Some people tend to remain silent about many current events, claiming that silence ensures safety from dangers and protection from harm. The truth, however, is that when a person recognizes what is right, it is obligatory for them to adhere to it and declare their support and defense for it through all possible means. If the truth is not clear to them, they must seek it out to support and stand by it. Withdrawing and resorting to silence has significant dangers for both individuals and society, as follows:
First: Disobeying Allah's command to enjoin good and forbid evil:
Allah Almighty says, “And let there be [arising] from you a nation inviting to [all that is] good, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong, and those will be the successful.” (Al-Imran: 104) This ayah encourages enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong, which is a sign of a believer’s faith. Those who do this will be successful, and those who abandon it will be among the losers.
Second: Ignoring the prophetic guidance:
The noble Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ is filled with many instructions that emphasize enjoining good and forbidding evil and urge changing evil through all possible means. In Sahih Muslim, Abu Sa’id Al-Khudri reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Whosoever of you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand; and if he is not able to do so, then [let him change it] with his tongue; and if he is not able to do so, then with his heart — and that is the weakest of faith.”
The Prophet ﷺ warned against remaining silent about the truth. In Musnad Ahmad, Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “Do not let the fear of people prevent you from speaking the truth when you see it or witness it. Verily, it does not bring one closer to death nor push away sustenance to speak the truth or remind others of the greatness of Allah.”
Third: Encouraging sinners to commit more sins:
Remaining silent about the truth encourages the people of falsehood to persist in their wrongdoing. Shaitan beautifies their evil deeds for them, making them believe their actions are good, while they are actually not. These are the worst of people, as Allah the Almighty says, “Say, [O Muhammad], 'Shall We [believers] inform you of the greatest losers as to [their] deeds? [They are] those whose effort is lost in worldly life, while they think that they are doing well in work.' Those are the ones who disbelieve in the verses of their Lord and in [their] meeting Him, so their deeds have become worthless; and We will not assign to them on the Day of Resurrection any importance.” (Al-Kahf: 103-106)
When evil increases and becomes widespread without resistance, it becomes a norm for people, making them feel no shame in committing and promoting it until they no longer recognize good or denounce evil.
In Sahih Al-Jami', Hudhayfah ibn Al-Yaman reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “The temptations are presented to the hearts one after another like a reed mat. Thus, any heart that accepts them will have a black spot embedded in it, and any heart that rejects them will have a white spot. Until the heart becomes as white as a clean sheet, it will not be harmed by any temptation as long as the heavens and the earth exist. However, the other heart is black, filthy, like a dirty pot. It does not recognize goodness nor does it reject evil, except for what it desires.”
Fourth: Distorting the truth:
Repeated sins committed by many people without being denounced by knowledgeable individuals can lead some to believe that these actions are not sinful. This results in distorting the truth, seeing falsehood as truth and truth as falsehood, as happened with the people of Lot when they said: “Expel the family of Lot from your city. Indeed, they are people who keep themselves pure.” (An-Naml: 56) They reversed the truth, considering purity a flaw because they did not denounce each other's evil deeds.
Fifth: Beautifying sin in people's hearts:
People tend to follow the example of those around them. When they see sins being committed without condemnation, they are encouraged to imitate these actions and enjoy the pleasure of sin. As sinners find enjoyment in their sins and see them spreading among people, their fear of committing these sins diminishes until they openly commit and proclaim them.
Sixth: Delaying the declaration of truth is not permissible:
When a person witnesses an evil, they must denounce it immediately, as this is the time when denunciation is needed. Delaying the declaration of truth is not permissible unless denouncing the evil would lead to a greater evil. A person who remains silent about the truth might claim that the time is not right for denunciation, but when the time comes, their voice will be heard proclaiming the truth. The reality is that there are degrees of denouncing evil: if someone can change it with their hand, they should; if they cannot, then with their tongue; and if they cannot, then with their heart, but they should never be content or accept it, instead their face should show anger if they are unable to speak or act.
Here, we must clarify this issue clearly: if a person fears harm if they denounce the evil, they have two options; the first: if they can endure the harm for the sake of Allah, they should denounce the evil according to the Sharia guidelines, and they will have their reward. The second: if they cannot endure the harm, they are permitted to remain silent (as they are considered coerced), while still condemning the evil in their heart and not being content with it, let alone participating in it.
Seventh: Resembling Shaitan:
A Muslim should not be content to see Allah's sanctities being violated while remaining silent, as by doing so they contribute to spreading these violations. In this, they resemble the accursed devil. Abu Ali Al-Daqqaq rightly said: “Whoever remains silent about the truth is a mute devil.” (1)
Eighth: The spread of tyranny:
When tyrants find no one to stop them or object to their evil actions, they increase in tyranny and despotism. Therefore, Allah the Almighty says about Pharaoh: “So he bluffed his people, and they obeyed him. Indeed, they were [themselves] a people defiantly disobedient [of Allah].” (Az-Zukhruf: 54)
Ninth: Exposure to Allah's curse and being expelled from His mercy:
Allah the Almighty cursed the Children of Israel when they committed sins without enjoining good and forbidding evil among themselves. He said, “Cursed were those who disbelieved among the Children of Israel by the tongue of David and of Jesus, the son of Mary. That was because they disobeyed and [habitually] transgressed. They used not to prevent one another from wrongdoing that they did. How wretched was that which they were doing.” (Al-Ma'idah: 78-79) Although the ayah specifically refers to the Children of Israel, it generally applies to any nation that commits sins without enjoining good and forbidding evil among themselves.
Tenth: Exposure to divine punishment:
Abu Dawood reported from Abu Bakr As-Siddiq that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: “When people see an oppressor but do not prevent him from (doing evil), it is likely that Allah will punish them all.” In another narration, Abu Bakr said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say, 'If acts of disobedience are done among any people and do not change them though the are able to do so, Allah will soon punish them all.'”
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(1) Imam Nawawi's commentary on Sahih Muslim (2/ 20).
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