Is enjoining good and forbidding evil obligatory for individuals, or is it limited to a specific group?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Fatwa No. ( 1392 )
Q: Allah the Exalted said:[Ali 'Imran 3:110] This noble verse and the related hadiths indicate that the address is directed to individuals; that is, if an individual sees an evil, he should try to change it, and if he sees someone falling short in good, he should encourage them to do it. And Allah the Exalted said: [Ali 'Imran 3:104] If this noble verse points to the establishment and founding of a group, then who bears the responsibility? Is it upon the authorities (awli al-amr) as stated in the Qur'an, or does it fall to the individual? If it is said that the individual is the one who establishes the group, is it permissible for another person to establish another group, and so on? And if no one is allowed to establish a group after someone else has already established one before them, what is the legal ruling if it is established that the first group has strayed from the straight path or deviated from its objectives? How can one adhere to the legal ruling in such a case, and is it permissible for another individual at that time to establish another group?
A: First: The saying of Allah the Exalted:[Ali 'Imran 3:110]
This verse is a general address to the entire community of response, its leader and its followers, until the Day of Resurrection, and praise for them; for their faith and their fulfillment of what is obligatory upon them of enjoining good and forbidding evil by hand, by tongue, or by disapproval in the heart, each according to his ability, as is apparent from the address, and due to the generality of what was narrated by Ahmad and Muslim and Abu Dawud and al-Nasa'i from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:Sahih Muslim 49a , so the address is not directed only to individuals as the questioner understood. Second: The saying of Allah the Exalted: [Ali 'Imran 3:104] is a command for the entire community of response to have among them a group prepared for enjoining good and forbidding evil, qualified for it in knowledge, culture, action, and character, taking charge of this matter, carrying it out in a manner sufficient for conveying the message and admonition, and improving the conditions of the community. If a group carries this out, the obligation falls off the rest, otherwise all are sinful, as is the case with collective obligations. As for organizing this, the method of application, and the manner of execution, it is referred to the authorities among the scholars and rulers. It may be that
the scientific and religious awareness in the community has reached a level that motivates groups and individuals to fulfill the obligation of enjoining good and forbidding evil in the best condition, without falling short, and without any taint of fitnah or deviation from the path of the Shari'ah. In this case, the authorities only participate in teaching and da'wah, and cooperate with the people for good, and support them in their religion and worldly affairs, and exchange advice between the leader and the people, as was the case in the early period of Islam. The authorities may find a falling short in teaching and preparing preachers, or a deviation in da'wah and a conflict of opinions, and they fear fitnah, decline, and corruption from that, so they are compelled to organize all methods of teaching, including the preparation of preachers, and to organize the methods of calling to Allah in a way that guarantees the community benefit and happiness in its culture, and supports it in its call to good, enjoining good and forbidding evil, and averts fitnah and eliminates deviation. And if a Muslim calls to good, enjoins good, and forbids evil alone, or if a group or groups agree at one time or different times to carry this out, and to cooperate among themselves in spreading Islam and supporting the community in its religion in one place or in distant or close places, if their work in da'wah is in accordance with what the Shari'ah requires
support them in that. And if they deviate or cause fitnah or harm in their da'wah that exceeds their benefit, it is obligatory for the authorities to supervise them, guide them, and correct them; so that their conditions are improved and they become beneficial. If that is not possible, it is obligatory to take hold of their hands and prevent them from taking charge of da'wah and carrying it out, preferring the stronger of the two benefits, and committing the lesser of the two harms, and assigning da'wah to those who are qualified for it, realizing the benefit and staying away from the causes of fitnah and harm. And with this, the answer to the hesitations mentioned in the question becomes clear. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and his companions.
Q: Allah the Exalted said:
You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong
كُنْتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِAnd let there be [arising] from you a nation inviting to [all that is] good, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong
وَلْتَكُنْ مِنْكُمْ أُمَّةٌ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى الْخَيْرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِA: First: The saying of Allah the Exalted:
You are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong
كُنْتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِThis verse is a general address to the entire community of response, its leader and its followers, until the Day of Resurrection, and praise for them; for their faith and their fulfillment of what is obligatory upon them of enjoining good and forbidding evil by hand, by tongue, or by disapproval in the heart, each according to his ability, as is apparent from the address, and due to the generality of what was narrated by Ahmad and Muslim and Abu Dawud and al-Nasa'i from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:
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, and that is the least of faith.
من رأى منكم منكرًا فليغيره بيده، فإن لم يستطع فبلسانه، فإن لم يستطع فبقلبه، وذلك أضعف الإيمانAnd let there be [arising] from you a nation inviting to [all that is] good, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong
وَلْتَكُنْ مِنْكُمْ أُمَّةٌ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى الْخَيْرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِthe scientific and religious awareness in the community has reached a level that motivates groups and individuals to fulfill the obligation of enjoining good and forbidding evil in the best condition, without falling short, and without any taint of fitnah or deviation from the path of the Shari'ah. In this case, the authorities only participate in teaching and da'wah, and cooperate with the people for good, and support them in their religion and worldly affairs, and exchange advice between the leader and the people, as was the case in the early period of Islam. The authorities may find a falling short in teaching and preparing preachers, or a deviation in da'wah and a conflict of opinions, and they fear fitnah, decline, and corruption from that, so they are compelled to organize all methods of teaching, including the preparation of preachers, and to organize the methods of calling to Allah in a way that guarantees the community benefit and happiness in its culture, and supports it in its call to good, enjoining good and forbidding evil, and averts fitnah and eliminates deviation. And if a Muslim calls to good, enjoins good, and forbids evil alone, or if a group or groups agree at one time or different times to carry this out, and to cooperate among themselves in spreading Islam and supporting the community in its religion in one place or in distant or close places, if their work in da'wah is in accordance with what the Shari'ah requires
support them in that. And if they deviate or cause fitnah or harm in their da'wah that exceeds their benefit, it is obligatory for the authorities to supervise them, guide them, and correct them; so that their conditions are improved and they become beneficial. If that is not possible, it is obligatory to take hold of their hands and prevent them from taking charge of da'wah and carrying it out, preferring the stronger of the two benefits, and committing the lesser of the two harms, and assigning da'wah to those who are qualified for it, realizing the benefit and staying away from the causes of fitnah and harm. And with this, the answer to the hesitations mentioned in the question becomes clear. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad and his family and his companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.