The Ruling on Delaying the Forbidding of Evil for the Sake of Da'wah
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Honorable Shaykh! There are some Muslims who commit sins whom we visit with the intention of calling them to Allah (Mighty and Majestic). However, these people do not attend gatherings of dhikr and are far from Allah (Mighty and Majestic). We find some evil among them, and sometimes they try to test us by having one of them play songs in our presence. We do not call them to good in front of people; rather, we go to their homes and try to win their hearts at first by repeating our visits. Based on experience, we have found that if we start by forbidding the evil, they flee from us and do not sit with us. But by the grace of Allah (Mighty and Majestic), we are patient with that, and if we sometimes hear some evil,But some of the brothers forbid and say: you must forbid the evil. Should we forbid the evil immediately, or should we be patient with the intention of calling to Allah (Mighty and Majestic)?
The one who forbids evil is like a doctor. If a doctor comes upon a wound and cuts it open immediately to extract what is inside, it may result in greater harm. But if he cuts it open gradually and is patient with the foul smell he smells from it, the intended result is achieved. You did not sit with the people of evil desiring the evil they are upon; rather, you sat with them for the sake of calling to Allah. In my opinion, every person who has a distinguished intellect, if he sits with a companion of good, will abandon the sin he is upon. He may perhaps be stubborn or defiant and keep it or increase in it, as you said. But be patient. If you know that there is no hope for him, then at that time do not sit with him, and it is obligatory for you to leave him at that time.
The one who forbids evil is like a doctor. If a doctor comes upon a wound and cuts it open immediately to extract what is inside, it may result in greater harm. But if he cuts it open gradually and is patient with the foul smell he smells from it, the intended result is achieved. You did not sit with the people of evil desiring the evil they are upon; rather, you sat with them for the sake of calling to Allah. In my opinion, every person who has a distinguished intellect, if he sits with a companion of good, will abandon the sin he is upon. He may perhaps be stubborn or defiant and keep it or increase in it, as you said. But be patient. If you know that there is no hope for him, then at that time do not sit with him, and it is obligatory for you to leave him at that time.