Munkarat i.e. personal and social resistance against corruptions and mischief is the duty of all Muslims. This is especially the case at present when crime and terrorism are misrepresenting Islam and Muslims before the whole world. Such mischief is nothing but a conspiracy against Muslims and Islam. [G1] [G2] [G3] Therefore, it is our religious responsibility to create personal and social resistance against such activities. There is no option for silence.[G4]
روى الجصاص في أحكام القرآن في تفسير صورة المائدة: باب الأمر بالمعروف والنهي عن المنكر عن قيس بن أبي حازم قال سمعت أبا بكر الصديق على المنبر يقول إني سمعت رسول الله يقول:”إن الناس إذا عمل فيهم بالمعاصي ولم يغيروا أوشك أن يعمهم الله بعقابه”.
Narrated Abu Bakr:
You people recite this verse “You who believe, care for yourselves; he who goes astray cannot harm you when you are rightly-guided,” and put it in its improper place.
Khalid’s version has: we heard the Prophet (PBUH) say: When the people see a wrongdoer and do not prevent him, Allah will soon punish them all. Amr ibn Hushaym’s version says: I heard the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) say: If acts of disobedience are done among any people and do not change them though they are able to do so, Allah will soon punish them all.
Abu Dawud said: This tradition has also been[G5] transmitted by Abu Usamah and a group of transmitters similar to the version narrated by Khalid. The version of Shu’bah goes: “If acts of obedience are done among any people who are more numerous than those who do them and they do not change them though they are able to do so, Allah will soon punish them all. {Jassas, Ahkamul Quran, Sura Maedah: 105}
It is mentioned in a Hadith that if one sees an evil then he resists it with his hand. {at present such responsibility lies with law enforcement agencies} and if he is not able to do so, he should resist and condemn it with his tongue {at present such responsibility lies with clerics, scholars, jurists, leaders, journalists, speakers and members of the civil society} and if he is not able to do so, he should despise this with heart – and that is the weakest of faith.
عن أبي سعيد الخدري قال سمعت رسول الله يقول: “من رأى منكم منكراً فليغيره بيده فإن لم يستطع فبلسانه فأن لم يستطع فبقلبه وذلك أضعف الإيمان”.قوله فبلسانه.. وهذه هي وظيفة العلماء، كما أن التغيير باليد وظيفة الأمراء والولاة. قال في الظهيرية الأمر بالمعروف باليد على الأمير واللسان على العلماء وبالقلب على عوام الناس. (فتح الملهم).
On the authority of Abu Sa’eed al-Khudree (may Allah be pleased with him) who said:
I heard the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) say, “Whosoever of you sees an evil let him resist it with his hand; and if he is not able to do so, then with his tongue; and if he is not able to do so, then with his heart – and that is the weakest of faith”. {Muslim 84}.
Therefore, it is the responsibility of scholars to resist with speeches however it is the responsibility of judiciary and executive organs of the state to resist with hand i.e. force.[G6] [G7]
It is mentioned in the book of Zariyah that resistance by force is responsibility of judiciary and government, resistance through speeches is the responsibility of scholars and hatred towards such evil activities is the responsibility of mass peoples {Fathul Mulhim: 1/226}
Postscripts;
The aforementioned Ayah and Hadith that terrorist groups are presenting as evidence in favor of their evil deed is another evidence of their fraudulent activities and nothing but misrepresentation and distorted explanation of the Quran and Sunnah. Out of context, misquoted misrepresentation without related ayah and relevant backgrounds are resulting in such wrongful explanations. This ayah is not generally applicable one. Rather it is applicable to those enemy forces who are engaged [G8] in warfare with the Muslim forces or those who deny extending covenant or treaties upon expiry of breaking of such covenants or treaties. [G9]
قال ابن العربي في أحكام القرآن: وتبين أن المراد بالآية اقتلوا المشركين الذين يحاربونكم. وأيضاً قال تعالى بعد هذه الآية: (وَإِنْ أَحَدٌ مِّنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ اسْتَجَارَكَ فَأَجِرْهُ حَتَّىٰ يَسْمَعَ كَلَامَ اللَّهِ ثُمَّ أَبْلِغْهُ مَأْمَنَهُذَٰلِكَبِأَنَّهُمْقَوْمٌلَّايَعْلَمُونَ(التوبة:6) ). أورد القرطبي في تفسيره على هذه الآية عن سعيد بن جبير قال جاء رجل من المشركين إلى علي بن أبي طالب فقال إن أراد الرجل منا أن يأتي محمداً بعد انقضاء الأربعة الأشهر فيسمع كلام الله تعالى أو يأتيه بحاجته قتل؟ فقال علي ابن أب طالب لا لأن الله تبارك وتعالى يقول وإن أحد من المشركين استجارك فأجره حتى يسمع كلام الله… وهذا هو الصحيح والآية محكمة.
Ibn al-Arabi, in his commentary on the Quran, writes: “It is clear from this that the meaning of this verse is to kill the pagans who are waging war against you”. {Ahkam al-Quran: (2/456)}[G10]
Allah also says right after the verse under discussion: ‘And if anyone of the Mushrikun (polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah)seeks your protection then grant him protection, so that he may hear the Word of Allah (the Qur’an), and then escort him to where he can be secure, that is because they are men who know not”. (At-Tawbah 9:6)
Qurtubi, in his commentary on this ayah writes on the authority of Saeed ibn Zubair that a person came to Hazrat Ali ibn Abi Talib and asked, ‘if anybody from us wished to approach the Messenger after the end of this period (the four sacred months) in order to listen to the word of God or for some other reason or need, would he be killed?. Ali (RA ) replied in the negative and referred to Allah’s words (of a verse) that if any mushrik seeks protection or shelter from you grant it so that he could listen to the words of Allah. Hazrat Ali (RA) recited verse, “And if anyone of the Mushrikun (polytheists, idolaters, pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allah) seeks your protection then grant him protection, so that he might hear the Word of Allah (the Qur’an), and then escort him to where he can be secure, that is because they are men who know not” (At-Tawbah 9:6) [G11]
اللهم ارنا الحق حقاً وارزقنا اتباعه وأرنا الباطل باطلاً وارزقنا اجتنابه
O, Allah! Show us the truth as truth, and inspire us to follow it. Show us falsehood as falsehood, and inspire us to abstain from it. [G12] Aameen.
