Inability that excuses one from forbidding evil with the tongue
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
Honorable Shaykh. This questioner says: In the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)Sahih Muslim 49a. The question is: What is the inability that excuses a person from enjoining good and forbidding evil with the tongue?
Answer:
If he is unable to speak, or does not know how to speak, or does not know the evidence, or does not know the evidence and the rulings of the Shari'ah, then he does not speak out of ignorance, because he might permit what is forbidden, or forbid what is permissible, without knowledge. He might think that a matter is wrong when it is not wrong. So if he does not have a natural aptitude for knowledge that makes him discerning in the rulings of the Shari'ah, he does not speak. Or if he has knowledge and understanding but is prevented from doing so, if a ruler prevents him from doing so and he fears for his life that he will be harmed if he speaks, then he is excused and he forbids evil with his heart.
Honorable Shaykh. This questioner says: In the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him)
He who amongst you sees something abominable should modify it with the help of his hand; and if he has not strength enough to do it, then he should do it with his tongue, and if he has not strength enough to do it, (even) then he should (abhor it) from his heart
من رأى منكم منكرا فليغيره بيده، فإن لم يستطع فبلسانه، فإن لم يستطع فبقلبهAnswer:
If he is unable to speak, or does not know how to speak, or does not know the evidence, or does not know the evidence and the rulings of the Shari'ah, then he does not speak out of ignorance, because he might permit what is forbidden, or forbid what is permissible, without knowledge. He might think that a matter is wrong when it is not wrong. So if he does not have a natural aptitude for knowledge that makes him discerning in the rulings of the Shari'ah, he does not speak. Or if he has knowledge and understanding but is prevented from doing so, if a ruler prevents him from doing so and he fears for his life that he will be harmed if he speaks, then he is excused and he forbids evil with his heart.
Source
75-اللقاء الأسبوعي مع الشيخ صالح الفوزان - 20 — archive.org (5:25)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.