How should one deal with those who do not respond to gentleness when enjoining good and forbidding evil?

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Question: You mentioned, O esteemed Shaykh, in your speech that enjoining good and forbidding evil is to be done with gentleness and softness, but there are some people with whom softness and gentleness are of no avail?

Answer: If you have authority, exercise your authority according to what the Shari'ah rules require. As for the one who has no authority, he acts with gentleness and softness, and by doing so he fulfills what is required of him, as Allah the Exalted said:

Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction

ادْعُ إِلَى سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ

[Surat al-Nahl: 125], and as He the Exalted said:

So by mercy from Allah, [O Muhammad], you were lenient with them. And if you had been rude [in speech] and harsh in heart, they would have disbanded from about you.

فَبِمَا رَحْمَةٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ لِنْتَ لَهُمْ وَلَوْ كُنْتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ الْقَلْبِ لانْفَضُّوا مِنْ حَوْلِكَ

[Surat Ali 'Imran: 159], and as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:

Whenever there is compassion in something, it adorns it, and whenever it is removed from something it disgraces it.

إن الرفق لا يكون في شيء إلا زانه ولا ينزع من شيء إلا شانه

Al-Adab Al-Mufrad 27:14

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However, if the one enjoining good and forbidding evil has authority, such as a governor, the head of a committee, or a member of the committee, then they must enforce their authority against the stubborn one, as Allah the Exalted said:

And do not argue with the People of the Scripture except in a way that is best, except for those who commit injustice among them

وَلا تُجَادِلُوا أَهْلَ الْكِتَابِ إِلا بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ إِلا الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مِنْهُمْ

[Surat al-'Ankabut: 46]. The wrongdoer is dealt with firmly, and the stubborn one is also dealt with firmly to the extent of one's ability, while observing the Shari'ah rules, whether by the governor or others who hold authority and have the right to command. A man deals with his family according to his capacity, and likewise a teacher with his students, and a tribal sheikh with his group. As for others who have no authority, they must enjoin good and forbid evil with wisdom, good manner, guidance to what is good, and supplication for guidance. If the intended result is not achieved, they must refer the matter to those who hold authority.

Source binbaz.org.sa

The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.

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