36/20. Chapter:
Sunan Ibn Majah 4005 — Changing Evil Before Collective Punishment
Enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil
Hadith About Changing Evil: Do Not Misread Self-Care
Sunan Ibn Majah : 4005
Sunan Ibn MajahHadith Number 4005
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ نُمَيْرٍ، وَأَبُو أُسَامَةَ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ أَبِي خَالِدٍ، عَنْ قَيْسِ بْنِ أَبِي حَازِمٍ، قَالَ قَامَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ فَحَمِدَ اللَّهَ وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ قَالَ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنَّكُمْ تَقْرَءُونَ هَذِهِ الآيَةَ {يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا عَلَيْكُمْ أَنْفُسَكُمْ لاَ يَضُرُّكُمْ مَنْ ضَلَّ إِذَا اهْتَدَيْتُمْ} وَإِنَّا سَمِعْنَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ يَقُولُ " إِنَّ النَّاسَ إِذَا رَأَوُا الْمُنْكَرَ لاَ يُغَيِّرُونَهُ أَوْشَكَ أَنْ يَعُمَّهُمُ اللَّهُ بِعِقَابِهِ " . قَالَ أَبُو أُسَامَةَ مَرَّةً أُخْرَى فَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ يَقُولُ .
Qais bin Abi Hazim Narrated from:
Abu Bakr stood up and praised and glorified Allah, then he said: ‘O people, you recite this Verse –“O you who believe! Take care of your own selves. If you follow the (right) guidance no hurt can come to you from those who are in error.”[5:105]– but I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: ‘If people see some evil but do not change it, soon Allah will send His punishment upon them all.’” (One of the narrators) Abu Usamah repeated: "Indeed I heard that Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say."
[1] Al-Mâ'idah 5:105.Reference : Sunan Ibn Majah 4005In-book reference : Book 36, Hadith 80English translation : Vol. 5, Book 36, Hadith 4005
Summary of Sunan Ibn Majah Hadith 4005
This Hadith about changing evil explains that caring for oneself does not mean ignoring public wrong. Abu Bakr mentioned the verse about taking care of your own selves, then clarified what he heard from the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم: if people see evil and do not change it, Allah may send punishment upon them all. The Hadith speaks to people who are aware of wrong but remain inactive. It does not tell people to act without wisdom or ability, but it does show that silence in the face of evil is not a safe path. The main lesson is that personal guidance and social responsibility are connected in Islam.
What we learn from this hadith
- Personal guidance does not cancel concern for public wrongdoing.
- Seeing evil and leaving it unchanged is warned against in the text.
- A community can be affected when people ignore wrong around them.
- The Hadith teaches responsibility, not isolation from moral duty.
