(1849-1905)
Sheikh Muhammad Abduh
Head of Islamic Verdict Body (Mufti) In Egypt & Most Islamic Countries

 

HOW TO ENJOIN THE RIGHT & FORBID THE WRONG?

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  • Q3;104

وَلْتَكُن مِّنكُمْ أُمَّةٌ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى الْخَيْرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ ۚ وَأُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ

translation “And 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.”——

  • Sheikh “Muhammad Abduh” (1849-1905) the Head of the Islamic Verdict body (mufti) in Egypt & most Islamic countries in his time wrote on that matter saying that the word “ nation” means a group of people who are having mutual interest or attributes or tasks connecting them together. The Good in absolute terms is what is been known by sane proper rational minds as good & the wrong is what is being rejected by them. The sheikh says that there are four aspects for enjoining Good & forbidding Wrong as stated below;
  1. The first aspect is advocating Islam & inviting other peoples & nations to the good (Islam)
  2. The second aspect is in between muslims where all muslims in general need to invite each other to good & forbid from wrong
  3. The third aspect is to appoint a group of the nation who are cognizant & well aware of religious affairs & have no personal interest or bias or gains in this matter so as to take the task of educating & advising people on their religion

In all above aspects, the task of inviting to Good & forbidding from wrong should be carried as ALLAH instructed us , that is advice in good tender manner & not coerce or compel or enforce pressure by any means Q16;125

ادْعُ إِلَىٰ سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ ۖ وَجَادِلْهُم بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ

translation “Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best”—-   Quran 5;105

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا عَلَيْكُمْ أَنفُسَكُمْ ۖ لَا يَضُرُّكُم مَّن ضَلَّ إِذَا اهْتَدَيْتُمْ

translation” O you who have believed, mind yourselves. Those who have gone astray will not harm you when you have been guided.”——

  1. The fourth aspect is that the muslims or the people need to elect from between them a group that form the legislative body to legislate & control & a government having power to enforce laws &  justice all aiming & serving the people interest & welfare & this elected group is similar /same to what is known in modern political systems as “parliament”&  should be based & operated on the basis of ‘Shoura” as instructed in Q42;38

وَأَمْرُهُمْ شُورَىٰ بَيْنَهُمْ

, translation “and whose affair is [determined by] shoura (consultation) among themselves”—–i.e this legislative body & government is to be elected by the people & that the decisions & laws to be enacted by voting & consultation mode & not in an authoritarian manner , which is called in modern political terminology “democracy”. The sheikh opinion is that in order that this group performs its task in a proper manner , then this legislative & governing group need to have cognizance & to include in its members calibers cognizant of ;- – law making , knowledge of the people sociology & culture & psychology- knowledge of history & humanities & moralities sciences -knowledge of political sciences & geography- knowledge of arts & sciences &  languages, knowledge of Quran & proven sunnah. In addition, this legislative & governing group need to have a hierarchy structure & head & a system for auditing & reviewing it by the people who elected it & the people have the right to maintain it or terminate it & elect another upon the people will. Note that ALLAH states that if the people followed his instructions in inviting to good & forbidding from wrong, then they will success & prosper

وَأُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ

translation “and those will be the successful.”——