Good Character in Its Proper Place: A Warning Against One of Shayṭān’s Deceptions – al-Fawzān

From the traps of Shayṭān, may the curse of Allāh ﷻ be upon him, which he lays for the progeny of Ādam, is that he entices them to be cheerful, pleasant, and outwardly welcoming towards everyone without distinction. Through this deception, a person refrains from rebuking the people of religious innovation and those who contradict the Sunnah under the pretext of ‘good character’. This, without doubt, is a deception from Shayṭān.

Everything has its proper place. Good character has its place, and shunning has its place. Accordingly, the people of religious innovation and open immorality should be made to feel unwelcome and uncomfortable, while the people of righteousness and obedience should be received with cheerfulness and warmth. Allāh ﷻ says:

وَإِذَا جَاءَكَ الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِآيَاتِنَا فَقُلْ سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكُمْ ۖ كَتَبَ رَبُّكُمْ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِهِ الرَّحْمَةَ ۞
أَنَّهُ مَنْ عَمِلَ مِنكُمْ سُوءًا بِجَهَالَةٍ ثُمَّ تَابَ مِن بَعْدِهِ وَأَصْلَحَ فَأَنَّهُ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ ۞

When those who believe in Our verses come to you, say: “Peace be upon you.” Your Lord has taken it upon Himself to be merciful; so if any of you commits evil in ignorance, then repents after that and rectifies himself, then surely He is Most-Forgiving, Most-Merciful. (al-Anʿām 6:54)

The people of good are to be welcomed pleasantly due to their desire for righteousness and obedience. As for the people of evil, they are to be met with aversion and distance until they repent to Allāh ﷻ. This falls under the principle of rejecting evil (inkār al-munkar) and realising loyalty and disassociation for the sake of Allāh ﷻ: loyalty to the people of goodness and righteousness, and disassociation from the people of evil and corruption.

As for those who bring about tribulation, the Muslim should not feel at ease with them, nor should he grant them a platform or opportunities for socialisation. This is so that he does not fall into tribulation because of them, especially when they engage in evil speech, such as speaking ill of the people of goodness and describing them as harsh or extreme, and similar false accusations. A Muslim should not sit with such people. Allāh ﷻ says:

وَإِذَا رَأَيْتَ الَّذِينَ يَخُوضُونَ فِي آيَاتِنَا فَأَعْرِضْ عَنْهُمْ حَتَّىٰ يَخُوضُوا فِي حَدِيثٍ غَيْرِهِ ۞
وَإِمَّا يُنسِيَنَّكَ الشَّيْطَانُ فَلَا تَقْعُدْ بَعْدَ الذِّكْرَىٰ مَعَ الْقَوْمِ الظَّالِمِينَ ۞

When you see those who engage in false speech concerning Our verses, turn away from them until they move on to another topic; and if Shayṭān causes you to forget, then once you remember, do not sit with the wrongdoing people.
(al-Anʿām 6:68)

The manner of interaction differs according to what is befitting for each category of people. Good character is to be reserved for the righteous and upright, while shunning and distance are to be reserved for the people of evil. It is not permissible for a Muslim to warmly welcome evil people and claim that this is from good character, for such behaviour emboldens them in their wrongdoing.

If he does not change his manner of dealing with them, they will become brazen and say: ‘There is no disagreement between us; so-and-so welcomes us.’ No, this is not permissible. Furthermore, when others see him welcoming them, they too will feel at ease with the evil-doers and will use this as justification. Therefore, it is obligatory to interact with people according to what is befitting for each of them, in a manner that upholds the religion and blocks the paths to misguidance and corruption.

Reference

Ṣāliḥ b. Fawzān b. ʿAbd Allāh al-Fawzān (b. 1354 AH), Sharḥ Ighāthat al-Lahfān min Maṣāyid al-Shayṭān, lesson dated 16 Muḥarram 1436 AH (corresponding to 9 November 2014 CE), official website of Shaykh Ṣāliḥ al-Fawzān, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. http://www.alfawzan.af.org.sa/node/15341