Why did the beginning start with the hand in the hadith (If any of you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand, and if he cannot, then with his tongue, and if he cannot, then with his heart, and that is the weakest of faith)
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The questioner : Another question, O Shaykh, regarding the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), whose meaning is Sahih Muslim 49a Here, why did the beginning start with the hand? It is known that if a person wants to change something, he speaks, and then if he sees the situation, if he can do it with his hand, he strikes or?
The Shaykh : You, you say that this is the known practice? Is what is known to you known to all people? Why do you not speak?
The questioner : Clarify, clarify, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : What should I clarify? You say that the known practice is that changing evil is done first with speech.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Is that not what you are saying?
The questioner : This means.
The Shaykh : Is that not what you are saying?
The questioner : Yes, yes.
The Shaykh : I tell you, if it is the known practice to you, it is not necessary that it be known to others. It may be that what is known to others is different from what is known to you.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Now, if you see an evil and find a thief who wants to steal from a person; do you rush to advise him while he is about to rob his brother of his money, or do you prevent him from doing it?
The questioner : I prevent him.
The Shaykh : By action or by speech? We do not differ; you prevent him.
The questioner : By action.
The Shaykh : So, your statement that the known practice is to start with speech is not the case; rather, the issue differs from place to place and from location to location. Is that clear?
The questioner : Is that clear?
The Shaykh : Fine, but there is a continuation to the speech. The Messenger (peace be upon him) started with enjoining good by the hand because it is the most deterrent, it is the most deterrent, and the most beneficial. Therefore, you see that the lowest degree of forbidding evil is forbidding with the heart.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Above that is with the tongue, and above that is with action.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Therefore, the answer to why he started is: because it is the most beneficial and the most deterrent. Then he descended to the second rank, and then to the third rank, where there is nothing after it at all.
Other than that?
He 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, and if he has not strength enough to do it, (even) then he should (abhor it) from his heart, and that is the least of faith.
إذا رأى أحدكم منكرًا فليغيِّره بيده ، فمن لم يستطع فبلسانه ، فإن لم يستطع فبقلبه ؛ وذلك أضعف الإيمانThe Shaykh : You, you say that this is the known practice? Is what is known to you known to all people? Why do you not speak?
The questioner : Clarify, clarify, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : What should I clarify? You say that the known practice is that changing evil is done first with speech.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Is that not what you are saying?
The questioner : This means.
The Shaykh : Is that not what you are saying?
The questioner : Yes, yes.
The Shaykh : I tell you, if it is the known practice to you, it is not necessary that it be known to others. It may be that what is known to others is different from what is known to you.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Now, if you see an evil and find a thief who wants to steal from a person; do you rush to advise him while he is about to rob his brother of his money, or do you prevent him from doing it?
The questioner : I prevent him.
The Shaykh : By action or by speech? We do not differ; you prevent him.
The questioner : By action.
The Shaykh : So, your statement that the known practice is to start with speech is not the case; rather, the issue differs from place to place and from location to location. Is that clear?
The questioner : Is that clear?
The Shaykh : Fine, but there is a continuation to the speech. The Messenger (peace be upon him) started with enjoining good by the hand because it is the most deterrent, it is the most deterrent, and the most beneficial. Therefore, you see that the lowest degree of forbidding evil is forbidding with the heart.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Above that is with the tongue, and above that is with action.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : Therefore, the answer to why he started is: because it is the most beneficial and the most deterrent. Then he descended to the second rank, and then to the third rank, where there is nothing after it at all.
Other than that?
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.