❀ Islamic Guidance on Responding to Sinful Acts Committed by Others ❀
Source:
This article is derived from the book 500 Questions and Answers for Women, based on the Fatwas of the scholars of the Haramain. The translation was done by Hafiz Abdullah Saleem.
Is it permissible to report a close relative or friend who commits a sinful act, such as drinking alcohol, especially after having advised them repeatedly? Or would this be considered exposing their faults? On the other hand, it is also said that the one who remains silent in the face of truth is a "mute devil" — how do we balance this?
It is the responsibility of every Muslim that if they witness a fellow Muslim engaging in any sinful or unlawful act, they must:
✔ Advise them,
✔ Remind them of Allah’s punishment,
✔ And warn them about the dangers of openly defying Allah’s commands.
One should make clear that sins have consequences not just for the heart and soul, but also for one’s actions, body, and the society at large. Through consistent reminders, the person may eventually turn back in repentance and return to guidance and righteousness.
However, if advice and reminders prove ineffective, it becomes the advisor’s duty to take the next appropriate step to deter them from sin. This could be:
① Reporting the matter to a responsible authority or
② Informing someone the sinner respects more than the original advisor.
The goal is to choose the closest and most effective means that will help achieve the objective—to make the person stop committing the sin.
Even if the matter reaches the point where it must be reported to government authorities or relevant institutions, there is no harm in doing so, as this falls under the obligation to forbid evil.
This is not considered scandalizing or exposing the person in a sinful way. Rather, it is Islamic accountability and part of enjoining good and forbidding evil.
[Shaykh Muhammad bin Salih al-‘Uthaymeen رحمه الله]
Source:
This article is derived from the book 500 Questions and Answers for Women, based on the Fatwas of the scholars of the Haramain. The translation was done by Hafiz Abdullah Saleem.
❖ Question:
Is it permissible to report a close relative or friend who commits a sinful act, such as drinking alcohol, especially after having advised them repeatedly? Or would this be considered exposing their faults? On the other hand, it is also said that the one who remains silent in the face of truth is a "mute devil" — how do we balance this?
❖ Answer:
It is the responsibility of every Muslim that if they witness a fellow Muslim engaging in any sinful or unlawful act, they must:
✔ Advise them,
✔ Remind them of Allah’s punishment,
✔ And warn them about the dangers of openly defying Allah’s commands.
One should make clear that sins have consequences not just for the heart and soul, but also for one’s actions, body, and the society at large. Through consistent reminders, the person may eventually turn back in repentance and return to guidance and righteousness.
However, if advice and reminders prove ineffective, it becomes the advisor’s duty to take the next appropriate step to deter them from sin. This could be:
① Reporting the matter to a responsible authority or
② Informing someone the sinner respects more than the original advisor.
The goal is to choose the closest and most effective means that will help achieve the objective—to make the person stop committing the sin.
Even if the matter reaches the point where it must be reported to government authorities or relevant institutions, there is no harm in doing so, as this falls under the obligation to forbid evil.
This is not considered scandalizing or exposing the person in a sinful way. Rather, it is Islamic accountability and part of enjoining good and forbidding evil.
[Shaykh Muhammad bin Salih al-‘Uthaymeen رحمه الله]
