THE 99th KHUTBAH DELIVERED AT AREA 10 JUMA’AT
MASJID ABUJA, BY IMAM YAHYA GARBA AL-YOLAWI, ON 23RD DEC 2016/ 24th
R/AWWAL 1438 AFTER HIJRA
COMMANDING GOOD AND FORBIDDING EVIL IS A COLLECTIVE
RESPONSIBILITY
In the name of Allah the Most Gracious the most Merciful
My dear respected brothers and sisters in Islam, Today’s sermon
will discuss the topic: Commanding good and forbidding evil is a responsibility
for all…
The act of commanding what is right and forbidding what is wrong
is one of the most important Islamic teachings, stressed again and again in the
Qur'an and Hadith. In fact, this can be seen as the most significant Islamic
principle; for, if this principle is duly practiced in the community, then, as
a result, all other teachings of Islam will also be practiced, while if this
one principle is ignored then the rest of Islam will also gradually come to
be
ignored.
Commanding what is right and forbidding what is wrong provides an
instrument whereby the Muslim Ummah can fight against various moral, social,
economic and spiritual ills/ corruption and maintain a healthy and active life
as individual and the society at large. Abdullahi ibn Mas'ud was once asked,
"Who are the living dead?" and he replied, "Those who never
command something good and never forbid something bad". A similar point is
made in that well known Hadith in which the Prophet (SAW) is reported to have
said:
"If one of you sees something wrong, let him change it with
his hand; if he cannot, then with his tongue; if he cannot, then with his heart
and this is the weakest iman." Some versions add: "there is no part
of faith behind that, not even so much as a mustard seed."
Some of the verses and ahadith on commanding what is good and forbidding what is
bad includes:
1. Commanding what is good and forbidding evil is a
responsibility for all…..
Allah (SWT) says: “You are the best nation produced [as an
example] for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and
believe in Allah…”Q3:111
2. Its lead to success: Allah
says: “And let there be [arising] from you a nation
(people) inviting to [all that is] good, enjoining what is right and forbidding
what is wrong, and those will be the successful. And do not be like the ones
who became divided and differed after the clear proofs had come to them. And
those will have a great punishment”. Q3:104 He also says “ Indeed,
mankind is in loss, Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds
and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.
3. Failure to do so can lead to the curse
of Allah.
Allah says : “Cursed were those who
disbelieved among the Children of Israel by the tongue of David and of Jesus,
the son of Mary. That was because they disobeyed and [habitually] transgressed.
They used not to prevent one another from wrongdoing that they did. How wretched
was that which they were doing. 5.78-9
If the Muslims fails to do its duty of
reminding and enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil, wrongdoing
and corruption will spread throughout the ummah, and it will deserve the curse
of Allah.
4. Luqman’s
advice to his son- a lesson for parents:
“O my son, establishes prayer, enjoin
what is right, forbid what is wrong, and be patient over what befalls you.
Indeed, [all] that is of the matters [requiring] determination.”Q:31:17
5. Leaders most important responsibilities in
muslim ummah : “…[And they are] those who, if We give them authority
in the land, establish prayer and give zakah and enjoin what is right and
forbid what is wrong. And to Allah belongs the outcome of [all]
matters.”.Q22.40
6. It is a duty for all to command good and forbid evil… The Prophet ( SAW) was reported to have said :
“Whoever sees an evil action, let him change it with his hand [by taking
action]; and if he cannot, then with his tongue [by speaking out]; and if he
cannot, then with his heart [by feeling that it is wrong] – and that is the
weakest of faith.” (Muslim, 49)
7. Cooperation in righteousness and piety is highly encouraged
in Islam, “…
And cooperate in
righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression. And fear
Allah; indeed, Allah is severe in penalty.”Q5:2
METHODS OF COMMANDING GOOD AND FORBIDDING THE EVIL
There are, broadly speaking, three ways of commanding good and
forbidding evil:
1) By hand, i.e. action, which includes military, political or
legal actions. Here, I will like to clearly state that Federal Government has
taking the right step in probing top Government officials any time seems something went wrong
somewhere and granting incentives for the whistle blowers in fact it is long overdue
in the fight against corruption in this country.
2) By words, sometimes in written, soft or harsh, sometimes by
media, religious leaders pulpit, and sometimes by whistle blowing while sometimes,
is private and sometimes open and public as Qur'an stated in surat Nuh.
3) By feelings, which include feelings of approval for what is
right and of disapproval for what is wrong. It also includes praying in one's
heart for the establishment of what is right and the destruction of what is
wrong.
THINGS CONSIDERED TO BE GOOD OR EVIL
Good deeds simply means right, actions,
acceptable to all and beneficial act to humanity, and to act in accordance with
Allah and Messenger’s injunctions, content, do and don’t while bad or evil
once are contrary to those principles.
Allah (SWT) says:
“ Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct
and giving to relatives and forbids immorality and bad conduct and oppression.
He admonishes you that perhaps you will be reminded. And fulfill the covenant
of Allah when you have taken it, [O believers], and do not break oaths after
their confirmation while you have made Allah, over you, a witness. Indeed,
Allah knows what you do.” Q16;90-91
The Muslim ummah is one entity, and if
corruption, dishonesty, bad characters, evil, immoralities prevails and becomes
widespread its consequences are bad not only in this world rather it will
extend to here after, then all the Muslims not only scholars and imams are
obliged to reform it, rid it of evil things, corruption and immoralities enjoin
what is good and forbid what is bad, and offer sincere advice to all most
especially to the leaders.
Finally, as people are busy traveling to meet
with their families in these days, we should drive carfully and let us be security conscious at all times. May
Allah SWT grant us peaceful and successful safe trips to our various destinations.
We ask Allah the most high, to continue to protect our religion,
our lives and safe guard our iman and that of our families in this world and in
the hereafter.
Contact: yahyalyolawi@gmail.com
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