Limited Vigilantism in Islam

 بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

والصلاة والسلام على رسوله الكريم

In the Name of Allah, the Rahman, the Merciful

The question of vigilantism in Islam requires elucidation. Some people mistakenly believe that there is absolutely no room for vigilantism or taking the law into one’s own hands as per the Shari’ah. They say that only the Islamic government is authorized to implement the Law. But Allah, Holy and Exalted is He, says:

وَلۡتَکُنۡ مِّنۡکُمۡ اُمَّۃٌ یَّدۡعُوۡنَ اِلَی الۡخَیۡرِ وَیَاۡمُرُوۡنَ بِالۡمَعۡرُوۡفِ وَیَنۡہَوۡنَ عَنِ الۡمُنۡکَرِ ؕ وَاُولٰٓئِکَ ہُمُ الۡمُفۡلِحُوۡنَ

And let there be among you a nation inviting to goodness; enjoining virtue and prohibiting evil. And it is they who shall prosper

(Surah 3, Ayah 104)

کُنۡتُمۡ خَیۡرَ اُمَّۃٍ اُخۡرِجَتۡ لِلنَّاسِ تَاۡمُرُوۡنَ بِالۡمَعۡرُوۡفِ وَتَنۡہَوۡنَ عَنِ الۡمُنۡکَرِ وَتُؤۡمِنُوۡنَ بِاللّٰہِ

You are the best nation taken out for mankind; you enjoin virtue, prohibit vice and believe in Allah

(Surah 3, Ayah 110)

In these and other Verses of the Holy Quran the institution of Amr bil-Ma’ruf wa Nahi anil-Munkar (enjoining of good and prohibition of vice) has been established. And it is not a duty that is restricted to the Muslim rulers and their authorized deputies, rather it is the responsibility of the entire Ummah. Hence, the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him, said:

مَنْ رَأَى مِنْكُمْ مُنْكَرًا فَلْيُغَيِّرْهُ بِيَدِهِ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَبِلِسَانِهِ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَبِقَلْبِهِ وَذَلِكَ أَضْعَفُ الإِيمَانِ

Whoever among you sees an evil should change it with his hand, but if he is unable then with his tongue, and if even that he is unable to do then [hate it] in his heart, but that is the weakest form of Faith (Sahih Muslim)

In this blessed Hadith the Holy Prophet, peace be upon him, has licensed every Believer to change an evil he sees with his own hand. Only if one does not have the capacity to do this is he then given a concession to merely speak out against that evil with his tongue, and even if that is not possible then at the very least one must hate the evil in one’s heart, though that is the weakest level of Faith. However, for a Muslim who is not authorized by the government, his changing of an evil with his own hand may not involve violence or bloodshed. Violence is the monopoly of the State. Therefore, it would be accurate to say that there is space for non-violent vigilantism in Islam. For instance, vandalizing signs and billboards displaying something that is forbidden, demolishing a statue or sculpture depicting a living being, smashing up a liqor store, breaking musical instruments, breaking up a music concert without lethal violence and the like.

However, in this matter wisdom and due caution should be observed. This is especially true in our time when even non-violent vigilantism is perceived as challenging the writ of the State. Tragically, most of the Muslim governments today are mostly if not entirely secular. They have legislated admissibility for many activities that are forbidden according to the divine Shari’ah. If a Believer is reasonably sure he can escape detection and being caught by the authorities in committing an act of non-violent vigilantism against that which is evil then it is fine. However, if one fears that the consequences of this kind of vigilantism will be greater harm, such as imprisonment, torture or some other extreme hardship, then it would be better to merely speak against that evil rather than attempt to change it with one’s own hands. And Allah and His Apostle know best!