Question posed to Imam Muhammad Ibn Saalih al-Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy upon him):

How do we bring harmony between the statement of Allah:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْفُسَكُمْ لا يَضُرُّكُمْ مَنْ ضَلَّ إِذَا اهْتَدَيْتُمْ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيعاً فَيُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

“O you who believe! Take care of your own selves, [do righteous deeds, fear Allah much (abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds which He has forbidden) and love Allah much (perform all kinds of good deeds which He has ordained)]. If you follow the right guidance and enjoin what is right (Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do) and forbid what is wrong (polytheism, disbelief and all that Islam has forbidden) 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.” (al-Maa-idah: 105)

and the statement of the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam):

Whoever from amongst you sees an evil then let him change it with his hands. If he’s not able to, then with his tongue…?

Answer:

There’s no contradiction between the verse and the hadeeth. There’s no contradiction between the verse (mentioned from Soorah al-Maa-idah) and the statement of Allah:

وَلْتَكُنْ مِنْكُمْ أُمَّةٌ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى الْخَيْرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَر

“Let there arise out of you a group of people inviting to all that is good (Islam), enjoining Al-Ma’ruf (i.e. Islamic Monotheism and all that Islam orders one to do) and forbidding Al-Munkar (polytheism and disbelief and all that Islam has forbidden).” (Aal ‘Imraan: 104)

That’s because in the verse that has been mentioned, Allah stated: “If you are guided.” Therefore the verse is restricted to the statement of Allah “If you are guided.” From us being guided is that we command with the right and forbid the wrong. However when the commanding of the right and the forbidding of the wrong doesn’t benefit at all, (then) at that time the person is to be concerned with himself. Based upon this, it has been narrated on the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) that he said:

Command with the right and forbid the wrong until the point where you see stinginess that’s obeyed; desires that are followed; preference being given to the life of this world; everyone who has a view being amazed with his own view. (At this point) then it will be upon you to concern yourself with yourself and leave off the affair of the common folk.

The verse in al-Maa-idah “Oh you who believe, concern yourselves with yourselves…” (then) it’s in relation to (those situations) when the person doesn’t have the ability to command the right or forbid the wrong. (Either that or) his commanding (of the right) and forbidding (of the wrong) doesn’t benefit.

Based upon this, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) read this verse and said: “Oh people, indeed you read the statement of Allah: ‘Oh you who believe, concern yourselves with yourselves. You will not be harmed by the one who has strayed if you are guided.’ Indeed I heard the Prophet (صلى الله عليه وسلم) say: ‘Verily when the people see evil and they do not change it, Allah is about to send down upon all of them His punishment.'”

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Source: Silsilah Liqaa-aat al-Baab al-Maftooh: “Liqaa al-Baab al-Maftooh” 31.

Translated by: Abu Yusuf Khaleefah
2nd of Dhul Qi’dah, 1435 (28th of August, 2014)
Masjid Nur Allah, LeFrak City, Corona, NYC

Original Arabic

(…الجمع بين آية (عليكم أنفسكم لا يضركم من ضل) وحديث (من رأى منكم منكراً فليغيره)

السؤال:

كيف نجمع بين قول الله -عز وجل-:﴿ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْفُسَكُمْ لا يَضُرُّكُمْ مَنْ ضَلَّ إِذَا اهْتَدَيْتُمْ إِلَى اللَّهِ مَرْجِعُكُمْ جَمِيعاً فَيُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِمَا كُنْتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ﴾ [المائدة:105]، وبين قول الرسول -صلى الله عليه وسلم-:« من رأى منكم منكراً فليغيره بيده، فإن لم يستطع فبلسانه، ..» إلى آخر الحديث؟

الجواب:

ليس بين الآية والحديث منافاة، وليس بين الآية وبين قوله -تعالى-:﴿ وَلْتَكُنْ مِنْكُمْ أُمَّةٌ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى الْخَيْرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَر ﴾[آل عمران:104] منافاة؛ لأن الآية التي ذكرت قوله:﴿ لا يَضُرُّكُمْ مَنْ ضَلَّ إِذَا اهْتَدَيْتُمْ ﴾[المائدة:105] قيدت بقوله: إذا اهتديتم، ومن هدايتنا أن نأمر بالمعروف وننهى عن المنكر، لكن إذا كان الأمر بالمعروف والنهي عن المنكر لا يفيد شيئاً، فحينئذٍ على الإنسان بخاصة نفسه، ولهذا يروى عن النبي -صلى الله عليه وسلم- أنه قال:« مر بالمعروف، وانه عن المنكر، حتى إذا رأيت شحاً مطاعاً، وهوىً متبعاً، ودنيا مؤثرة، وإعجاب كل ذي رأي برأيه، فعليك بخاصة نفسك، ودع عنك أمر العوام» فآية المائدة:﴿ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْفُسَكُمْ ﴾[المائدة:105] هي فيما إذا كان الإنسان لا يستطيع أن يأمر بالمعروف، أو ينهى عن المنكر، أو كان أمره، ونهيه لا يفيد، ولهذا قرأ أبو بكر هذه الآية، وقال: (أيها الناس! إنكم تقرءون قول الله -تعالى-:﴿ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْفُسَكُمْ لا يَضُرُّكُمْ مَنْ ضَلَّ إِذَا اهْتَدَيْتُمْ﴾ [المائدة:105] وإني سمعت النبي -صلى الله عليه وسلم- يقول:« إن الناس إذا رأوا المنكر فلم يغيروه أوشك أن يعمهم الله بعقابه».

المصدر: سلسلة لقاءات الباب المفتوح > لقاء الباب المفتوح 31

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