AMRE BIL MARUF AND NAHI ANIL MUNKAR

It is the seventh and eighth number in the “Branches of Islam” or “Furoo-e-Deen”.

Any action that is commanded by Allah, the performance of which carries rewards and its neglect is assured punishment is obligatory or Wajib. Amre Bil Maruf and Nahi Anil Munkar is a form of Jihaad.

Islam stipulates to promote good and prevent evil in the Muslim society. The promotion of good is “Amre Bil Maruf” and forbidding or preventing evil is “Nahi Anil Munkar”. Family is the basic social unit; hence this process should start from our homes. If we throw a stone in a pond of water, waves start at the point of contact with water and grow larger and larger. It is smallest at the contact point and is largest at the extreme side of the pond. Hence any type of effort should start from the home. It is a religious, moral and ethical responsibility of every Muslim to perform Amre Bil Maruf and Nahi Anil Munkar. To start with, one should know what is “Maruf” or virtues and also what is “Munkar” or sin. After we know this, we should practice ourselves before preaching to others.

Qur’anic References:

1.    Let there be a group among you who will invite others to do good deeds, command them to obey the Law, and prohibit them from committing sins. These people will have eternal happiness. (Aale Imran: verse 104)

2.    You are the best nation that ever existed among humanity, as long as you command people to do good, prohibit them from evil, and believe in Allah. (Aale Imran: verse 110)

3.    They believe in Allah and the Day of Judgment. They command people to follow good, prohibit others from committing evil and compete with each other in doing good deeds. These are the righteous ones. (Aale Imran: verse 114)

4.    Be they male or female hypocrites, they are the same. They make others commit sins, prevent them from doing good deeds and restrain their hands (from spending for the cause of Allah). ( Tawbah: verse 67)

5.    The believers, both male and female, are each other’s protectors. They try to make others do good, prevent them from committing sins, perform their prayers, pay the religious tax, and obey Allah and His messenger. Allah will have mercy on them. Allah is Majestic and All-wise. ( Tawbah: verse 71)

6.    (The believers) who repent for their sins, worship Allah, praise Him, travel through the land, bow down and prostrate themselves in obedience to Allah, make others do good and prevent them from sins and abide by the laws of Allah, will receive a great reward. Let this be good news for the believer.(Tawbah: verse112)

7.    He will certainly help those who, if given power in land, will worship Allah through prayer, pay the religious tax, enjoined others to do good, and prevent them from committing evil. The consequence of all things is in the hands of Allah. (Hajj: verse 41)

8.    Believers, do not follow the footsteps of Shaitaan; whoever does so will be made by Shaitaan to commit indecency and sin. (Noor: verse 21)

9.    (Muhammad), recite to them what has been revealed to you in the Book and be steadfast in prayer; prayer (speaking of Allah) keeps one away from indecency and sins. Allah’s paying attention to the worshiper is (indeed) the greatest (reward for worshiping Allah). Allah knows what you do. (Ankabut: verse 45)

10.  They did not prevent each other from committing sins nor would they, themselves, stay away from them. Evil was what they had done. (Ma’idah: verse 79)

Holy Prophet (S.A.W.S) said: “A person who sees an evil act being committed should take action to prevent it, if he is capable of doing so, and if he cannot do that, he should speak out against it, but if he is not capable of even doing that, he should at least detest in his heart. It is the lowest stage of faith.” He further said:“My followers will be in good condition as long as they bid each other towards the good, forbid each other from the evil, and cooperate with each other in good deeds. If they do not do this then the heavenly blessings will be lifted from them and some evil ones among them will be imposed over them as a ruler. In that state, they will have no helper, neither on the earth nor in the heaven.

Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (A.S.) said: “He who abandons forbidding what is wrong theoretically and practically (and is indifferent while seeing vices being committed) is a moving corpse among the living.” He further said: “Indeed the Almighty has cursed those who came before you for neglecting Amre Bil Maruf and Nahi Anil Munkar. Thus there is a curse upon the ignorant sinners and the intelligent people who neglect Amre Bil Maruf and Nahi Anil Munkar.”

Imam Ali, Zain-ul-Abedeen (A.S.), who witnessed the tragedy and humiliation of Ahlul Bayt (A.S.) still he did not stop preaching Amre Bil Maruf and Nahi Anil Munkar. He said: “He who leaves enjoining good and forbidding the evil is like him who leaves Allah’s Book behind, unless he shows precautionary decimation. Allah, the Glorified, sent the Prophets and the Trustees (of authority) to speak, not to keep silent.

Imam Mohammad Baqir (A.S.) said: “The Almighty Allah revealed to Prophet Shoaib “I will destroy hundred thousand people from your nation, forty thousand of whom are sinners and sixty thousand are righteous.” On inquiry from Prophet Shoaib, Allah replied,“Because they used to socialize with the sinners and in spite of My dislike, they never disliked the sinners. They never restrained them from sins.”

Master of the Martyrs, Imam Husayn (A.S.), prepared a will and handed over to his brother, Muhammad Hanafiyya. In this will the Imam (A.S.) wrote: “My Missionis to reform the Muslim community which I propose to do by Amre Bil Maruf and Nahi Anil Munkar, inviting them to the good and advising them against evil. It is not my intention to set myself as an insolent or an arrogant tyrant or a mischief-maker.”

Imam Jaffer Sadiq (A.S.) said: “If a momin sees another momin committing sin and is capable of stopping him but did not do so is a dishonest person.”