Those of the children of Israel who disbelieved were cursed by David and Jesus, son of Mary. That was because they rebelled and were given to transgression. They would never restrain one another from wrongdoing; evil indeed were the things they did. (The Repast, “Al Maidah” 5:78-79)
It was due to the fact that the children of Israel condoned wrongdoing on the part of some of them that they were cursed by their prophets and Allah, punished by Allah, It is not acceptable that a believer should be satisfied with watching evil being committed without attempting to change it by word and deed. But the change must be total and all efforts must aim at the establishment of a good society which implements the code Allah has laid down for mankind.
Partial reforms are not sufficient when the whole society has gone wrong and ignorance has prevailed. When society has adopted a law other than that of Allah, efforts must strike at the roots and the campaigns of jihad must have a clear aim: to establish Allah’s authority in society. When this is accomplished, there will be a solid basis for the fulfillment of the all important principle which is characteristic of the Muslim community: to enjoin what is right and to forbid what is wrong.
All this requires having strong faith and knowing the true nature of faith and the scope of its work in the life of people; it is through such understanding that advocates of the truth come to rely totally on Allah, confident in his support, hoping to receive reward from him only. They do not look up to have any reward or appreciation from a society which has gone astray or to receive support from the people of ignorance.
All Quranic statements and Hadiths which speak of “enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong” actually refer to the duty of a Muslim individual in a Muslim community which acknowledges Allah’s authority and enforces his law. Such a society may at times fall under dictatorship or witness the spread of some sinful practice, hence, the Prophet (peace be on him) says “the best type of jihad is to declare the word of truth in front of a despotic ruler. “the prophet uses the term “Imam” to refer to the ruler, because in the Islamic system, the ruler is the first IMAM, no ruler can be descried as IMAM unless he acknowledges Allah’s authority and his own duty to enforce Allah’s law. Those who do not implement what Allah has revealed are indeed disbelievers, In ignorant societies which refuse to enforce Allah’s law, the principal and most important wrong which gives rise to all wrongs is the rejection of the godhood of Allah through rejecting His law. It is to the changing of this basic wrong that efforts of the Muslims should be directed before tackling secondary wrongs. It is useless for good people to try to resist or forbid such small wrongs when they, by nature, emanate from the first wrong of attempting to usurp Allah’s godhood and reject his authority by rejecting his law. It is pertinent to ask here; according to what measure do we describe people’s actions as wrong and tell them to refrain from doing them?
You may declare that a particular action against you from different quarters to tell you that it is not wrong. They claim that it might have been considered wrong in previous generations, but with progress and development,things have to be looked at in a different light, it is important, therefore, to have a proper standard and acknowledge values to judge matters and identify what is right and what is wrong,. From where can we derive such values and how do we establish such a standard? If we were to rely on the ever changing judgment of people and societies, or their traditions and prejudices, we will end up in a maze where there are no signposts or road marks, nevertheless, it is so important to establish such a standard and it is equally important that this standard should remain constant, unaffected by peoples’ prejudices. The standard we require is that which Allah lays down.
Now let us consider a situation where a society does not recognize Allah’s authority in the first place and does not implement Allah’s law or let us consider a situation where a society ridicules and persecutes those who advocate the implementation of Allah’s law. Would it not be a waste of time and energy to try to correct certain details or side issues over which opinions, values and standards differ widely? It is extremely important to reach an initial agreement on a basis, standard and authority to which we refer for arbitration over conflicting views.
We must begin with enjoining the most important “right” of all, namely, the acknowledgement of Allah’s authority and the adoption of the way of life he has laid down, it is equally important to forbid the moist serious of wrongs which amounts to a rejection of Allah’s Godhood through the rejection of his way of life.. When the foundation is established, the structure can be built, let us, then, concentrate all our efforts in one fron so that we can establish that foundation. It is sad to see, good, well-meaning people spending all their energy in a concerted attempt to correct certain details when the basic criterion for the establishment of an Islamic community in non-existent. What use is it to try to persuade people not to accept or take earnings that are unlawful? In a society where the whole economy is based on usury? In such a society, all money is unlawful and no one can make sure that what he earns is lawful, because the whole social and economic system is in conflict with Allah’s law. What use is to try to persuade people not to be promiscuous in a society which does not consider adultery an offense except in cases of rape? Even in such cases, it does not enforce the punishment prescribed by Allah; because it rejects Allah’s law and consequently, rejects Allah’s Godhood. Futile it is to tell people not to drink when the law of the country permits drinking and punishes only those who go out in the street totally drunk. Even then, it administers a punishment other than that defined by Allah’s law which it does not recognize.
You may try to tell people not to abuse religion, but what good does that achieve in a society which does not recognize Allah’s authority and in which Allah is not worshiped properly. Other deities are recognized and a different law and set of values, standards and systems are implemented, in such a situation, the whole society, including the person whose faith is abuse, submits to those who enact laws and set values and standards for it.
We ask once again, what use is it to enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong in these situations? What benefit is it to tell people to refrain from doing these grave sins, let alone small ones, when the most cardinal sin of all, i.e. the rejection of Allah and his law, is not forbidden? The matter is far greater and wider than the questions which consume the efforts and energy of those well-meaning people. Details, however important, including the cardinal sins, should take a secondary position at this stage. Unless Allah’s authority to legislate is recognized and acted upon, all efforts directed to details are wasted.
Allah’s messenger, (peace be on him), says: “anyone of you who sees something wrong being done should change it with his hand. If he cannot, then with a word of mouth, and if he still cannot, then in his heart, This last one is the weakest degree of faith.” Muslims may go through a stage where they cannot change wrong physically with their own hands and cannot change it by speaking out against it. What is left to them is the weakest degree of faith, which means that they should change it in their thought and hearts. This is something that no one can prevent them from doing, if they are truly Muslims.
It should be explained that this is not a negative attitude to wrong, as may be thought. The fact that the Prophet describes it as “changing” what is wrong suggests that it is a positive action. To object to what is wrong, even in one’s thought, means maintaining a positive attitude. It suggests that the person concerned rejects that wrong and tries to eradicate it and replace it with what is right at the first opportunity. A Muslim is required to maintain at least the weakest degree of faith which is to object to wrong in private. To submit to wrong, on the other hand, simply because it can exert enormous presser, is to abandon even the weakest degree of faith, in such a situation, the same curse that has been incurred by the children of Israel will apply.