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The sins of a few can negatively affect the ummah as a whole 
This entire concept can be understood from the ayat in the Quran (8:25) where Allah swt says
و اتقوا فتنة لا تصيبن الذين ظلموا منكم خاصة
“And fear the fitnah (affliction and trial) that will not only affect the wrongdoers among you.”
و اتقوا فتنة لا تصيبن الذين ظلموا منكم خاصة
“And fear the fitnah (affliction and trial) that will not only affect the wrongdoers among you.”
The books of tafaasir are clear in what this verse means for us as an ummah. An individual that sins publicly, and is not advised nor corrected, can be the cause of punishment and difficulty for the entire community.
It’s mentioned in the tafsir of Ibn Kathir رحمه الله that:
“Allah warns His believing servants of a Fitnah, trial and test (punishement), that encompasses the wicked and those around them. Therefore, such Fitnah will not be restricted to the sinners and evildoers.
“Allah warns His believing servants of a Fitnah, trial and test (punishement), that encompasses the wicked and those around them. Therefore, such Fitnah will not be restricted to the sinners and evildoers.
Rather, it will reach the others if the sins are not stopped and prevented.”
There are numerous ahaadith which teach us the same thing.
There are numerous ahaadith which teach us the same thing.
Imam Ahmad recorded from Abu Ar-Riqad that Hudhayfa (ra) said:
“Surely, you will enjoin good, forbid evil and encourage each other to do good or Allah will surround you all with torment, or make the wicked among you become your leaders.
“Surely, you will enjoin good, forbid evil and encourage each other to do good or Allah will surround you all with torment, or make the wicked among you become your leaders.
{This next sentence is the scariest part}
The righteous among you will then supplicate (for relief from the torment), but their supplication will not be accepted.”
The righteous among you will then supplicate (for relief from the torment), but their supplication will not be accepted.”
Another hadith regarding this. Read this carefully, and ponder over what this means for us as an ummah.
Even the pious and innocent individuals of society will be afflicted by the punishment of Allah, but Allah swt will compensate them with forgiveness and mercy in the aakhirah.
Even if the ones who sin and cause corruption are a few in number, and the majority of the people are good, they will collectively be punished if no effort is made to advise the wicked and stop the sin.
The amount of ahaadeeth and aathaar that teach us this same idea would fill up threads of its own, these are just a few that have been mentioned so we can all recognize the issue and work towards becoming better.
As Allah swt says in the Quran
“Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.” (13:11)
If we want change in our ummah, we need to start with ourselves. May Allah swt nourish us with his mercy and assistance.
“Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.” (13:11)
If we want change in our ummah, we need to start with ourselves. May Allah swt nourish us with his mercy and assistance.
