Changing evil things is to be done by stages, progressing by degrees from warning and reminding, to preaching and alarming, then rebuking, then changing it “by hand” (by force), then carrying out acts of punishment and vengeance, and finally by declaring hostility and referring the matter to the judge.
Do we begin with changing things “by hand” when changing evil things?
Question 10522
Does the hadeeth, “Whoever among you sees an evil action, let him change it by his hand [by force]…” mean that we should change it by force straightaway, even though it may be possible to change it by speaking out?
Answer
Praise be to Allah, and blessings and peace be upon the Messenger of Allah:
Enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil
Rulings on enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil
Source:
Al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah, vol. 39, p. 127
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