Hadith 34: Changing Evil with the Hand, Tongue, and Heart
An explanation of the thirty-fourth Hadith, where the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ outlines the three levels of changing an evil. The speaker connects this to Surah al-Asr, highlighting how Allah ﷻ commands mutual advising to truth. It also features Imam al-Shafi'i's reflection on the sufficiency of this Surah.
He (RH) said:
The Thirty-Fourth Hadith
On the authority of Abu Sa'id al-Khudri (RA),
who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ say:
"Whosoever of you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand;
and if he is not able to, then with his tongue;
and if he is not able to, then with his heart — and that is the weakest of faith."
Narrated by Muslim.
Yes, this hadith.
Abu Sa'id: "Whosoever of you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand;
and if he is not able to, then with his tongue;
and if he is not able to, then with his heart — and that is the weakest of faith."
This is a principle regarding mutual advising of good,
Allah ﷻ has said: "By time, indeed, mankind..."
“Indeed, mankind is in loss,”
“Except for those who have believed and done righteous deeds and advised each other to truth and advised each other to patience.” (Quran 103:2-3)
and advising one another to good, truth, and patience is what has been detailed here
by changing evil, either by hand, by tongue, or by heart, and that is the weakest of faith.
So this hadith establishes the principle of advising one another to good through its various means.
And Imam al-Shafi'i (RH) said:
"If people were to ponder this Surah—meaning Surah al-Asr—it would have sufficed them,"
"meaning it would have been enough for them, as all goodness is included in it."
Allah ﷻ and His angels send blessings upon the teacher of goodness,
and teaching people is enjoining good and forbidding evil. Yes.
Send blessings upon...