Is it permissible to attend gatherings if there is wrongdoing in them?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : O esteemed Shaykh, a person is invited to gatherings, and most people's gatherings involve backbiting. Is it obligatory for a person to attend?
And if he is unable to forbid the wrongdoing, is he obligated to attend for that reason?
The Shaykh : Is he invited to a wedding feast?
The questioner : No, to ordinary gatherings.
The Shaykh : First: May Allah reward you. A person should be a source of blessing as much as possible. So, let him attend the gatherings, and if he sees wrongdoing, let him advise. If the people of the gathering accept the advice, which is the usual case, that is fine; otherwise, he should stand up and leave them. For a person to despair and say, "If I went, it would be of no benefit," is a matter of concern. Rather, what I see is that he should go, and if he sees the wrongdoing, he should forbid it. If the attendees do not stop, he should stand up and leave them. This is the correct course of action.
And if he is unable to forbid the wrongdoing, is he obligated to attend for that reason?
The Shaykh : Is he invited to a wedding feast?
The questioner : No, to ordinary gatherings.
The Shaykh : First: May Allah reward you. A person should be a source of blessing as much as possible. So, let him attend the gatherings, and if he sees wrongdoing, let him advise. If the people of the gathering accept the advice, which is the usual case, that is fine; otherwise, he should stand up and leave them. For a person to despair and say, "If I went, it would be of no benefit," is a matter of concern. Rather, what I see is that he should go, and if he sees the wrongdoing, he should forbid it. If the attendees do not stop, he should stand up and leave them. This is the correct course of action.