The Da’wah To Islam by Sheikh Ahmad Mahmoud

We said that Islam has clarified every ma’roof and every munkar; the Muslim is required to abide by every ma’roof for which he is responsible and abstain from every munkar. The question that arises here is; does he enjoin every ma’roof that he carries out, or does he enjoin the majority of, or less than, what he carries out himself? Does he forbid every evil he refrains from, or does he forbid the majority of, or less than, what he refrains from himself?

Before dealing with this subject, we must understand the reality of what the Shar’a seeks realise. The Shar’a aims that an Islamic society be established, in which not a single concept goes against the concepts of the Shar’a; neither does any action take place that is not approved by the Shar’a. Every munkar forbidden by the Shar’a must be prevented and punished. In other words, whatever Allah 􀀬 ordered in terms of rules and beliefs must exist. Every munkar that has taken place or can take place is pursued. Allah 􀀬 has ordered the Muslims to undertake this responsibility. He 􀀬 made this task great and has granted it immense reward. Imaam Ghazali (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his book, “Ihyaa’ ‘uloom ad-deen”; “Amma Ba’d. Indeed, enjoining the good and forbidding the evil is the greatest pillar in the deen. It is the mission with which Allah 􀀬 sent all the prophets. If this ceased to exist and its knowledge and practice was neglected then the prophethood would be suspended, the deen would vanish, the period of no deen would prevail, misguidance and ignorance will spread and corruption will become worse, the rent become beyond repair, the lands will be destroyed and the people will perish.”