“Religion is sincere advice. Religion is sincere advice.” They asked, “To whom, O Messenger of Allah?” He replied, “To Allah, His Book, His Messenger, the leaders of the Muslims, and their common people.”

People said to ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb concerning the members of the consultative council, “Appoint so-and-so and so-and-so.” He then mentioned something about each of the six—who were the finest members of the Muslim community—that prevented him from appointing that man.

If sincere advice is obligatory in matters concerning private and public religious interests, this applies, for example, to hadith transmitters who make mistakes or lie. As Yahyā ibn Sa‘īd said:

“I asked Mālik, al-Thawrī, al-Layth ibn Sa‘d—I think—and al-Awzā‘ī about a man whose hadith transmission is suspect or whose memory is unreliable. They said, ‘Make his condition clear.’”

Someone said to Ahmad ibn Hanbal, “I find it burdensome to say that so-and-so is like this and so-and-so is like that.” He replied, “If you remain silent and I remain silent, when will an uninformed person distinguish the sound from the unsound?”

The same applies to the leading proponents of religious innovation who espouse doctrines contrary to the Book and the Sunnah or practise forms of worship contrary to the Book and the Sunnah. Explaining their condition and warning the Muslim community against them is obligatory by the agreement of the Muslims. Indeed, Ahmad ibn Hanbal was asked:

“Which do you prefer: a man who fasts, prays, and observes spiritual retreat, or one who speaks out against the people of religious innovation?”

He replied, “If he stands in prayer, offers prayers, and observes spiritual retreat, he benefits only himself. But if he speaks out against the people of religious innovation, he benefits the Muslims. This is better.”

He thus explained that the benefit of this extends to the Muslims generally in their religion and is a form of jihad