Al-Sharḥ al-Mumtiʿ - Ibn al-'Uthaymin - (15/246)

Al-Sharḥ al-MumtiʿIbn al-'Uthaymin

work, and you can pray—Allah willing—then return to your work.” The worker replied, “May Allah reward you well; yours is a blessed face.” He left his work, went, and prayed. This is a real-life example confirming that. Although the Messenger’s statement needs no confirmation, for he is the truthful one whose truthfulness has been affirmed, lived experience further strengthens one’s faith that gentleness is better than harshness.

Yet—may Allah pardon us—the truth is that zeal sometimes carries us away, and we are unable to restrain ourselves; so we become harsh, grow angry, and our nerves become tense. But what is more fitting for us is to calm down and reflect.

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Whoever among you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand; if he is unable to do so, then with his tongue; and if he is unable to do so, then with his heart” (1).

An example of this is a man who passes by someone playing a stringed instrument. The first thing required of him is to break it: he should change it with his hand. If he is unable, then with his tongue—meaning, he should speak to someone who is able to break it. If he is unable, then with his heart: he should hate it, condemn it, and not keep company with the one who does it.

This matter is unclear to many people. They think that if you hate an evil in your heart, then you may sit with those who commit it! This is mistaken, for Allah, Exalted is He, says:

“And He has already revealed to you in the Book that when you hear Allah’s verses being denied and ridiculed, do not sit with them until they engage in a different conversation. Otherwise, you would surely be like them.” [al-Nisa’ 4:140]

Then He, Most High, says, “Otherwise, you would surely be like them”—that is, if you sit with them. Thus, one who condemns something in his heart does not sit there. Is it conceivable that a person hates something yet sits with those who do it?! It is utterly inconceivable.

These are three matters: calling to Allah, commanding, and changing evil. They may be confused by some

(1) Narrated by Muslim in Kitab al-Iman (Faith), chapter: “Clarification that forbidding evil is part of faith,” no. 49, from Abu Sa'id al-Khudri.

العمل، وأنت تصلي ـ إن شاء الله ـ وترجع إلى عملك، فقال له العامل: جزاك الله خيراً، أنت الوجه المبارك، فترك عمله وراح وصلى، فهذا شاهد واقعي يصدق ذلك، وإن كان قول الرسول صدقاً بلا تصديق؛ لأنه الصادق المصدوق، لكن الواقع يزيدك إيماناً بأن الرفق خير من العنف، لكن ـ الله يعفو عنا ـ فالحقيقة أننا أحياناً تأخذنا الغيرة، ونعجز أن نملك أنفسنا، فنعنف ونغضب وتتوتر أعصابنا، ولكن الأولى لنا أن نهدأ وننظر. قال النبي ﷺ: «من رأى منكم منكراً فليغيره بيده، فإن لم يستطع فبلسانه، فإن لم يستطع فبقلبه» (١) مثال ذلك: رجل مر بصاحب عود يعزف به، فأول ما يجب عليه أن يكسره، فليغيره بيده، إذا لم يستطع فبلسانه، بمعنى أن يتكلم عند من يمكنه أن يكسره، فإن لم يستطع فبقلبه، يكرهه، وينكره، ولا يصاحبُ صاحبَه، وهذه المسألة تخفى على كثير من الناس، يظنون أنك إذا كرهت المنكر بقلبك فاجلس مع أهله! وهذا خطأ؛ لأن الله ﷿ يقول: ﴿وَقَدْ نَزَّلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِي الْكِتَابِ أَنْ إِذَا سَمِعْتُمْ آيَاتِ اللَّهِ يُكْفَرُ بِهَا وَيُسْتَهْزَئُ بِهَا فَلَا تَقْعُدُوا مَعَهُمْ حَتَّى يَخُوضُوا فِي حَدِيثٍ غَيْرِهِ﴾، ثم قال تعالى: ﴿إِنَّكُمْ إِذًا﴾ يعني إن قعدتم ﴿مَثَلُهُمْ﴾ [النساء: ١٤٠] فالمُنكِر بالقلب ما يقعد، وهل يُعقل أن إنساناً يكره شيئاً ويجلس عند من يفعله؟! ما يعقل أبداً. هذه ثلاثة أمور: دعوة، وأمر، وتغيير، تشتبه على بعض

(١) أخرجه مسلم في الإيمان/ باب بيان كون النهي عن المنكر من الإيمان (٤٩) عن أبي سعيد الخدري ﵁.