When preaching/informing something good to others, I have heared this many times that “first see yourself and then preach us or others”. So at this time, what should be done or replied.. And is this kind of idea right, i.e., first to act upon something and then start preaching it to others…
That person who is not practicing on Deen can call others towards good too on one condition that he must also have an intention to practice on it himself.
Allah Ta’ala says: ?Will you enjoin upon the people virtue and be unmindful of your own selves, and yet it is you who recite the Book? Will you then not reason?? (Surah Baqarah, Chapter 5, Verse 44). This verse condemns those people who enjoin good but they themselves do not practice on it. There are also many warnings in the Ahadeeth too. Anas (Radhiallaahu Anhu) narrates that Rasoolullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) said: ?When I went on Me?raaj, I passed by some people whose tongues and lips were being cut with scissors of fire. I asked Jibreel regarding these people. Jibreel said: ?These are those people who used to enjoin others to do good but they themselves did not act upon it.? (Ibni Katheer)
But it should not be misunderstood from the above that sinful people cannot enjoin towards good and forbid from evil because to do good and to enjoin towards good are two different things. People are rewarded separately for doing good and for enjoining towards good. From this we understand that by doing one good deed we should not neglect doing other good deeds, e.g. if a person does not perform Salaat, it does not mean that he should not keep fasts in Ramadaan , etc. Maalik (Radhiallaahu Anhu) narrates that Sa?eed bin Jubair (Radhiallaahu Anhu) has said that: ?If everyone ceases enjoining towards good with this thought that I will enjoin others towards good once I have purified myself then there will be no one left who will enjoin others towards good as no one is free from sin.?
Hasan (Radhiallaahu Anhu) says that Shaitaan wishes to deceive people that they should think that this work is for sinless people so they cannot do this work as they are sinful.
In short that person who is not a practicing Muslim, he too can enjoin others towards doing good as Allah Ta’ala will also insha-Allah give him the Taufeeq to act upon this too. (Ma?arif ul Qur?an, Vol. 1, Page 218, Aayat no. 44)
And Allah Ta’ala knows best,
Mufti Muhammad Ashraf
Darul Iftaa – Jameah Mahmoodiyah, Springs
JOINT PROJECT WITH DARUL IFTA, MADRASAH IN?AAMIYYAH, CAMPERDOWN