The meaning of "So let him say good or be silent" in the hadith?
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Question:
Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2500Sahih (Darussalam) It is said: Is the intended meaning, for example, that if one is in a gathering where there is backbiting, he should remain silent about them, or should he participate with them?
Answer:
: He should forbid the evil; he should forbid it when he hears them, alerting them by saying, "Fear Allah, leave off backbiting." And if he is in a gathering where there is talebearing, likewise. And if there is intoxicants, he should forbid them from it. And if there is unlawful sexual intercourse, he should forbid them from it. And so on; if he sees what is wrong, he should forbid it, or else he should leave the place, distance himself, and not sit with them over what is wrong.
Q: Or should he change the subject?
The Shaykh: It is obligatory to forbid what is wrong along with changing the subject. Forbidding what is wrong is obligatory [Al-Tawbah:71], and He the Exalted says: [Al-Imran:110]. The command and prohibition were placed before faith because of the greatness of the command.
Q: What if there are old men in the gathering, and it would be difficult if he said it to them?
The Shaykh: The truth is greater than them. The truth is greater. For this reason, when 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar, as mentioned earlier, was too shy to speak about the palm tree, his father 'Umar said, "If you had spoken, I would have preferred that to such and such." A person should not belittle himself regarding good; he should speak good and forbid what is wrong, even if he is the youngest of the people.
And whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, then let him say what is good or remain silent.
من كان يؤمن بالله واليوم الآخر فليقل خيرا أو ليَصْمُتAnswer:
let him speak good
فليقل خيرًاQ: Or should he change the subject?
The Shaykh: It is obligatory to forbid what is wrong along with changing the subject. Forbidding what is wrong is obligatory
The believing men and believing women are allies of one another. They enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong
وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ يَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِYou are the best nation produced [as an example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah.
كُنْتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِQ: What if there are old men in the gathering, and it would be difficult if he said it to them?
The Shaykh: The truth is greater than them. The truth is greater. For this reason, when 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar, as mentioned earlier, was too shy to speak about the palm tree, his father 'Umar said, "If you had spoken, I would have preferred that to such and such." A person should not belittle himself regarding good; he should speak good and forbid what is wrong, even if he is the youngest of the people.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.