In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.
From Abūī Hurayrah (raḍiyallāhu ʿanhu) who said: The Messenger of Allāh (ṣallallāhu ʿalayhi wasallam) said, “From the excellence of a man’s Islām is his abandonment of that which does not concern him.” [1]
Abdur-Rahmaan Al-Umari [may Allah have mercy upon him] said, “If a servant of Allah keeps away from the doubtful matters due to fear of falling into the forbidden and ruining one’s hereafter, he will abandon what does not concern him and will concern himself with what concerns him”. [2]
Umar Bin Abdul Azeez [may Allah have mercy upon him] said, “Whoever makes his speech reckon with his actions, then his speech in that which does not concern him will be little”. [3]
The Above Admonition Should Be Placed In Its Appropriate context
Allah [The Most High] says:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْفُسَكُمْ ۖ لَا يَضُرُّكُمْ مَنْ ضَلَّ إِذَا اهْتَدَيْتُمْ ۚ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيعًا فَيُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
O you who believe! Take care of your own selves. If you follow the right guidance no hurt can come to you from those who are in error. The return of you all is to Allah, then He will inform you about (all) that which you used to do] [Surah Al-Maa’idah. Ayah 105]
Meaning: Strive to rectify and perfect your souls and keep them firm upon the straight path because if you are righteous, you will not be harmed by the one who deviated from the straight path and is not guided to the upright religion; rather he only harms himself. (However), this does not indicate that a servant (of Allah) is not harmed if he abandons enjoining good and forbidding evil, and is negligent towards it because his guidance will not be complete except through fulfilling what is obligated to him with regards to enjoining good and forbidding evil. Yes, if he is (genuinely) unable to stop evil with his hand and his tongue, but rejects it in his heart, then indeed he will not be harmed by the misguidance of others. [4]
Imam Abdul Azeez Bin Baaz [may Allah have mercy upon him] was asked: “Is enjoining good and forbidding evil by the hand obligated to all Muslims, or is it for only those in authority and their deputies?
Stopping evil is obligated to all Muslims according to their ability because the Messenger [peace and blessings of Allah be upon him] said: “Whoever sees evil, let them stop it with their hand; if not able, then with their tongue, and if not able, then with his heart and that is the weakest of Imaan”. [Muslim, Abu Dawood, Tirmidhi & others] However, stopping evil with the hand must be based on ability and should not result in greater corruption or evil. People should not stop something with their hands anything they are not authorised to stop. If they do so, it will result in more evil and great corruption between them and the people, and between the people and the state. [5]
Teachers and Students Must Enjoin Good and Forbid Evil, and There Can Be No Illegal Partisanship on Any Matter
Shaikh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah [may Allah have mercy upon him] said:
ﻭﻟﻴﺲ ﻟﻠﻤﻌﻠﻤﻴﻦ ﺃﻥ ﻳﺤﺰﺑﻮﺍ ﺍﻟﻨﺎﺱ
ﻭﻳﻔﻌﻠﻮﺍ ﻣﺎ ﻳﻠﻘﻲ ﺑﻴﻨﻬﻢ ﺍﻟﻌﺪﺍﻭﺓ ﻭﺍﻟﺒﻐﻀﺎﺀ،
ﺑﻞ ﻳﻜﻮﻧﻮﻥ ﻣﺜﻞ ﺍﻷﺧﻮﺓ ﺍﻟﻤﺘﻌﺎﻭﻧﻴﻦ ﻋﻠﻰ
ﺍﻟﺒﺮ ﻭﺍﻟﺘﻘﻮﻱ ﻛﻤﺎ ﻗﺎﻝ ﺗﻌﺈﻟﻰ
وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَى وَلا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الإثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ
وليس لأحد منهم أن يأخذ على أحد عهداً بموافقته على كل ما يريده وموالاة من يواليه ومعاداة من يعاديه،بل من فعل هذا كان من جنس جنكز خان وأمثاله الذين يجعلون من وافقهم صديقاً واليا، ومن خالفهم عدوَّا باغيا، بل عليهم وعلى أتباعهم عهد الله ورسوله بأن يطيعوا الله ورسوله ويفعلوا ما أمر الله ورسوله ويحرموا ما حرم الله ورسوله ويرعوا حقوق المعلمين كما أمر الله ورسوله، فإن كان أستاذ أحد مظلوماً نصره، وإن كان ظالماً لم يعاونه على الظلم بل يمنعه منه كما ثبت في الصحيح أنه قال:
(انصر أخاك ظالماً أو مظلوماً. قيل: يا رسول الله: أنصره مظلوماً فكيف أنصره ظالماً؟. قال تمنعه من الظلم فذلك نصرك إياه).
وإذا وقع بين معلم ومعلم أو تلميذ وتلميذ أو معلم وتلميذ خصومة ومشاجرة لم يجز لأحد أن يعين أحدهما حتى يعلم الحق، فلا يعاونه بجهل ولا بهوى، بل ينظر في الأمر، فإذا تبين له الحق أعان المحق منهما على المبطل سواء كان المحق من أصحابه أو أصحاب غيره، وسواء كان المبطل من أصحابه أو أصحاب غيره، فيكون المقصود عبادة الله وحده وطاعة رسوله واتباع الحق والقيام بالقسط
قال تعالى
يا أيها الذين آمنوا كونوا قوامين بالقسط شهداء لله ولو على أنفسكم أو الوالدين والأقربين، إن يكن غنياً أو فقيراً فالله أولى بهما، فلا تتبعوا الهوى أن تعدلوا وإن تلووا أو تعرضوا فإن الله كان بما تعملون خبيراً
It not allowed for the teachers to initiate (illegal) partisanship between the people and do that which would cause enmity and hatred between them; but rather they should be brothers who cooperate upon righteousness and piety, as Allaah [The Exalted] says: [وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَىٰ ۖ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ – Help you one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwa [virtue, righteousness and piety]; but do not help one another in sin and transgression]. [Surah Al-Maa’idah. Ayah 2]
It is not allowed for anyone of them to receive a pledge from anyone to be in agreement with him in everything he wants – having allegiance to the one he is allied to and enmity against the one he harbours enmity, and whoever does this is similar to Genghis Khan and his ilk (in this affair), who take as their loyal friends the one in agreement with them and the one who oppose them as a rebellious enemy; rather it is obligated on them and their followers (i.e. the teachers) to fulfil the covenant of Allah and His Messenger by obeying Allah and His Messenger, doing that which Allah and His Messenger have commanded, declare unlawful that which Allah and His Messenger have declared unlawful, and preserve the rights of the teachers in the manner commanded by Allah and His Messenger. So, if one’s teacher is oppressed, he should help him; but if the teacher is the oppressor, he should not aid him in his act of oppression; rather he forbids him from it, as it has been established in the authentic books of hadeeth that the Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be upon him] said, “Help your brother, whether he is an oppressor or he is an oppressed one. People asked, “O Allah’s Messenger! It is all right to help him if he is oppressed, but how should we help him if he is an oppressor?” The Prophet said, “By preventing him from oppressing others.” [Saheeh Al-Bukhaari 2444]
If an argument and dispute occur between a teacher and another teacher, or between a student and another student, it is not permissible for anyone to help one of them until he knows the truth – neither to aid him based on ignorance nor desires; rather he examines the affair, so if the truth becomes clear to him, he helps the one who deserves to be helped (due to him being upon the truth) against the one upon error – regardless whether the one who deserves to be helped is one of his companions or the companion of someone else, or whether the one upon error is one of his companions or the companion of someone else. Therefore, the aim is only to worship Allah alone, obedience to Allah’s Messenger, adherence to truth, and establishment of justice. Allah [The Exalted] says:
يا أيها الذين آمنوا كونوا قوامين بالقسط شهداء لله ولو على أنفسكم أو الوالدين والأقربين، إن يكن غنياً أو فقيراً فالله أولى بهما، فلا تتبعوا الهوى أن تعدلوا وإن تلووا أو تعرضوا فإن الله كان بما تعملون خبيراً
O you who believe! Stand out firmly for justice, as witnesses to Allah; even though it be against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, be he rich or poor, Allah is a Better Protector to both (than you). So follow not the lusts (of your hearts), lest you may avoid justice, and if you distort your witness or refuse to give it, verily, Allah is Ever Well-Acquainted with what you do. [Surah An-Nisaa. Ayah 135] [6]
Dangers of a brotherhood devoid of enjoining good and forbidding evil
Al-Allaamah Saalih al Fawzaan [may Allah preserve him] said: When punishment descends on the disobedient ones, it touches both the righteous and the wicked, except the one who rejects evil. Indeed he (the one who rejected evil) will be saved. As for the one who did not reject evil, he will be destroyed even if he is a righteous person. He will be destroyed along with those who are destroyed, just as what took place with Ashaabus Sabt (those who violated the Sabbath). Allaah [Glorified be He and free is He from all imperfections] did not mention anything concerning those who kept quiet (i.e. those who refrained from rejecting evil); rather He only mentioned those who forbade evil. As for the second group, those who said: [ وَإِذۡ قَالَتۡ أُمَّةٌ۬ مِّنۡہُمۡ لِمَ تَعِظُونَ قَوۡمًاۙ ٱللَّهُ مُهۡلِكُهُمۡ أَوۡ مُعَذِّبُہُمۡ عَذَابً۬ا شَدِيدً۬اۖ – Why do you preach to a people whom Allah is about to destroy or to punish with a severe torment?] (Surah Al-A’raaf. Aayah 164), Allaah kept quiet about them (i.e. those who made this statement), no information is given regarding whether they were either amongst the destroyed or those saved. What is apparent is that they were amongst the destroyed.
Allah says:
لُعِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ڪَفَرُواْ مِنۢ بَنِىٓ إِسۡرَٲٓءِيلَ عَلَىٰ لِسَانِ دَاوُ ۥدَ وَعِيسَى ٱبۡنِ مَرۡيَمَۚ ذَٲلِكَ بِمَا عَصَواْ وَّڪَانُواْ يَعۡتَدُونَ
ڪَانُواْ لَا يَتَنَاهَوۡنَ عَن مُّنڪَرٍ۬ فَعَلُوهُۚ لَبِئۡسَ مَا ڪَانُواْ يَفۡعَلُونَ
Those among the Children of Israel who disbelieved were cursed by the tongue of Daawood and Eesaa, son of Maryam. That was because they disobeyed (Allaah and the Messengers) and were ever transgressing beyond bounds. They used not to forbid one another from evil which they committed. Vile indeed was what they used to do. [Surah Al-Maa’idah. Ayaat 78-79]
After the Prophet [peace and blessings of Allah be upon him] recited this statement of Allah, he said, “The reason being cursed was because they did not forbid one another from evil which they committed. So Allah cursed all of them”. He said, “‘By no means, I swear by Allah, you must enjoin good and forbid evil, prevent the wrongdoer, bend him into conformity with what is right, and restrict him to what is right, or Allaah will mingle your hearts together and curse you as He cursed them”. [Abu Dawud] [7] [End of quote]
Human perfection
https://salafidawahmanchester.com/2023/12/15/the-pinnacle-of-human-perfection-is-attained-through-four-qualities/
Finally, any opinions held by individuals that such and such affairs do not concern me or others must be supported by clarity rather than mere assertions. Similarly, asserting that a particular individual is unfit to judge a matter cannot be based solely on unfounded claims; instead, it should be accompanied by clear justification. Furthermore, what may not concern or impact us in specific or general situations may still be relevant to others. Therefore, before making broad statements and attempting to apply them universally, it is important to thoroughly examine and specify the issue at hand, or the very least, offer guidance on the most appropriate course of action if it is believed that the current approach is incorrect. Lastly, when it comes to general statements that may seem reasonable but require clarification, they should either be critically questioned based on the circumstances or else they may lead to confusion and ambiguity. And Allah knows best.
[1] https://www.nawawis40hadith.com/nw/hadith/12/interest-in-the-beneficial
[2] Jaami-ul Uloom Wal-Hikam: page:117
[3] Jaami-ul Uloom Wal-Hikam: page: 122
[4] Tafsir As-Sadi
[5] Fataawa Ibn Baaz 8/208
[6] Majmoo Al-Fataawaa. 28/15-17
[7] The Means To Safety For The Ummah. page 5