In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

Worldly Blessings Are to Be Utilized For Piety and Not Sin

Allaah [The Most High] said:

لِتَسْتَوُوا عَلَىٰ ظُهُورِهِ ثُمَّ تَذْكُرُوا نِعْمَةَ رَبِّكُمْ إِذَا اسْتَوَيْتُمْ عَلَيْهِ وَتَقُولُوا سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي سَخَّرَ لَنَا هَٰذَا وَمَا كُنَّا لَهُ مُقْرِنِينَ
وَإِنَّا إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا لَمُنقَلِبُونَ

In order that you may mount on their backs, and then may remember the Favour of your Lord when you mount thereon, and say: ”Glory to Him Who has subjected this to us, and we could never have it (by our efforts). And verily, to Our Lord we indeed are to return!” (43:13-14)

Imaam as-Sadi [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said:

Mentioned (in the above ayah) are the three pillars of gratitude and they are: To acknowledge Allaah’s blessings, Speak about them and Praise Allah for it, Submit to Allah and utilize these blessings to carry out acts of worship for the sake of Allaah (alone). That is because the intent behind the statement of Allah: [وَإِنَّا إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا لَمُنقَلِبُونَ – And verily, to Our Lord we indeed are to return] is an acknowledgement of the recompense and to be prepared for it. The objective behind these favours is that they are an aid by way of which the slave (seeks) to fulfil that which Allah has commanded him (i.e. acts of worship and obedience etc)

And regarding Allaah’s saying: [ثُمَّ تَذْكُرُوا نِعْمَةَ رَبِّكُمْ إِذَا اسْتَوَيْتُمْ – And then may remember the favour of your Lord when you mount thereon]- Meaning, this is a specific mention of the (favour) in that instance (i.e. at the time in which the person enjoys those favours) because blessings intoxicates many amongst the creation, makes them heedless, evil and ungrateful. Therefore, this state in which Allah commanded (a person to remember Allah for His Favours) is a medication for this destructive ailment. When the slave recalls that he is completely surrounded by the blessings of Allah and that nothing is from him (or herself), but rather blessings are (from Allah) -its means are facilitated and its obtainment made easy (by Allaah)- he (she) submits to Allah, humbles him (or herself), thanks and Praises Allaah. And by way of this he (or she) is given continuous blessings. (a)

Enjoining Good And Forbidding Evil

Allaah [The Most High] said: [وَلْتَكُن مِّنكُمْ أُمَّةٌ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى الْخَيْرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ ۚ – Let there arise out of you a group of people inviting to all that is good and forbidding Al-evil]. (1)

Indeed, it is pleasing to the hearts when one comes across the noble task being fulfilled by Muslim telecommunications authorities in the Muslim lands. They constantly pursue the loose tongues hiding behind apps – those who desire moral decadence, corruption and instability in Muslim lands. The Muslim rulers have a right to protect their societies from the loose tongues, especially the Khawaarij, revolutionaries, the militant secularists, militant liberalists etc. Muslim governments have a right to block apps that are in operation without proper license, maintain tight controls, establish cybercrime laws based on the Qur’aan and the authentic Sunnah and anyone who violates these laws must face consequences. Al-Allaamah Rabee Bin Haadee Al-Madkhalee [may Allaah preserve him] stated – when he mentioned the worldly sciences- “These sciences become a trial and tribulation if they are not placed below (and regulated by) the knowledge which Muhammad [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] brought”. (2)

Therefore, blocking the people and the owners of those apps that promote immorality and instability is a noble act of enjoining good and forbidding evil. Imaam Abdul Azeez Bin Baaz [may Allaah have mercy upon him] said, “Stopping wrong is obligated on all Muslims according to their ability because the Messenger [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] said, ‘Whoever of you sees evil [i.e. that which is clearly declared an evil deed in Qur’aan and authentic Sunnah], then let him stop it with their hand; and if he is not able to do so, then with his tongue; and if he cannot, then with his heart, and that is the weakest of faith’. (3)

However, stopping evil with the hand must be based on ability and should not result in greater corruption or evil. A man has the right to rectify matters with his hand in his home [i.e. based on what the law of the land allows him]; a manager has the authority to make changes with the hand within the organization they are responsible for, in accordance with the instructions that were given to them [i.e. the authority given to them by the state authorities]; otherwise, people should not change with their hand anything they are not authorised to change. If they do make changes in matters they have not been given authority, this will result in more evil and great corruption between them and the people and between the people and the state. In this case they should stop evil with their tongue (by speaking out). They may say, ‘O such and such! Fear Allaah! This is not permissible; this is Haraam, or this is obligated on you’, and clarify it with evidence from Sharee’ah. [NB: In the UK, objecting to certain behaviour can be viewed as harassment or verbal abuse, therefore a Muslim should be aware of what the law allows him before he says or does anything whilst living in the West]. As for stopping something with the hand, this should be done where one has authority, such as one’s home [i.e. within what the law allows]- with those under one’s responsibility, or those authorized by the ruler, such as organizations given permission and authority to enjoin Good. They should make changes in accordance with the authority they have been given- in the way prescribed by the Sharee’ah, without exceeding their jurisdiction. The same applies to the governor of a city; he should make changes with his hand, in accordance with the instructions he has been given”. (4)

So, just as the Muslim rulers have a right to maintain stability and fight crime in the land by stopping every individual who seeks to spread corruption in person, likewise they have a right to stop those who seek to corrupt the citizens whilst hiding behind these apps.  Their gathering behind these apps is nothing but corruption and is devoid of all good. Allaah [The Exalted] said:

لَّا خَيۡرَ فِى ڪَثِيرٍ۬ مِّن نَّجۡوَٮٰهُمۡ إِلَّا مَنۡ أَمَرَ بِصَدَقَةٍ أَوۡ مَعۡرُوفٍ أَوۡ إِصۡلَـٰحِۭ بَيۡنَ ٱلنَّاسِ‌ۚ وَمَن يَفۡعَلۡ ذَٲلِكَ ٱبۡتِغَآءَ مَرۡضَاتِ ٱللَّهِ فَسَوۡفَ نُؤۡتِيهِ أَجۡرًا عَظِيمً۬ا

There is no good in most of their secret talks save (in) him who orders Sadaqah (charity in Allaah’s Cause), or Ma’roof (Islamic Monotheism and all the good and righteous deeds which Allaah has ordained), or conciliation between mankind. (5)

Meaning: There is no good in most of their private conversations; therefore, if there is no good in it, then there will be no benefit in it, such as excessive permissible speech, speech that is evil and completely harmful and all types of unlawful speech. Then Allaah [Glorified be He and free is He from all imperfections] made an exception, saying: [إِلَّا مَنۡ أَمَرَ بِصَدَقَةٍ – Save (in) him who orders Sadaqah (charity in Allaah’s Cause)]- Meaning: through wealth, knowledge or any means of benefit. And included in this are the lesser acts of worship, such as Tasbeeh [the utterance of Subhaanallaah] and Tahmeed [the utterance of Alhamdulil-laah] and what is similar, as the Prophet [peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him] said, “Indeed, every Tasbeeh (utterance of Subhaanallaah) is sadaqah, and every Takbeer (utterance of Allaahu Akbar) is Sadaqah, and every Tahleel (utterance of Laa-ilaaha-ilal-lah) is Sadaqah, and Enjoining Good is Sadaqah, and Forbidding Evil is Sadaqah, and even when one of you has sexual intercourse [with his wife], there is Sadaqah in that”.

Then Allaah [Glorified be He and free is He from all imperfections] said: [أَوۡ مَعۡرُوفٍ – Or (one) who orders Maruf] – Meaning: perfection in worship and obedience, every good in the Islamic legislation and everything whose goodness is known by way of sound intellect [i.e. not in opposition to the Islamic legislation]. And whenever ‘Enjoining Good’ is mentioned and ‘Forbidding Evil’ is not mentioned alongside it, ‘Forbidding Evil’ is also included.  That is because to abandon what is prohibited is part of good deeds and good deeds cannot be complete except by abandoning evil.  And in relation to [dealing] with companions [or associates], Ma’roof is explained to mean commanding [good] and Munkar means to abandon what is prohibited. (6)

Allaah [The Exalted] said:

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓاْ إِذَا تَنَـٰجَيۡتُمۡ فَلَا تَتَنَـٰجَوۡاْ بِٱلۡإِثۡمِ وَٱلۡعُدۡوَٲنِ وَمَعۡصِيَتِ ٱلرَّسُولِ وَتَنَـٰجَوۡاْ بِٱلۡبِرِّ وَٱلتَّقۡوَىٰ‌ۖ وَٱتَّقُواْ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِىٓ إِلَيۡهِ تُحۡشَرُونَ

إِنَّمَا ٱلنَّجۡوَىٰ مِنَ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنِ لِيَحۡزُنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَلَيۡسَ بِضَآرِّهِمۡ شَيۡـًٔا إِلَّا بِإِذۡنِ ٱللَّهِ‌ۚ وَعَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَلۡيَتَوَكَّلِ ٱلۡمُؤۡمِنُونَ

O you who believe! When you hold secret counsel, do it not for sin and wrong-doing, and disobedience towards the Messenger (Muhammad ) but do it for Al-Birr (righteousness) and Taqwa (virtues and piety); and fear Allah unto Whom you shall be gathered. Secret counsels (conspiracies) are only from Shaitan (Satan), in order that he may cause grief to the believers. But he cannot harm them in the least, except as Allah permits, and in Allah let the believers put their trust. (7)

May Allaah increase the Muslim rulers in good, rectify our affairs and their affairs, and protect the Ummah from every plotter – internal and external – Aameen.

[Ref a: Fataawa Sadiyyah page: 61.. abridged and slightly paraphrased]

[Ref 1: Surah Aal Imran. Verse 104]

[Ref 2: Marhaban Yaa Taalibal Ilm. pages 99-100]

[Ref 3: Saheeh Muslim. Hadeeth Number 49]

[Ref 4: Fataawa Ibn Baaz 8/208]
[Ref 5: Surah An-Nisaa. Aayah 114]
[Ref 6: Tafseer As Sadi]

[Ref 7: Surah Al-Mujaadilah. 9-10]