How do we reconcile the saying of Allah the Exalted: "O you who believe! Look to yourselves. No harm will come to you from those who go astray if you are guided," with the hadith: "Whoever among you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand"?
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The questioner : Noble Shaykh, how do we reconcile the saying of Allah (Mighty and Majestic): [Al-Ma'idah 5:105], with the saying of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): Sahih Muslim 49a to the end of the hadith?
The Shaykh : There is no contradiction between the verse and the hadith, and there is no contradiction between the verse and the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Ali 'Imran 3:104]. There is no contradiction among them, because the first verse mentioned: [Al-Ma'idah 5:105]. And part of our guidance is that we enjoin good and forbid evil. But if enjoining good and forbidding evil does not benefit anything, then the person should focus on himself. For this reason, it is narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) that he said: Jami` at-Tirmidhi 3058Sahih (Darussalam). So the verse in al-Ma'idah: [Al-Ma'idah 5:105] is for when a person is unable to enjoin good or forbid evil, or when it does not benefit. For this reason, Abu Bakr recited this verse and said: أيها الناس إنكم تقرءون قول الله تعالى : يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْفُسَكُمْ لا يَضُرُّكُمْ مَنْ ضَلَّ إِذَا اهْتَدَيْتُمْ ، وإني سمعت النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول : إن الناس إذا رأوا المنكر فلم يغيروه أوشك أن يعمهم الله بعقابه O people, you are reciting the saying of Allah the Exalted: "O you who believe! Look to yourselves. No harm will come to you from those who go astray if you are guided." And I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) say: "If people see an evil and do not change it, it is likely that Allah will encompass them with His punishment.". Yes.
O you who have believed, upon you is [responsibility for] yourselves. Those who have gone astray will not harm you when you have been guided. To Allah is you return all together; then He will inform you of what you used to do.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْفُسَكُمْ لا يَضُرُّكُمْ مَنْ ضَلَّ إِذَا اهْتَدَيْتُمْ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيعاً فَيُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَHe who amongst you sees something abominable should modify it with the help of his hand; and if he has not strength enough to do it, then he should do it with his tongue
من رأى منكم منكرًا فليغيره بيده فإن لم يستطع فبلسانهThe Shaykh : There is no contradiction between the verse and the hadith, and there is no contradiction between the verse and the saying of Allah the Exalted: