The Book Of Faith and its Signs - Sunan an-Nasa'i 5009

"Abu Sa'eed Al-Khudri said: 'I heard the Messenger of Allah [SAW] say: Whoever among you sees an evil and changes it with his hand, then he has done his duty. Whoever is unable to do that, but changes it with his tongue, then he has done his duty. Whoever is unable to do that, but changes it with his heart, then he has done his duty, and that is the weakest of Faith.'"

Commentary on the Three Levels of Changing Evil

This noble hadith establishes the obligation of forbidding evil (al-nahy 'an al-munkar) and delineates three hierarchical levels of fulfilling this religious duty according to one's capability.

The first and highest level is changing evil with the hand - this refers to physical intervention when one possesses the authority and capability, such as a ruler enforcing justice or a person preventing physical harm within their capacity.

The second level is changing evil with the tongue - this encompasses verbal admonition, counsel, and speaking truth to power when physical intervention is not possible. The scholar must consider wisdom and appropriate circumstances.

The third level, described as "the weakest of Faith," is rejection in the heart. This minimum requirement remains obligatory for all believers when higher levels are impossible, ensuring that the heart never acquiesces to evil.

Scholarly Insights on Implementation

The scholars emphasize that changing evil requires knowledge of what constitutes evil, consideration of likely consequences, and adherence to proper Islamic etiquette. One must not replace a lesser evil with a greater one.

The hierarchy demonstrates Islam's practical recognition of human capabilities while maintaining the essential principle that faith necessitates action against wrongdoing according to one's means.

The phrase "weakest of Faith" indicates that while heart-rejection fulfills the basic obligation, complete faith strives toward higher levels of intervention when possible.