The Importance and Status of Enjoining Good and Forbidding Wrong (Part One)
Abstract
Enjoining good and forbidding wrong is based on faith in Allah Almighty, respect for religious and human values, and the protection of Islamic society from intellectual and moral deviations. This act is an effort to save individuals from divine punishment, both in this world and in the hereafter. It aims to establish goodness and eliminate corruption, creating a healthy environment for the growth of virtue and the training of an aware and committed conscience. Whenever this social responsibility is neglected, spirituality is destroyed, sensual desires prevail over the individual and society, religion is weakened, ignorance and corruption emerge, and both goodness and wrongdoing suffer from the punishment of Allah. Therefore, it is obligatory for Muslims to spare no effort in this fundamental and community-building act and to avoid letting the dust of inattention settle upon it.
This article will explore various aspects and dimensions regarding enjoining good and forbidding wrong, and it is hoped that it will be useful and beneficial.
Keywords: enjoining good, forbidding wrong, invitation, preacher, Muslim duty.
Introduction
Islam is the divine message and mission that the Muslim community carries. It is a bitter reality that not only the general Muslim population but also scholars and sheikhs have often neglected to convey this message, generally forgetting this important truth. As a result of this neglect, Muslims may consider themselves merely a nation like others in the world. However, Muslims are a group with an important mission from Allah. The purpose of their lives is to spread the mission of Islam and invite the world to it. The followers of this mission are Muslims, and their identity is rooted in their faith.
Once this truth is clarified, it becomes the duty of every Muslim to recognize this divine mission, teach it to others, invite people to it, and fulfill the rights of its followers.
Enjoining good and forbidding wrong is considered one of the most important principles of Islam. Through this great duty, reform and progress occur in Islamic society, allowing its members to live in complete security.
Enjoining good and forbidding wrong is an act that generates the blessings and mercy of Allah. It fosters benevolence among Muslims, encouraging them to assist one another, reach out to the oppressed, and guide the oppressors to the right path. This noble act is what earns the preachers of this nation the honorable title of «كنتم خیر أمة» (“the best of the nations”).
Enjoining good and forbidding wrong encompasses many stages and aspects. Sometimes this obligation requires action by the hand (through strength) and sometimes by the tongue (through call and propaganda). In situations where a person is unable to engage in the initial stages of action, he or she is compelled to regard the undesirable actions that occur before them as wrong only in their heart. This is considered the lowest level of faith, as mentioned in the noble hadith.
Meaning and Definition of Enjoining Good and Forbidding Wrong
“Enjoining” means ordering and commanding to do something, while “forbidding” means preventing and prohibiting something. “Ma’ruf” literally refers to that which is known, and “munkar” refers to that which is unknown. Thus, good deeds are recognized as known, while ugly and undesirable deeds are seen as unknown matters.
Raghib Isfahani states: “A ‘Ma’ruf’ action is one whose goodness is recognized through reason or the Sharia, and a ‘munkar’ action is one whose goodness is denied through either reason or the Sharia.”
Some scholars have said: “A ‘Ma’ruf’ action refers to whatever the law has commanded to be done, whether by compulsion or encouragement, and is considered good according to Islamic law as well as accepted by sound natures. A ‘munkar’ action refers to whatever the law has forbidden, whether by compulsion or prohibition, and is considered improper according to Islamic law, as well as not approved by sound natures.”
The Status and Necessity of Enjoining Good and Forbidding Wrong
Enjoining good and forbidding wrong is fundamental to all matters; it is one of the cornerstones of Islamic civilization. The essential status of these two principles in Islamic culture is akin to the flow of blood in the veins of a body, and negligence in this regard can lead to the gradual decline of the Islamic nation. Reforming human society is impossible without faith, a call for truth, and a fight against corruption.
Experience shows that a society where enjoining good and forbidding wrong is done openly and conscientiously remains pure and secure. Whenever these two duties are forgotten and disregarded in the face of transgressions and disorder, society becomes plagued by dangerous consequences, leaving no one safe. Due to the importance of this matter, Islamic scholars have emphasized it as the foundation and axis of religion. As Imam Muhammad Ghazali (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “Enjoining good and forbidding wrong is one of the pillars of religion, and all prophets were sent for this purpose. When this becomes taboo and is neglected by the people, all laws of religion become nullified.”
Imam Sayyid Abul Hasan Nadvi (may Allah have mercy on him) states: “In addition to the mission of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), Allah Almighty tasked his Ummah with the duty of calling to and enjoining good and forbidding wrong, so that they would assume this responsibility during the Prophet’s lifetime and continue it until the Day of Judgment, inviting the world to the truth at any time and in any place.” Therefore, Imam Shah Waliullah Dehlavi (may Allah have mercy on him) interpreted the mission of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) as a combined mission, indicating that, alongside the prophetic mission, the Ummah was also sent forth with this responsibility.
