The People Most Deserving of Advice
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Question:
Who is more deserving of advice, the Muslim or the disbeliever? Sometimes we give advice but it is not heeded. Should we continue advising, or should we leave it? And how do I begin with advice, and what is the method for doing so?
Answer:
Praise be to Allah, and may Allah send prayers and peace upon the Messenger of Allah, and upon his family and his Companions.
The people most deserving of advice are the Muslims, so that their faith may be completed and so that they may fulfill what is obligatory upon them; for in their rectitude lies the rectitude of the people, and by the goodness of their reputation and conduct, it becomes closer for people to enter Islam. And whenever the reputation of the Muslims worsens, and their morals worsen, and their deeds worsen, this becomes a deterrent for others to enter Islam. So advising the Muslims and directing them to good, and striving to remove their errors and mistakes, and striving for the manifestation of their noble conduct and the disappearance of all that contradicts the pure Shari'ah, all of this is among the most important matters. So your brothers are the most deserving of your advice, and the most entitled to it, and the most entitled to it are the people of your household, and the closest people to you according to ability and capacity.
But in terms of general benefit, the rulers are the people most deserving of advice for whoever is able to do so; for their advice, and their being affected by it, benefits the entire Ummah through them. So whoever is able to do so, he is the most deserving of advice, and the most important of them in advising the rulers with direction, guidance, and urging to good, then the most important in the most important of responsibilities.
But the people of your household have a special status in beginning with them, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: [Al-Tahrim: 6], and He the Exalted said: [Ta-Ha: 132]. So the believer does this and that, especially the responsible ones among the scholars and the people of responsibility in the state. Advising the responsible ones and the people of their household is among the most important matters. Then after that, calling the disbelievers to Allah, advising them and directing them to good, and explaining what they were created for, which is the obedience of Allah and His worship, so that perhaps they may be guided.
And you must be patient and continue in advising. Guidance is not upon you. Allah says -Exalted and Majestic is He-: [Al-Baqarah: 272], and He says to His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): [Al-Qasas: 56].
So it is obligatory upon the people of knowledge, and the people of faith, and upon every Muslim, and every Muslim woman, to give advice according to their capacity. It is not upon them that the people be guided and that they accept. And if your brother whom you advised, or others from the disbelievers, do not accept from you, it is not for you to be cowardly and weak. Rather, you must be patient, count it as a good deed, and continue in good. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever directs to good, he has a reward like that of the doer." And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) when he sent him to Khaybar to the Jews:Sahih al-Bukhari 3701.
So the believer in his calling to Allah, and his advising the servants of Allah, is upon great good and upon a great reward. So let him count it as a good deed and be patient. If Allah benefits through his advice, then that is what is sought. Otherwise, the reward is due to him, and that one who was advised returns with the sin that he did not accept.
Who is more deserving of advice, the Muslim or the disbeliever? Sometimes we give advice but it is not heeded. Should we continue advising, or should we leave it? And how do I begin with advice, and what is the method for doing so?
Answer:
Praise be to Allah, and may Allah send prayers and peace upon the Messenger of Allah, and upon his family and his Companions.
The people most deserving of advice are the Muslims, so that their faith may be completed and so that they may fulfill what is obligatory upon them; for in their rectitude lies the rectitude of the people, and by the goodness of their reputation and conduct, it becomes closer for people to enter Islam. And whenever the reputation of the Muslims worsens, and their morals worsen, and their deeds worsen, this becomes a deterrent for others to enter Islam. So advising the Muslims and directing them to good, and striving to remove their errors and mistakes, and striving for the manifestation of their noble conduct and the disappearance of all that contradicts the pure Shari'ah, all of this is among the most important matters. So your brothers are the most deserving of your advice, and the most entitled to it, and the most entitled to it are the people of your household, and the closest people to you according to ability and capacity.
But in terms of general benefit, the rulers are the people most deserving of advice for whoever is able to do so; for their advice, and their being affected by it, benefits the entire Ummah through them. So whoever is able to do so, he is the most deserving of advice, and the most important of them in advising the rulers with direction, guidance, and urging to good, then the most important in the most important of responsibilities.
But the people of your household have a special status in beginning with them, as the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
O you who have believed, protect yourselves and your families from a Fire
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ وَأَهْلِيكُمْ نَارًاAnd enjoin prayer upon your family and be patient with it
وَأْمُرْ أَهْلَكَ بِالصَّلَاةِ وَاصْطَبِرْ عَلَيْهَاAnd you must be patient and continue in advising. Guidance is not upon you. Allah says -Exalted and Majestic is He-:
Not upon you, [O Muhammad], is [responsibility for] their guidance, but Allah guides whom He wills.
لَيْسَ عَلَيْكَ هُدَاهُمْ وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَهْدِي مَنْ يَشَاءُIndeed, [O Muhammad], you do not guide whom you like, but Allah guides whom He wills
إِنَّكَ لَا تَهْدِي مَنْ أَحْبَبْتَ وَلَكِنَّ اللَّهَ يَهْدِي مَنْ يَشَاءُSo it is obligatory upon the people of knowledge, and the people of faith, and upon every Muslim, and every Muslim woman, to give advice according to their capacity. It is not upon them that the people be guided and that they accept. And if your brother whom you advised, or others from the disbelievers, do not accept from you, it is not for you to be cowardly and weak. Rather, you must be patient, count it as a good deed, and continue in good. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever directs to good, he has a reward like that of the doer." And he (peace and blessings be upon him) said to Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) when he sent him to Khaybar to the Jews:
if one man is guided on the right path (i.e. converted to Islam) through you, it would be better for you than (a great number of) red camels.
لأن يهدي الله بك رجلًا واحدًا خير لك من حمر النعمSo the believer in his calling to Allah, and his advising the servants of Allah, is upon great good and upon a great reward. So let him count it as a good deed and be patient. If Allah benefits through his advice, then that is what is sought. Otherwise, the reward is due to him, and that one who was advised returns with the sin that he did not accept.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.