The state's silence regarding some of what is wrong does not mean it approves of those wrongs
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
What is the ruling on those who, when you call them to leave off a forbidden act, or to do something lawful, say: If it were as you say, it would not be found in this country with the state's approval?
Answer:
This is an error; this is an invalid argument. First, the state does not know the unseen; it does not know everything in the country or in the state.
The second point: the state is not infallible; it is not infallible. It does not approve of anything but the truth. It may err and it may hit the mark. The state is like the scholars: they err and they hit the mark. So the existence of something in the country, in Riyadh, or outside Riyadh, or in the entire Kingdom, is not evidence that it is permissible or that it is allowed. There are sins in it, and there are acts of obedience, just like in other places.
The point is: this argument is an error. The state does not know the unseen, and the state is not infallible, and wrongs exist. So it is obligatory to forbid what is wrong and to prohibit what Allah has forbidden.
As for arguing that what is found in the Kingdom is lawful, this is an error. This is the argument of the people of desire. When you forbid them, they say: If it were forbidden, the state would not have approved of it. This exists... the state did not approve of it. This is what exists, and it is forbidden. Intoxicants exist among the people, and the state fights them, but they exist. Unlawful sexual intercourse exists, and the state fights it and applies the fixed punishments to those who commit it.
The point is: the existence of sins in the land of Saudi Arabia is not evidence that they are lawful. Sins may exist, and even in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) they existed. But it is obligatory to forbid what is wrong, to forbid what Allah has forbidden, to call to what Allah has commanded, and it is obligatory to forbid what is apparent of what is wrong, to put an end to it, and to apply the fixed punishments.
What is the ruling on those who, when you call them to leave off a forbidden act, or to do something lawful, say: If it were as you say, it would not be found in this country with the state's approval?
Answer:
This is an error; this is an invalid argument. First, the state does not know the unseen; it does not know everything in the country or in the state.
The second point: the state is not infallible; it is not infallible. It does not approve of anything but the truth. It may err and it may hit the mark. The state is like the scholars: they err and they hit the mark. So the existence of something in the country, in Riyadh, or outside Riyadh, or in the entire Kingdom, is not evidence that it is permissible or that it is allowed. There are sins in it, and there are acts of obedience, just like in other places.
The point is: this argument is an error. The state does not know the unseen, and the state is not infallible, and wrongs exist. So it is obligatory to forbid what is wrong and to prohibit what Allah has forbidden.
As for arguing that what is found in the Kingdom is lawful, this is an error. This is the argument of the people of desire. When you forbid them, they say: If it were forbidden, the state would not have approved of it. This exists... the state did not approve of it. This is what exists, and it is forbidden. Intoxicants exist among the people, and the state fights them, but they exist. Unlawful sexual intercourse exists, and the state fights it and applies the fixed punishments to those who commit it.
The point is: the existence of sins in the land of Saudi Arabia is not evidence that they are lawful. Sins may exist, and even in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) they existed. But it is obligatory to forbid what is wrong, to forbid what Allah has forbidden, to call to what Allah has commanded, and it is obligatory to forbid what is apparent of what is wrong, to put an end to it, and to apply the fixed punishments.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.