Consequences of Abandoning Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil
5. Rejecting the Guardianship (Wilayah) of Believers Over One Another
Saadi Shirazi beautifully said:
“Human beings are members of a whole,
In creation of one essence and soul.
If one member suffers pain,
The others cannot remain at peace.
If you are indifferent to the suffering of others,
You cannot be called a human being.”
The sacred religion of Islam has always encouraged and emphasized brotherhood and fraternity, introducing Muslims as brothers to one another and stressing the strengthening of this bond. Numerous pieces of evidence in Islam point to the guardianship (Wilayah) of one believer over another and clarify some of the rights Muslims owe to each other.
These valuable and significant teachings clearly demonstrate that believers have a sense of guardianship and responsibility toward one another, which is deeply embedded in the fabric of their lives. It is inseparable from the beliefs, thoughts, and Islamic conduct of this community.
In other words, the guardianship of one believer over another is one of the characteristics of this Ummah, fostering unity and solidarity among the followers of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). Together, they live in harmony, guided by strong faith, dynamic thought, Islamic ethics, and humane conduct in worshipping their Creator.
For instance, Allah the Almighty states: «إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَ أَخَوَيْكُمْ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ»
Translation: “Indeed, the believers are brothers, so make peace between your brothers and fear Allah, that you may receive mercy.”
The verse above mentions several points, all of which, taken together, indicate the guardianship of a believer over another and the sense of responsibility a Muslim has toward other Muslims. For example, in the aforementioned verse, Allah Almighty first emphasizes that all believers are brothers, regardless of color, race, tribe, geography, etc., and that they are obligated to mediate in the event of disputes among believers, judge in the shadow of piety, and avoid favoritism so that no one is wronged. Therefore, if these three points are observed, it is hoped that Allah Almighty will have mercy on these believing, peace-seeking, and God-fearing people and forgive many of the shortcomings of His servants.
In a hadith, it is stated: «الْمُسْلِمُ أَخُو الْمُسْلِمِ لاَ يَظْلِمُهُ وَلاَ يُسْلِمُهُ مَنْ كَانَ فِى حَاجَةِ أَخِيهِ كَانَ اللَّهُ فِى حَاجَتِهِ وَمَنْ فَرَّجَ عَنْ مُسْلِمٍ كُرْبَةً فَرَّجَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ بِهَا كُرْبَةً مِنْ كُرَبِ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ وَمَنْ سَتَرَ مُسْلِمًا سَتَرَهُ اللَّهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ.»Translation: “A Muslim is the brother of a Muslim and does not oppress his brother, nor does he hand him over [to an oppressor or enemy], and whoever fulfills the need of his Muslim brother, Allah will fulfill his need, and whoever relieves a Muslim of pain and distress, Allah will relieve him of pain and distress from his troubles on the Day of Resurrection, and whoever covers up a Muslim’s [flaw], Allah will cover up his [flaw] on the Day of Resurrection.”
In this hadith and in many others, Muslims are introduced as brothers to each other. Since the first interpreter of the Glorious Quran is the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), he states a series of rights for Muslims. In fact, the concept of brotherhood is established and strengthened by observing these rights. In the above hadith, observing justice and avoiding oppression, defending Muslims against oppressors and infidels, helping and seeking help, sharing in each other’s sorrows and joys, and covering up for the faults of Muslims are mentioned as important aspects of a brotherly life. If someone wants this brotherhood to be established in the true sense in his life and society, he must first consider these beneficial points and must not forget that the realization of brotherhood depends on observing these matters.
Hazrat Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that he said: «إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ لِلْمُؤْمِنِ كَالْبُنْيَانِ يَشُدُّ بَعْضُهُ بَعْضًا وَشَبَّكَ بَيْنَ أَصَابِعِهِ.»Translation: “Indeed, a believer is to another believer like a building; some of which support others, and they intertwine their fingers.”
In another hadith, it is narrated from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that he said: «الْمُسْلِمُونَ كَرَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ إِنِ اشْتَكَى عَيْنُهُ اشْتَكَى كُلُّهُ وَإِنِ اشْتَكَى رَأْسُهُ اشْتَكَى كُلُّهُ.» Translation: “Muslims are like a man/body; if his eye hurts, his whole being hurts, and if his head hurts, his whole being hurts.”
In the two hadiths above, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) has presented Muslims as unified, where color, race, and ethnicity do not confer status or rank among them. Rather, they are like a building or a body; when one part suffers, all parts feel the pain. This does not mean they share the apparent pain and instability, but rather that all Muslims are responsible for arising against poverty, misery, and oppression that may overwhelm one of them. They must fulfill their responsibility to secure the interests of that Muslim, prevent oppression, strengthen Islamic justice, uphold Shariah rulings, and establish relevant religious principles. Indeed, Muslims around the world resemble a human body; if a Muslim in any corner of the world becomes distressed or faces a problem, other Muslims should be affected by this and strive to help solve it. This principle is elaborated upon in subsequent hadiths.
Hazrat Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that he said: «حَقُّ المُسْلِمِ عَلَى المُسْلِمِ خَمْسٌ: رَدُّ السَّلاَمِ، وَعِيَادَةُ المَرِيضِ، وَاتِّبَاعُ الجَنَائِزِ، وَإِجَابَةُ الدَّعْوَةِ، وَتَشْمِيتُ العَاطِسِ» Translation: “Every Muslim has five rights over another Muslim: 1. Returning the greeting; 2. Visiting the sick; 3. Attending the funeral; 4. Responding to an invitation; 5. Responding to a sneeze.”
Hazrat Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) also narrated from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) that he said: «حَقُّ الْمُؤْمِنِ عَلَى الْمُؤْمِنِ سِتُّ خِصَالٍ أَنْ يُسَلِّمَ عَلَيْهِ إِذَا لَقِيَهُ وَيُشَمِّتَهُ إِذَا عَطَسَ وَإِنْ دَعَاهُ أَنْ يُجِيبَهُ وَإِذَا مَرِضَ أَنْ يَعُودَهُ وَإِذَا مَاتَ أَنْ يَشْهَدَهُ وَإِذَا غَابَ أَنْ يَنْصَحَ لَهُ»;
Translation: “Every believer has six rights over another believer: to greet him when he meets him, to return the sneeze when he sneezes (Say Alhamdulillah), to accept his invitation when he invites him, to visit him when he is sick, to attend his funeral when he dies, and to be his well-wisher when he is absent.”
Certainly, with all this emphasis on brotherhood and good relations between Muslims, Islam desires that Muslim relations transcend mere communication and evolve into guardianship and support for each Muslim. Only then will the essence of Islam be correctly and accurately implemented, establishing a bond of friendship and love among Muslims.
If the bond of brotherhood, followed by guardianship and love, exists among Muslims, but the principles of enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong are ignored, such bonds would not only be rendered worthless but will gradually diminish and disappear. This is because the foundation of all matters creating brotherhood and friendship is the principle: “Do not wish for your Muslim brother what you do not wish for yourself.” If this principle is upheld, it signifies that enjoining good and forbidding evil must never be disregarded. It is incumbent upon every Muslim to guide his brothers to good and prohibit them from evil.
Therefore, if a Muslim becomes indifferent to the wrongful and forbidden acts committed by another Muslim and does not feel responsible in his own heart, it must be acknowledged that such a person can never be a good friend to his co-religionists, and his guardianship is compromised. Furthermore, based on the above verse from Surah Al-Hujurat, such a person is deprived of Allah Almighty’s mercy and can no longer be regarded as a friend, guardian, or compassionate figure for Muslims. He perceives himself as separate from the larger community of Muslims, failing to recognize others as members of one body. This failure prevents him from feeling responsible for a fellow Muslim’s mistakes, offering them guidance towards the right path while compassionately urging them to avoid sins, helping them return from mistakes to righteousness, and engage in good deeds.
Consequently, another painful and regrettable consequence of abandoning the enjoining of good and forbidding of evil is that it deprives a person of the privileges of guardianship and friendship that Allah Almighty desires to exist among Muslims. Such a person who has not guided anyone toward the right path or deterred anyone from wrongdoing cannot claim to be a friend or a compassionate figure for Muslims, nor can they genuinely prioritize the interests of Muslims from a fraternal perspective.
