—namely, whatever Allah and His Messenger have laid down. He must likewise know what constitutes wrong—that this particular matter is in fact wrong. If he is unsure, he must not prohibit it, for he may forbid something that is actually right, causing people to abandon what is right on his account; or he may forbid something that is merely permissible, thereby restricting Allah’s servants by denying them what Allah has allowed them. He must therefore be certain that the matter is wrong. Many of our well-intentioned but hasty brothers fall into this error: they forbid permissible things they wrongly imagine to be wrong and so make life difficult for Allah’s servants.

Accordingly, do not command anything unless you are sure it is right, and do not forbid anything unless you are sure it is wrong.

The second prerequisite is to know that this particular person has indeed neglected the right or committed the wrong. Do not deal with people on the basis of suspicion or conjecture, for Allah the Exalted says, “O you who believe, avoid much suspicion—for some suspicion is sin—and do not spy” (Q 49:12). If you see someone who does not pray with you in your mosque, that does not necessarily mean he is not praying elsewhere; he may be praying in another mosque or he may have a valid excuse. Therefore, do not go to censure him until you know that he is staying away without excuse.

Yes, there is no harm in going to ask politely and saying, “Brother, we have been missing you at the mosque—are you all right?” But to rebuke him, or still worse to speak ill of him in gatherings, is not permissible, because you do not know; he might be praying in another mosque or might have a valid excuse.

For this reason the Prophet—may blessings and peace be upon him—would first seek clarification before giving an order. It is authentically reported in Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim that a man once entered on a Friday while the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was delivering the sermon,