The Best Community

There follow some three pages in which a theme recurs: the best ummah — the best community, the most virtuous community, the superior community. It is a matter of great interest. It begins here:

For, as is stated later, this is what makes a community the best: that it practises amr bil-maʿrūf — commanding the right and prohibiting the evil wherever it is seen — and invites towards goodness. Later Allah (swt) says: kuntum khayra ummah — you are the superior community, appointed for mankind to perform these acts. A Muslim who does not perform them, at any level, is therefore not fulfilling his position, his role, the task that Allah (swt) gave to the believers as a whole. That is why, at one level or another, it must be done.

Performing amr bil-maʿrūf — commanding the right — is a matter of encouraging someone in whatever way, shape or form: implicitly, explicitly, kindly, with wisdom. "Brother, it would be really good if you did this in Ramadan." Or: "MashāʾAllāh, something has been started this Ramadan — a few tahajjud rakʿahs at night, at suḥūr time. It would be very good if you could do that as well, my sister." If someone is doing wrong, then in a kindly way — in a way that will be effective — he is told: this is not appropriate; it is not good. Most people benefit from sincere advice.

Consider the psychology of it. If nobody tells a person anything, no new input reaches him, and nobody is telling him that what he does is even discouraged. He therefore remains stagnant; he cannot improve. This applies above all to the great majority of people. Those who listen to such things are few — there may be hundreds listening at any one time, but they are few against the masses who listen to nothing. Alḥamdulillāh, many scholars are doing good work; yet there are people who, even on Fridays, if they go to the Friday prayer at all, run in simply to catch the prayer. They miss the khuṭbah; they miss the discourse. Such people never receive any input, and so whatever little they have, or have not, remains as it is for the rest of their lives. Human beings need progression at all times. In a profession this is called professional development; here it would be called religious development.

Remind, for reminders benefit the believers. It is therefore always important to listen — because one day it will have its effect. It will serve as a reminder; it will create a feeling of guilt, some measure of remorse; and it will spur us on and encourage us. That is why it is of such great importance.