Imagine that your neighbors start a campfire inside their apartment to cook their meals. Undoubtedly, you would interfere and tell them to stop. Not only are they threatening their own lives but also the property and lives of the other people living in the house. In the worst case, you would call the police and the fire fighters to prevent serious damage and save their lives. As a matter of fact you would command good (behavior) and forbid them evil (behavior). Enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil is one of the most important features of the Muslim society and at many times when Allah describes true believers, He gives them the attribute of enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil. “You are the best nation produced (as an example) for mankind. You enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong and believe in Allah.” (3:110) The Islamic Ummah (Nation) was raised to command what is right and forbid what is wrong and to believe in Allah. Believing in Allah is most important in this context, since only through Allah's commands do men know what is right and what is wrong. “Let there arise from you a nation inviting to good, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong, and those will be the successful.” (3:104) No nation will ever be truly successful unless they follow this command, as Allah said in the above mentioned verses. It is clear that forbidding what is evil will save those who are ignorant, careless and disobedient in their behavior as well as those who will be affected by this careless behavior. Wrong behavior does not only affect those who actually commit it but it affects society as a whole. In the story above, for example, the neighbor's actions would destroy the livelihood of everybody living in the house. If evil behavior, disobedience towards Allah and towards His laws goes unnoticed in society, and becomes common practice, it will lead to deterioration of society which is not only limited to those who do wrong, but to all who live in this society. The Shariah, the law of Allah, defines what is good and what is evil, not the whims and desires of men. “And judge between them by what Allah has revealed and do not follow their inclinations and beware of them, lest they temp you away from some of what Allah has revealed to you.” (5:49) “And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed – then it is those who are the wrongdoers, the unjust.” (5:45) The obligation to speak out against evil behavior is an obligation for every Muslim. In order to protect and improve our society we need to address behavior that endangers the Islamic spirit of our Nation. Muslims are obligated by Allah to speak up in support of the truth, giving good advice to our brothers and sisters, through spreading awareness of the commands of Allah among the Muslims, so that society might follow the guidance of Allah and His Messenger (peace be upon him). If we fail to do so society as a whole will suffer, as Allah, the Almighty promised in the Glorious Qur'an: “They used not to prevent one another from wrongdoing that they did. How wretched was that which they were doing. You see many of them becoming allies of those who disbelieved. How wretched is that which they have put forth for themselves in that Allah has become angry with them, and in the punishment they will abide eternally.” (5:79
