righteousness, but instead harm those who forbid them because greed, desire, and self-admiration hold sway, the obligation to change wrongdoing with the tongue falls away in these circumstances, while rejection of it in the heart remains obligatory.

“Greed” is an intense craving that gives rise to miserliness and injustice; it involves withholding good and disliking it. “Desire that is followed” concerns willing evil and loving it, while “admiration for one’s own opinion” concerns reason and knowledge. Thus, he mentioned the corruption of the three faculties: knowledge, love, and hatred.

As stated in another hadith:

“Three things lead to ruin: greed that is obeyed, desire that is followed, and a person’s admiration for himself. Set against them are three things that bring salvation: fearing Allah in private and in public, moderation in poverty and wealth, and speaking the truth in anger and contentment.”

These are the things the Prophet asked for in another hadith:

“O Allah, I ask You to grant me fear of You in private and in public. I ask You to grant me truthful speech in anger and contentment, and I ask You to grant me moderation in poverty and wealth.”

Fear of Allah counters following desire, for such fear prevents it, as He said:

“But as for whoever feared standing before his Lord and restrained himself from desire”.

Moderation in poverty and wealth counters greed that is obeyed, while speaking the truth in anger and contentment counters a person’s admiration for himself.

What al-Siddīq stated is clear, for Allah said:

“Take care of yourselves”.

That is, attend closely to yourselves and direct your attention to your own souls. Among the things that benefit the soul is carrying out its duty to enjoin right and forbid wrong.

He also said:

“Those who go astray will not harm you if you are rightly guided”.

Right guidance is only complete when Allah is obeyed and the duties of enjoining right and forbidding wrong, along with other obligations, are fulfilled. Yet the verse contains great benefits: