Enjoining Good with Wisdom

"Ya ayyuhalladheena amanut-taqullaha haqqa tuqatihi wa la tamutunna illa wa antum muslimun." (Aal 'Imran, 3:102)

"Ya ayyuhannas uttaqu rabbakumul ladhi khalaqakum min nafsin wahidatin wa khalaqa minha zawjaha wa baththa minhuma rijalan katheeran wa nisa'a. Wattaqullahalldhee tasa'aluna bihi wal-arham. Innallaha kana 'alaykum raqeeba." (An-Nisa, 4:1)

Dear brothers and sisters in Islam,

Brothers and sisters, there is one duty that Allah describes as the reason this ummah is the best of nations. It is not our numbers. It is not our wealth. It is not our technology. It is this:

"Kuntum khayra ummatin ukhrijat lin-nasi ta'muroona bil-ma'rufi wa tanhawna 'anil-munkari wa tu'minoona billah." (Aal 'Imran, 3:110)

Amr bil ma'ruf wa nahy 'anil munkar — commanding good and forbidding evil. This is not optional. It is the defining characteristic of this ummah.

The critical question is not whether we should do it — but how. And this is where many of us go wrong. We correct others with harshness, with arrogance, with a sense of superiority. We forget the methodology Allah Himself prescribed:

"Ud'u ila sabeeli rabbika bil-hikmati wal-maw'idhatil-hasanati wa jadilhum billatee hiya ahsan." (An-Nahl, 16:125)

Three levels: Hikmah (wisdom) — knowing what to say, when to say it, and to whom. Maw'idhah hasanah (good counsel) — speaking with kindness and sincerity. Jadal bil-ahsan (best debate) — if discussion is needed, doing it with the best manners.

Consider how Allah instructed Musa and Harun when sending them to the worst tyrant in history — Fir'awn:

"Fa qula lahu qawlan layyinan la'allahu yatadhakkaru aw yakhsha." (Taha, 20:44)

If Allah told Musa to speak gently to Fir'awn — what about how we speak to our own brothers, sisters, children, and neighbours?

The Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, taught us:

"Man ra'a minkum munkaran fal-yughayyirhu bi yadihi, fa in lam yastati' fa bi lisanihi, fa in lam yastati' fa bi qalbihi, wa dhalika ad'aful-iman." (Sahih Muslim, 49)

This is not a licence for vigilantism. "With the hand" refers to those in authority — parents, leaders, those with legitimate responsibility. "With the tongue" means speaking up with wisdom. "With the heart" means at the very least, disapproving internally and not becoming comfortable with sin.

The key is this: our intention must be to correct, not to condemn. We want to save people, not humiliate them. We want to guide, not to judge.

Brothers and sisters,

First: If you see something wrong in your family, community, or workplace — address it, but do it privately and with kindness. The Prophet, sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam, never publicly humiliated anyone. He would say:

"Ma balu aqwamin yaf'aluna kadha wa kadha."

"What is the matter with some people who do such and such?" (Sahih al-Bukhari, 6101; Sahih Muslim, 2356)

He addressed the issue without naming the person. This preserved their dignity while correcting the behaviour.

Second: Before correcting anyone else, correct yourself first. Enjoining good starts with being good. If your own practice is lacking, start there. Allah condemns those who preach what they do not practise:

"Ata'muroonan-nasa bil-birri wa tansawna anfusakum wa antum tatlunal-kitab, afala ta'qiloon." (Al-Baqarah, 2:44)

Let us be people who lead by example first, and speak with wisdom second.