Question: I want to know about the
nature and extent of the responsibility of preaching for a common Muslim.
Is preaching the responsibility of a religious cleric or is a common Muslim
also burdened with it? What about the use of force in eliminating bad things
from our society?
Answer: The propagation
of the truth has remained the mission of the Prophets, for it is the right
of every truth that it be disseminated far and wide. Islam requires of
a Muslim that he propagate the truth according to his ability, position
and status. It says that every person is the shepherd of his herd about
which he shall be held accountable on the Day of Judgement. It directs
each person to strive to save himself and his family from the flames of
Hell. It defines each person’s sphere of authority in which it is his responsibility
to propagate and implement the truth.
This propagation has three distinct
categories depending upon who the propagating entity is:
1. Common Muslims
2. An Islamic State
3. Religious Scholars
All these categories have specific
responsibilities, and the ones meant for one can in no way whatsoever be
discharged by the other. Also, each has its own sphere of authority in
which evil can be eliminated by force if need arises.
It is the duty of a common Muslim
to urge the members of his family and, indeed, every person present in
his immediate surroundings to fulfil the three basic requirements which
will ensure their salvation in the Hereafter. These three requirements
have been spelled out in Surah ‘Asr:
Verily, Time bears evidence that man is in a loss save
those who accept faith, do virtuous deeds and invite each other to the
right path and urge each other to remain steadfast on it.(103:1-3)
It is the duty of the head of state and
all his representatives to implement the Shari‘ah at the state level.
Keeping in view the welfare of the society, they must enforce the directives
of Islam. While pointing out the objectives of an Islamic State, the Qur’an
says:
[These believers are those who], if We grant them authority
in this land, will establish regular prayers and pay Zakah and enjoin
what is virtuous and forbid what is evil. (22:41)
It is the duty of religious scholars to
guide the people in their religious obligations and warn them against the
dreadful fate that awaits them if they do not fulfil these obligations.
The Qur’an refers to this responsibility in the following words:
It was not possible for all the believers to undertake
[this job]. So why did not a few from every group among them come forward
to gain sound knowledge in religion and warn their [respective] people,
when they returned to them that they may also take heed. (9:122)
It is to be noted that the sphere of authority
in which a common Muslim can forcibly forbid evil lies within his sphere
of responsibility is his own family, as is evident from the following Hadith
of the Prophet (sws):
Beware! Each of you is a shepherd of his flock, and each
shall be asked about his flock. (Muslim, Kitabu’l-Imarah)
A Muslim has not been given the permission
to use force outside his sphere of authority. The only thing he can do
outside this sphere is to urge and exhort people.
The sphere of authority of an Islamic
State is all its citizens. It has all the authority to forcibly eliminate
evil among its citizens.
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