Chapter 13 - On Enjoining the Right and Forbidding the Wrong

Ameer al-Momineen (a.s) said: “O' Believers! Whoever sees that a wrong act is being done, or a forbidden act is being advertised for and disapproves of these acts with his heart, remains healthy and stays pure from such wrong acts. But whoever forbids such acts verbally is more superior and receives a higher reward. Whoever forbids such acts with his sword in order to establish God's words and reject the oppressors is on the straight path to guidance. He is on the path to prosperity, and his heart will be filled with the light of certitude.”

Imam Baqir (a.s) said: “Enjoining the right and forbidding the wrong are two of God's creatures. Whoever assists them will be honored by God, and whoever abandons them will be abandoned by God.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “Whoever has the following characteristics will enjoin the right and forbid the wrong: is knowledgeable about the right and abandons the wrong; is moderate and just concerning what he enjoins as right, and what he forbids as wrong; and behaves according to what he enjoins and/or forbids.”

God's Prophet (a.s) said: “I saw a man from my nation in a dream. He was surrounded by the Fire of Hell. At once his acts of enjoining the right and forbidding the wrong came to his help and saved him from the Fire and handed him over to the angels.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “Woe to the people who do not pay back their debts to God by enjoining the right and forbidding the wrong.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “A man from the Khasa'em tribe went to see the Prophet of God (a.s) and said: “O' Prophet of God! Please tell me what is the noblest form of submission to God?” He replied: “Faith in God.” Then he asked: “What is next?” The Prophet replied: “Visiting the relations of kin.” Then he asked: “What is next?” The Prophet replied: “Enjoining the right and forbidding the wrong.” The man asked: “What is the most despised act near God?” He said: “Being an infidel.” He asked: “What is the next worst thing?” He said: “Cutting off relations of kin.” He asked: “What is next?” He replied: “Enjoining the wrong and forbidding the right.”

God's Prophet (a.s) said: “What would you do if all your women were corrupt and your youth were deviated, and no one enjoined the right and forbade the wrong?” He was asked: “O' Prophet of God! Will this happen?” He replied: “Yes. It will get even worse. What will you do when the people enjoin the wrong and forbid the right?” He was asked: “O' Prophet of God! Will things ever get this way?” He replied: “Yes, it will get even worse than this. What will you do when the people consider the right as the wrong and the wrong as the right?”

“It suffices for you to enjoin the right and forbid the wrong for them in the same way that you do it for yourself.”

Prophet of God (a.s) said: “My nation should prepare itself for divine calamities whenever they abandon enjoining the right and forbidding the wrong.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “Whenever a zealous Muslim observes that a forbidden act takes place, it suffices for him to know that God is aware of his disapproval and displeasure.”

Ghiyas ibn Ibrahim said: “Whenever Imam Sadiq (a.s) reached a group of people who were quarrelling, he would loudly say: “fear God” three times and pass by them.”

Imam Baqir (a.s) said that God's Prophet (a.s) said: “Whoever seeks the pleasure of the people in what raises God's anger will be admonished by the people who used to admire him before. God will protect whoever prefers to obey God, despite the people's displeasure, from any enemies. God the Almighty will remove from him the jealousy of any jealous ones, and the oppression of any oppressors, and will be his helper and protector.”

Mufaz'zil ibn Zayd said that Imam Sadiq (a.s) told him: “O' Mufaz'zil! If one objects to an oppressive ruler and gets hurt by that ruler, he will not get any reward and will not be granted patience.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “Enjoining the right and forbidding the wrong will only affect a believer or an ignorant person who learns from these acts, but it will not affect a person who is armed to the teeth.”

Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “God the Almighty has left a believer's affairs up to himself, but has not abandoned him to be humiliated. Have you not heard God's words: “But honor belongs to God and His Apostle, and to the Believers.” [The Holy Quran: Munafiqun 63:8]; Therefore believers are honored, not abased.” He then added: “Believers are even nobler than the mountains since we can knock down the mountains and destroy them, but nothing can diminish a believer's faith.”

“You must enjoin the right and forbid the wrong, else the bad people will rule over you, and the prayers of your good people will not be answered.”

“It is not good for a believer to do something to get humiliated. He was asked: “What will humiliate him?” Imam Sadiq (a.s) replied: “When he does something for which he has to apologize later.”

“It is incumbent upon those who are in power whom the people obey and can distinguish between the right and the wrong. It is not incumbent upon the weak people who do not know how to approach this issue, and might say wrong things about what is right. That is why God says: “Let there arise out of you a band of people inviting to all that is good, enjoining the right, and forbidding what is wrong. [The Holy Quran: Al-i-Imran 3:104]. But this is especial, and not general. As God the Almighty said: “Of the people of Moses there is a chapter who guide and do justice in the light of truth.” [The Holy Quran: Araf 7:159]. He has not said it is for all the people of Moses or all his tribe to enjoin the right and forbid the wrong, even though there were many groups there. And by people it is meant more than one, as God the Almighty said: “Abraham was indeed a model, devoutly obedient to God.” [The Holy Quran: Nahl 16:120]. In this verse it is said that he was obedient to God. Therefore it is not incumbent upon anyone who does not have any power, helpers or followers at peace time.”

Masaedat ibn Sadaqih said that Imam Sadiq (a.s) was questioned about the Prophet's statement: “The best form of Jihad -holy war- is expressing what is just in the presence of an oppressive ruler.” Imam Sadiq (a.s) said: “This act will only be accepted of him if his enjoining the right is based on knowledge, otherwise it is not accepted.”

You punish the bad people. Why are the good people punished?” God the Almighty revealed to him: “They are the people who got along with the sinners, and were not worried about My Anger.”

“The people will live in prosperity as long as they cooperate with each other in enjoining the right and forbidding the wrong. However, once they stop doing so, their blessings will be taken away from them, and some will rule over others, and they will have no helpers in the heavens or on the Earth.”