Thus, by saying, “And do not be like those who divided and differed,” after saying, “Let there be among you a group,” He indicates that if this is not done, people will become divided. This is clear: if there is no enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong, each person will follow his own path, and the community will consequently split apart. Nothing unites the community except the law of its Lord, Glorified and Exalted is He; and that can only be achieved through enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong.

First, the community or group appointed by the imam to undertake enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong must possess knowledge that a given matter is right and another is wrong. They must learn this through the Sacred Law.

Second, they must know that the person in question has neglected what is right or committed what is wrong. If they do not know, then it is not permissible for them to condemn him, whether by commanding or prohibiting. For instance, if you see a man walking with a woman in the marketplace and say to him, “Do you not fear Allah? You are walking with women in the marketplace!”—this is neither proper nor permissible. First ask him: “Who is this woman? What is your relationship to her?” If he says, “She is my sister; she is my mother; she is my daughter,” then desist and leave him alone—unless there are compelling indications that contradict his claim; that is another matter.

For this reason, the Messenger ﷺ would not condemn something until he knew that it was wrong. When a man entered while the Prophet ﷺ was delivering the Friday sermon and then sat down, did he say to him, “Get up and pray two rak'ahs”? No. Rather, he asked, “Have you prayed?” For it was possible that he had prayed and the Messenger ﷺ had not seen him. When the man replied, “No,” he said, “Get up and pray two rak'ahs.” (1)