Commanding others what is Obligatory and to Prohibit them from doing Evil

يَكُونُ فِي آخِرِ الزَّمَانِ قَوْمٌ يُتَّبَعُ فِيهِمْ قَوْمٌ مُرَاءُونَ يَتَقَرَّءُونَ وَ يَتَنَسَّكُونَ حُدَثَاءُ سُفَهَاءُ[2] لَا يُوجِبُونَ أَمْراً بِمَعْرُوفٍ وَ لَا نَهْياً عَنْ مُنْكَرٍ إِلَّا إِذَا أَمِنُوا الضَّرَرَ[3] يَطْلُبُونَ لِأَنْفُسِهِمُ الرُّخَصَ وَ الْمَعَاذِيرَ يَتَّبِعُونَ زَلَّاتِ الْعُلَمَاءِ وَ فَسَادَ عَمَلِهِمْ يُقْبِلُونَ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ وَ الصِّيَامِ وَ مَا لَا يَكْلِمُهُمْ‌[4] فِي نَفْسٍ

1. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Khalid from certain persons of our people from Bashir ibn ‘Abd Allah from abu ‘Ismah Qadiy of Marve from Jabir who has said the following: “Abu Ja’far, ‘Alayhi al-Salam, has said, ‘During the last era of time there will be a people who are followe

مَا قُدِّسَتْ أُمَّةٌ لَمْ يُؤْخَذْ لِضَعِيفِهَا مِنْ قَوِيِّهَا بِحَقِّهِ غَيْرَ مُتَعْتَعٍ‌[8].

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘A people, who does not take back the rights of the weak ones among them from the stronger ones, without causing any harm, can never become holy.’”

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ ع يَقُولُ‌ لَتَأْمُرُنَّ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَ لَتَنْهُنَّ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ أَوْ لَيُسْتَعْمَلَنَّ عَلَيْكُمْ شِرَارُكُمْ فَيَدْعُو خِيَارُكُمْ فَلَا يُسْتَجَابُ لَهُمْ.

‘You must ask (command) others to do good and prohibit them to commit evil, otherwise, the evil ones among you will be made your rulers and then the virtuous ones among you pray and their prayers will not be answered.’”

وَيْلٌ لِقَوْمٍ‌ لَا يَدِينُونَ اللَّهَ بِالْأَمْرِ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَ النَّهْيِ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Woe upon a people who do not consider asking others to do good and prohibiting them from evil as part of the religion of Allah.’”

قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ع‌ بِئْسَ الْقَوْمُ قَوْمٌ يَعِيبُونَ الْأَمْرَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَ النَّهْيَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ.

“Abu Ja’far (a.s.), has said, ‘A people, who consider asking others to do good and prohibiting them from evil, a blame-worthy act, are a terribly evil people.’”

خَطَبَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَ أَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ وَ قَالَ أَمَّا بَعْدُ فَإِنَّهُ إِنَّمَا هَلَكَ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمْ حَيْثُ مَا عَمِلُوا مِنَ الْمَعَاصِي وَ لَمْ يَنْهَهُمُ الرَّبَّانِيُّونَ وَ الْأَحْبَارُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ وَ إِنَّهُمْ لَمَّا تَمَادَوْا فِي الْمَعَاصِي وَ لَمْ يَنْهَهُمُ الرَّبَّانِيُّونَ وَ الْأَحْبَارُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ نَزَلَتْ بِهِمُ الْعُقُوبَاتُ فَأْمُرُوا بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَ انْهَوْ

“Amir al-Mu’minin (a.s.), once delivered a sermon. He first praised and glorified Allah. Thereafter he said, ‘People before were destroyed because when they committed sins the Rabbis and Monks did not stop them from committing such deeds. When they continued committing disobedience and the Rabbis and Monks did not proh

إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ أَوْحَى إِلَى دَاوُدَ ع أَنِّي قَدْ غَفَرْتُ ذَنْبَكَ وَ جَعَلْتُ عَارَ ذَنْبِكَ عَلَى بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ فَقَالَ كَيْفَ يَا رَبِّ وَ أَنْتَ لَا تَظْلِمُ قَالَ إِنَّهُمْ لَمْ يُعَاجِلُوكَ بِالنَّكَرَةِ[1].

“He (the Imam) has said, ‘Allah, the most Majestic, the most Glorious, sent revelation to Dawud (David) (a.s.), that said, ‘I forgave your sins and placed the blame thereof on the Israelites.’ He (Dawud) asked, ‘How can that be, O Lord? You do not do injustice. He (the Lord) replied, ‘Because they did not express disap

إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ بَعَثَ مَلَكَيْنِ إِلَى أَهْلِ مَدِينَةٍ لِيَقْلِبَاهَا عَلَى أَهْلِهَا فَلَمَّا انْتَهَيَا إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ وَجَدَا رَجُلًا يَدْعُو اللَّهَ وَ يَتَضَرَّعُ فَقَالَ أَحَدُ الْمَلَكَيْنِ لِصَاحِبِهِ أَ مَا تَرَى هَذَا الدَّاعِيَ فَقَالَ قَدْ رَأَيْتُهُ وَ لَكِنْ أَمْضِي لِمَا أَمَرَ بِهِ رَبِّي فَقَالَ لَا وَ لَكِنْ لَا أُحْدِثُ شَيْئاً حَتَّى أُرَاجِعَ رَبِّي فَعَادَ إِلَى اللَّهِ تَبَار

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Glorious, once sent two angels to a city to turn it upside down on the people therein. When they came to the city, they found a man praying to Allah with great concern and desperation. One of the angels then asked the other, ‘Do you see this perso

يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَخْبِرْنِي مَا أَفْضَلُ الْإِسْلَامِ قَالَ الْإِيمَانُ بِاللَّهِ قَالَ ثُمَّ مَا ذَا قَالَ ثُمَّ صِلَةُ الرَّحِمِ قَالَ ثُمَّ مَا ذَا قَالَ الْأَمْرُ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَ النَّهْيُ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ قَالَ فَقَالَ الرَّجُلُ فَأَيُّ الْأَعْمَالِ أَبْغَضُ إِلَى اللَّهِ قَالَ الشِّرْكُ بِاللَّهِ قَالَ ثُمَّ مَا ذَا قَالَ قَطِيعَةُ الرَّحِمِ قَالَ ثُمَّ مَا ذَا قَالَ الْأَمْرُ بِالْمُنْكَرِ وَ النَّهْيُ ع

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said that once a man from Khath‘am came to the Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, and asked, ‘O Messenger of Allah, what is most virtuous in al-Islam ? 5 He (the Messenger of Allah) replied, ‘It is belief in Alla

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع‌ أَمَرَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص أَنْ نَلْقَى أَهْلَ الْمَعَاصِي بِوُجُوهٍ مُكْفَهِرَّةٍ[1].

‘The Messenger of Allah, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, had commanded us to meet sinful people with a frowning face . 555

قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع‌ الْأَمْرُ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَ النَّهْيُ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ خُلُقَانِ مِنْ خُلُقِ اللَّهِ فَمَنْ نَصَرَهُمَا أَعَزَّهُ اللَّهُ وَ مَنْ خَذَلَهُمَا خَذَلَهُ اللَّهُ.

“Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘Asking people to do good and prohibiting them from committing evil are two creatures of the creatures of Allah. Those who support them, Allah gives them respect and Allah betrays those who betray these two creatures of Him . 55

كَانَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع إِذَا مَرَّ بِجَمَاعَةٍ يَخْتَصِمُونَ لَا يَجُوزُهُمْ حَتَّى يَقُولَ ثَلَاثاً اتَّقُوا اللَّهَ يَرْفَعُ بِهَا صَوْتَهُ.

‘You must maintain piety in the presence of Allah . 555

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا ع يَقُولُ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص يَقُولُ‌ إِذَا أُمَّتِي تَوَاكَلَتِ الْأَمْرَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَ النَّهْيَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ[2] فَلْيَأْذَنُوا بِوِقَاعٍ مِنَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى.

“When my followers postpone asking others to do good and prohibit them from committing evil they, in so doing, allow affliction to befall upon them from Allah.’””

قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ص كَيْفَ بِكُمْ إِذَا فَسَدَتْ نِسَاؤُكُمْ وَ فَسَقَ شَبَابُكُمْ وَ لَمْ تَأْمُرُوا بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَ لَمْ تَنْهَوْا عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ فَقِيلَ لَهُ وَ يَكُونُ ذَلِكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ وَ شَرٌّ مِنْ ذَلِكَ كَيْفَ بِكُمْ إِذَا أَمَرْتُمْ بِالْمُنْكَرِ وَ نَهَيْتُمْ عَنِ الْمَعْرُوفِ فَقِيلَ لَهُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ وَ يَكُونُ ذَلِكَ قَالَ نَعَمْ وَ شَرٌّ مِنْ ذَلِكَ كَيْفَ بِكُمْ إِذَا

‘The Holy Prophet, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, “What will you do when your women will become corrupt, your young people sinful and you will not ask others to do good and prohibit them to commit evil?” They asked, “Will such things happen, O Me

قَالَ النَّبِيُّ ص‌ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ لَيُبْغِضُ الْمُؤْمِنَ الضَّعِيفَ الَّذِي لَا دِينَ لَهُ فَقِيلَ لَهُ وَ مَا الْمُؤْمِنُ الَّذِي لَا دِينَ لَهُ قَالَ الَّذِي لَا يَنْهَى عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ.

15. The narrator of the previous Hadith through his chain of narrators has said the following: “The Holy Prophet, O Allah, grant compensation to Muhammad and his family worthy of their services to Your cause, has said, ‘Allah, the most Majestic, the most Glorious, dislikes a believing, weak person who has no religion.’

سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع يَقُولُ‌ وَ سُئِلَ عَنِ الْأَمْرِ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَ النَّهْيِ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ أَ وَاجِبٌ هُوَ عَلَى الْأُمَّةِ جَمِيعاً فَقَالَ لَا فَقِيلَ لَهُ وَ لِمَ قَالَ إِنَّمَا هُوَ عَلَى الْقَوِيِّ الْمُطَاعِ الْعَالِمِ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ مِنَ الْمُنْكَرِ لَا عَلَى الضَّعِيفِ الَّذِي لَا يَهْتَدِي سَبِيلًا إِلَى‌ أَيٍّ مِنْ أَيٍّ يَقُولُ مِنَ الْحَقِّ إِلَى الْبَاطِلِ‌[1] وَ الدَّلِيلُ عَلَى ذَلِ

16. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Harun ibn Muslim from Mas’adah ibn Sadaqah who has said the following: “I heard abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), when asked about commanding others to do what is obligatory and prohibiting them from committing what is evil, whether this is obligatory upon the whole nation, saying, ‘No, it is