✦ Harmony Between Qur’anic Verse and the Command of Forbidding Evil ✦
Source: Fatāwā al-Dīn al-Khāliṣ, Vol. 1, p. 114
Does the statement of Allah Taʿālā:
"And I am not a guardian over you."
(Surah al-Anʿām: 104)
Contradict the saying of the Prophet ﷺ:
“Whoever among you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand…”
(Ḥadīth)
If the Prophet ﷺ was not made a guardian, how could he change evil?
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
One must understand that there is no contradiction between the Qur'an and authentic Sunnah, because both originate from Allah ﷻ and complement each other.
Allah ﷻ Himself declares:
"Had it been from anyone other than Allah, they would surely have found many contradictions in it."
(Surah al-Nisāʾ: 82)
Allah ﷻ commanded the Prophet ﷺ to convey to the disbelievers and his Ummah the following message:
“I have conveyed to you the commands of Allah. If you refuse to believe and persist in disobedience, I am not accountable for your actions. Allah will not hold me responsible for your disobedience.”
This verse defines the scope of the Prophet’s ﷺ responsibility—he is a messenger tasked with conveying the truth, not forcing acceptance.
The ḥadīth emphasizes the obligation of al-amr bil-maʿrūf wa al-nahy ʿan al-munkar (enjoining good and forbidding evil), a core Sharʿi responsibility.
This does not imply that the Prophet ﷺ or believers are accountable for others' deeds, but rather that appropriate effort must be made to curb evil in society.
This obligation can be fulfilled in various ways, depending on one's capacity:
① By Hand – for those in authority (e.g., rulers, parents, teachers)
② By Speech – through advice, teaching, and sincere reminders
③ By Heart – by detesting the evil internally, which is the weakest level of faith
There is no contradiction between the verse and the ḥadīth; instead, they address different aspects:
✔ The Qur’anic verse affirms that the Prophet ﷺ was not responsible for the people's rejection of truth after fulfilling his duty of conveyance.
✔ The ḥadīth provides a general obligation upon the Ummah to actively promote righteousness and prevent evil to the best of their ability.
Hence, Qur'an and Sunnah are in complete harmony, each supporting and clarifying the other.
ھٰذا ما عندي، واللّٰه أعلم بالصواب
Source: Fatāwā al-Dīn al-Khāliṣ, Vol. 1, p. 114
❖ Question:
Does the statement of Allah Taʿālā:
"And I am not a guardian over you."
(Surah al-Anʿām: 104)
Contradict the saying of the Prophet ﷺ:
“Whoever among you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand…”
(Ḥadīth)
If the Prophet ﷺ was not made a guardian, how could he change evil?
❖ Answer:
الحمد لله، والصلاة والسلام علىٰ رسول الله، أما بعد!
✦ No Contradiction Between Qur'an and Authentic Ḥadīth
One must understand that there is no contradiction between the Qur'an and authentic Sunnah, because both originate from Allah ﷻ and complement each other.
Allah ﷻ Himself declares:
"Had it been from anyone other than Allah, they would surely have found many contradictions in it."
(Surah al-Nisāʾ: 82)
✦ Explanation of the Verse:
Allah ﷻ commanded the Prophet ﷺ to convey to the disbelievers and his Ummah the following message:
“I have conveyed to you the commands of Allah. If you refuse to believe and persist in disobedience, I am not accountable for your actions. Allah will not hold me responsible for your disobedience.”
This verse defines the scope of the Prophet’s ﷺ responsibility—he is a messenger tasked with conveying the truth, not forcing acceptance.
✦ Explanation of the Ḥadīth:
The ḥadīth emphasizes the obligation of al-amr bil-maʿrūf wa al-nahy ʿan al-munkar (enjoining good and forbidding evil), a core Sharʿi responsibility.
This does not imply that the Prophet ﷺ or believers are accountable for others' deeds, but rather that appropriate effort must be made to curb evil in society.
This obligation can be fulfilled in various ways, depending on one's capacity:
① By Hand – for those in authority (e.g., rulers, parents, teachers)
② By Speech – through advice, teaching, and sincere reminders
③ By Heart – by detesting the evil internally, which is the weakest level of faith
✦ Conclusion:
There is no contradiction between the verse and the ḥadīth; instead, they address different aspects:
✔ The Qur’anic verse affirms that the Prophet ﷺ was not responsible for the people's rejection of truth after fulfilling his duty of conveyance.
✔ The ḥadīth provides a general obligation upon the Ummah to actively promote righteousness and prevent evil to the best of their ability.
Hence, Qur'an and Sunnah are in complete harmony, each supporting and clarifying the other.
ھٰذا ما عندي، واللّٰه أعلم بالصواب
