of the Believers, Allah the Exalted has said to His Prophet ﷺ: “Hold to forgiveness, enjoin what is right, and turn away from the ignorant” (Al-Aʿrāf 199). This man, indeed, is one of the ignorant.’

ʿUmar stopped dead and went no farther, for he was a man who would halt at the Book of Allah—may Allah be pleased with him. He restrained himself and did not strike or harm the man solely because of the verse that had just been recited to him.

Observe the reverence the Companions—may Allah be pleased with them—showed toward the Book of Allah: they never overstepped it. Whenever they were told, ‘This is the word of Allah,’ they stopped, whatever the circumstance.

His saying, ‘Hold to forgiveness,’ means: accept whatever people can readily offer and comes easily; do not insist on taking your full right, for you will never obtain it completely. Take from them what is pardoned and uncomplicated.

‘And enjoin what is right’ means: command that which the Law and sound custom both recognize as good. Do not command anything reprehensible or contrary to common decency, for matters fall into three categories:

1. A reprehensible act that must be forbidden.
2. A recognized good that should be commanded.
3. Whatever is neither of these, about which one remains silent.

Nevertheless, as sincere advice, a person should say nothing except what is good, for the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: ‘Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day, let him speak good or remain silent.’