Inviting towards good and prohibiting evil is the responsibility of the Muslims, but it is unfortunate that many Muslims turn away from this. A strange mindset has developed that this is only the responsibility of maulvīs and imams, and everyone else can live carefree lives!

Firstly, bear in mind “maulvī ” means “a person of Allah.”^[1]

In essence, everyone is a person of Allah (i.e., they believe in Allah). None of us would be prepared to accept himself as a person of Satan! When all of us believe and obey in Allah, we are all maulvīs!

The renowned commentator of the Quran, Muftī Aḥmad Yār Khān NaꜤīmī رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَلَيْه   states, “All Muslims are preachers. It is obligatory upon everyone to encourage others to do good and forbid evil.”^[2]

The Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, بَلِّغُوْا عَنِّیْ وَلَوْ اٰیَۃً – “Convey from me; even if it is a single verse.”^[3]

Not Inviting towards Goodness is a cause of Destruction

The Companion NuꜤmān bin Bashīr رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ عَـنْهُ narrates that the final Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said:

The example of the person abiding by the limits of Allah has established, in comparison to he who oversteps these limits, is like the example of people drawing lots for seats in a boat.

Some of them will have seats in the upper section and others will be in the area below. The people in the lower area must pass through those in the upper section to attain water, and the latter are troubled by this. One of the people in the lower section then takes an axe and makes a hole at the bottom of the boat, to