 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. O my Lord, thank You for Your mercy. May Allah open up for us the Prophets, and teach us what is beneficial for us and what is beneficial for us. Today's session will focus on the ninth outer action that draws us closer to Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala and gets us more prepared for the day when we will leave this dunya for another meeting, for the real meeting with Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala. This outer action is commanding good and forbidding evil. أَلْ أَمْرُ بِالْمَعْروُفْ وَالْنَّهِ وَعْنِ الْمُنْكَرْ المعروس is all that Islam has ordained. While the monk is that all that Islam has forbidden. So, in joining what is good and forbidding what is evil is one of the most important Islamic duties. Indeed, it is the noblest and most sublime. This is the task of the prophets. This is the task of the messengers. Peace be upon them all. And Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala has mentioned this in Surat al-Nisa in ayah 165. رُسُلَ مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنْضِرِينَ مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنْضِرِينَ لِئَلَّ يَقُونَ لِالْنَاسِ عَلَى اللَّهِ حُجَّةٌ بَعْدَ رُصُلُ وَكَانَ اللَّهُ عَزِيزًا حَكِيمًا So Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala has sent messengers. Who are these messengers? What's their duty? Messengers are bearers of good news as well as of warning in order that mankind should have no plea against Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala after the coming of the messengers. So Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala has sent these messengers so that people would not stop and tell him in on the day of judgment year, you forbid this but we didn't know that. So Allah has made it clear. He sent the messengers to explain to people. Actually a Muslim should recognize what is good and what is evil. By acquiring knowledge and understanding the teachings of Islam, the teaching of this religion. In fact knowing and understanding the teaching of Islam constitute a sign of man's happiness and that Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala wants to do good to him. So what happens? Sayyidin Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam says So when Allah wishes good for anyone, he bestows upon him the fiqh or the comprehension of the religion. So if someone wants to say, to ask people to do good, then he should be able to recognize what is good. And if he wants to tell them not to do an evil action, he also should know that this action is evil. So may yuridil lahubihi khayran yufaqiyuhu fiddin. And Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala says in Surat Al-Amaran ayah 104 So let there be from you a nation. So what is this nation? Inviting people to good, in joining what is right and forbidding what is evil, what is wrong. So who this nation is? So those will be the successful. So Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala indicates in this ayah that people who possess the qualities of calling others to goodness in joining good and forbidding evil are those who are successful. So this is what we need. We need to be successful on the day of judgment. May Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala make us of this of the successful group. So what are the characteristics of this group? Allah mentions that in Surat Al-Hajj ayah 41 He says So those those are if if we give them authority those are the group of people whom if we give authority in the land so what do they do? They establish prayer, they give zakah, they enjoin what's right and they forbid what's wrong and to Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala belongs the outcome of matters for everything. So each and every community should have a group of people who direct people to doing maruf, to doing good and to be away from munkar which is evil. So they should clarify what maruf is, they should clarify what munkar is and this should start actually in the smallest unit of the society which is the family. So the parents are responsible for their children when they are young they should always direct them, they should always guide them, they should always advise them and they should fully play the interested role that Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala has given them so they raise the Muslims. And Sayyidna Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam says in one of the narrations So you are all guardians and you are all responsible for your folks. So So the ruler is a guardian of his people. The man is a guardian of his family. The woman is a guardian and is responsible for her husband's house and for their offsprings. And so all of you are guardians and all of you are responsible for your folks. Parents, parents love their children, they are responsible about them. So they do their best to ensure a good life for them, good education, good good of everything. And this is on the dunya level but this is not the only goal. Their aim should not focus on dunya only. It should not focus, it should not be just to prepare all goods for their children for this vanishing dunya only. They should help them for the life after, for the day of judgment. They do their best so that their children are saved on the next life. And Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala will be pleased of their children. So they are coolness of an eye to say the Muhammad ﷺ. For this they teach them, they guide them, they teach them what is good, they teach them what is evil. They teach them to attain the pleasure of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala. They always remind them that Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala is over watching them. So he is not to see them doing any masjid or any sins intentionally. So what do they do? What do their parents do? They choose good friends for their children. They choose good company for their children. They take them to the gatherings. They put them in gatherings of reciting the Holy Quran, understanding it and memorizing it. So they would be half of the Quran and they do this because they know that when they memorize the Quran then the Quran will be protection for them. So they teach them good manners, they advise them how to be good to others and help them when they need help. So this is the role of the perfect parents. They take care of their children not only physically but also spiritually. Now listen to Sayyidna Luqman ﷺ gently advising his son. Yes, it was an advice for his son but it's an important lesson for all of us. Sayyidna Luqman ﷺ says, and this is Sayyidna Luqman ﷺ. So my son, he is addressing his son and he's giving him advice. So what is this advice that establish prayer? So look at the first thing that he is that he is advising him. Establish prayer. Enjoin what is right, enjoin what is good and forbid what is wrong, forbid what is evil. And be patient over what befall you. Indeed, this is of the matters requiring determination. And of course there are other advices that he gave him but this is our point. Enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong. So if we raise our children as by the advice mentioned by Sayyidna Luqman, then we are sure that Allah ﷺ will save them. He will guide them and he will protect them. So they would be, of course, they are of the nation of Sayyidna Muhammad ﷺ. So Sayyidna Muhammad ﷺ would be proud of them and Allah ﷺ described in the Holy Qur'an the nation of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ being the best nation amongst all mankind. So he said, this is Surah Al-Imran, ayah 110. So you are the best nation produced as an example for mankind. So why? What did they do? What did they do? You enjoin what's right and you forbid what's wrong and you believe in Allah. So you the ummah of Muhammad is the best of people ever raised up for mankind. So this ummah is the best of people for the people. The ummah of Sayyidna Muhammad ﷺ is the most righteous amongst all nations and they are the most beneficial nation for mankind. And Sayyidna Muhammad ﷺ said about this. I was given what no other prophet before me was given. So the companions asked, Ya Rasulallah, wa ma dhaak? Oh messenger of Allah, what is it? What is that that you have been given that none of the previous prophets have been given? He said a few things. Nusirtu bi-Rab. I was given victory by fear. Wa-u-A-Ti-Tu-Ma-Thati-Hal-Ard. I was given the keys of the earth. Wa-sum-me-tu-Ahmad. I was called Ahmad. Wa-du'ilat-tu-Rabu-li-tahura. And the earth was made a clean place for me to perform to him with it and to pray on it. Wa-du'ilat-Ummati khairan-l-Umam. And my Ummah was made the best Ummah. So the best nation produced for mankind is the nation of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. Wa-lhamdulillah that we are of this Ummah. We are of this nation. So this Ummah, the best that was produced for mankind, they enjoy what is right. And they forbid what is evil. And on the day of judgment, all people, even the prophets, would wish that they are of the Ummah of Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ. So we thank Allah SWT that we are of this Ummah. So do you know why everyone would wish that they are of the Ummah of Sayyidina Muhammad ﷺ? Because this Ummah will enjoy the mercy of Allah SWT. This is what Allah mentioned in Surah Tuttoba, ayah 71, when he said, So the believing men and the believing women are allies of one another. What do they do? يأمرون بالمعروف وينهون عن المكر. The first thing, they enjoin what is right. And they forbid what is evil. They establish the prayer. They give zakah. They obey Allah SWT and his messengers. This, those, Allah will have mercy upon them to the mercy of Allah SWT is the goal. And those who will receive the mercy of Allah SWT on the day of judgment are saved. Now, in joining what is good and forbidding what's evil, is a mission which will never end until this dunya is over. So it will stay forever. It is obligatory upon all the Ummah, rulers, men, women, and each according to his or her circumstances. And the Prophet SWT clarified that there are three stages of enjoining good and evil and forbidding evil. So he said, Whoever amongst you sees an evil, you must change it with his hand. If he is unable to do so with his hand, then he will do it with his tongue. And if he is unable to do it with his tongue, then he should do it with his heart. And that is the weakest form of faith. So what are these stages? So the first stage, forbidding evil with the hand. Who can do this? Rulers, people in authority are the ones who can do that. They can oblige people to Allah's command and obligations. As we mentioned earlier, a believer plays this role with his wife, his children, by enjoining them to observe the commands of Allah SWT. And forbid them to commit prohibitions and he can do this with his hands. So we can do that, especially if talking is not effective. So if the ruler orders something, then everyone should obey. If someone does not, then the ruler can get this person, put him in prison, so he can do something with his hands. So this is just for men, for people who are in authority. Amir, a judge, chief of a tribe, anyone appointed by the Muslim ruler or his people in the absence of the public rulership, anyone can do that. But they can implement this obligation according to their own capacity. But they are the people in authority. So this is the first stage. Now the second stage, which is enjoining good and forbidding evil with one's tongue. He may request people to fear Allah SWT, perform Salah, Paisaka, stop doing a particular evil or the like. But in this stage, a Muslim is doing this with his tongue. So he admonishes, he reminds people, checking the things that they do in case there are any mistakes. So those responsibles in this stage have less power than those of the first stage. This group, on the second stage, they cannot use their hands, their authority to order people or to do something, or to forbid people from doing something. The second stage, people, the group, they do it just with words, just with tongue. Now the third group, the third stage, what is this stage? Those people, this is represented by someone who can do nothing except to mention it in his heart. He sees there is an evil, but he can do nothing. He does not have any power, he cannot change anything, so he cannot even talk to others about it. The only thing he can do is by his heart only. He would acknowledge that he is not happy with this evil thing that is being done in front of him, but he cannot do anything. He can just do the prevention with his heart, he can make doha, he can just acknowledge that this is something that he hates. To keep in mind something very important, that there is a close relationship between today's topic, enjoying good and forbidding evil, and the topic of giving advice. It is one of the fundamental and best acts of worship that Muslims can exchange advice, but we have always to remember the conditions of giving advice. So, enjoying good and forbidding evil is nothing but giving advice. But how can we give advice? We have to do it wisely. We have to do it with kindness. Don't be harsh on people, do it in private, do not expose people. Keep their sins secret. If you know something about someone, do not threaten him that you will expose him to people. No. Prophet Muhammad, Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam says, Whoever covers up the fault of the Muslim, Allah will cover up his fault on the day of resurrection. So, there are rules for giving advice. The most important one of them, that it should be in private, so that Allah Subh'anaHu Wa Ta-A'la will cover us on the day of judgment. We do not expose people. Moving on to another point, a big punishment on the day of judgment to someone who orders people to be good in this dunya, and he does not adhere to good. He does not adhere to goodness. And he orders people to be away from evil, and he does all that is evil. So, Usama bin Zaid, Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, reported that the Messenger of Allah, Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, said, So, Usama bin Zaid, Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, reported that the Messenger of Allah, Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, said, So, Usama bin Zaid, Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, reported that the Messenger of Allah, Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, said, A man will be brought on the day of resurrection and will be cast into hellfire. His intestines will pour forth and he will go around around as a donkey goes around a milestone. So, the inmates of hell will gather around him and they will say, What has happened to you? Were you not enjoying us to do good and forbidding us to do evil? And they will say, So, his reply would be, I was enjoying you to do good but was not doing it myself. And I was forbidding you to do evil but I was doing it myself. So, this is the state of the person who does not practice what he preaches. So, he will be thrown into hellfire and his evil will be disclosed to all people, to everyone. Allah will unveil him. The people of hell want him and they wonder, they will wonder how this man, how this man whom they thought that he is righteous in dunya is in hellfire. So, when he would answer them, they would know that he was ordering good but he did not practice it. And he was forbidding evil but he was committing it. So, similarly, the same thing, the same idea was mentioned in surat al-Saf, in ayah 2nd and 3rd when Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala said, Oh, you who have believed, why do you say what you do not do? Great is hatred in the sight of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala that you say what you do not do. This is actually about commanding good and forbidding evil. Now, what about the people who command evil and encourage it and forbid good? They discourage people from doing good. In fact, this group of people is also described in the holy Quran. When Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says in surat al-Tawbah ayah 67 and 68, So, the hypocrite men and hypocrite women are of one another. They enjoy what is wrong and forbid what is right. And they close their hands. They are stingy. They have forgotten Allah. So, Allah has forgotten them accordingly. And indeed, the hypocrites are the definitely disobedient. What is their punishment now? So, Allah has promised the hypocrite men and the hypocrite women and the disbelievers. So, Allah has promised all of them the fire, hellfire. Wherein they will abide eternally. They will not be able to get out. They will not be able, the punishment will not be reduced to them. But it will increase and increase and increase. It is sufficient for them. And Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has cursed them. And for them is an enduring punishment, everlasting punishment. So, we ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to make us of those who truly enjoy that which is good. We ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to make us of the group who forbid that which is evil. And we ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala sincerity in whatever we do. So, we do it and we ask Him for sincerity. Ya Allah make our actions all for your sake. So, everything that we do is just for you. So that when you look at us, you would see us of your obedient people and of your obedient servants about whom you said, this is our goal in this dunya. We want to be of the winners group. Of those who are successful on the Day of Judgment. So, we want you Ya Allah to get us closer to you. And we want to apply all that you ordered us to do. We want us to be away from all that you wanted us to be away from. We want your help. So, when we do something good, it's not because we are good. No, it's because that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has made us do that. It's because of the mercy of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala that we did what is good. And that we stayed away from what is evil. So, we want the help of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. We want the guidance of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. So, to be of his obedient servants. So, to be able to follow his messenger. So, to be able to apply the teachings of his messenger. So, to be able to apply the teachings of the Quran. We want help from Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. We cannot do it ourselves. We need Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to help us do whatever pleases him. And this is the whole point of this series. We want the actions that would get us closer to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. We want to do whatever Allah is pleased with. And we want to be away from whatever Allah hates and is not pleased with. We want to be of this group whom Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala said about them. One time, a young man came to say, we have Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wa sallam. And he said, Ya Rasulallah. At that is an uli fi zina. So, would you allow me to practice fornication? So, people talked loudly to him. How can you do that? How can you ask the Prophet for that? The Sayyidina Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said, leave him, leave him. And he looked at him and he said come closer. So, he came closer to Sayyidina Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wa sallam. And Sayyidina Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wa sallam asked him, do you like this for your mother? He said, no, no, Ya Rasulallah. So, Sayyidina Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said, So, similar things. People would not like it for their mothers. Then he asked it, do you like it for your daughter? Do you like anybody that does unlawful relationship with your daughter? He said, no, no. No, Ya Rasulallah. Sayyidina Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said, similarly, people do not like it for their daughters. And then he asked him about the abs. And he said the same thing. So, Sayyidina Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wa sallam placed his blessed hand on the heart of that young man. And he said, Allahumma tahrir qalba wa aafir dambah wa has'un farja. Ya Allah purify his heart and forgive him. And make him of the people who are saved from this. And that man said, So, there was nothing more hatred to that man from this action. So, imagine Sayyidina Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, our master, our teacher, look into each and every action that he did. Look at how he dealt with the subject. He did not shout at him. He did not curse him. He did not speak badly to him. But he talked wisely to him. He convinced him that this is something that Allah hates. This is something that nobody likes. And he made dua for him. So, to all mothers, I would say, with your responsibility as a mother, as a guardian to your children, you have always to make dua for your children. Do not belittle the power of the mother's dua. It makes miracles. It changes things to the best. So, be with Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala and ask him always for guidance. Ask him always for help so that we leave this dunya and he is pleased with us. So, we want to attain the pleasure of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. And we want to be with those who enjoy the companionship of Sayyidina Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wa sallam. So, we ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to purify our hearts, to guide us, to protect our children, to provide them with good companions who will advise them when they slip. And so, until we meet next week, inshaAllah, with another outer action that will bring us closer to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala and get us more prepared, more ready, to meet him on the day we leave this dunya. I send my salam and your salam to Sayyidina Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wa sallam.