I want to know about the nature and extent of the responsibility of preaching for a common Muslim. Is preaching the responsibility of a religious cleric or is a common Muslim also burdened with it? What about the use of force in eliminating bad things from our society?
The propagation of the truth has remained the mission of the Prophets, for it is the right of every truth that it be disseminated far and wide. Islam requires of a Muslim that he propagate the truth according to his ability, position and status. It says that every person is the shepherd of his herd about which he shall be held accountable on the Day of Judgement. It directs each person to strive to save himself and his family from the flames of Hell. It defines each person’s sphere of authority in which it is his responsibility to propagate and implement the truth.
This propagation has three distinct categories depending upon who the propagating entity is:
1. Common Muslims
2. An Islamic State
3. Religious Scholars
All these categories have specific responsibilities, and the ones meant for one can in no way whatsoever be discharged by the other. Also, each has its own sphere of authority in which evil can be eliminated by force if need arises.
It is the duty of a common Muslim to urge the members of his family and, indeed, every person present in his immediate surroundings to fulfil the three basic requirements which will ensure their salvation in the Hereafter. These three requirements have been spelled out in Sūrah ‘Asr:
Verily, Time bears evidence that man is in a loss save those who accept faith, do virtuous deeds and invite each other to the right path and urge each other to remain steadfast on it.(103:1-3)
It is the duty of the head of state and all his representatives to implement the Sharī‘ah at the state level. Keeping in view the welfare of the society, they must enforce the directives of Islam. While pointing out the objectives of an Islamic State, the Qur’ān says:
[These believers are those who], if We grant them authority in this land, will establish regular prayers and pay Zakāh and enjoin what is virtuous and forbid what is evil. (22:41)
It is the duty of religious scholars to guide the people in their religious obligations and warn them against the dreadful fate that awaits them if they do not fulfil these obligations. The Qur’ān refers to this responsibility in the following words:
It was not possible for all the believers to undertake [this job]. So why did not a few from every group among them come forward to gain sound knowledge in religion and warn their [respective] people, when they returned to them that they may also take heed. (9:122)
It is to be noted that the sphere of authority in which a common Muslim can forcibly forbid evil lies within his sphere of responsibility is his own family, as is evident from the following H~adīth of the Prophet (sws):
Beware! Each of you is a shepherd of his flock, and each shall be asked about his flock. (Muslim, Kitābu’l-Imārah)
A Muslim has not been given the permission to use force outside his sphere of authority. The only thing he can do outside this sphere is to urge and exhort people.
The sphere of authority of an Islamic State is all its citizens. It has all the authority to forcibly eliminate evil among its citizens.