Quran 41:34
وَلَا تَسْتَوِى ٱلْحَسَنَةُ وَلَا ٱلسَّيِّئَةُ ۚ ٱدْفَعْ بِٱلَّتِى هِىَ أَحْسَنُ فَإِذَا ٱلَّذِى بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُۥ عَدَٰوَةٌۭ كَأَنَّهُۥ وَلِىٌّ حَمِيمٌۭ
For Muslims, the Quran is a text that is a “guide for those mindful of Allah. (Quran 2:2)” Just as everything has a user manual, the Quran is the one for us. When defining the word insān, the root letters are either u-n-s or n-s-y. An u-n-s is someone who is companionable, can sense, and more. These are traits of an ideal person. In contrast, n-s-y is to be in a state of forgetfulness. Which of the two do you fall in? Being in a state of n-s-y brings you to a state of ghafla, heedlessness. This also implies a sense of disregard. A variant of ghafla is ghāfala, where a person is careless. It is essential to be present with yourself in all moments of the day and to do good for Allah’s sake. The Quran is explicit about good and evil. “And not equal are the good deed and the bad. Repel [evil] by that [deed] which is better; and thereupon, the one whom between you and him is enmity [will become] as though he was a devoted friend. (Quran 41:34) [Abdel Haleem translation].” This must be applied in every day life, especially in moments of confrontation.
Good will always outweigh evil. After recognizing, we must act. Repel! Merriam-Webster defines it as to drive back, to drive away. Obviously, we must do something about evil. Be careful about the what and how. The ends and means need to be both justified. Be ethical in your decision making. When someone comes into our faces, we need to respond with something better. To quote our Christian brothers and sisters, “Turn the other cheek.” At the same time, the sharī‘a is there to protect a person’s wealth, family, property, intellect, and religion. The parameters for self-defense are clear in Islam. This has been discussed elsewhere.
When we do drive back evil, we need to be prophetic. Surah Furqān speaks of the “true servants of the Most Compassionate.
“The ˹true˺ servants of the Most Compassionate are those who walk on the earth humbly, and when the foolish address them ˹improperly˺, they only respond with peace…˹They are˺ those who do not invoke any other god besides Allah, nor take a ˹human˺ life—made sacred by Allah—except with ˹legal˺ right, nor commit fornication. And whoever does ˹any of˺ this will face the penalty…As for those who repent, believe, and do good deeds, they are the ones whose evil deeds Allah will change into good deeds. For Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful. And whoever repents and does good has truly turned to Allah properly. ˹They are˺ those who do not bear false witness, and when they come across falsehood, they pass ˹it˺ by with dignity (Quran 25:63, 68, 70-72).”
When confronted with ignorance or the opportunity to be ignorant, how do you respond? We must tread lightly on the earth. We must respond with peace. We must not take a human life unjustly. Vigilantism is harām. We must respond to evil with something better. The nafs wants what it wants, especially if it has been wronged. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught us that we can ask for justice, but it is better to forgive. “Abdullah ibn Amr reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Be merciful to others, and you will receive mercy. Forgive others, and Allah will forgive you (al-Adab al-Mufrad lil-Bukhārī 380).”
Returning to the verse at hand, Imam al-Qurtubi quotes ibn ‘Abbās saying that goodness is lā ilāha illa Allah (there is no deity except Allah). When we do respond, it is to be done with gentleness. In the same entry, he quotes al-Dahhāq describing goodness is knowledge and evil is mischievousness. The exegetes explain that the Muslim needs to respond with peace. Ibn ‘Āshur explains that we respond in a way that we do not create an enemy in the process. “It has been narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) said: Do not desire an encounter with the enemy; but when you encounter them, be firm. (Muslim. Book 19, Number 4313).
News has trickled in of protests for Palestine and unislamic acts being committed by protestors. I am not claiming or shaming any one of my brothers and sisters. At the same time, I have seen friends and people I know instigate and become agitated by instigators. The Quranic injunction to respond to the ignorant with peace was forgotten. When emotions are justifiably high, we cannot let the nafs and the devil win. For thirteen years, our Prophet ﷺ trusted that Allah was always present. When his neighbor did not throw garbage and animal end trails on him for one day, he ﷺ checked in. Because of this act, that same person became Muslim. Part of the mystery of life is that we do not know the full extent of our interactions. How scary would it be if we did? Whether you get a case of road rage or your sibling annoys you or you march with millions around the world, be Muhammadan and respond to evil with something better.