Ahadith nyingi zimepokewa zikionyesha wajibu wa kuamrisha mema (Ma'ruf) na kukataza maovu (Munkar), kama kauli ya Mtume Muhammad ﷺ: "Naapa kwa Yule ambaye nafsi yangu iko mikononi mwake, lazima muamrishe mema na mkataze maovu, la sivyo Mwenyezi Mungu atawaletea adhabu kutoka Kwake, kisha mtamwomba na dua yenu haitajibiwa." [Imepokewa na Ahmad kwa mnyororo wa Huzayfah] Pia alisema ﷺ: "Mmoja wenu akiona uovu, na aubadilishe kwa mkono wake; asipoweza, basi kwa ulimi wake; asipoweza, basi kwa moyo wake, na huo ndio kiwango cha chini kabisa cha imani." [Imepokewa na Muslim kwa mnyororo wa Abu Sa'id] Aya na Ahadith hizi zinawaamuru Waislamu kuamrisha mema na kukataza maovu. Kuwawajibisha watawala ni sehemu ya kuamrisha mema na kukataza maovu. Baadhi ya Ahadith zinaamrisha waziwazi kuwawajibisha watawala, jambo hili likionyesha umuhimu wa wajibu huo. Umm 'Atyya alipokea kutoka kwa Abu Sa'id kwamba Mjumbe wa Mwenyezi Mungu ﷺ alisema: "Jihadi bora ni neno la haki mbele ya mtawala dhalimu." Hii ni dalili juu ya kukosoa mtawala na wajibu wa kutamka neno la haki usoni mwake, kulichukulia kuwa aina bora zaidi ya Jihadi. Mjumbe wa Mwenyezi Mungu ﷺ alihimiza aina hii ya Jihadi na kuifanya ipendeke sana, hata ikisababisha kupoteza uhai, kama ilivyotajwa katika Hadith Sahihi, aliposema ﷺ: "Bwana wa mashahidi ni Hamza, na mtu aliyesimama mbele ya mtawala dhalimu akamnasihi, akauawa." Maswahaba, Mwenyezi Mungu awaridhie, nao walimwajibisha Mjumbe wa Mwenyezi Mungu ﷺ, na pia waliwawajibisha Makhalifa Waongofu. Mjumbe wa Mwenyezi Mungu ﷺ hakuwakemea kwa kumwajibisha, wala Makhalifa Waongofu hawakuwakemea. Mjumbe wa Mwenyezi Mungu ﷺ alipokea ushauri wa Al-Habab bin Al-Mundhir katika vita vya Badr. Huko Uhud, yeye (ﷺ) alikubali maoni ya wengi waliopendekeza kwamba wakabiliane na Quraysh nje ya Madina, ingawa yeye (ﷺ) mwenyewe aliona kwa namna nyingine. Siku ya Hudaybiyah, Waislamu walipinga kwa nguvu, hasa 'Umar, na huko Hunayn, Waansari walikasirishwa na jambo ambalo Mtume wa Allah (ﷺ) aligawa ngawira kwa Waislamu wapya ambao alitaka kuwavuta mioyo yao kwa Uislamu, bila kutenga sehemu yoyote kwa ajili yao.
Many Ahadith have been reported that indicate the obligation of enjoining the Ma’ruf and forbidding the Munkar, such as Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) saying; “By He Who owns my soul, you must enjoin the Ma’ruf and forbid the Munkar, or Allah may inflict upon you a punishment from Him, you would then supplicate to Him and your supplication would go unanswered.” [Narrated by Ahmad on the authority of Huzayfah] He (pbuh) also said; “If anyone among you sees a Munkar, let Him change it with his hand; if He could not, let Him then change it with his tongue; and if He could not, then with his heart, and that is the least of Iman.” [Narrated by Muslim on the authority of Abu Sa’id] These Ayaat (verses) and Ahadith command the Muslims to enjoin the Ma’ruf and forbid the Munkar. Holding the rulers accountable is part of enjoining of the Ma’ruf and forbidding of the Munkar. Some Ahadith in fact specifically order the holding of the rulers accountable, this highlights the importance of such a duty. Umm ‘Atyya reported on the authority of Abu Sa’id that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said; “The best of Jihad is a word of truth before a tyrant ruler.” This is a text regarding the censure of the ruler and the obligation of uttering the word of truth in his face, considering it as the best form of Jihad. Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) exhorted this type of Jihad and made it very desirable even if it led to the loss of life, as mentioned in the sound (Sahih) Hadith, where He (pbuh) said; “The master of martyrs is Hamza, and a man who stood up to a tyrant ruler to advise him, and was killed.” The Sahabah, may Allah be pleased with them, did hold the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) accountable, and they held the Khulafaa’ Ar-Rashidoon accountable too. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) did not censure them for holding Him accountable nor did the Khulafaa’ Ar-Rashidoon. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) took the advice of Al-Habab bin Al-Munthir in the battle of Badr. At Uhud, He (pbuh) went along with the opinion of the majority who suggested that they should confront Qur’aysh outside Madinah, despite the fact that He (pbuh) saw otherwise. On the day of Hudaybiyah, the Muslims objected strongly, especially ‘Umar, and at Hunayn, where the Ansar were angered by the fact that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) handed out the booties to the new Muslims whom He wanted to win over their hearts to Islam, without allocating a share for them.