كَانُوا۟ لَا يَتَنَاهَوْنَ عَن مُّنكَرٍ فَعَلُوهُ ۚ لَبِئْسَ مَا كَانُوا۟ يَفْعَلُونَ 79
Translations
They used not to prevent one another from wrongdoing that they did. How wretched was that which they were doing.
Transliteration
Kanu la yatanāhawna 'an munkarin fa'alūh. Labi'sa mā kānū yaf'alūn.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah criticizes the Children of Israel for failing to forbid one another from committing evil and abominations, making them complicit in each other's sins. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that this verse establishes the obligation of commanding good and forbidding evil (al-amr bi-al-ma'ruf wa-al-nahy 'an al-munkar) as a communal responsibility, and warns that a society which neglects this duty will face divine punishment. The phrase 'labi'sa mā kānū yaf'alūn' (how evil is what they used to do) underscores the severity of their transgression.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Ma'idah's broader condemnation of the People of the Book (Ahl al-Kitab) for their religious failures and moral transgressions. It follows verses describing their violations of the Torah and their abandonment of commandments, reflecting the Medinan context where the Prophet (peace be upon him) interacted with Jewish tribes and addressed their spiritual and ethical shortcomings.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'Whoever among you sees an evil action, let him change it with his hand; and if he is not able to do so, then with his tongue; and if he is not able to do so, then with his heart—and that is the weakest of faith' (Sahih Muslim 49). Also relevant: 'The best of you are those who learn the Qur'an and teach it' (Sahih Bukhari 5027), emphasizing the positive aspect of guiding others to righteousness.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers are reminded that silence and indifference toward wrongdoing within one's community makes one complicit in that sin; we have both a personal and collective obligation to promote virtue and discourage vice, according to our capacity and wisdom. This ayah challenges Muslims to examine whether they are actively fostering a culture of spiritual accountability or passively enabling moral decline in their families and communities.