With Hand, Tongue and Heart: Changing Evil Through Prophetic Guidance

“WHOEVER AMONG YOU sees evil, let him change it with his hand. If he cannot do so, then with his tongue. If he cannot do so, then with his heart—and that is the weakest level of iman.” (Muslim)

This profound hadith of the Prophet ﷺ reflects the strength and responsibility of iman. It touches on what it means to believe in Allah and how to demonstrate that belief in a world filled with evil, injustice, and oppression.

Evil Must Be Confronted

First and foremost, the hadith makes it clear that evil must be addressed. And the command is directed to each and every Muslim.

When wrongdoing occurs, a believer cannot ignore it.

The default position is to try to physically change an evil when we see it. That direct approach is the quickest and most effective way to stop an evil.

If that’s not possible, one should speak out to encourage and pressure those who can act to stop the evil. Or if there is no one, then to create an environment from which will arise such a force.

If neither of these is possible, one must still feel in their heart that what is happening is wrong.

This framework gives us the correct order by which we frame our response to evil. We must each act according to our capability. If Allah has given one of us the capability to physically remove evil, we cannot then just feel it in our hearts and say that is enough because that is easier for us.

The hadith also subtly implies that the ummah as a whole should have among it people of authority and capability who can move to stop evil or build itself up to be in a position to do so. It also puts the burden of responsibility more on those who Allah has given capability- the rulers and scholars amongst us as they have a greater ability to stop evil. For them to not act is sinful and a dereliction of their duty to the ummah.

Iman is the Moral Compass

The link to iman is important. Iman in Allah is the basis upon which Believers understand good and evil, right from wrong. It’s not just about believing in a higher power, but about following divine guidance. A heart that is indifferent to evil, that becomes desensitised to it, indicates a weak or absent connection to Allah.

Our hearts are thus guided by iman. Feeling pain, anger, or sorrow over injustice is a natural human emotion. But the Believers have an added spiritual connection that insists we align ourselves with Allah’s moral order.

Powerless But Not Passive

Another lesson from the hadith is that there will be times when Believers cannot change what they see, no matter how much they desire to.

We may witness immense trials and suffering like the ongoing genocide in Palestine. We see that there are those amongst us like the rulers and armies who could take steps to stop the killing but choose not to. Indeed they do the opposite.

We feel deep frustration at our limited capacity to effect real change.

This hadith acknowledges that struggle and the real danger of losing hope in Allah and in changing the situation. This hadith does not allow us to give up. Instead, it gives us direction.

If we cannot act, we must speak. If we cannot speak, we must feel. There is always something we can do.

And we will be held accountable for what we chose to do—or not do—when the truth was clear before us.

To not do what is in our capacity is not only sinful for the individual but it brings punishment to the collective. The Messenger ﷺ emphasized warned: “There are no people among which evil is committed and they can change that but they do not change it, except that Allah will soon afflict them with a punishment that will affect them all.” (Abu Dawood)

Iman is Strengthened Through Struggle

There are voices today that urge us to “strengthen our iman” as a solution to the crises faced by the Ummah. But how does one practically do that?

This hadith offers a clear roadmap. If the weakest form of iman is to feel evil in the heart, then the next step to strengthening it is to speak out against evil. And to strengthen it even more, one must act.

This reverse reading is powerful. It teaches that iman is not merely nurtured in private worship or reflection. It grows through courage, sacrifice and standing up, particularly when it is unpopular or risky.

Opposing evil—especially publicly—often brings hardship. But enduring that hardship while trusting Allah is what builds iman.

Iman in Action: A Lifelong Responsibility

Such a way of thinking takes a Muslim from being just a passive observer to an active agent of change motivated by iman.

It constantly challenges us: What are you doing about evil? Are you taking action, speaking out, or even feeling it in your heart?

As such, this hadith isn’t theoretical but a daily litmus test of our iman.

This framework ensures that no Believer is helpless. There is always a way to engage, and this engagement is key to our connection with Allah.

Let it guide us in how we respond to oppression and injustice—both near and far. And let it remind us that every step we take, no matter how small, in resisting evil is a step toward Allah.