Library Islam What is Islam? Enjoining what is Good and Forbidding what is Reprehensible
Enjoining what is Good and Forbidding what is Reprehensible
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ENJOINING WHAT IS GOOD and FORBIDDING WHAT IS REPREHENSIBLE
Question:
What does this mean?
Answer:
Islam enjoins what is good, whether it is to make something obligatory or to cause something to be recommended. The good which Islam enjoins is called ma‘ruf.
Similarly, it also forbids what is reprehensible, either by causing certain things to be absolutely forbidden or by saying that certain actions are best kept away from. Bad things are called munkar.
Consequently Islam has ordered Muslims to enjoin what is ma‘ruf (good things) and forbid munkar (bad actions). Thus, with this law the deviations in any community are set straight, people are guided towards correct Islamic behaviour and they are saved from evil things and crimes.
In the Qur’an, God says: “You are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind, you enjoin what is good and you forbid what is reprehensible”[3: 110].
The Prophet Muhammad (God’s blessings and peace be upon him and his progeny) likened enjoining good and forbidding what is reprehensible to a person in a boat who, while at sea, starts making a hole in it. If the other passengers grab hold of him, he and they will be saved but if they leave him to carry on, both he and they will perish
Imam Amir al-Mu’minin (peace be upon him) said: “See to it that you command what is good (ma‘ruf) and forbid what is reprehensible (munkar) otherwise the evil amongst you will surely gain the upper hand, whereupon you will ask God to help you but your prayers will not be granted”[45].
