186. It is narrated by Abdullah Bin Mas'ood (RZ) that Prophet Muhammad (SLM) said: "When the Children of Israel fell into sinning, their scholars forbade them, but they did not heed them. Later, the scholars started joining the company of the sinners and partaking meals with them. They too came under their influence (and became involved in sins). Hence, Allah imprecated upon them through Prophet David (AS) (Dawood) and Prophet Jesus (AS) (Esa AS). This He did because they had disobeyed and gone beyond the limits. (This is narrated in Mishkat).

187. Bandagi Miyan Syed Khundmir (RZ), leader of Martyrs, used to say often: "I will tell the Truth, whatever it be, even though I may not practise what I say; for not practising is our fault, and an evil; but concealing the Truth is kufr (infidelity). Hence, we will only say what we have heard from Imam Mahdi (AS). If we are not able to say it to anybody else, we will at least tell it to our wife, so that we do not come within the purview of the Quranic Verse where Allah says: '... Hide not testimony. He who hideth it, verily his heart is sinful. Allah is Aware of what ye do.' (S. 2 : 283 MMO)

188. And it is stated in Hadith: "Whoever conceals knowledge from the capable, he would be harnessed with a bridle of fire on the Day of Resurrection."

189. Hence, Allah has denounced the ulema and laid an interdiction on the haram-khors (those who live on sinful earnings and liars) in many places in His Book. In other words, if a person learns something, he should teach others. Allah has said: "Many of them dost thou see, racing each other in sin and rancour, and their eating of things forbidden. Evil indeed are the things that they do." (S. 5 : 65 AYA) Zahhak has said that this Quranic Verse is the most frightening of all the Quranic Verses with him.

190. Prophet Muhammad (SLM) has said that the denunciation for avoiding the divine commandments to do something is as severe as the doing of what has been prohibited.

191. Prophet Muhammad (SLM) has said that the example of a sinner is like the example of a flatterer (madahin). It is like a group of people who board a ship and divide the floor space of the ship among themselves in the story (hikayat). Each of them got a portion of the ship floor. One of them took an axe and started making a hole in his portion of the floor of the ship, on the plea that this was his abode, and he had the right to do what he pleased. Hence, if the other inmates of the ship did not prevent him from making the hole, the ship would sink and all the people on board would also drown. They would of course survive if they prevent the making of the hole. Allah has said: "Why do not the Rabbis and the doctors of law forbid them from their (habit of) uttering sinful words and eating things forbidden? Evil indeed are their works." (S. 5 : 66 AYA)

192. Some have said that when a person becomes a believer (mumin), the evil deeds of an evil-doer will not harm him, when he considers his evil deeds to be loathsome, even if he does not enjoin upon him (the evildoer) to obey the divine commandments. And they have based their arguments on this Quranic Verse: "O ye who believe! guard your own souls: if ye follow (right) guidance, no hurt can come to you from those who stray..." (S. 5 : 108 AYA) But this is a mistake. It is reported that Abu Bakr (RZ) recited this Quranic Verse one day and said: "Friends, let not this Verse incite you to abandon the enjoining of the divine commandments ( amar-bil-ma'roof). If you are under (right guidance), no one who has gone astray will harm you. You have to return to Allah. Allah has not said that if you say your daily prayers, observe your fasts, pay the poor-money (zakat) and perform Haj (pilgrimage), the misguided will not harm you. But Allah has said that if you are under (right) guidance, no misguided (person) will harm you. Hence, we should intend to practise what we have seen and heard. Even if we are not able to put it fully into practice, we will not fail to make it known."

193. It is reported by Hazrat Anas (RZ) bin Malik that they (he and his fellow-companions) told Prophet Muhammad (SLM): "O Messenger of Allah, we will not enjoin the commandments of Allah upon the people till we fully practise them, and we will not try to enforce divine interdictions till we ourselves avoid them fully." On hearing this, Prophet Muhammad (SLM) told them: "You enjoin the implementation of divine commandments, even if you do not fully practise them and prevent the people from doing what Allah has forbidden, even if you do not fully avoid evil-doing." Hence, we will do what we have seen Imam Mahdi (AS) doing and what we have heard the companions of Imam Mahdi (AS) say, even if we ourselves do not fully put them into practice.

194. Aws bin Sharjeel (RZ) has reported that he had heard Prophet Muhammad (SLM) as saying: " Whoever walks along with an oppressor (zalim) with the intention to follow him (in oppression), and he knows that the man (he is following) is an oppressor, verily, he has gone out of Islam."

195. People of knowledge and gnosis have said that seeing the face of an oppressor is blackness of the heart.

196. Nu'man bin Basheer (RZ) has quoted Prophet Muhammad (SLM) as saying that the people who are lazy in observing the limits (prescribed by) Allah, are like those who boarded a ship and drew lots to decide who would occupy the upper decks and who would go to the lower decks. Then one of the people in the lower decks wanted some water. He came to the people at the upper decks and asked them to give him some water. The upper deck people felt troubled (and, therefore, they asked him not to come to the upper deck for water). The man from the lower deck took an axe and began to make a hole in the bottom of the ship. Those from the upper deck came to him and said: "What are you doing?" He said: 'You were inconvenienced by me and I cannot live without water. (Hence, I am doing this.)' If they prevent him from making the hole, they would save both him and themselves. But if they leave him to make the hole, they would kill him and also themselves. This was reported by Bukhari.

197. Abi Sayeed Khudri (RZ) has reported Prophet Muhammad (SLM) as saying: "Whoever among you sees an evil thing (being done), he should prevent it by his hand (that is, by force). If he does not have the strength to do it, he should prevent it by word of mouth. If he does not have the strength to do even that, he should consider it to be an evil. But this (last) option is that of the person whose faith (iman) is very weak." This hadith is narrated by Muslim.

198. It is reported by Abu Bakr Siddiq (RZ) that Prophet Muhammad (SLM) said: "O people, you recite this Quranic Verse (which reads in translation): "O ye who believe! guard your own souls: if ye follow (right) guidance, no hurt can come to you from those who stray." (S. 5 : 108 AYA) I have heard Prophet Muhammad (SLM) saying that those people who saw an evil deed and did not prevent it, will also be punished by Allah soon." This Hadith is narrated in Ibn Maja and Tirmizi and they have endorsed its correctness.

199. (In the narration) of Abu Daud (RA), it is stated that when an oppressor (in action) is seen and not prevented, it is not far that Allah would subject them, too, to the oppressor's torment.

200. In another narration, it is stated that there is no group of people (qaum), in which people commit sins and the group has the strength to prevent the sins, but in spite of that the sinners are not prevented; then it is not far that Allah will subject it (qaum) to their torment soon.

201. Adi bin Adi Kandi (RA) has reported that he heard from an associate (maula) that he heard from his (Kandi's) grand-father that he had heard Prophet Muhammad (SLM) as sayings that Allah did not punish the common people for the deeds of particular (khas) people, unless they saw the evil deeds being committed in front of them, and they had the strength to prevent them, but in spite of this they did not prevent such deeds; then Allah would punish both the common and particular persons.

202. Jabir (RZ) has reported that Prophet Muhammad (SLM) said that Allah revealed to Archangel Gabriel (AS) that such and such cities be destroyed-all the people including women and children. Gabriel (AS) replied: "O my Lord, there is among them, one of Your servants who has never, even in twinkling of an eye, disobeyed You." Allah said: "He too will be punished and they too will be punished, because the colour of his face never changed by their evil deeds."

203. Draw a line around every thing other than Allah (ma-si-va-Allah), said a poet.

204. It is narrated by Ibn Umar (RZ) that Prophet Muhammad (SLM) said when Allah inflicts punishment ('azab) on any group (qaum) of people, it is inflicted on all of them. Then on the Day of Resurrection, they will rise in accordance with their deeds.

205. Prophet Muhammad (SLM) has said Allah will ask that servant (banda) of His and say: "O My servant, you saw an evil deed and you did not deem it to be evil. What had happened to you?"

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