A speech on the occasion of the new year regarding self-review, striving to make up for missed good deeds, and calling to Allah.
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : We begin this new year with it, and we ask Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) to make it a blessed year for us and for the Muslims, and to make it a year of security and faith, safety and Islam, cooperation in righteousness and piety, and abstention from sin and aggression. Indeed, He is capable of all things.
It is known that the past year passed with its painful, joyful, beneficial, and harmful events, and everyone will see it, as Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) said:[Az-Zalzalah 99:6-8].
It is also known that the merchant, at the end of his trading year, looks at his business records, seeing what he gained and what he lost in his past year, so that he may make up for what was missed and repair what was corrupted. If this is the case in worldly trade, then the trade of the Hereafter must be more important and greater in the heart of the person, because Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) says:[As-Saf 61:10-11].
And He (Exalted and Majestic is He) says:[Al-Jumu'ah 62:9]
So if a person looks into the ledger of his deeds in the past year, he will either find an obligatory duty that he neglected and was lax in, and he must make up for it, because making up for it, along with repentance to Allah (the Exalted) and turning back to Him, repairs what was corrupted. And whoever is bold in the sins of Allah (Mighty and Majestic)—and the person is not free from sin—the door of repentance is open. Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) said:[Az-Zumar 39:53] Then Allah (the Exalted) said: [Az-Zumar 39:53] This is regarding the repentant; if a person repents, whatever his sin may be, Allah (the Exalted) will forgive it for him.
Allah has mentioned the greatest of sins in His right and the rights of His servants, and He made clear that repentance from them turns evil deeds into good ones. He, the Exalted, said:[Al-Furqan 25:68] These are among the greatest of sins. The first is: [Al-Furqan 25:68] meaning: they do not associate partners with Him, and shirk (associating partners with Allah) is the greatest of sins in the right of Allah, Mighty and Majestic. The second is: [Al-Furqan 25:68] and killing the soul that Allah has forbidden is the greatest transgression against the son of Adam. For this reason, the first thing to be judged among people on the Day of Resurrection is blood. The third is: and zina (unlawful sexual intercourse) is among the greatest crimes in the rights of man in defiling his honor. Regarding these three foundations, Allah, the Exalted, said: [Al-Furqan 25:68-70] This is from the grace of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, that if a person sins and then repents to Allah, believes, and does a righteous deed, his previous evil deeds become good deeds, as a favor and grace from Allah. And all praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds.
So the important thing is that this is our review of our past year. What is our outlook toward our new year?
The rational person must take a lesson from what has passed for what is to come. The past year has passed as if it were an hour of the day, as if it were a moment of moments. And so the coming year will be like its predecessor; it will pass quickly. So we must resolve ourselves with seriousness and striving to do what benefits us in our religion and our worldly life, in good deeds and avoiding the forbidden, hoping that we may make up for what was missed. The remaining life of the believer has no value, and deeds are judged by their endings.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) informed us, and he is the truthful and the veracious:Mishkat al-Masabih 82Muttafaqun 'alayh (Zubair `Aliza'i) meaning: until nothing remains of him and his term ends. The meaning is not: until there is only an arm's length between him and it in terms of deeds, meaning: that his deeds will bring him close to Paradise. The meaning is: until there is only an arm's length between him and it regarding his term, then the record overtakes him and he acts with the deeds of the people of the Fire. But if he truly acts with the deeds of the people of Paradise until there is only an arm's length between him and it in terms of deeds, then Allah (the Exalted) will not disappoint his effort, He says: Sahih Muslim 2675h.
It is impossible in the wisdom and mercy of Allah that He would abandon a person who spent his life in obedience to Allah until only an arm's length remains. But this is the intent of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him): that there is only an arm's length between him and it, meaning: in terms of his term, but he acts with the deeds of the people of Paradise in what appears to people. I seek refuge in Allah, and he is from the people of the Fire. I ask Allah for safety.
This is witnessed by the authentic hadith in al-Bukhari and others: Why? I ask you, because he is a brave, bold man who does not leave a single hair of the enemy or a strand except that he cuts it off. If this man is from the people of the Fire and he is of this stature in jihad (struggle in the path of Allah), then what about those below him? meaning: I will surely be a companion to him so that I may see what happens to the man?
What will be his state?
He says: And it seems, and Allah knows best, that he panicked because he is a bold, brave man, and the brave man does not accept to be defeated. And he killed himself in the Fire. .
May Allah rectify our inner and outer states for you and for us. Knowledge is of the inner state, of the inner state of the heart. Purify the heart; the purification of the limbs and the heart is what is tested on the Day of Resurrection, as Allah (the Exalted) said:[Al-'Adiyat 100:9-10] And He (the Exalted) said: [At-Tariq 86:8-9] So you, my Muslim brother, must purify your heart and cleanse it from doubt and shirk (associating partners with Allah), and from hypocrisy and hatred toward the Muslims, and from enmity and hostility, so that your outer and inner states are purified.
We must also welcome this new year with striving in good deeds that bring us closer to Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He), with sincerity to Allah and following His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Especially seeking knowledge, for seeking knowledge is a type of jihad (struggle in the path of Allah), indeed it is jihad in the path of Allah, and indeed it is better than jihad in the path of Allah according to many scholars, because people need knowledge more than they need jihad, since jihad is in treating and reforming others, while seeking knowledge is in reforming the self and reforming others.
So jihad in the path of Allah needs knowledge, and knowledge does not need jihad in the path of Allah. For this reason, many precise scholars preferred seeking knowledge over jihad in the path of Allah. However, the stronger opinion in my view is that there is a detail regarding specific individuals: some people we say jihad is better for them, and some people we say seeking knowledge is better for them. If we find a man prepared for knowledge in memorization, understanding, perseverance, and following, and he is less so in jihad in the path of Allah, we say to him: knowledge is better for you. And if another is brave, bold, active, and strong, but not so in memorization and understanding, we say to him: jihad is better for you.
So the preference in acts of worship, and this is a rule that a student of knowledge should consider: the preference in acts of worship in themselves, and the preference in acts of worship regarding the specific individuals who perform them. This is what a person must know the difference in.
And we say: the absolute preference is that knowledge is better, without doubt, meaning: seeking knowledge is better than jihad in the path of Allah. But regarding specific individuals, there is the detail I mentioned to you. We say to this person: the best is that you remain in seeking knowledge, and to the other: go in jihad in the path of Allah.
We must also welcome this new year by reforming our character with people, that we meet people with a cheerful face, that we spread the greeting among us, both initiating and responding, contrary to some people now whom you find among students of knowledge but they do not spread the greeting. A person meets his companion and fellow in study, whether in the college or in the mosque, and does not greet him unless Allah wills. He meets his brothers in the market and does not greet them unless Allah wills. For this reason, it became famous among some people, among some commoners, and commoners are like flies, that students of knowledge are harsh and do not greet, and when greeted they respond with their noses and the greeter does not hear them. All of this is from the arrogance of Satan. So what is required of us, indeed what is obligatory upon us, is to be loving and united with our Muslim brothers.
Spreading the greeting is one of the causes of entering Paradise. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Make it public and announce it. Then, what reward does the one who greets receive? Answer: A single greeting brings ten good deeds. Ten good deeds remain for you on a day when you will need them, and you will not find an increase in your good deeds. You are in the greatest need of them, and you will find them with Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He. If it were said to people: "Every person who greets us, we will give them a dirham," what would happen? Would they spread the greeting or not? They would spread the greeting. In fact, they would return to the person sitting there several times in order to obtain more dirhams, even though dirhams are either perishable or one is separated from them. A person will not live forever, and dirhams will not last forever. It is inevitable that one will be separated from either the owners of wealth or the wealth itself. For this reason, Allah, Mighty and Majestic, rebuked those who prefer the life of this world over the Hereafter, saying: [Al-A'la 87:16-17]
So, O my brothers, we must begin our year with good character toward people, for good character is among the best of deeds. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) even said:Sunan Abi Dawud 4682Hasan Sahih (Al-Albani).
It is essential that good character be present in calling people to Allah, because calling to Allah is not merely for reconciliation between you and others, or for bringing affection between you and others, but for establishing the religion of Allah. Therefore, we should not be harsh in calling to Allah. Rather, we should call with gentleness, softness, and patience in bearing harm, and even in bearing the disagreement of those we call. This means that we should not expect or hope to achieve the desired result immediately. How long did the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) call people in Makkah? How long? Thirteen years he called them to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, in the best manner, with good admonition, and by every means he could use to achieve his purpose, peace and blessings be upon him. Yet his Lord, Exalted is He, who is the most knowledgeable and the most wise, revealed the rulings to him gradually. In Makkah, only two of the pillars of Islam were established: the testimony that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and the second: prayer. The rest all came in Madinah. As for zakah, although it is said that its origin was made obligatory in Makkah, the person was given a choice in it. In Madinah, the shares were made obligatory, the amounts were specified, and the recipients of zakah were defined. But this training from Allah, Mighty and Majestic, must be taken into consideration, and we must not expect people to reform overnight. That is impossible; the wisdom of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, forbids it.
So, O my brothers, you must be gentle with people in calling to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and bear their harm, and bear their persistence in some sins, hoping for their improvement in the future.
There are some callers to Allah who have great zeal, but they do not know how to call people while restraining that zeal. In other words, if he sees a person committing a wrong, he cannot control his zeal and rebukes him harshly. This is a mistake and is not correct. When you find a person smoking a cigarette, for example, do you shout at him and say: "Woe to you, this is forbidden, this is forbidden. You are persisting in sin, so you are among the open sinners. You have deviated from justice." Is this appropriate? No. Leave him alone, let him be, and then speak to him gently. "My brother, what benefit is there in this? Is there any benefit in it? Is there any harm in it?" until he accepts it out of conviction. Know that if someone agrees with you out of coercion or authority, he will generally not benefit. If he turns away from you or you turn away from him, he will return to what he was doing. But if he agrees with you out of conviction, that is the intended goal, and that is what achieves the desired result.
So, O my brothers, be gentle in calling to Allah, and meet people with a broad chest.
And know that if you call another to the truth, or enjoin what is right, or forbid what is wrong.
Fine.
It is known that the past year passed with its painful, joyful, beneficial, and harmful events, and everyone will see it, as Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) said:
(6) That Day, the people will depart separated [into categories] to be shown [the result of] their deeds. (7) So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it, (8) And whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it.
يَوْمَئِذٍ يَصْدُرُ النَّاسُ أَشْتَاتاً لِيُرَوْا أَعْمَالَهُمْ * فَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ خَيْراً يَرَهُ * وَمَنْ يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرّاً يَرَهُIt is also known that the merchant, at the end of his trading year, looks at his business records, seeing what he gained and what he lost in his past year, so that he may make up for what was missed and repair what was corrupted. If this is the case in worldly trade, then the trade of the Hereafter must be more important and greater in the heart of the person, because Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) says:
(10) O you who have believed, shall I guide you to a transaction that will save you from a painful punishment? (11) [It is that] you believe in Allah and His Messenger and strive in the cause of Allah with your wealth and your lives. That is best for you, if you should know.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا هَلْ أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى تِجَارَةٍ تُنْجِيكُمْ مِنْ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ * تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَتُجَاهِدُونَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ بِأَمْوَالِكُمْ وَأَنْفُسِكُمْ ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَAnd He (Exalted and Majestic is He) says:
O you who have believed, when [the adhan] is called for the prayer on the day of Jumu'ah [Friday], then proceed to the remembrance of Allah and leave trade. That is better for you, if you only knew.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا إِذَا نُودِيَ لِلصَّلاةِ مِنْ يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ فَاسَعَوْا إِلَى ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَذَرُوا الْبَيْعَ ذَلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَSo if a person looks into the ledger of his deeds in the past year, he will either find an obligatory duty that he neglected and was lax in, and he must make up for it, because making up for it, along with repentance to Allah (the Exalted) and turning back to Him, repairs what was corrupted. And whoever is bold in the sins of Allah (Mighty and Majestic)—and the person is not free from sin—the door of repentance is open. Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He) said:
Say, "O My servants who have transgressed against themselves [by sinning], do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins. Indeed, it is He who is the Forgiving, the Merciful."
قُلْ يَا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ لا تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعاً إِنَّهُ هُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُIndeed, Allah forgives all sins
إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعاًAllah has mentioned the greatest of sins in His right and the rights of His servants, and He made clear that repentance from them turns evil deeds into good ones. He, the Exalted, said:
And those who do not invoke with Allah another deity or kill the soul which Allah has forbidden [to be killed], except by right, and do not commit unlawful sexual intercourse
وَالَّذِينَ لا يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهاً آخَرَ وَلا يَقْتُلُونَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ وَلا يَزْنُونَdo not invoke with Allah another deity
لا يَدْعُونَ مَعَ اللَّهِ إِلَهاً آخَرَor kill the soul which Allah has forbidden [to be killed], except by right
وَلا يَقْتُلُونَ النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّand do not commit zina
وَلا يَزْنُونَAnd whoever should do that will meet a penalty. (69) Multiplied for him is the punishment on the Day of Resurrection, and he will abide therein humiliated - (70) Except for those who repent, believe and do righteous work. For them Allah will replace their evil deeds with good. And ever is Allah Forgiving and Merciful.
وَمَنْ يَفْعَلْ ذَلِكَ يَلْقَ أَثَاماً * يُضَاعَفْ لَهُ الْعَذَابُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَيَخْلُدْ فِيهِ مُهَاناً * إِلَّا مَنْ تَابَ وَآمَنَ وَعَمِلَ عَمَلاً صَالِحاً فَأُولَئِكَ يُبَدِّلُ اللَّهُ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ حَسَنَاتٍ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ غَفُوراً رَحِيماًSo the important thing is that this is our review of our past year. What is our outlook toward our new year?
The rational person must take a lesson from what has passed for what is to come. The past year has passed as if it were an hour of the day, as if it were a moment of moments. And so the coming year will be like its predecessor; it will pass quickly. So we must resolve ourselves with seriousness and striving to do what benefits us in our religion and our worldly life, in good deeds and avoiding the forbidden, hoping that we may make up for what was missed. The remaining life of the believer has no value, and deeds are judged by their endings.
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) informed us, and he is the truthful and the veracious:
one of you will do the deeds of those who go to paradise so that there will be only a cubit between him and it, then what is decreed will overcome him so that he will do the deeds of those who go to hell and will enter it
أن الرجل يعمل بعمل أهل الجنة حتى ما يبقى بينه وبينها إلا ذراع، فيسبق عليه الكتاب فيعمل بعمل أهل النار فيدخلهاWhen he draws near Me by the span of his hand. I draw near him by the length of a cubit and when he draws near Me by the length of a cubit. I draw near him by the length of a fathom
ومن تقرب إلي شبراً تقربت إليه ذراعاً، ومن تقرب إلي ذراعاً تقربت منه باعا ًIt is impossible in the wisdom and mercy of Allah that He would abandon a person who spent his life in obedience to Allah until only an arm's length remains. But this is the intent of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him): that there is only an arm's length between him and it, meaning: in terms of his term, but he acts with the deeds of the people of Paradise in what appears to people. I seek refuge in Allah, and he is from the people of the Fire. I ask Allah for safety.
This is witnessed by the authentic hadith in al-Bukhari and others:
That a man was with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in a military expedition, and he was a brave and courageous man, and the Companions envied him and looked at him with reverence. So the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said one day: This is from the people of the Fire, this is from the people of the Fire. So this was a great matter for the Companions.
أن رجلاً كان مع النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم في غزوة وكان رجلاً شجاعاً مقداماً يغبطه الصحابة وينظرون إليه نظر إجلال، فقال النبي عليه الصلاة والسلام يوماً من الأيام: هذا من أهل النار، هذا من أهل النار، فعظم ذلك على الصحابةThis was a great matter for the Companions, so one of them said: By Allah, I will keep close to him.
عظم ذلك على الصحابة فقال أحدهم: والله لألزمنهWhat will be his state?
He says:
So he was struck by an arrow, and he panicked.
فأصيب بسهم، فجزعHe panicked, so he drew his sword, then placed it on his chest and leaned on it until it came out of his back—seeking refuge in Allah—and he killed himself.
جزع فسل سيفه ثم وضعه على صدره واتكأ عليه حتى طلع من ظهره -والعياذ بالله - فقتل نفسهSo the man returned to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said: I bear witness that you are the Messenger of Allah. He said: On what basis? He said: The man you said was from the people of the Fire did such and such. Then the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Indeed, a man may do the deeds of the people of Paradise in what appears to people, yet he is from the people of the Fire.
فرجع الرجل إلى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وقال: أشهد أنك رسول الله، قال: وبم؟ قال: إن الرجل الذي قلت: إنه من أهل النار فعل كيت وكيت، ثم قال النبي عليه الصلاة والسلام: إن الرجل ليعمل بعمل أهل الجنة فيما يبدو للناس وهو من أهل النارMay Allah rectify our inner and outer states for you and for us. Knowledge is of the inner state, of the inner state of the heart. Purify the heart; the purification of the limbs and the heart is what is tested on the Day of Resurrection, as Allah (the Exalted) said:
(9) But does he not know that when the contents of the graves are scattered (10) And that within the breasts is obtained,
أَفَلا يَعْلَمُ إِذَا بُعْثِرَ مَا فِي الْقُبُورِ * وَحُصِّلَ مَا فِي الصُّدُورِ(8) Indeed, Allah, to return him [to life], is Able. (9) The Day when secrets will be put on trial,
إِنَّهُ عَلَى رَجْعِهِ لَقَادِرٌ * يَوْمَ تُبْلَى السَّرَائِرُWe must also welcome this new year with striving in good deeds that bring us closer to Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He), with sincerity to Allah and following His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). Especially seeking knowledge, for seeking knowledge is a type of jihad (struggle in the path of Allah), indeed it is jihad in the path of Allah, and indeed it is better than jihad in the path of Allah according to many scholars, because people need knowledge more than they need jihad, since jihad is in treating and reforming others, while seeking knowledge is in reforming the self and reforming others.
So jihad in the path of Allah needs knowledge, and knowledge does not need jihad in the path of Allah. For this reason, many precise scholars preferred seeking knowledge over jihad in the path of Allah. However, the stronger opinion in my view is that there is a detail regarding specific individuals: some people we say jihad is better for them, and some people we say seeking knowledge is better for them. If we find a man prepared for knowledge in memorization, understanding, perseverance, and following, and he is less so in jihad in the path of Allah, we say to him: knowledge is better for you. And if another is brave, bold, active, and strong, but not so in memorization and understanding, we say to him: jihad is better for you.
So the preference in acts of worship, and this is a rule that a student of knowledge should consider: the preference in acts of worship in themselves, and the preference in acts of worship regarding the specific individuals who perform them. This is what a person must know the difference in.
And we say: the absolute preference is that knowledge is better, without doubt, meaning: seeking knowledge is better than jihad in the path of Allah. But regarding specific individuals, there is the detail I mentioned to you. We say to this person: the best is that you remain in seeking knowledge, and to the other: go in jihad in the path of Allah.
We must also welcome this new year by reforming our character with people, that we meet people with a cheerful face, that we spread the greeting among us, both initiating and responding, contrary to some people now whom you find among students of knowledge but they do not spread the greeting. A person meets his companion and fellow in study, whether in the college or in the mosque, and does not greet him unless Allah wills. He meets his brothers in the market and does not greet them unless Allah wills. For this reason, it became famous among some people, among some commoners, and commoners are like flies, that students of knowledge are harsh and do not greet, and when greeted they respond with their noses and the greeter does not hear them. All of this is from the arrogance of Satan. So what is required of us, indeed what is obligatory upon us, is to be loving and united with our Muslim brothers.
Spreading the greeting is one of the causes of entering Paradise. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
By Myself in Whose Hand is your soul, you will not enter Paradise until you believe, and you will not believe until you love one another. Shall I inform you of something that, if you do it, you will love one another?—Then he answered himself and said:—Spread the greeting of peace among yourselves.
والذي نفسي بيده لا تدخلوا الجنة حتى تؤمنوا، ولا تؤمنوا حتى تحابوا، أفلا أخبركم بشيء إذا فعلتموه تحاببتم؟ -ثم أجاب نفسه فقال:- أفشوا السلام بينكم(16) But you prefer the worldly life, (17) While the Hereafter is better and more enduring.
بَلْ تُؤْثِرُونَ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا * وَالْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَىSo, O my brothers, we must begin our year with good character toward people, for good character is among the best of deeds. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) even said:
The most perfect believer in respect of faith is he who is best of them in manners.
أكمل المؤمنين إيماناً أحسنهم خلقاًIt is essential that good character be present in calling people to Allah, because calling to Allah is not merely for reconciliation between you and others, or for bringing affection between you and others, but for establishing the religion of Allah. Therefore, we should not be harsh in calling to Allah. Rather, we should call with gentleness, softness, and patience in bearing harm, and even in bearing the disagreement of those we call. This means that we should not expect or hope to achieve the desired result immediately. How long did the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) call people in Makkah? How long? Thirteen years he called them to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, in the best manner, with good admonition, and by every means he could use to achieve his purpose, peace and blessings be upon him. Yet his Lord, Exalted is He, who is the most knowledgeable and the most wise, revealed the rulings to him gradually. In Makkah, only two of the pillars of Islam were established: the testimony that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and the second: prayer. The rest all came in Madinah. As for zakah, although it is said that its origin was made obligatory in Makkah, the person was given a choice in it. In Madinah, the shares were made obligatory, the amounts were specified, and the recipients of zakah were defined. But this training from Allah, Mighty and Majestic, must be taken into consideration, and we must not expect people to reform overnight. That is impossible; the wisdom of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, forbids it.
So, O my brothers, you must be gentle with people in calling to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and bear their harm, and bear their persistence in some sins, hoping for their improvement in the future.
There are some callers to Allah who have great zeal, but they do not know how to call people while restraining that zeal. In other words, if he sees a person committing a wrong, he cannot control his zeal and rebukes him harshly. This is a mistake and is not correct. When you find a person smoking a cigarette, for example, do you shout at him and say: "Woe to you, this is forbidden, this is forbidden. You are persisting in sin, so you are among the open sinners. You have deviated from justice." Is this appropriate? No. Leave him alone, let him be, and then speak to him gently. "My brother, what benefit is there in this? Is there any benefit in it? Is there any harm in it?" until he accepts it out of conviction. Know that if someone agrees with you out of coercion or authority, he will generally not benefit. If he turns away from you or you turn away from him, he will return to what he was doing. But if he agrees with you out of conviction, that is the intended goal, and that is what achieves the desired result.
So, O my brothers, be gentle in calling to Allah, and meet people with a broad chest.
And know that if you call another to the truth, or enjoin what is right, or forbid what is wrong.
Fine.