COMPASSION, PATIENCE AND FORBEARANCE ARE REQUIRED IN ENJOINING RIGHT

These things must be done with compassion. The Prophet (sas) said:

“Compassion does not enter into anything without beautifying it, and is not removed from anything without making it ugly.” (Muslim and others)

And, he (sas) said:

“O, Aisha: Verily Allah is Compassionate, and He loves compassion. He gives based on compassion that which is not given based on force, and is not given based on any other cause.” (Muslim and others)

At the same time, the practitioner of enjoining right and forbidding wrong must be forbearing and patient in the face of adversity and persecution. Persecution must, of necessity, confront the true practitioner of enjoining right. If he is not patient, forbearing and wise in the face of this, he will cause more corruption than reform. Allah tells us of Luqman saying to his son:

[And enjoin all that is right, and forbid all that is wrong, and be patient in the face of that which afflicts you, verily, that is the most upright of positions.] Qur’an 31/17.

Thus, Allah ordered His prophets, and they are the imam’s of enjoining right and forbidding wrong, to have patience, just as He ordered the seal of the Prophets Muhammad (sas). The order to have patience came along with the order to deliver the message of Islam. When the Prophet (sas) was first ordered to deliver the message to the people, Allah sent Sura Al-Mudaththir, which followed after the revelation of the first five verses of Sura Iqraa’ which announced the beginning of the prophethood. Allah said in Al-Mudaththir:

[O, you covered in a blanket * Stand up and warn * And praise the greatness of your Lord * And purify your garments * And keep yourself well away from false gods and other forms of foolishness * And do not do all of this hoping for gain or payment * And for the sake of your Lord maintain patience.] Qur`an 74/1-7.

Allah began these seven ayas, with which He commissioned the Prophet (sas) to deliver the message to His creation, by ordering the Prophet to warn, and concluded them with the order to have patience. Warning people of Allah’s punishment is of course enjoining them to do right and forbidding them the doing of wrong, so we see that patience is obligatory after undertaking the enjoining of right. In this vein, Allah said:

[And be patient for the decree of your Lord, verily you are in our Eyes] Qur’an 52/48

[And be patient with that which they say, and remove yourself from them in a gracious manner.] Qur`an 73/10

[And so be patient, as the firmly-intentioned prophets were patient.] Qur`an 46/35.

[So be patient for the decree of your Lord, and do not be as the man in the Whale (i.e. Jonah)] Qur`an 68/48

[And be patient, and your patience is none other than by the leave of Allah.] Qur’an 16/127.

[And have patience since, verily Allah does neglect the reward of the good-doers.] Qur’an 11/115.

Thus, three things are absolutely essential: knowledge, compassion, and patience. Knowledge is required before enjoining right and forbidding wrong, compassion is required during its practice, and patience is required after it. This separation is not to negate the fact that these three qualities need to be present at all times. This is similar to a statement narrated from the early generations of scholars and which has been attributed by some to the Prophet. Abu Ya’la mentioned it in his book entitled Al-Mu’tamad as follows:

“None should enjoin right and forbid wrong except one who is knowledgeable in that which he enjoins, knowledgeable in that which he forbids, compassionate in that which he enjoins, compassionate in that which he forbids, forbearing in that which he enjoins, and forbearing in that which he forbids.”