Enjoining Good and Prohibiting Wrong
26 sayings
Except for horse racing, camel racing and archery, no contest is proper
Greater Sins Vol 1, part 3, page 289; Al-Wafi link
It may be mentioned here that another subject also dealt with briefly in the Quran but elaborated by the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.s.) and the Imams (a.s.) concerns the absolute authority of the Ahlul Bayt (a.s.) as the representatives of Allah upon the Earth, to teach and demonstrate to mankind the laws of Allah about the right and the wrong.
Greater Sins Vol 1, Part 2, page 43; Surah Nahl 16:44 link
One who enjoins good should do so using good means.
Kanz al-`Ummal, no. 5523; Mizan ul Hikmah page No. 265 link
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; Mizan ul Hikmah page No. 266 link
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; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 263 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
The basis of Islamic law is the enjoinment of good and the prohibition of wrong.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 6817; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 263 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] 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; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 263 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
Enjoinment of good is the best of all acts performed by creation.
Ghurar al-Hikam, no. 1977; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 263 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] 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; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 263 link
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; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 263 link
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; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 264 link
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; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 264 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
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; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 264 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] 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; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 264 link
He who approves of a wicked deed partakes in it.
Kashf al-Ghamma, v. 3, p. 139; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 264 link
Whoever enjoins good and prohibits wrong is the deputy of Allah and the deputy of His Prophet on the earth.
Mustadrak al-Wasa`il, v. 12, p. 179, no. 13817; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 262 link
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; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 265 link
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; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 265 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] 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; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 265 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] 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; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 265 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] 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; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 266 link
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; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 266 link
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; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 266 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] 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; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 266 link
Imam Amir-ul-Mu'mineen Ali [a] said
The Prophet (SAWA) commanded us to meet the sinners with stern faces.
al-Kafi, v. 5, p. 59, no. 10; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 267 link
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; Mizan ul Hikmah, page No. 267 link
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