﷽

وَمَا الْحَيَاةُ الدُّنْيَا إِلَّا لَعِبٌ وَلَهْوٌ ۖ وَلَلدَّارُ الْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لِلَّذِينَ يَتَّقُونَ ۗ أَفَلَا تَعْقِلُونَ

And the worldly life is not but amusement and diversion; but the home of the Hereafter is best for those who fear Allah, so will you not reason?

How should it be carried out?

Allah ﷻ states:

وَٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَٰتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍ ۚ يَأْمُرُونَ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ ٱلْمُنكَرِ وَيُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَيُطِيعُونَ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥٓ ۚ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ سَيَرْحَمُهُمُ ٱللَّهُ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ

The believing men and believing women are allies of one another. They enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and establish prayer and give zakah and obey Allah and His Messenger. Those - Allah will have mercy upon them. Indeed, Allah is Exalted in Might and Wise.

— Al-Qur'an, 9:71

Enjoining good is one of the acts of worship done for the sake of Allah. As well as forbidding what is evil. The very least we should do as believers, is to acknowledge good and reject evil within our hearts. As the lowest level of faith is to reject evil within the heart.

Abu Sa’id al-Khudri reported: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

مَنْ رَأَى مِنْكُمْ مُنْكَرًا فَلْيُغَيِّرْهُ بِيَدِهِ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَبِلِسَانِهِ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَبِقَلْبِهِ وَذَلِكَ أَضْعَفُ الْإِيمَانِ

Whoever among you sees evil, let him change it with his hand. If he is unable to do so, then with his tongue. If he is unable to do so, then with his heart, and that is the weakest level of faith.

— Source: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 49, Grade: Sahih

When it comes to using the hand and the tongue, these are certain actions that are obligated upon us only if carried out using the proper methods, principles, and intentions.

And it would not be proper to try enjoin good with ignorance. As it would make situations even worse or even ruin it completely. One should have the knowledge, wisdom and understanding to properly correct wrongdoings. The good would otherwise be diminished if done in ignorance.

Ibn Taymiyyah writes:

فلا بد من هذه الثلاثة العلم والرفق والصبر العلم قبل الأمر والنهي والرفق معه والصبر بعده

One who enjoins good must have three qualities: knowledge, gentleness, and patience. Knowledge comes before it, gentleness comes during it, and patience comes after it.

حَسْبُنَا اللّٰهُ وَنِعْمَ الْوَكِيْلُ

. . . Sufficient for us is Allah, and He is the best disposer of affairs.

And your Lord inspired to the bee, "Take for yourself among the mountains, houses, and among the trees and [in] that which they construct.

— Al-Qur'an, 16:68

Then eat from all the fruits and follow the ways of your Lord laid down [for you]." There emerges from their bellies a drink, varying in colors, in which there is healing for people. Indeed in that is a sign for a people who give thought.

The Qur'an and it's consistency with regards to the concept of repentance

'Repentance' in Islam requires no intermediary between us and the Creator. We say Allah is العفو (The Pardoner) and الغافر (The Forgiver). He will pardon us of our sins provided that we are truly sincere in our repentance, and strive against our desires to prevent ourselves from doing that particular sin again.

Surely as human beings, we have our shortcomings. At times we may feel overwhelmed by our own desires that it tempts us to react according to it. But He constantly reminds us to not despair of the mercy of Allah.

❝My Mercy prevails over My Wrath.❞

— Al-Bukhari & Muslim

He has provided us a lifelong journey to search for Him, to seek forgiveness from Him. A whole lifespan to turn back to Him.

One of His attributes is ٱلْصَّبُورُ (The Patient One). The very fact that He has specified a long term for us to be forgiven within, is due to his patience and mercy. A blessing from The Almighty.

Allah wants to accept your repentance, but those who follow [their] passions want you to digress [into] a great deviation.

— Al-Qur'an, 4:26

Allah is saying He wants to forgive us and to accept our repentance. Despite all the years and perhaps decades of being away from His guidance, despite the multitudes of sins we comit, our sincerity in repentance and our strong desire to turn back to Allah will be accepted provided that you have no intention to redo those sins whatsoever, for the sake of Allah.

He further explains:

And Allah wants to lighten for you [your difficulties]; and mankind was created weak.

— Al-Qur'an, 4:27

And finally,

Allah wants ease for us. Not difficulty, not burden, but ease.

The part ❝...and mankind was created weak.❞ is indicative of the fact that we inherently possess the incapability of keeping ourselves steady against our harmful desires. Our hearts are made to sway. It is therefore important to note that we should not despair of our lack of steadfastness, but use it as a means to keep growing our faithfulness and reliance upon Allah that we may be successful. In sha Allah.

Abu Hurairah reported : The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said :

A prayer performed by someone who has not recited the foundation of the Qur'an (Surah Al-Fatihah) during it is deficient, incomplete. He repeated these words three times.

Someone said to Abu Hurairah, "Even though we are behind the Imam?"

He said: Recite it to yourself, for I have heard the messenger of Allah say :

“ Allah the Exalted said :

❝ I have divided prayer between Myself and My servant into two halves, and My servant shall have what he has asked for. ❞

When the servant says :

الْحَمْدُ للّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

"Praise be to Allah, The Lord of the Worlds"

Allah says :

❝ My servant has praised Me. ❞

When the servant says :

الرَّحْمـنِ الرَّحِيمِ

"The Most Gracious, The Most Merciful"

Allah says :

❝ My servant has exalted Me. ❞

When the servant says :

مَالِكِ يَوْمِ الدِّينِ

"Master of the Day of Judgement"

Allah says :

❝ My servant has glorified Me and has submitted to My power. ❞

When the servant says :

إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ

"You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help"

Allah says :

❝ This is between Me and My servant, and My servant shall have what he asked for. ❞

When the servant says :

اهدِنَــــا الصِّرَاطَ المُستَقِيمَ

صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنعَمتَ عَلَيهِمْ غَيرِ المَغضُوبِ عَلَيهِمْ وَلاَ الضَّالِّينَ

"Guide us to the straight path —

The path of those You have bestowed favor upon, not of those who have evoked Your anger and have gone astray"

Allah says :

❝ This is for My servant, and My servant shall have what he has asked for. ❞

— Source: Sahih Muslim 395