34th Hadith - Changing Evil with the Hands, Speech, and Heart [Muslim: 49 (a)]

الحديث الرابع والثلاثون 

عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيْد الْخُدْرِي رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ : سَمِعْتُ رَسُوْلَ اللهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُوْلُ : مَنْ رَأَى مِنْكُمْ مُنْكَراً فَلْيُغَيِّرْهُ بِيَدِهِ، فَإِنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَبِلِسَانِهِ، فَإِنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَبِقَلْبِهِ وَذَلِكَ أَضْعَفُ اْلإِيْمَانِ 

[رواه مسلم]

34th Hadith - Translation 

On the authority of Abu Saeed Al-Khudree (R.A.) who said:

I heard the Messenger of Allah (S.A.W.) say, “Whosoever of you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand; and if he is not able to do so, then [let him change it] with his tongue; and if he is not able to do so, then with his heart — and that is the weakest of faith.” [Muslim: 49 (a)]

Brief Narration

The essence of the Islamic ‘Dawah’ (making an invitation) is enjoining the good and forbidding the evil, since whenever a person conveys the message; he is enjoining good and forbidding evil. Therefore, it is a mistake to consider these two as separate matters, since they are actually performed concurrently and are synonymous. The main objective in fulfilling this obligation is to attain and maximize benefits, and to eliminate or minimize harm.

Scholars say that before using the hand, we should start with advice, warning the people of the consequence of evil and encouraging and motivating them to good actions. When this method has been fully utilized and there is no change in the people, only then is it permissible to use the hand.

(Reference: Commentary of Forty Hadiths of An-Nawawi by Dr. Jamal Ahmed Badi)