الأمرُ بِالمَعروفِ وَالنَّهيُ عَنِ المُنكَرِ
ENJOINING GOOD AND PROHIBITING WRONG
الأمرُ بِالمَعروفِ وَالنَّهيُ عَنِ المُنكَرِ / Enjoining Good and Prohibiting Wrong
1ـ رسولُ اللهِِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): مَن أمَرَ بِالمَعروفِ ونَهى عَنِ المُنكَرِ فهُوَ خَليفَةُ اللّهِ في الأرضِ ، وخَليفَةُ رَسولِهِ.
1– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Whoever enjoins good and prohibits wrong is the deputy of Allah and the deputy of His Prophet on the earth.’
[Mustadrak al-Wasail, v. 12, p. 179, no. 13817]
2ـ رسولُ اللهِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): إنَّ اللّهَ تَبارَكَ وتَعالى لَيُبغِضُ المُؤمِنَ الضَّعيفَ الّذي لا زَبْرَ لَهُ ، وقالَ: هُوَ الّذي لا يَنهى عَنِ المُنكَرِ.
2– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Verily Allah, Mighty and Exalted, despises the weak believer who has no religion
[i.e. has no devotion to his religion].’ When asked who a believer with no religion is, he replied, ‘He who does not prohibit wrong.’
[al-Kafi, v. 5, p. 59, no. 15]
الأمرُ بِالمَعروفِ وَالنَّهيُ عَنِ المُنكَرِ
ENJOINING GOOD AND PROHIBITING WRONG
3ـ الإمامُ عليٌ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): قِوامُ الشَّريعَةِ الأمرُ بِالمَعروفِ، والنَّهيُ عَنِ المُنكَرِ ، وإقامَةُ الحُدودِ .
3– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘The basis of Islamic law is the enjoinment of good and the prohibition of wrong.’
[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 6817]
4ـ الإمامُ عليٌ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): وما أعمالُ البِرِّ كُلُّها والجِهادُ في سَبيلِ اللّهِ عِندَ الأمرِ بِالمَعروفِ والنَّهيِ عَنِ المُنكَرِ ، إلّا كَنَفثَةٍ في بَحرٍ لُجِّيٍّ.
4– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘All acts of righteousness and striving in the way of Allah are as mere spittle in the deep sea compared to enjoining good and prohibiting wrong.’
[Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 374]
5ـ الإمامُ عليٌ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): الأمرُ بِالمَعروفِ أفضَلُ أعمالِ الخَلقِ.
5– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Enjoinment of good is the best of all acts performed by creation.’
[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 1977]
6ـ الإمامُ عليٌ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): اعلَموا أنَّ الأمرَ بِالمَعروفِ والنَّهيَ عَنِ المُنكَرِ لَم يُقَرِّبا أجَلاً ، ولَم يَقطَعا رِزقا.
6– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Know that enjoinment of good and prohibition of wrong never reach an end, and never cut off sustenance.’
[al-Kafi, v. 5, p. 57, no. 6]
7ـ الإمامُ الحسينُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): كانَ يُقالُ: لا تَحِلُّ لِعَينٍ مُؤمِنَةٍ تَرَى اللّهَ يُعصى فتَطرِفُ حتّى يُغَيِّرَهُ.
7– Imam al-Husayn (AS) said, ‘It is not permissible for a believing eye to watch Allah being disobeyed and close without first changing the situation.’
[Tanbih al-Khawatir, v. 2, p. 179]
8ـ الإمامُ الباقرُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): إنَّ الأمرَ بِالمَعروفِ والنَّهيَ عَنِ المُنكَرِ سَبيلُ الأنبياءِ ، ومِنهاجُ الصُّلَحاءِ ، فريضَةٌ عَظيمَةٌ بِها تُقامُ الفَرائضُ ، وتَأمَنُ المَذاهِبُ ، وتَحِلُّ المَكاسِبُ ، وتُرَدُّ المَظالِمُ ، وتَعمُرُ الأرضُ ، ويُنتَصَفُ مِنَ الأعداءِ ، ويَستَقيمُ الأمرُ .
8– Imam al-Baqir (AS) said, ‘Verily the enjoinment of good and the prohibition of wrong is the path of the prophets, the way of the righteous, a great obligation on which all other obligations are founded and on which ideologies are secured, by which earnings are made lawful, by which iniquities are redressed, through which the earth flourishes, justice is sought from enemies and
[Allah’s] command is kept upright.’
[al-Kafi, v. 5, p. 56, no. 1]
خَطَرُ تَركِ الأمرِ بِالمَعروفِ وَالنَّهيِ عَنِ المُنكَرِ / The Danger in Abandoning the Enjoinment of Good and the Prohibition of Wrong
9ـ رسولُ اللهِِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): لَتَأمُرُنَّ بِالمَعروفِ ولَتَنهُنَّ عَنِ المُنكَرِ ، أو لَيَعُمَّنَّكُم عَذابُ اللّهِ .
9– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘You must enjoin good indeed and you shall prohibit wrong otherwise the chastisement of Allah will surely overtake you.’
[Wasael al-Shi`aah , v. 11, p. 407, no. 12]
10ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ) ـ مِن وَصِيَّتِهِ لِلحَسَنَينِ ’ بعدَ أن ضَرَبَهُ ابنُ مُلجَمٍ ـ: لا تَترُكوا الأمرَ بِالمَعروفِ والنَّهيَ عَنِ المُنكَرِ فَيُوَلّى عَلَيكُم شِرارُكُم ثُمَّ تَدعونَ فلا يُستَجابُ لَكُم .
10– Imam Ali (AS) said in his last will to Imam Hasan and Imam Husayn (AS) after he had been struck by Ibn Muljim, ‘Never abandon the enjoinment of good and the prohibition of wrong lest the evil ones amongst you gain mastery over you whereafter you will supplicate
[Allah] but you will not be answered.’
[Nahj al-Balagha, Letter 47]
مَن رَضِيَ بِفِعلِ قَومٍ / He Who Contents Himself with a People’s (Wrong) Action
11ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): الرّاضي بِفِعلِ قومٍ كالدّاخِلِ فيهِ مَعَهُم ، وعَلى كُلِّ داخِلٍ في باطِلٍ إثمانِ: إثمُ العَمَلِ بِهِ ، وإثمُ الرِّضا بِهِ .
11– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘The one who contents himself with the wrong action of a group of people is as one who plunges into it with them, and every person who plunges into wrongdoing is guilty of two sins: the sin of having committed the wrong and the sin of being content with it.’
[Nahj al-Balagha, Saying 254]
12ـ الإمامُ الجوادُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): مَنِ استَحسَنَ قَبيحاً كانَ شَريكاً فيهِ.
12– Imam al-Jawad (AS) said, ‘He who approves of a wicked deed partakes in it.’
[Kashf al-Ghamma, v. 3, p. 139]
13ـ الإمامُ الجوادُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): مَن شَهِدَ أمراً فكَرِهَهُ كانَ كمَن غابَ عَنهُ ، ومَن غابَ عَن أمرٍ فرَضِيَهُ كانَ كمَن شَهِدَهُ.
13– Imam al-Jawad (AS) said, ‘He who witnesses a misdeed and abhors it is as one who was absent thereat, whereas he who is absent from a misdeed and yet contents himself with it is as one who witnessed it.’
[Tuhaf al-`Uqoul, no. 456]
شَرائِطُ الآمِرِ بِالمَعروفِ / The Conditions to Be Observed by One Who Enjoins Good
14ـ رسولُ اللهِِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): مَن أمَرَ بِمَعروفٍ فليَكُنْ أمرُهُ ذلكَ بِمَعروفٍ.
14– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘One who enjoins good should do so using good means.’
[Kanz al-`Ummal, no. 5523]
15ـ رسولُ اللهِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ) ـ لَمّا قيلَ لَهُ: لا نَأمُرُ ولا نَنهى إلّا بِما عَمِلنا بِهِ أو انتَهَينا عَنهُ كُلِّهِ ـ: لا ، بَل مُروا بِالمَعروفِ وإن لَم تَعمَلوا بِهِ كُلِّهِ، وانهَوا عَنِ المُنكَرِ وإن لَم تَنتَهوا عَنهُ كُلِّهِ.
15– The Prophet (SAWA) was once told, ‘We only enjoin that which we ourselves practice absolutely and we only prohibit that which we refrain from absolutely’, to which he replied, ‘No, rather enjoin good even if you yourself do not practice it absolutely and prohibit wrong even if you yourself do not refrain from it absolutely.’
[Tanbih al-Khawatir, v. 2, p. 213]
16ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): إنّي لأَرفَعُ نَفسي أن أنهى النّاسَ عَمّا لَستُ أنتَهي عَنهُ ، أو آمُرَهُم بِما لا أسبِقُهُم إلَيهِ بعَمَلي.
16– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Verily I bring myself to prohibit people from that which I myself do not refrain from, or to enjoin them that which I myself have not performed before them.’
[Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 3780]
17ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): لَعَنَ اللّهُ الآمِرينَ بِالمَعروفِ التّارِكينَ لَهُ ، والنّاهينَ عَنِ المُنكَرِ العامِلينَ بِهِ .
17– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘Allah curses those who enjoin good but abandon its practice, and those who prohibit wrong but commit it themselves.’
[Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 129]
18ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): وانهَوا عَنِ المُنكَرِ وتَناهَوا عَنهُ؛ فإنَّما اُمِرتُم بِالنَّهيِ بَعدَ التّناهي.
18– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘And prohibit wrong and abstain from it yourselves, for verily you have been commanded to prohibit wrong after abstention from it.’
[Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 105]
19ـ الإمامُ الصّادقُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): إنَّما يَأمُرُ بِالمَعروفِ ويَنهى عَنِ المُنكَرِ مَن كانَت فيهِ ثَلاثُ خِصالٍ: عامِلٌ بِما يَأمُرُ بِهِ وتارِكٌ لِما يَنهى عَنهُ ، عادِلٌ فيما يَأمُرُ عادِلٌ فيما يَنهى ، رَفيقٌ فيما يَأمُرُ ورَفيقٌ فيما يَنهى .
19– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘Verily the one who enjoins good and prohibits wrong should possess three qualities: he should act upon that which he enjoins and abstain from that which he prohibits; he must be just with regards to what he enjoins and just with regards to what he prohibits; and he must be gentle in what he enjoins and gentle in what he prohibits.’
[al-Khisal, p. 109, no. 79]
أدنى مَراتِبِ النَّهيِ عَنِ المُنكَرِ / The Lowest Level of Prohibition of Wrong
20ـ رسولُ اللهِِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): مَن رَأى مِنكُم مُنكَراً فَلْيُغَيِّرْهُ بِيَدِهِ ، فإن لَم يَستَطِعْ فبِلِسانِهِ ، فإن لَم يَستَطِعْ فبِقَلبِهِ وذلكَ أضعَفُ الإيمانِ.
20– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘He who sees wrong being done should redress the situation with his own hand, and if he cannot do so then with his tongue, and if he cannot do so then with his heart
[disapproving the act], and that is the weakest level of faith.’
[al-Targhib wa al-Tarhib, v. 3, p. 223, no. 1]
21ـ رسولُ اللهِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ): ألا لا يَمنَعَنَّ أحَدَكُم هَيبَةُ النّاسِ أن يَقولَ الحَقَّ إذا رَآهُ أن يَذَّكَّرَ بِعِظَمِ اللّهِ ، لا يُقَرِّبُ مِن أجَلٍ ولا يُبعِدُ مِن رِزقٍ.
21– The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘Indeed fear of people must not prevent any of you from speaking the truth when he sees it fit to remind others of the grandeur of Allah, for neither will it
[i.e. speaking the truth] hasten your destined end, nor will it ward off your decreed sustenance.’
[Kanz al-`Ummal, no. 5570]
22ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): مَن تَرَكَ إنكارَ المُنكَرِ بقَلبِهِ ويَدِهِ ولِسانِهِ فهُوَ مَيِّتٌ بَينَ الأحياءِ.
22– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘He who abandons the prohibition of wrong with his heart, his hand and his tongue is a dead man walking amongst the living.’
[al-Tahdhib, v. 6, p. 181, no. 374]
23ـ الإمامُ عليٌّ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): أمَرَنا رَسولُ اللّهِ (صَلَّيَ اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَ آلِهِ) أن نَلقى أهلَ المَعاصي بِوُجوهٍ مُكفَهِرَّةٍ.
23– Imam Ali (AS) said, ‘The Prophet (SAWA) commanded us to meet the sinners with stern faces.’
[al-Kafi, v. 5, p. 59, no. 10]
24ـ الإمامُ الصّادقُ (عَلَيهِ الّسَلامُ): حَسبُ المُؤمِنِ عِزّاً إذا رَأى مُنكَراً أن يَعلَمَ اللّهُ عَزَّوجلَّ مِن قَلبِه إنكارَهُ .
24– Imam al-Sadiq (AS) said, ‘It is honour indeed for a believer that when he sees wrong being done, Allah, Mighty and Exalted, knows his heart to have rejected it.’
[al-Kafi, v. 5, p. 60, no. 1]