Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil
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.
— Source: al-Amr bil Ma’rūf li-Ibn Taymīyyah 1/20
