Advocate Righteousness Advocate Righteousness and Forbid Eviland Forbid Evil

2020thth Annual Conference Annual Conference

United Submitters United Submitters InternationalInternational

Why is it important?Why is it important?

• The two ends of The two ends of the spectrum:the spectrum:

God Advocates Righteousness God Advocates Righteousness and Forbids Eviland Forbids Evil: :

• [16:90] GOD advocates justice, [16:90] GOD advocates justice, charity, and regarding the relatives. charity, and regarding the relatives. And He forbids evil, vice, and And He forbids evil, vice, and transgression. He enlightens you, transgression. He enlightens you, that you may take heed. that you may take heed.

Satan Advocates EvilSatan Advocates Evil: :

• [24:21] O you who believe, do not [24:21] O you who believe, do not follow the steps of Satan. Anyone who follow the steps of Satan. Anyone who follows the steps of Satan should know follows the steps of Satan should know that that he advocates evil and vicehe advocates evil and vice. If it . If it were not for GOD's grace towards you, were not for GOD's grace towards you, and His mercy, none of you would have and His mercy, none of you would have been purified. But GOD purifies been purified. But GOD purifies whomever He wills. GOD is Hearer, whomever He wills. GOD is Hearer, Knower. Knower.

Satan’s Constituents Advocate Satan’s Constituents Advocate Evil and Forbid Righteousness:Evil and Forbid Righteousness:

• [9:67] The hypocrite men and the [9:67] The hypocrite men and the hypocrite women belong with each hypocrite women belong with each other - other - they advocate evil and they advocate evil and prohibit righteousnessprohibit righteousness, and they are , and they are stingy. They forgot GOD, so He forgot stingy. They forgot GOD, so He forgot them. The hypocrites are truly them. The hypocrites are truly wicked. wicked.

Is Is Advocating Righteousness Advocating Righteousness and Forbidding Eviland Forbidding Evil a a commandment?commandment?• [3:104] Let there be a community of [3:104] Let there be a community of

you who invite to what is good, you who invite to what is good, advocate righteousness, and forbid advocate righteousness, and forbid evil. These are the winners.evil. These are the winners.

What is a commandment?What is a commandment?

• A direct order to all believers usually A direct order to all believers usually starting with “You shall” or “You shall starting with “You shall” or “You shall not”not”

Some Examples:Some Examples:

• [2:43] [2:43] You shallYou shall observe the Contact observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) and give the Prayers (Salat) and give the obligatory charity (Zakat), and bow obligatory charity (Zakat), and bow down with those who bow down.down with those who bow down.

• [4:86] When greeted with a [4:86] When greeted with a greeting, greeting, you shallyou shall respond with a respond with a better greeting or at least an equal better greeting or at least an equal one. GOD reckons all things.one. GOD reckons all things.

More Examples:More Examples:

• [2:84] We made a covenant with you, [2:84] We made a covenant with you, that that you shall notyou shall not shed your blood, nor shed your blood, nor shall you evict each other from your shall you evict each other from your homes. You agreed and bore witness.homes. You agreed and bore witness.

• [3:130] O you who believe, [3:130] O you who believe, you shall you shall notnot take usury, compounded over and take usury, compounded over and over. Observe GOD, that you may over. Observe GOD, that you may succeed.succeed.

Another example and a very Another example and a very important commandment:important commandment:

• [2:152] [2:152] You shall remember Me, that You shall remember Me, that I may remember you, and be I may remember you, and be thankful to Me; do not be thankful to Me; do not be unappreciative.unappreciative.

Back to our question…Back to our question…

•Is Is Advocating Righteousness Advocating Righteousness and Forbidding Eviland Forbidding Evil a a commandment?commandment?

Not a commandment to allNot a commandment to all::

•Let’s read 3:104 one more Let’s read 3:104 one more time: time: [3:104] [3:104] Let there be a Let there be a community ofcommunity of youyou who invite to what who invite to what is good, advocate righteousness, and is good, advocate righteousness, and forbid evil. These are the winners.forbid evil. These are the winners.

If not a commandment, then If not a commandment, then why should we be concerned why should we be concerned with it?with it?• [3:110] You are the best community [3:110] You are the best community

ever raised among the people: you ever raised among the people: you advocate righteousness and forbid advocate righteousness and forbid evil, and you believe in GOD. If the evil, and you believe in GOD. If the followers of the scripture believed, it followers of the scripture believed, it would be better for them. Some of would be better for them. Some of them do believe, but the majority of them do believe, but the majority of them are wicked.them are wicked.

If not a commandment, then If not a commandment, then why should we be concerned why should we be concerned with it?...with it?...• [2:148] Each of you chooses the direction to [2:148] Each of you chooses the direction to

follow; follow; you shall raceyou shall race towards righteousness. towards righteousness. Wherever you may be, GOD will summon you all. Wherever you may be, GOD will summon you all. GOD is Omnipotent.GOD is Omnipotent.

• [57:21] Therefore, [57:21] Therefore, you shall raceyou shall race towards towards forgiveness from your Lord, and a Paradise whose forgiveness from your Lord, and a Paradise whose width encompasses the heaven and the earth. It width encompasses the heaven and the earth. It awaits those who believed in GOD and His awaits those who believed in GOD and His messengers. Such is GOD's grace that He bestows messengers. Such is GOD's grace that He bestows upon whomever He wills. GOD is Possessor of upon whomever He wills. GOD is Possessor of Infinite Grace.Infinite Grace.

In order to participate, In order to participate, preparation is needed:preparation is needed:

• [3:114] They believe in GOD and the [3:114] They believe in GOD and the Last Day, they advocate Last Day, they advocate righteousness and forbid evil, and righteousness and forbid evil, and they hasten to do righteous works. they hasten to do righteous works. These are the righteous. These are the righteous.

Preparation:Preparation:

• [3:92] You cannot attain [3:92] You cannot attain righteousness until you give to righteousness until you give to charity from the possessions you charity from the possessions you love. Whatever you give to charity, love. Whatever you give to charity, GOD is fully aware thereof.GOD is fully aware thereof.

Remember Solomon and his Remember Solomon and his horses?!horses?!

A Delicate Matter:A Delicate Matter:

• Nobody likes to be told that what Nobody likes to be told that what he/she is doing is wrong, or be he/she is doing is wrong, or be pushed into doing something pushed into doing something supposedly righteous. supposedly righteous.

A Delicate Matter…A Delicate Matter…

• God gave us the brain so the soul God gave us the brain so the soul can use it to recognize His signs and can use it to recognize His signs and appreciate and submit to Him. Satan appreciate and submit to Him. Satan influences our mind to protect our influences our mind to protect our ego. ego.

A Delicate Matter…A Delicate Matter…

• In advocating righteousness and In advocating righteousness and forbidding evil, we need to be aware forbidding evil, we need to be aware of the battle between soul and ego. of the battle between soul and ego. We need to use wisdom and kind We need to use wisdom and kind enlightenment to help awaken the enlightenment to help awaken the souls to kill their egos.souls to kill their egos.

Quranic Guideline:Quranic Guideline:

• [16:125] You shall invite to the path [16:125] You shall invite to the path of your Lord with of your Lord with wisdomwisdom and and kind kind enlightenmentenlightenment, and debate with , and debate with them in the best possible manner. them in the best possible manner. Your Lord knows best who has Your Lord knows best who has strayed from His path, and He knows strayed from His path, and He knows best who are the guided ones.best who are the guided ones.

If not done correctly, can If not done correctly, can become an evil in its own right:become an evil in its own right:

• Example of so called Islamic regimes:Example of so called Islamic regimes:

Advocating righteousness and forbidding Advocating righteousness and forbidding evil, or a misguided understanding of it -evil, or a misguided understanding of it -when done in a compulsory fashion- will when done in a compulsory fashion- will create resentment and resistance: Forcing create resentment and resistance: Forcing people to follow a certain dress code, people to follow a certain dress code, inspecting vehicles and homes for banned inspecting vehicles and homes for banned items and mandatory closing of businesses items and mandatory closing of businesses to attend contact prayers are some to attend contact prayers are some examples. examples.

Adhering to one Adhering to one commandment should not commandment should not conflict with upholding others:conflict with upholding others: • Same is true with spreading God’s Same is true with spreading God’s

message, In the course of advocating message, In the course of advocating righteousness and forbidding evil, we righteousness and forbidding evil, we should be wary of not stepping into should be wary of not stepping into aggression, suspicion, following our aggression, suspicion, following our personal opinion… personal opinion…

Some suggestions for Some suggestions for becoming part of the becoming part of the community in 3:104:community in 3:104: • Start from oneself… Start from oneself…

Pay attention to this verse: Pay attention to this verse:

[9:112] They are [9:112] They are thethe repenters, the repenters, the worshipers, the praisers, the meditators, worshipers, the praisers, the meditators, the bowing and prostrating, the the bowing and prostrating, the advocators of righteousness and advocators of righteousness and forbidders of evil, and the keepers of forbidders of evil, and the keepers of GOD's laws.GOD's laws. Give good news to such Give good news to such believers believers

Pay attention to the order:Pay attention to the order:

• the repenters, the repenters, • the worshipers, the worshipers, • the praisers, the praisers, • the meditators, the meditators, • the bowing and prostrating, the bowing and prostrating, • the advocators of righteousness and the advocators of righteousness and

forbidders of evil, forbidders of evil, • and the keepers of GOD's laws.and the keepers of GOD's laws.

What do you see?What do you see?

• ““advocators of righteousness and advocators of righteousness and forbidders of evil” follows a series of forbidders of evil” follows a series of other qualities, starting with other qualities, starting with “repenters”, and it is only followed “repenters”, and it is only followed by “the keepers of GOD's laws” (such by “the keepers of GOD's laws” (such as be humble, kind, equitable; do not as be humble, kind, equitable; do not aggress, backbite, suspect, accuse...)aggress, backbite, suspect, accuse...)

Start from oneself: Start from oneself: repentersrepenters• Repenters:Repenters: Pick a weakness that can be improved Pick a weakness that can be improved

and the result would please God. Make note of and the result would please God. Make note of the inner battle; if necessary, keep a journal of the inner battle; if necessary, keep a journal of the internal conversation. Human beings are the internal conversation. Human beings are similar in their inner workings, what you feel as a similar in their inner workings, what you feel as a resistance or a stumbling block; same can be true resistance or a stumbling block; same can be true for others. What differentiates good advocators of for others. What differentiates good advocators of righteousness from self assigned “preachers” is righteousness from self assigned “preachers” is the fact that they convince their audience that the fact that they convince their audience that they mean what they say, and have lived the they mean what they say, and have lived the process and abide by it: process and abide by it: It shows in their actionsIt shows in their actions. .

Start from oneself…Start from oneself…

• Be open to criticism; criticism is a gift Be open to criticism; criticism is a gift given to your soul. It hurts the ego but given to your soul. It hurts the ego but can be essential in growing the soul.can be essential in growing the soul.

• See criticism as a gift wrapped See criticism as a gift wrapped tastelessly. Would you throw away a tastelessly. Would you throw away a beautiful diamond because the gift beautiful diamond because the gift box that contained it was damaged or box that contained it was damaged or the wrapping paper was stained? the wrapping paper was stained?

Start from oneself…Start from oneself…

• Souls can be mirrors for each other: we Souls can be mirrors for each other: we can not see our spiritual self the same can not see our spiritual self the same way we can see our physical self in a way we can see our physical self in a mirror. Another soul can play the mirror. Another soul can play the mirror for our soul by showing us our mirror for our soul by showing us our spiritual flaws. Would you break a spiritual flaws. Would you break a mirror because it shows you that a mirror because it shows you that a piece of spinach is stuck between your piece of spinach is stuck between your teeth?? teeth??

Start from oneself…Start from oneself…

• Would you get upset at the mirror if it Would you get upset at the mirror if it shows that you have gained some shows that you have gained some unwanted extra pounds?? unwanted extra pounds??

Then why do you get upset with others Then why do you get upset with others that present you with a gift that -although that present you with a gift that -although carelessly wrapped- shows you your carelessly wrapped- shows you your spiritual flaws and can help you see and spiritual flaws and can help you see and purify yourself: God loves those who purify purify yourself: God loves those who purify themselves (9:108)themselves (9:108)

Suggestions for self Suggestions for self purificationpurificationReflect on Quranic Wisdom:Reflect on Quranic Wisdom:• Ponder on verses that outline Ponder on verses that outline

interaction and code of conduct with interaction and code of conduct with othersothers

• Don’t pick and choose versesDon’t pick and choose verses• Reflect on examples of good responders Reflect on examples of good responders

and their responses in Quranand their responses in Quran• Put your understanding to the testPut your understanding to the test• Share your findings with othersShare your findings with others