❀ Question:
Do Tawāṣī bil-Ḥaqq and Amr bil-Maʿrūf wa Nahy ʿanil-Munkar convey the same meaning, or is there a distinction between them?
❀ Answer by: Fadhilat al-Bahith Kamran Ilahi Zaheer حفظه الله
① Tawāṣī bil-Ḥaqq (Mutual Encouragement Toward Truth)
Tawāṣī bil-Ḥaqq means strong and sincere advice based on the truth.
◈ Its objective is to remind people of what is right and to reform them with gentleness and love.
◈ This act is mostly limited to verbal counsel and does not include any form of practical enforcement.
② Amr bil-Maʿrūf wa Nahy ʿanil-Munkar (Commanding Good & Forbidding Evil)
◈ This goes beyond mere verbal advice and includes practical implementation.
◈ Amr (commanding) and Nahy (forbidding) inherently include the idea of enforcing righteousness and changing wrong into right.
◈ It may involve verbal exhortation as well as physical action, whether by speech (bil-lisān) or hand (bil-yad), depending on one’s capacity and authority.
③ Key Differences Between the Two
◈ Tawāṣī bil-Ḥaqq: Limited to verbal advice and reminders.
◈ Amr bil-Maʿrūf wa Nahy ʿanil-Munkar: Extends to practical efforts in correcting wrongs and establishing virtue.
④ Scope of Application
◈ Tawāṣī bil-Ḥaqq is a general obligation, applicable to every Muslim, encouraging mutual advice and reminders of truth.
◈ Amr bil-Maʿrūf wa Nahy ʿanil-Munkar operates in specific contexts, guided by principles of Sharīʿah enforcement, wisdom, and fulfilling certain conditions.
✔ Summary:
① Tawāṣī bil-Ḥaqq is limited to gentle counsel and reminders,
② Amr bil-Maʿrūf wa Nahy ʿanil-Munkar includes active efforts to remove evil and establish good.
③ Tawāṣī bil-Ḥaqq is softer and more general,
④ While Amr bil-Maʿrūf is applied with responsibility and in qualified situations.
