Table of Contents
The Meaning of Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil
Enjoining good and forbidding evil is one of the most important duties in the life of a Muslim. It means that a believer does not think only about his or her own actions, but also cares about the moral condition of the community. “Good” in this context means everything that Allah has commanded or praised, and “evil” means everything that Allah has forbidden or condemned. This duty is a natural result of faith, love of Allah, and mercy towards people.
Allah described the Muslim community with this special quality:
“You are the best nation produced for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah.”
(Qur’an 3:110)
This verse shows that the honor of this Ummah is directly tied to this responsibility together with belief in Allah.
A Mark of True Believers
Enjoining good and forbidding evil is not an optional extra for the very pious. It is a sign of true faith and obedience. Allah praises the believers who carry this duty and warns about the opposite:
“The believing men and believing women are allies of one another. They enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and establish prayer and give zakah and obey Allah and His Messenger.”
(Qur’an 9:71)
In contrast, Allah criticised some previous communities when they abandoned this duty:
“Cursed were those who disbelieved among the Children of Israel by the tongue of Dawud and Isa, the son of Maryam. That was because they disobeyed and used to transgress. They used not to forbid one another from the wrongdoing they did. How wretched was that which they were doing.”
(Qur’an 5:78–79)
This shows that leaving people to do wrong without any concern leads to the anger of Allah and widespread corruption.
A Duty of Care and Mercy
The purpose of this duty is not to control others, humiliate them, or feel superior. Its root is mercy, compassion, and wanting good for people in this life and the next. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“The religion is sincere advice.”
It was said, “To whom?” He said, “To Allah, His Book, His Messenger, the leaders of the Muslims, and their common people.”
(Muslim)
Giving sincere advice includes helping others move towards what pleases Allah and away from what displeases Him. It is like seeing a person walking towards a fire and warning them, or seeing someone losing a great treasure and guiding them to it.
The Prophet ﷺ also compared the community to people on a ship. Some of them were in the lower part and some in the upper part. If the people in the lower part wanted to make a hole to get water directly, everyone would drown if no one stopped them. He said that if the people on the upper deck prevent them, they are all saved. If they leave them to do what they want, all are destroyed. This is the reality of sin and neglect in a society.
(Paraphrased meaning from the hadith in al-Bukhari)
The Famous Hadith on Changing Evil
The clearest description of how to deal with evil comes from a well-known hadith. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever among you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand. If he is not able, then with his tongue. If he is not able, then with his heart, and that is the weakest of faith.”
(Muslim)
This hadith shows three levels of response to evil, each connected to ability and situation.
Important rule: A Muslim must reject evil at least in his or her heart. Speaking or acting against it depends on ability, knowledge, position, and likely results.
Levels of Responding to Evil
Changing with the Hand
Changing evil with the hand means taking direct action to stop it in a lawful way. This level is not for everyone in every situation. It belongs to those who have legitimate authority, such as rulers, judges, parents with their children, and those responsible for a place or institution, as long as they act within the boundaries of Sharia and do not cause greater harm.
For example, a parent can remove harmful material from the house. A mosque committee can stop an inappropriate activity inside the mosque. A government can enforce laws that prevent evil in public spaces.
Direct action must always consider consequences. If an action will only lead to worse evil, rebellion, or greater harm, then it is not allowed. Allah says:
“So fear Allah as much as you are able.”
(Qur’an 64:16)
This verse sets the principle that our duty is according to our ability and wisdom.
Speaking with the Tongue
If a person does not have the authority or real ability to change an evil physically, the next level is to speak. This includes sincere advice, gentle reminders, teaching, and warning. The goal is to bring clarity, not to win arguments or insult people.
Allah commanded Musa and Harun when sending them to Pharaoh:
“And speak to him with gentle speech that perhaps he may be reminded or fear [Allah].”
(Qur’an 20:44)
If even with Pharaoh they were told to speak gently, then speaking with harshness to ordinary sinners is even more out of place unless there is clear benefit and a suitable context.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Make things easy and do not make things difficult. Give glad tidings and do not make people run away.”
(al-Bukhari and Muslim)
This principle must guide our words when we advise others about good and evil. The aim is to open hearts, not close them.
Hating with the Heart
When a person is unable to change evil by action or words, or if speaking or acting will certainly lead to worse harm, the minimum obligation is to reject the evil in the heart and to avoid being part of it.
The Prophet ﷺ described this as “the weakest of faith,” which means that the heart of a believer must never accept or approve of what Allah has forbidden, even if he is powerless on the outside.
This internal rejection protects the believer from slowly normalising sin or growing comfortable with disobedience.
Conditions and Etiquettes
Enjoining good and forbidding evil is an act of worship, so it has rules and manners. Some important conditions include sincerity, knowledge, wisdom, and patience.
Sincerity for Allah Alone
The first condition is that the intention must be to please Allah, not to show off, to prove superiority, or to win an argument. Allah says:
“And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion.”
(Qur’an 98:5)
If a person advises others only to gain praise or to humiliate them, this corrupts the deed and may turn it into a sin instead of a reward.
Acting with Knowledge
One must know that something is truly good or evil according to the Qur’an and Sunnah before commanding or prohibiting it. Guessing or following cultural habits is not enough.
Allah says:
“Say, ‘My Lord has only forbidden immoralities, what is apparent of them and what is concealed, and sin, and oppression without right, and that you associate with Allah that for which He has not sent down authority, and that you say about Allah that which you do not know.’”
(Qur’an 7:33)
Speaking about Allah without knowledge is itself a serious sin. Therefore, a beginner should focus on what is certain and clear and refer detailed or complex matters to people of knowledge.
Wisdom and Good Character
Wisdom means to put the right action in the right place and time. Sometimes it is better to advise a person in private, not in front of others. Sometimes it is better to wait for a calmer moment or a better relationship. Allah says:
“Call to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best.”
(Qur’an 16:125)
Gentleness is a part of wisdom. The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Indeed Allah is gentle and loves gentleness, and He gives for gentleness what He does not give for harshness and what He does not give for anything else.”
(Muslim)
A harsh and proud attitude can turn people away from the truth even if the content is correct. On the other hand, a gentle and respectful approach can open hearts.
Patience and Endurance
When a person calls to good and warns against evil, some people will accept and others will reject. There can be mockery, criticism, or even harm. Allah told His Prophet ﷺ:
“Enjoin what is right, forbid what is wrong, and be patient over what befalls you. Indeed, that is of the matters [requiring] determination.”
(Qur’an 31:17)
This verse, spoken in the advice of Luqman to his son, joins three things: prayer, calling to good, forbidding evil, and then patience over what comes as a result. This is the normal path of those who carry this responsibility.
Balancing Benefits and Harms
Islamic teachings consider outcomes. If trying to stop one evil will certainly bring a greater evil, then it is wrong to proceed in that way. Likewise, if trying to promote a good brings more corruption than benefit, a person must choose a wiser method or step back.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“There should be neither harming nor reciprocating harm.”
(Ibn Majah and others)
This means that the one who commands right and forbids wrong must think about effect as well as intention. For example, if speaking in a certain public situation will create strong anger, violence, or hatred towards Islam, and there is another quieter and safer way to advise, then wisdom is to choose the path with less harm.
At the same time, fear of small harms or discomfort is not a reason to abandon the duty altogether. The believer weighs matters with fairness, seeks advice when unsure, and prays to Allah for guidance.
Avoiding Double Standards
One of the biggest dangers in this subject is hypocrisy and double standards. If a person calls others to obey Allah while ignoring his own duties, this weakens the message and brings the anger of Allah.
Allah said about some from the People of the Book:
“Do you order righteousness of the people and forget yourselves while you recite the Scripture? Then will you not reason?”
(Qur’an 2:44)
The Prophet ﷺ warned of a person whose internal state and external calls contradict:
“A man will be brought on the Day of Resurrection and thrown into the Fire, and his intestines will come out. He will go around them as a donkey goes around a millstone. The people of the Fire will gather around him and say, ‘O so and so, what is the matter with you? Did you not used to enjoin good and forbid evil?’ He will say, ‘Yes, I used to enjoin good but I did not do it, and I used to forbid evil but I used to do it.’”
(al-Bukhari and Muslim)
This does not mean that a sinner must wait until he is perfect before advising others. Everyone has faults. It means that a Muslim should strive to obey Allah himself, repent from his own sins, and not use advice to others as a mask for his own disobedience. He should be humble and admit his struggles if needed.
Important statement: A Muslim should both strive to obey Allah personally and, at the same time, not abandon advising others. Personal weakness is a reason to repent, not a reason to be silent about clear good and evil.
Practical Examples in Daily Life
Enjoining good and forbidding evil can be very simple and gentle. It might be reminding a family member about prayer time, encouraging a friend to be honest in work, or advising someone kindly to cover what must be covered. It can also be stopping gossip by changing the subject, or saying, “Let us not talk about people in their absence.”
In a workplace or school, it might be politely refusing to join in lying, cheating, or mocking others, and explaining your values when appropriate. In Muslim communities, it can be reminding leaders or organisers, with good manners, when something clearly conflicts with Islamic teachings.
Often, the most effective way to encourage good is by personal example. When people see honesty, kindness, modesty, and consistency, they are more likely to listen when that person speaks.
The Role of the Heart and Duʿāʾ
When someone does not accept advice, a believer must not fall into hatred of the person. The hatred is for the sin, not for the human being. The heart should feel pain and hope for their guidance.
Making duʿāʾ for others is part of this duty. A person can ask Allah to guide their parents, children, neighbours, colleagues, or anyone who is doing something displeasing to Allah. Guidance is in the Hand of Allah alone.
Allah tells the Prophet ﷺ:
“Indeed, you do not guide whom you love, but Allah guides whom He wills.”
(Qur’an 28:56)
So the believer does his or her best with sincerity and wisdom, then leaves the result to Allah.
Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil within the Ummah
This duty is especially important among Muslims themselves. The health of the Ummah depends on mutual advice, support in obedience, and discouragement of disobedience. Allah says:
“Let there be [arising] from you a nation inviting to [all that is] good, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong, and those will be the successful.”
(Qur’an 3:104)
This verse points to a group within the community who take this as an organised and continuous responsibility, such as scholars, teachers, community leaders, and all those who stand for truth in their circles. However, every Muslim has a share of this, according to his or her knowledge and situation.
The Prophet ﷺ described the believers as a single body:
“The example of the believers in their mutual love, mercy, and compassion is like a single body. If one limb suffers, the whole body responds with sleeplessness and fever.”
(al-Bukhari and Muslim)
Part of this mercy is not to let a brother or sister continue in sin without caring, just as one would not ignore a physical wound spreading in the body.
Protection from Collective Punishment
When evil becomes normal in a society and people stop caring or objecting, a danger appears. Punishment may descend upon everyone who had the ability to object but remained silent and pleased. Allah warns:
“And fear a trial which will not strike those who have wronged among you exclusively, and know that Allah is severe in penalty.”
(Qur’an 8:25)
The Prophet ﷺ explained that when sins become open and no one stops them, the punishment can be general. In another hadith, when asked if the righteous might also be destroyed, he said:
“Yes, if evil becomes dominant.”
(al-Bukhari and Muslim)
This shows that enjoining good and forbidding evil protects not only individuals but entire communities.
Hope, Balance, and Humility
While carrying this duty, a Muslim must balance firmness about the truth with deep humility. Nobody is free of mistakes. The believer should remember his own sins, be gentle with others, and never despair of Allah’s mercy for them or for himself.
The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Whoever relieves a believer’s distress of the distressful aspects of this world, Allah will rescue him from a difficulty of the difficulties of the Hereafter.”
(Muslim)
Helping someone escape a life of sin or a bad habit is one of the greatest ways to relieve their distress. It can change their worldly life and their Hereafter.
Enjoining good and forbidding evil is, in reality, a form of compassion, a reflection of faith, and a way to protect hearts, homes, and societies. It begins with each individual, in his or her own heart, family, and circle, and it grows with knowledge, sincerity, and patience.