Why this is important in Islam:
“(In Qudara Maqdisi) One should know that commanding the right and forbidding the wrong is the most important fundamental of the religion, and is the mission that Allah sent the prophets to fulfill. If it were folded up and put away, religion itself would vanish, dissolution appear, and whole lands come to ruin.”
^ So it’s a big deal….
The eight degrees of censure outlined in “The Reliance of the Traveller” (some may be a familiar pattern to forum regulars!)
en.m.wikipedia.org
q5.1 - KNOWLEDGE OF THE WRONG ACT
q5.2 - The first degree consists of knowing the wrong act. One should not eavesdrop at another's house in order to hear the sounds of musical instruments, or try to catch the scent of wine, or feel for an object concealed beneath someone's shirt to see if it is a flute, or ask a person's neighbours to see what he is doing. But if two upright witnesses (def: 024.4) come and inform one that someone is drinking, one may enter his house and take him to task.
q5.2 - EXPLAINING THAT SOMETHING IS WRONG
q5.3 - The second degree consists of explaining that an act is Wrong, since an ignorant person will often do something he does not know is blameworthy, but will stop when he finds out. So one must explain it politely, saying, for example:
“people are not born scholars; we were unfamiliar with many things in Sacred law until scholars mentioned them to us. Perhaps there are not many in your hometown, and thus lead up to it diplomatically so the person understands without being offended. To avoid the evil of remaining silent when there is something wrong, only to commit the evil of offending a Muslim when able not to, is like washing away blood with urine.
q5.4 - FORBIDDING THE ACT VERBALLY
The third degree of severity is to prohibit the act by admonition, advice, and making the other fear Allah, mentioning the hadiths of divine punishments for it and reminding the person how the early Muslims behaved, all of which should be done with sympathy and kindness, not harshness or anger. The great danger here which one must beware of is that a learned person explaining that something is wrong may be proud of his knowledge and gloat over the lowliness of the other's ignorance, which is like saving someone from a fire by casting oneself into it. It is ignorant in the extreme, a deep disgrace, and a delusion from the Devil. The touchstone and test for this is to ask oneself whether one would prefer the censured person to stop at his own or another's behest, or whether one would prefer to forbid him oneself. If reproving him is difficult and weighs upon one. and one would prefer that somcone elsc do it, then one should proceed. for religion is the motive. But if it is otherwise, then one is following mere personal caprice and using the censuring of others as a means to display one's merit, and one should fear Allah and censure oneself first.
q5.5 - CENSURING WITH HARSH WORDS
The fourth degree of severity consists of reviling the person and bearing down on him with sharp, harsh words. One does not resort to this degree unless one is unable to prevent the person by politeness, and he shows he wants to persist or mocks one's admonitions and advice. Reviling him does not mean vulgarity and lies, but rather saying "You degenerate." You idiot." You ignoramus," Do you not fear Allah?" and so forth. Allah Most High quotes Ibrahim (upon whom be peace) saying: "Fie on you and what you worship apart from Allah! Can you not think?" (Koran 21:67).
q5.6 - RIGHTING THE WRONG BY HAND
The fifth degree consists of changing the blameworthy thing with one's hand, such as by breaking musical instruments, pouring out wine, or turning someone out of a house wrongfully appropriated. There are two rules for this degree:
(1) not to do so when one can get the person to do it himself, i.e. if one can get somcone to leave the land he has unjustly taken, one should not drag or push him from it:
(2) and to break the instruments, for example, just enough to obviate their being used for disobedience and no more, or to he careful not to break the bottles when pouring out wine. if one cannot manage except by throwing rocks at the bottles or the like, then one may do so and is not obliged to cover the damages.
If it be wondered whether one may break the botties or drag someone by the foot out of a wrongfully appropriated house to create fear, as an object lesson to others, the answer is that this is for leaders alone and is not permissible for private individuals because of the obscurity of the decision-making criteria in the matter.
q5.7 - INTIMIDATION
The sixth degree is threatening and intimidation, such as by saying. "Stop this or I'll- when possible this should precede actually hitting the person. The rule for this level is not to make a threat that one cannot carry out, such as saying "'or l'Il seize your house," or "take your wifc hostage, because if one says this seriously, it is unlawful, and if not serious, then one is lying.
q5.8 - ASSAULT
The seventh degree is to directly hit or kick the person. or similar measures that do not involve weapons. This is permissible for private individuals provided it is necessary, and that one confines oneself to the minimum needed to stop the reprchensible action and nothing more. When the action has been stopped, one refrains from doing anything further.
q5.9 - FORCE OF ARMS
The eighth degree is when one is unable to censure the act by oneself and requires the armed assistance of others. Sometimes the person being reproved may also get people to assist him, and a Skirmish may ensue, so the soundest legal opinion is that this degree requires authorization from the caliph (def: 025). since it leads to strife and the outbreak of civil discord. Another view is that there is no need for the caliph's permission.