What is the criterion for forbidding evil in gatherings that contain evil?
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The questioner : May Allah preserve you: I mean, what is the criterion for forbidding evil if, for example, there is a gathering in which there is evil, and leaving it results in a greater evil than the act of forbidding? If you want to forbid it, and you are sitting in a gathering where there is evil, and your leaving causes a greater evil than this evil?
The Shaykh : But it causes a greater evil, yet its harm does not extend to others, is that right?
The questioner : Yes, that is right.
The Shaykh : Give an example?
The questioner : For example, if you sit in a gathering where, for instance, there is listening to songs or something like that, and you want to advise them during this, or smoking, or any evil from these evils.
The Shaykh : No, do not open the field too much; specify one.
The questioner : For example, smoking.
The Shaykh : Very well.
The questioner : So if you leave, for example, and they do not reach the ruling on smoking or such, even if there are people smoking or such, or if you leave and abandon them, meaning you do not inform them of this matter, even if there are people smoking in this gathering.
The Shaykh : No, if, for example, you sit in a gathering where there are people smoking, advise them.
The questioner : Even if there are people smoking?
The Shaykh : Even if they are in the state of smoking, advise them and make it clear to them that this is forbidden. Then, if they stop and cease, that is what is required. Otherwise, leave. But you say, "If my leaving causes a greater evil." Complete the question: Say, "And if I leave them, they will drink alcohol, and alcohol is greater than smoking. So should I leave or stay with them while they smoke, so that they do not drink alcohol?" In this issue, I say: leave. Because if they drink alcohol, their sin is upon themselves. And this is not contradicted by what is attributed to Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him), that he passed by a group of Tatars who were drinking alcohol and did not forbid it. His companion said to him: Why did you not forbid these people from drinking alcohol? He said: If they left the alcohol, they would go and plunder people's wealth and consider their honor lawful. And this second harm is greater than drinking alcohol, but it is a harm that extends to others. As for these who are smoking, if I forbade them from smoking and they left, but then they went to the markets and messed with people, then let them drink. So in this issue, if these who are smoking are advised by me but they continue in that, then I leave and do not care about them. Yes.
The Shaykh : But it causes a greater evil, yet its harm does not extend to others, is that right?
The questioner : Yes, that is right.
The Shaykh : Give an example?
The questioner : For example, if you sit in a gathering where, for instance, there is listening to songs or something like that, and you want to advise them during this, or smoking, or any evil from these evils.
The Shaykh : No, do not open the field too much; specify one.
The questioner : For example, smoking.
The Shaykh : Very well.
The questioner : So if you leave, for example, and they do not reach the ruling on smoking or such, even if there are people smoking or such, or if you leave and abandon them, meaning you do not inform them of this matter, even if there are people smoking in this gathering.
The Shaykh : No, if, for example, you sit in a gathering where there are people smoking, advise them.
The questioner : Even if there are people smoking?
The Shaykh : Even if they are in the state of smoking, advise them and make it clear to them that this is forbidden. Then, if they stop and cease, that is what is required. Otherwise, leave. But you say, "If my leaving causes a greater evil." Complete the question: Say, "And if I leave them, they will drink alcohol, and alcohol is greater than smoking. So should I leave or stay with them while they smoke, so that they do not drink alcohol?" In this issue, I say: leave. Because if they drink alcohol, their sin is upon themselves. And this is not contradicted by what is attributed to Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him), that he passed by a group of Tatars who were drinking alcohol and did not forbid it. His companion said to him: Why did you not forbid these people from drinking alcohol? He said: If they left the alcohol, they would go and plunder people's wealth and consider their honor lawful. And this second harm is greater than drinking alcohol, but it is a harm that extends to others. As for these who are smoking, if I forbade them from smoking and they left, but then they went to the markets and messed with people, then let them drink. So in this issue, if these who are smoking are advised by me but they continue in that, then I leave and do not care about them. Yes.