Back to search

Is it the original principle for individuals to denounce evil with their hands, and why was this principle abandoned, and is denouncing evil more preferable than conveying the message?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

Denunciation begins with the tongue, with gentleness, teaching, and admonition, then with the hand when one has the ability. The Prophets called people with the tongue before fighting, and the Prophet commanded his commanders to call to Islam before fighting the disbelievers. So the default in changing an evil is first with the tongue, then with the hand. The call should be with wisdom, or good admonition, or disputing in the best manner. Conveying the ruling and clarifying the prohibition of an evil is a form of denunciation, and it must be prioritized, along with admonition and intimidation. As for reporting a sinner to the authorities, it is preferable to teach and admonish them while concealing their sin, unless they are an addict who does not accept advice, or their harm is widespread, in which case it is permissible to report them. The default is to conceal a Muslim's sin, which is better and carries a greater reward.

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

Read the full answer on Ftawy