Amr bil-Ma'ruf wa Nahy 'an al-Munkar

"Amr bil-Ma'ruf wa Nahy 'an al-Munkar" (Arabic: الأمر بالمعروف والنهي عن المنكر) means "enjoining good and forbidding evil" and is one of the most important Islamic duties. In Shia Islam, this is one of the ten furu' al-din (practical branches of faith) alongside prayer, fasting, alms, etc.

The Quran connects this duty directly with prayer: "The believing men and women are protectors of one another. They enjoin good, forbid evil, establish prayer, give alms, and obey Allah and His Messenger" (Surah Al-Tawbah 9:71). Prayer and the enjoining of good are mentioned side by side as the believer's two fundamental characteristics.

Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said: "Do not neglect amr bil-ma'ruf wa nahy 'an al-munkar, for then the worst of you will rule over you, and then you will pray, but your prayers will not be answered" (Nahj al-Balagha). This warning shows that neglecting this duty can compromise the acceptance of prayer — the two are inseparably linked.

In Shia fiqh, this duty is obligatory (wajib) under certain conditions: that one knows the good and the evil, that one believes it will have effect, that there is no danger to one's own life, and that one begins with the mildest means (the heart's rejection, verbal correction, and finally practical action). Imam Husayn's (peace be upon him) uprising against Yazid's tyranny is considered the ultimate example of amr bil-ma'ruf wa nahy 'an al-munkar. He said: "I did not rise in arrogance or tyranny, but to reform the community of my grandfather."