Al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage)

41. “Those who, if We establish them in the land, perform the prayer, and pay the alms, and enjoin good and forbid evil, and unto Allah belongs the end of (all) affairs.”

If the righteous persons have the power and potentialities in their possession, they usually utilize them correctly, but if they are in the possession of some inept ones, they often misuse them.

Therefore, the means of the world and power are as some blessings for some groups of people, while they are the means of misery for others. So, the Qur’an refers to both of them.

It implies that if the believers gain power and ability, they will keep up prayer, pay the alms, enjoin good and forbid evil. But if the deviated and inept people become powerful, they disobey the truth:

“…Most surly man does transgress (all bounds)”1

and go along the way of destroying the economical sources of others as well as the annihilation of generations.

In this concern, the Qur’an, says:

“And when he turns back, he strives to cause mischief on the earth, and to destroy the tilth and the stock…”2 .

And, finally, they cause people to enter into Hell Fire:

“…Imams (who) call to the Fire…”.3

However, this verse is an interpretation upon the friends of Allah whom have been promised the help of Allah in the previous verse.

It says:

“Those who, if We establish them in the land, perform the prayer, and pay the alms, and enjoin good and forbid evil…”

After being victorious, such believers never make themselves busy with luxuries, and libidinous pleasures, as the arrogant oppressors do, nor do they dive in pride and vanity. On the contrary, they utilize their victories and successions as a ladder for their promotion in improving both themselves and their own society.

They never change into a tyrant after obtaining power. Their relation with Allah is firm as well as with the servants of Allah, since prayer is the sign of having a link with Allah, and almsgiving is an indication to having a link with peoples; and enjoining good and forbidding evil are counted as the basic foundations of constructing a safe and sound society.

These very four qualities alone are enough for introducing such people. It is under the light of them all that other worships, righteous deeds and specialties of a believing and faithful progressed society can be provided.

It should be noted that the Qur’anic word /makkanna/ is derived from /tamkin/ and this means ‘to supply the means and equipments’ irrespective of the necessary tools, sufficient knowledge and awareness, as well as the physical and mental abilities.

The Qur’anic word /ma‘ruf/ means ‘some good and right actions’, while the word /munkar/ means ‘ugly and wrong deeds’; since the former has been provided for any purified person and the latter is unknown. In other words, the first one is adapted to the man’s nature, but the second is not.

Thus, at the end of the verse, the Qur’an says:

“…and unto Allah belongs the end of (all) affairs.”

This phrase means: as the beginning of all powers and victories is from the side of Allah, the end of all things returns to Him, too;

“Verily we belong to Allah and certainly unto Him shall we return.”4

A Few Points

1. The Philosophy of the Holy War

We have formerly discussed expressively about this important subject, but regarding that these verses are perhaps the first group of the verses by which the permission of Holy War was issued for Muslims, and their content points out to the philosophy of this commandment, it seems necessary that we speak again about it.

In these holy verses, two important dimensions of the philosophy of Holy War have been referred to.

The first is the Holy Struggle of the oppressed against the cruel oppressors. This is a certain natural right for them, and the intellect approves that they should not accept injustice, but they must rise and protest, equip themselves with weapon, remove the oppressors, and cut off their polluted hands from their rights.

Another kind is the Holy Struggle against false deities who intend to wipe out the name of Allah from the hearts and to destroy the temples which are among the centers of people’s awareness.

This group should also be opposed so that they cannot efface the remembrance of Allah (s.w.t.) from the minds and, consequently, they stupefy people in order to make them some slaves and servants for themselves.

This matter is also noteworthy that: destroying temples and mosques is not only this action that they ruin them down by means of destruction and machines, but it is possible that they work indirectly and prepare some evil amusing things and ill propagations that they cause to divert common people from temples and mosques and, thus, these sacred places may be practically turned into some ruins.

Therefore, by what was said in the above, the answer of some objectors is made clear, those who say: why has Islam allowed Muslims to gain their goals by attaching force and war? Why do they not work for the Islamic aims by applying logic?

Is it possible that merely by using reasoning and logical statements the oppressed stand against the cruel tyrants who expel them from their houses, confiscate their properties, and observe no law and logic under the pretext that the oppressed say: ‘There is no god but Allah’?

Can these mad and illogical oppressors be faced without the language of weapon?

This is just like that they say: “Why do you and Israel not sit at a table for agreement with Israel, the usurper?” The same Israel who has been heedless unto international laws and warnings, and unto the decisions of the worldly organizations which are accepted by all nations, as well as the whole religious and humane laws? Does such a one comprehend logic and negotiation?

Is Israel, under whose unjust fiery bombards thousands of thousand innocent children, old women and men, and even the sick persons of the hospitals turned into pieces and were burnt, such a one to whom must be spoken logically?

Also, there are some persons who do their best to destroy the temples and the mosques that are the causes of awareness and movement of people when they see they are against their unlawful interests. Are such persons suitable to discuss with through a peaceful way?

However, if we put the present realities of the human societies under consideration, we will convince ourselves that, in some instances, there is no way save attaching to gun and force.

This is not because of the disability of logic, but it is because of the absence of the preparedness of the tyrants for the acceptance of right logic. There is no doubt that wherever logic is effective the right of priority is to it there.

2. Whom Has Allah Promised to Help?

This is a wrong consideration that the promise of victory and Allah’s help as well as the defence from the believers, mentioned in the above verses and other verses of the Qur’an, are outside the laws of life and the course of creation. Nay, it is not such. Allah has given this promise only to those who utilize all their abilities and are active in the scene.

That is why in interpretation of the abovementioned verses, the Qur’an says:

“…And were Allah not to repel by means of other people, the earth would certainly be full of mischief;…”5

Therefore, Allah does not repel the vice of the oppressors only by the unseen powers and the power of thunderbolt and earthquake (save some exceptional instances), but He repels their vice by the true believers, and only these are those whom Allah does support with His help.

Therefore, the promises of Allah not only should not cause the heedlessness of some individuals concerning the burden of responsibilities, but it must also be the source of further encouragements, movements and activities in them; and, of course, it is in this case that the victory has been guaranteed for them from the side of Allah.

By the way, these believers do not refer to Allah only before their victory, but they also make firm their relation to Him after their victory, and they use of the victory against the enemy as a means for the spread of right, justice and virtue, as the Qur’an says:

“Those who, if We establish them in the land, perform the prayer…”

In some Islamic narrations, the above holy verse has been rendered into Hadrat Mahdi (as) and his companions, or into Ahl-ul-Bayt (as) in general.

A tradition from Imam Baqir (as), upon the commentary of the holy phrase:

“Those who, if We establish them in the land…”,

said:

“This verse, up to the end of it, belongs to the progeny of Muhammad (S) and Mahdi (as) and his companions. Allah will bestow them the East and the West of the earth (in their governmental authority) and will make religion manifest, and by Mahdi (as) and his companions He will annihilate innovation and falsehood, as evil ones had annihilated the truth, so much that there will not be seen any injustice (on the earth) for they enjoin the good and forbid the wrong.”6

There are also some other traditions on this regard, but, as we have repeatedly said these traditions state some clear examples of the meaning of the verse and they do not hinder the generality of its concept. Thus, the vast meaning of the verse envelops all the believers, strivers, and challengers.

3. The Righteous, the Humble, and the Helpers of Allah

Through the abovementioned verses and the verses before them, somewhere He commands the Prophet (S) to give glad tidings to the righteous, the good doers (Muhsinin),¹ and then He introduces them as those who have Faith and are not treacherous and ungrateful.

Somewhere in the Qur’an He refers to the humble ones (Mukhbitin) and explains them as those who, when mentioning Allah, tremble heartily, and are patient under that which afflicts them and they establish prayer and spend in charity out of whatever good Allah has provided them with.²

Then, finally, the qualities of the helpers of Allah are explained, as that: at the time of victory they do not pave the way of disobedience, but they establish prayers and pay the alms, enjoin good and forbid evil.³

The totality of these verses shows that, from one side, the true believers, who are qualified with these attributes, are very strong in faith and in feeling responsibility, and, on the other side, they are very steadfast and practical from the point of action in the aspects of relation with Allah and the servants of Allah as well as struggling against corruption.

4. What is ‘Right’ and What is ‘Wrong’?

The Arabic word /ma‘ruf/ is derived from /‘arafa/ and it philologically means ‘known’, while the term /munkar/ is derived from /’inkar/ and means ‘unknown’.

Thus the ‘good deeds’ are some known things, while the wrong and indecent actions have been introduced as some unknown affairs, whereas the man’s nature is acquainted with the first group and it is unacquainted with the second group.

Now, someone may ask:

“Is enjoining good an intellectual duty, or it is devotional?”

Some Islamic scholars believe that these two duties, as obligatory, have been proved only by traditional evidence, and intellect does not command that a person hinders another one from doing an evil deed the harm of which returns only to the same one himself.

However, regarding the social relations and that no indecent deed in the society stops in a particular point, but on the contrary, whatever it may be, it can, like fire, reach other points harmfully, and thus these two duties are recognized as intellectual.

In other words, there is not anything found in the society under the title of ‘personal harm’, and every ‘personal harm’ may change into the form of ‘a social harm’. That is why both logic and intellect allow the individuals of the society not to stop effort and endeavour in purifying their own environment from any pollution.

Some Islamic traditions have also pointed to this matter. It has been narrated from the holy Prophet (S), who said:

“The parable of a sinful person among people is like someone who embarks a ship with some others. So, when the ship is in the middle of the sea, he takes an ax and cuts a hole where he is sitting. Whenever he is protested, he answers that he is occupying his own share.

So, if others do not stop him of doing this dangerous deed, it does not take long that, by penetrating the sea water into the ship, everybody drowns in the sea.”

By this interesting example, the holy Prophet (S) has illustrated the duty of enjoining right and forbidding wrong as being logical, and he has also counted the right of personal control over the society as a natural right which originates from the relationship of the fates.

5. The Importance of Enjoining Right and Forbidding Wrong

In addition to the numerous verses of the Holy Qur’an, there are many proper traditions recorded in Islamic sources concerning the importance of these two great social duties. They have pointed to the dangers and evil sequels that may appear in the society as the result of abandoning these two duties.

Here are some examples:

1. Imam Baqir (as) says:

“Verily the act of enjoining the right and forbidding the wrong are (two) great commandments by which other divine commandments may be established and (by which) the ways can become secured and the transactions (of people) become lawful, and the rights of persons can be safeguarded, and the lands may become flourished, and the enemies may be revenged, and (under their shade) all affairs will become straightened.”10

2. The holy Prophet (S) said:

“Whoever enjoins right and forbids wrong he is the viceroy of Allah on the earth, the viceroy of the messenger of Allah (S) and the viceroy of His Book.”11

It is clearly understood from this tradition that this great commandment, before anything else, is a Divine program, and the appointment of the prophets and sending the heavenly Books are all parts of this program.

3. Once a man came to the Prophet (S), while he was sitting on the pulpit, and asked him:

“Who is the best of people?”

The Prophet (S) said:

“The one among them who enjoins right and forbids wrong more than others; and is of the most virtuous people and tries to gain the pleasure of Allah more than others.”12

4. Another tradition narrated from the Prophet (S) indicates that he said:

“You should enjoin right and forbid wrong else Allah will dominate over you a cruel ruler who neither respects the old ones nor does he have mercy upon the children. Your righteous ones pray but it will not be answered, and they ask Allah for help but He will not help them; they even repent and Allah may not forgive their sins.”13

These are all the natural reactions of the deeds of the people who do not fulfil this great social duty, for without a general control, the process of the affairs will not remain in the hand of the righteous ones and the vicious ones will occupy the social positions.

When the above holy tradition denotes that their repentance will not be accepted, it is because their repentance is usually accompanied with their silence before the corruptions therein, and it does not have a right concept, except that they reform their programs.

5. Imam Amir-ul-Mu’mineen Ali (as) said:

“All virtuous deeds totally, including even the Holy war in the way of Allah, comparing with enjoining right and forbidding wrong, is like a small amount of saliva in a deep ocean.”14

All these emphasizes are for the sake that these two great duties are, in fact, as a surety of execution of other individual and social duties and are considered as their soul, so that when they are absent all the commandments and ethical principles will lose their value.

6. Does Enjoining Right Negate Freedom?

In answer to this question, it should be said that social life certainly contains so many advantages and blessings, and even this kind of advantages have caused man to live socially, yet there are some limitations in it, too.

The harms of these few disadvantages of limitations comparing the abundant benefits of social life are so little that mankind accepted them for the social life from the early days.

And, in view of the fact that in the social life the fate of individuals relates to each other, and the members of a society affect the fates of others, the right of controlling others’ deeds is a natural right and it is the peculiarity of social life.

This meaning was mentioned through the tradition which was formerly narrated from the Prophet (S). Thus, performing this obligatory duty not only does not contradict with personal freedom, but it is also a duty that individuals must observe mutually.

7. Does Enjoining Right Produce Anarchy?

Another question is that the interference of all people in the social affairs and controlling the deeds of each other causes disorder, confusion and different conflicts in the society, which opposes the division of the duties and responsibilities in the society.

In answer to this problem we say that: through former discussions this fact was made clear that the process of enjoining right and forbidding wrong has two stages. The first stage, which has a general aspect, consists of a limited scope of action.

It is not more than beyond admonition, advice, protest, criticism, and the like. Admittedly, in a lively society all the members must have such a responsibility against the corruptions.

The second stage, which is peculiar to a particular group and is counted among the authorities of the Islamic government, has a very vast scope of power.

That is, in the circumstances necessitate some violence in action, and even retaliation and execution of punishments, this group has the authority of action under the view of Islamic judge and the responsible persons of the Islamic government.

Thus, regarding the different stages of enjoining right and forbidding wrong, and their limits and rules, not only there will not appear any anarchy in the society, but also the society will change from a dead and listless state into a lively one.

Enjoining Right is Separate from Rudeness

At the end of this discussion, it is necessary to mention the fact that in doing this obligatory duty and invitation unto the right and striving against corruption, sympathy, piety in aim, and good opinion should not be neglected, and, except for some necessary instances, always the peaceful ways must be used. The performance of this duty should not be taken equal with rudeness.

But, unfortunately at the time of doing this duty, some persons act with harshness while it is not from the necessary instances, and sometimes they use some ugly and indecent words. So, we see that such kinds of enjoining right not only leave not a good effect, but also end to an opposite result.

The way of manner of the Prophet (S) and the immaculate Imams (as) shows that they mingled those two duties with much love and affection when they were executing them; and it was why the most obstinate ones submitted them soon.

The Commentary of Al-Manar, upon the interpretation of this verse narrates that:

Once a young man came to the Prophet (S) and said:

“O’ Messenger of Allah! Do you let me adulterate?”

When he said this, people shouted and, from here and there, they protested him. But the Prophet (S) coldly and calmly said:

“Come nigh, O’ man!”

The young man approached and sat in front of the holy Prophet (S) who kindly asked him whether he liked that his mother might be treated like that.

The young man answered:

“No. May I be your ransom!”

He (S) said:

“Similarly, people are not contented that their mother might be treated like that.”

Again he (S) asked him whether he liked that his daughter might be treated like that, when he replied the same answer. Then he (S) said again that similarly people were not contented that their daughters might be treated like that.

The Prophet (S) asked him:

“What about your sister?”

The young man denied again (and he became utterly regretful of his question). Then, the Prophet (S) put his hand on the youth’s chest and prayed for him.

He said:

“O’ Allah! Purify his heart, forgive his sin, and keep him safe from being polluted with indecency.”

From then on, the most hatred thing with that young man was adultery. And, this was the consequence of mildness and kindness of the Prophet (S) when forbidding the wrong.