Clarifying the position on publicizing the names of those who commit evil when forbidding it

The Shaykh:
Yes, go ahead.

The questioner:
Your Eminence, the father, Grand Mufti of the Kingdom, Head of the Departments of Scientific Research and Ifta, Head of the Council of Senior Scholars, we seek your permission (may Allah preserve and protect you) to pose some questions that souls yearn for and necks stretch to receive an answer from you (may Allah preserve and protect you). Will you grant us your permission? Your Eminence, the Shaykh, many questions have come in seeking guidance and clarification of the decisive statement regarding those who mix up the understanding of the prohibition against publicizing the names of those who commit evil, and as a result remain silent about forbidding much of the evil or about enjoining good. What is the guidance in this matter (may Allah preserve you)?

The Shaykh:
It is obligatory for every Muslim who has knowledge and insight, whether he is from the Council, from the preachers, or from the rest of the scholars, it is obligatory for every person to forbid evil and call to good. There is no need for publicizing names. The intention is to forbid evil. It does not require saying "so-and-so" or "so-and-so" or "so-and-so." The obligation is to say, "Allah has forbidden such-and-such and prohibited such-and-such. Allah has made such-and-such obligatory and commanded such-and-such." And he calls his brothers to do what is commanded and leave what is prohibited, as He, the Exalted and Majestic, said: . The evil is not that they clarify who committed the evil. He said, "They enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong." Then he mentioned those who commit it in the context of disgrace, in the context of backbiting, and its evil is great and its danger is serious. So it is obligatory for the believer to strive to forbid evil and call to good in the manner that brings about good and what is required, and does not bring about the opposite of that. But whoever displays evil in the markets, and whoever displays it among the people, is forbidden from it. Whoever displays evil has torn off the veil of Allah, so he is forbidden from it. "You have committed an evil, so fear Allah. Cover yourself." As for forbidding in other places, there is no need. The intention is to forbid evil from the one who displayed it in a market, or in a mosque, or in a gathering, or in any place. As for if he did not display it, then you, O servant of Allah, clarify the evil only. "This is forbidden by Allah, so it must be left." "This is obligatory by Allah, so it must be done." "This is recommended, so it is recommended to do it." "This is disliked, so it should be left." And so on. The believer clarifies the rulings of Allah. This is how the scholar clarifies the rulings of Allah, so that the believers take them up in practice and in leaving. The believer takes up the obligatory and does it, and leaves what Allah and the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prohibited. When the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was one day sitting among the people, a funeral passed by and they spoke ill of it, so he said, "It is decreed." And another passed by and they spoke well of it, so he said, "It is decreed." They asked him: . Whoever displays evil among the people has exposed himself. So if he is testified against, he exposes himself to the anger of Allah. There is no power and no strength except by Allah. If the hypocrites testify against him. But you, between you and the people, guide them to Allah. You call them to Allah. You clarify the truth for them. Between you and them, you guide them, perhaps Allah will guide them by His means. And you clarify the evil to the people so that they leave it, and the obligatory to the people so that they do it, without the need to mention so-and-so or so-and-so.