ENJOINING GOOD & FORBIDDING EVIL

Once Prophet ‘Issa (a.s.) and his disciples passed through a city which was destroyed by Allah (SWT). They saw the inhabitants of that city had perished and their desiccated bones were scattered everywhere. Prophet ‘Issa (a.s.) said to his disciples:

“It appears that these people were punished collectively. If they had died one after another then (those alive) would have buried their dead”.

The disciples said,

“O Spirit of Allah! Pray to Allah to bring them to life so that we may ask them the cause of their punishment. This will serve as a lesson for us so that we may abstain from what made them liable to the punishment”.

Prophet ‘Issa (a.s.) prayed to Allah and he was told to call out to the dead people and they will respond. Prophet ‘Issa (a.s.) called out loudly: “O Inhabitants of this (ruined) city!” And one person from among the dead responded, “Yes O Spirit of Allah”.

Prophet ‘Issa (a.s.) asked him:” Woe unto you! What is the cause of your punishment?”

The dead man replied, “We used to worship the affluent; we were very fond of the worldly life; we used to keep great hopes and were completely negligent of our duties to Allah”.

Prophet ‘Issa (a.s.) then asked the man: “Why is it that when I called out to the inhabitants of this city, no one except you responded to my call?”

The man replied, “O Spirit of Allah! All these people are in captivity of the angels of punishment. I was with them but not from them, but when the punishment of Allah befell, I was also not spared by it. My situation is such that I have been placed on the verge of Hellfire and I do not know whether I shall be thrown into it or will be freed from it”.

When Prophet ‘Issa (a.s) asked for the reason, the man said,

“I have been put into this situation because when I was amongst the people, I saw them committing evil acts but I did not forbid them from it”. (Usool al-Kaafi)

Allah (SWT) says:

“And the believing men and the believing women are the guardians of one another; they enjoin good and forbid evil…”        (9:71)

He (SWT) has also said,

“You are the best group that has been brought forth for mankind; you enjoin goodness and you forbid evil; and you believe in Allah”. (3:110)

Imam Ali bin Abi Talib (a.s.) has said,

“The foundation of Sharia’h are: enjoining people to good, forbidding them from evil and establishment of Divine limits”. (Ghurar al-Hikam)

He (a.s.) has also said,

“Verily Allah has not cursed the people of the past except for their neglecting of Amr bil Ma’roof & Nahyi anil Munkar. Allah cursed the fools who embarked upon disobedience and (He) cursed the wise for their neglection of forbidding evil”.

                                                                     (Nahjul-Balaghah)

Mulla Mujahidali Sheriff

mulla@almahdi.org.uk