A Public Duty

Sometime or the other many questions rise in our minds like, can we be indifferent to the actions of other people? `Can I exist in isolation and as totally cut off from the rest of society? Can you exist without any relations with other people?`

What effect does the goodness or badness of the society have on the individual? What kind of individuals grow up in a religious society? When a person grows up in an evil, corrupt and perverse society, to what evils is he led?

What responsibility does a Muslim have towards the society he or she lives in?

In Islam, everyone is responsible before Allah towards the society, and no one can be indifferent to the actions of his neighbours. Each person must realise that he is linked to the rest of society and that the society is like a single body of which he is a part. Therefore, the true Muslim strives with all his might for the benefit and good programmess and ideals to lead the society to perfection and happiness provided that those programmes are properly carried out and followed by all the people in the society.

Therefore, in order that all the aspects of the laws and regulations of religion be properly carried out, Islam places that responsibility of ensuring the proper implementation of the Islamic teachings upon two factors.

First, the legal Islamic authority, that is, the legitimate Islamic government. It is the duty of the government in Islam to put into practice all the Islamic laws, regulations and programmes.

Islamic government has the duty of leading the individuals of the society towards good deed, and it must put an end to all instances of injustice, oppression, corruption and perversion. It must severely punish those who are guilty of these crimes and must constantly encourage those who are religious and benevolent. These are some of the most important duties of the Islamic government.
Secondly, each and every Muslim is considered in Islam to be responsible for the society and for practising divine laws. Each person is counted as a kind of guardian and policeman. In Islam, every Muslim must pay attention to the actions and behaviour of the people of his society, and must do what he can to prevent corruption.

A Muslim must himself be good and must also encourage others to do good, and he must strive for the welfare of society. Islam calls this duty "al' amr bil-ma'ruf", which means enjoining the right.

A Muslim must also refrain from sins and from breaking the laws of Islam and the Islamic government (if it is truly Islamic), and as far as he can he must try to prevent sins and corruption from occurring in the society. Islam calls this duty "Al-Nahy' An Al Munkar" which means "forbidding the wrong".

"Al Amr Bil -Ma'ruf" and "Al Nahy' An Al Munkar" together form one of the most important public duties in Islam, and one of the foremost duties of every Muslim. Allah tells us in the Qur'an : "You are the best nation (O Muslims) brought out for mankind, because you enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, and you have faith in Allah.." (3:109)

The Prophet (Pbuh) of Islam has said: "Enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, for as long as you do so your society will be strong and happy; but when Muslims would fail in this their society will be dominated by oppressors and no matter how much they pray to Allah for deliverance from the oppressors, Allah will not answer their prayers and they will find no justice anywhere, neither in the skies nor in the earth,"

Now that you know about this great and sacred duty, what programmes will you draw up for the rest of your life? How will you cooperate with your friends in performing this great duty?