعُ إِلَّا دُعَاءً وَنِدَاءً صُمٌّ بُكْمٌ عُمْيٌ فَهُمْ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ” Translation: “And the likeness of those who disbelieve is as the likeness of one who shouts to that which hears nothing but a call and a cry. Deaf, dumb, and blind, they do not understand.”
“وَإِذَا نَادَيْتُمْ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ اتَّخَذُوهَا هُزُوًا وَلَعِبًا ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّهُمْ قَوْمٌ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ” Translation: “And when you call to prayer, they take it in ridicule and amusement. That is because they are the people who are ignorant.”
“وَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَسْتَمِعُونَ إِلَيْكَ أَفَأَنْتَ تُسْمِعُ الصُّمَّ وَلَوْ كَانُوا لا يَعْقِلُونَ” Translation: “And among them are some who listen to you. But can you make the deaf hear, even though they do not understand?”
“وَمَا كَانَ لِنَفْسٍ أَنْ تُؤْمِنَ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِ اللَّهِ وَيَجْعَلُ الرِّجْسَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ لَا يَعْقِلُونَ” Translation: “And it is not for a soul to believe except by permission of Allah, and He will place defilement upon those who will not use reason.”
“وَإِذَا بَدَّلْنَا آيَةً مَكَانَ آيَةٍ وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يُنَزِّلُ قَالُوا إِنَّمَا أَنْتَ مُفْتَرٍ بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ” Translation: “And when We substitute a verse in place of a verse—and Allah is most knowing of what He sends down—they say, ‘You are but an inventor [of lies].’ But most of them do not know.”
“مَا خَلَقْنَاهُمَا إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ” Translation: “And We did not create them except in truth, but most of them do not know.”
“إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُنَادُونَكَ مِنْ وَرَاء الْحُجُرَاتِ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لا يَعْقِلُونَ” Translation: “Indeed, those who call you from behind the rooms—most of them do not use reason.”
“وَلَوْ أَنَّنَا نَزَّلْنَا إِلَيْهِمُ الْمَلَائِكَةَ وَكَلَّمَهُمُ الْمَوْتَى وَحَشَرْنَا عَلَيْهِمْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ قُبُلًا مَا كَانُوا لِيُؤْمِنُوا إِلَّا أَنْ يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ يَجْهَلُونَ” Translation: “And even if We had sent down to them the angels and the dead spoke to them and We gathered together every created thing in front of them, they would not believe unless Allah will. But most of them, of that, are ignorant.”
“فَإِذَا جَاءَتْهُمُ الْحَسَنَةُ قَالُوا لَنَا هَذِهِ وَإِنْ تُصِبْهُمْ سَيِّئَةٌ يَطَّيَّرُوا بِمُوسَى وَمَنْ مَعَهُ أَلَا إِنَّمَا طَائِرُهُمْ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ” Translation: “So when good comes to them, they say, ‘This is ours [by right].’ But if a bad condition strikes them, they attribute it to the evil omen of Moses and those with him. Unquestionably, their fortune is with Allah, but most of them do not know.”
“أَلَا إِنَّ لِلَّهِ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ أَلَا إِنَّ وَعْدَ اللَّهِ حَقٌّ وَلَكِنَّ أَكْثَرَهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ” Translation: “Unquestionably, to Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth. Unquestionably, the promise of Allah is truth, but most of them do not know.”
“أَمِ اتَّخَذُوا مِنْ دُونِهِ آلِهَةً قُلْ هَاتُوا بُرْهَانَكُمْ هَذَا ذِكْرُ مَنْ مَعِيَ وَذِكْرُ مَنْ قَبْلِي بَلْ أَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ الْحَقَّ فَهُمْ مُعْرِضُونَ” Translation: “Or have they taken gods besides Him? Say, ‘Produce your proof. This is the message of those with me and the message of those before me.’ But most of them do not know the truth, so they are turning away.”
This is despite the fact that Allah Almighty has distinguished between the knowledgeable and the ignorant in various places and has granted those who possess knowledge and understanding an advantage over those who do not: “قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِي الَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُونَ وَالَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ إِنَّمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ” Translation: “Say, ‘Are those who know equal to those who do not know?’ Only those of understanding will Accept.”
