From time to time I hear people criticizing the performance of the employees of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice. Sometimes the criticism would be so scathing and generalized the entire staff would be blamed for the acts of a few. Critics often refer to cases that they personally may have encountered or cite cases based on hearsay and then publish their criticism in screaming headlines that put the blame on the entire staff.
Some critics have gone too far, demanding the dismantling of the system known in Islam as “hisba” and replacing it with the kind of moral police as in other countries.
This is an irresponsible reaction to irresponsible acts that may sometime be committed by members of the commission. But in the end, these critics are expressing an opinion that has to be respected because a Muslim must always assume good intention from fellow Muslims.
Although these critics may be excused given the conduct of a few from among the commission members who number in the thousands, these represent a minority and the majority should not be blamed for their conduct. Nevertheless, any misconduct should be investigated.
In the end we must all admit that these men are doing commendable work. What is the percentage of those who misbehave out of all these thousands, and how many irregularities have been documented over the past ten years to justify such harsh criticism? Is committing violations confined to the commission members, or is the practice also found in any sector that deals with the public including the police, judges, teachers, doctors and others? If the answer is yes, which is the case, then shall we use the mistakes of a few as justification to demand closing down all these institutions? No sane person would agree to such demand. Then, why single out the commission members?
Suppose the critics’ demands were met and the commission was turned into a vice squad, who would guarantee that the staff of the new body would not misuse their authority and commit excesses against the public?
Ordering virtue and preventing vice is an Islamic duty required of all as the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah (the Prophet’s teachings) teach us. In the Qur’an we read: “Curses were pronounced on those among the Children of Israel who rejected faith, by the tongue of David and of Jesus the son of Mary, because they disobeyed and persisted in excesses. Nor did they (usually) forbid one another the inequities, which they committed. Evil indeed were the deeds they did.”
