Promoting Good and Prohibiting Evil

Imam Hussain (as) has said:

(من اَحبك نهاك و من اَبغضك اَغراك) (Bihar al Anwar, vol. 75, p. 128)

‘The one, who loves you, will tell you off to protect you from evils, while someone who despises you, will not prevent you, but rather  allow you to indulge in doing wrong things.’

Imam Hussain (as) was trained by Saydah Fatimah (as), daughter of the Prophet (sawas) and  Imam Ali (as). He was born into this Qur’anic family. He is trying to teach us about the real friends, and how to measure the genuine friendship. Also he wants us to realize that  those who don’t care about us, are only going to let us carry on the stupid behaviour. While those who do care, would try their best to help correcting and improving ourselves!

A person should put all his/her efforts into being a good and real friend (for his friends, wife and those around him, including his relatives) and try -as much as possible- to prevent them from developing bad and evil deeds, at least through not praising bad habits. Therefore, s/he should say to those around him/her with complete sincerity -though through smart ways- if s/he finds bad behavior in them, in order to correct them. However, if s/he is unable to rectify and correct the person, he should pray for him/er instead, asking the Almighty to help him/her.  Such correction, or praying for people will keep the actor away from backbiting, accusing others and spite and will strengthen his/her relationship with those around him. If s/he has been careless and negligent in this regard, for compensation, in addition to give alms and spending in the way of Allah, s/he should find one of his bad habits and try to remove it and, in this way, s/he would correct him;- herself. If the person is unable to correct another person’s evil or pray for him/her, s/he should sit and think about the cause. Is it because of his/her inner spite that s/he is unable to pray for the other person? Is it because of his/her lack of understanding Allah the Almighty and carelessness towards the trial from Allah? S/he should know that deliverance is only in being rectified. First s/he should correct and rectify him;- herself and then others. Those who are careless regarding correcting others, will remain estranged from real deliverance and salvation.