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wa-ʾidh qālat ʾummatun minhum li-ma taʿiẓūna qawman-i llāhu muhlikuhum ʾaw muʿadhdhibuhum ʿadhāban shadīdan qālū maʿdhiratan ʾilā rabbikum wa-laʿallahum yattaqūna
When a group of them said, ‘Why do you advise a people whom Allah will destroy, or punish with a severe punishment?’ They said, ‘As an excuse before your Lord, and [with the hope] that they may be Godwary.’
— Ali Quli Qarai
Surah al-‘Araf – Verse 164
164 . “And (remember) when a group of them said: ‘Why do you admonish a people whom Allah will destroy or punish with a severe punishment?’ They said: ‘In order to have an excuse before your Lord, and that they may keep from evil’.”
It seems that, from the point of behaviour, the Children of Israel were divided into three groups. One group, who formed the majority, were the violators of Divine Law. The second group were the sympathetic admonishers. The third group were those who were inattentive to the social evil affairs. The latter ones told the sympathetic admonishers not to make themselves tired, for their preach would not affect the mischief makers and, in any case, the corruptors should be the dwellers of Hell.
But those who enjoined right and forbade wrong said that their action was not useless. They said the least thing was that they were excused with Allah. Yes, the members of societies are usually found in the category of these three groups. In Surah Al-Mursalāt, No. 77, verses 5 and 6, we recite:
It should be noted that ‘forbidding wrong’ is necessary for completing the statement and having excuse with Allah. The verse says:
We must not justify our faults with ‘Divine will’. The verse says:
Unfortunately, those who are inattentive to the evil affairs, instead of protesting against the corruptors, protest against those who enjoin the right. But, even if we do not probable a good effect, we must forbid the wrong in order to complete the statement and to have excuse before Allah. However, godly people are not hopeless of improving the society. The verse concludes: