The Difference Between the Righteous and the Reformer, and Between the Corrupt and the Corrupter

The questioner:
Yes. I hope Your Eminence will clarify the difference between the righteous and the reformer, and between the corrupt and the corrupter?

The Shaykh:
The righteous among Allah’s servants is one whom the scholars described as the one who fulfills the rights of Allah and the rights of His servants. This is the righteous one. And peace be upon you and upon the righteous servants of Allah. So the righteous are those who fulfill the rights of Allah by performing His obligatory duties, avoiding His prohibitions, and fulfilling the rights of the servants by keeping trusts, supporting them, not deceiving them, initiating the salam, returning the salam, fulfilling trusts, and so on. This is the righteous one. The reformer is the one who takes charge of reforming people, guiding them, directing them, enjoining good and forbidding evil, removing the authority of the spendthrift, and so on. So he is a righteous reformer who fears Allah in himself and strives to reform others. This is a righteous reformer. The corrupt one is the one whose religion has become corrupt through disbelief in Allah or through sins and evil deeds. The corrupter is the one who calls to corruption, calls to evil, calls to zina (unlawful sexual intercourse) and lewd acts, encourages them, and spreads them among people. We ask Allah for safety.