Arguments from the Quran

• Imam Raghib: “Ma’ruf is a term for every action that is recognized by reason or Shariah as good, and munkar is that which is rejected by both.” (AlMufradat, p. 561) Now let’s consider the terms amr and nahi. The meaning of ‘Amr’ is to give a command: “Iza kallafthahu an yaf’ala shay’an” (Al-Mufradat fi Gharib al-Quran, p. 88). That is, “When you instruct him to do something.” And the meaning of ‘Nahi’ is to forbid or stop: “Nahahu an katha ay mana’ahu ‘anhu” (Irshad al-Fuhul li al-Shawkani, Vol. 1, p. 278). That is, “He forbade him from such and such, meaning he prevented him from it.” From the hadith, it is evident that the primary demand of Shariah concerning the practice of amr and nahi is that people should be compelled to adhere to it by force: “Whoever among you sees a munkar (an evil or wrong), let him change it with his hand; if he is unable to do so, then he should speak out against it with his tongue; and if he is unable to do even that, then let him consider it evil in his heart, and that is the weakest of faith.” (Sahih Muslim, Hadith No. 49) According to this hadith, the primary objective of this command is to change the munkar through force, unless one lacks the ability to do so.