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Is it obligatory for the one knowledgeable in religion to teach others and enjoin good and forbid evil, and is it permissible for parents or a husband to prevent a child or wife from doing so?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

Whoever learns something from the religion of Allah must teach it to those who need it. Enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong are among the great rituals of the religion by which it is distinguished. Allah has described the believers as those who enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, and Allah Almighty has commanded the believers to do so. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, warned against abandoning it. It is a collective obligation (fard kifaaya) and may become an individual obligation (fard ayn) in some circumstances. Everyone who knows the ruling on an issue must enjoin or forbid it according to their ability. So whoever sees a wrong, let him change it with his hand; if he cannot, then with his tongue; if he cannot, then with his heart. If enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong becomes an individual obligation upon a son, daughter, or wife, no one has the right to prevent them, because obedience to Allah takes precedence over obedience to parents or a husband in matters other than what is right. There is no obedience to a created being in disobedience to the Creator.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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