CORRECT OTHERS by “ADVISING ” and not “CONDEMNING”

 THE DAILY ISLAMIC REMINDERS. Yawmul Jumuat. 16th day of Swafar, 1445AH (Friday, 1st September, 2023).

 *_CORRECT OTHERS by “ADVISING ” and not “CONDEMNING”_*. BismilLah. 

People always seek advice to gain from others’ knowledge and experience. 

Providing advice by enjoining the good and forbidding the evil is an integral part of Islamic teachings. ALLAH says in the Quran, “You are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind; you enjoin Al-Ma’ruf (the good that Islam has ordained) and forbid Al-Munkar (the bad that Islam has forbidden)” (Quran 3:110). 

HE also tells us that within families, we should actively advise each other to do what’s right and to stay away from the wrong. ALLAH says, “O you who believe! Ward off yourselves and your families against a Fire (Hell)…” (Quran 66:6).

As promising as the concept may seem, advising people does require a willingness and sincerity on the part of all involved. Advising takes even a different form when it is done to correct others’ faults and mistakes. In personal situations, the issues can become even more delicate and complex. That is because when done incorrectly, advising people can have a reverse effect and can hurt relationships. This usually happens when one crosses the lines of “advising” people and instead “condemns” them. One can sense condemnation when the demeanor of the person seeking to correct the other appears to find fault rather than taking a sincere interest in helping the other person to rectify his faults. Sensing any feelings of condemnation, a person’s ego becomes defensive to ward off any outright attempts at hurting it. We generally find people emerge from such interactions as being hurt, insulted and with soured relationships. 

*_May ALLAH keep guiding us all_*. Aameen.