A Rat looked through a crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife opening a package. What food might it contain? He was aghast to discover that it was a Rat-Trap.

Retreating to the farmyard the Rat proclaimed the warning; "There is a Rat-Trap in the house, a Rat-Trap in the house!"

The Chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, "Excuse me, Mr. Rat, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it."

The Rat turned to the Sheep and told him, "There is a Rat-Trap in the house, a Rat-Trap in the house!"

"I am so very sorry Mr. Rat," sympathized the Sheep, "but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured that you are in my prayers."

The Rat turned to the Cow. She said, "Like wow, Mr. Rat. A Rat-Trap, I am in grave danger. Duh?" So the Rat returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer's Rat-Trap alone.

That very night a sound was heard throughout the house, like the sound of a Rat-Trap catching its prey. The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught.

In the darkness, she did not see that it was a venomous Snake whose Tail the trap had caught. The Snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital. She returned home with a fever.

Now everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh Chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient. His wife's sickness continued so that friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them the farmer butchered the Sheep. The farmer's wife did not get well. She died, and so many people came for her funeral that the farmer had the Cow slaughtered to provide meat for all of them to eat.

So the next time you hear that someone is facing a problem and think that it does not concern you, remember that when there is a Rat-Trap in the house, the whole farmyard is at risk.

"They came first for the Communists, And I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist; And then they came for the trade unionists, And I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist; And then they came for the Jews, And I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew; And then ... they came for me ... And by that time there was no one left to speak up." - Martin Niemöller

At the same time, Islam has put a lot of emphasis on enjoining good and prohibiting evil (Amr Bil Maroof Wa Nahi Anil Munkar) in the Islamic society. Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) has given a beautiful example (The sinking boat) which is as follows.

Imagine there are people traveling in a boat. One of the passengers starts to drill a hole beside where he is sitting. What will be the reaction? Everyone will start making noise and stop him from carrying on what he's doing. Suppose he says 'mind your own business, I am drilling a hole at my own place and who are you to stop me?'

Obviously, everyone will say, 'that is true. But when the water starts entering into the boat, it will not only drown you, but we all are going to sink.'

Similarly, when you see sins committed in your community, Islamic society or nation (Ummah), and if you turn a blind eye, you all will be answerable to Almighty Allah (SWT), liable for His punishment and for spreading the corruption.

"When you see something wrong happening in your community or Islamic society, it is obligatory to confront it and stop it. If you have power to speak out against the evil committed, it will be the Jihad (struggle) with your tongue. If you have no power to speak but you can write against it, it will be the Jihad with your pen. If you can neither speak nor write, but have money to pay someone who can do the job for you, it will be the Jihad with your wealth. If you cannot do anything then have hatred towards such acts and this is the weakest form of Jihad."

Narrated by Abu Sa'd al Khudri (Sahih Muslim, Hadith 79) Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: "He who amongst you sees something abominable should modify it with the help of his hand; and if he has not strength enough to do that, then he should do it with his tongue; and if he has not strength enough to do even that, then he should (at least abhor it) from his heart; and that is the least of faith."

A True Muslim always struggles and wants his faith to preserve by not just self-purification but also social-purification. He cannot tolerate non-Islamic ideologies adulterating Islamic values.

Noble Qur'an orders, "And fight in the way of Allah with those who fight with you, and do not exceed limits. Surely Allah does not love those who exceed the limits." (2:190)

Hence, Islam does not permit Muslims to remain silent to oppression. Imam Ali (as) in a letter to Malik Al-Ashtar says, "A society cannot be called Islamic unless its people stand against the usurpers in the society." Such is the emphasis of standing up and rising against oppression.

Can you be indifferent to the actions of other people? Can you exist in "isolation" and as totally cut off from the rest of the society? Can you exist without any relations with other people?

What effect does the goodness or badness of the society have on the individual? What kind of individuals grow up in a religious society? When a person grows up in an evil, corrupt and perverse society, to what evils is he led?

What responsibility does the Muslim have towards the society he or she lives in? In Islam, everyone is responsible before Allah towards the society and no one can be indifferent to the actions of his neighbors. Each person must realize that he is linked to the rest of society, and that the society is like a single body of which he is a part.

Therefore, the true Muslim strives with all his might for the benefit and good of his society. Islam teaches Muslims that the heaven-sent programs of Islam lead the society to perfection and happiness provided that those programs are properly carried out and followed by all the people in the society.

Therefore, in order that all the aspects of the laws and regulations of religion be properly carried out, Islam places the responsibility of ensuring the proper implementation of the Islamic teachings upon two factors.

Firstly, the legal Islamic authority, that is, the legitimate Islamic Government. It is the duty of the Government in Islam to put into practice all the Islamic laws, regulations and programs. Islamic Government has the duty of leading the individuals of the society towards good deeds, and it must put an end to all instances of injustice, oppression, corruption and perversion. It must severely punish those who are guilty of these crimes, and must constantly encourage those who are religious and benevolent.

These are some of the most important duties of the Islamic Government. Secondly, each and every Muslim is considered in Islam to be responsible for the society and for practicing the divine laws. Each person is counted as a kind of guardian and policeman. In Islam, every Muslim must pay attention to the actions and behavior of the people of his society, and must do what he can to prevent corruption.

A Muslim must himself be good and must also encourage others to do good, and he must strive for the welfare of society. Islam calls this duty "Amar Bil Maroof", which means enjoining the right.

A Muslim must also refrain from sins and from breaking the laws of Islam and the Islamic Government (if it is truly Islamic), and as far as he can, he must try to prevent sins and corruption from occurring in the society.

Islam calls this duty "Nahi Anil Munkar", which means forbidding the wrong. Amar Bil Maroof and Nahi Anil Munkar together form one of the most important public duties in Islam, and one of the foremost duties of every Muslim.

It is obligatory for every Muslim to defend the laws of his religion in this way, and to strive to safeguard them and have them carried out. Allah (SWT) tells us in the Noble Qur'an: "You are the best of the nations raised up for (the benefit of) men; you enjoin what is right and forbid the wrong and believe in Allah ..." (3:110)

Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) of Islam has said: "Enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong. For as long as you do so your society will be strong and happy; but when the Muslims would fail in this, their society will be dominated by oppressors and no matter how much they pray to Allah for deliverance from the oppressors, Allah (SWT) will not answer their prayers and they will find no justice anywhere, neither in the skies nor in the earth."

Also Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said, Never forget practicing "Amr Bil Maroof Wa Nahi Anil Munkar" otherwise cruel will become your masters and then your prayers will not be accepted by Allah (SWT).

Now that you know about this great and sacred duty, what programs will you draw up for the rest of your life? How will you cooperate with your friends in performing this great duty?

Anyone who seeks to enjoin the good and forbid the evil in an Islamic Society must himself be aware of what is lawful and unlawful, and should not act contrary to what he preaches.

His aim should be to guide the people in an Islamic Society. He should talk nicely and be aware of the difference in the level of understanding of the people. If he is opposed, he should exhibit patience and if supported and favoured, he should thank Allah (SWT).

Imam Ali (as) said: One, who refrains from prohibiting the evil by means of his heart, hand and tongue, is (like) a dead amongst the living. Also Imam Ali (as) said: The silent on one's oppression is like supporting and joining hands to oppressors.

One who remains silent to oppression is considered amongst the oppressors and is cursed by Islam. As we regularly recite in Ziyarat Al-Warith, "Curse be upon those who heard the call to deliver their duties (against oppressors) but remained silent."

Allah (SWT) ordered two angels to destroy a city. On reaching there, the angels noticed one of the inhabitants beseeching and supplicating to Allah.

One of the angels said to the other: "Don't you see this person supplicating?"

"Yes I do, but Allah's order has to be executed," replied the other one.

"Wait. Let me ask Allah (SWT) as to what should be done."

Praying to Allah (SWT), the first angel inquired: "In this city there is a person, who entreats and beseeches you. Do we still impose the chastisement upon the city?"

The answer came from Allah (SWT): "Execute the commandment which has been given to you, for that person has never been perturbed and distressed for My sake, nor did he show anger over the evil deeds committed by the other people."

There was a hermit in Bani Israel. He was absolutely free from sins. Upon seeing this, the head Satan (Shaitan) called his cohorts and asked which one of them could mislead this man?

One of them volunteered and Satan asked what method he would use? He said through women. The head Satan told him that he would not succeed because the sage was oblivious to sexual pleasure.

Another Satan rose up and said he would deviate him through wine and sensuality. The head Satan said that he too was unsuitable for this job because the sage was not interested in these things.

A third Satan stood up and said that he would cause him to err through good deeds and noble character. The head Satan said that indeed he was fit for the job. This Satan, at once went to the place where the sage was engrossed in his meditation, and stood up beside him and began to pray Salah (Salat, Namaz). The sage was feeling sleepy but the Satan continued to perform prayers. When the sage got tired he would take a rest but the Satan did not take a break.

The sage felt himself inferior and went to the Satan to ask him the secret of his stamina in praying Salah (Salat, Namaz). The Satan did not give any reply and the sage reiterated his question. Yet there was no response from the Satan. When the sage asked him the third time the Satan said, "The fact is that I had committed a great sin (Gunah-e-Kabira) and since then whenever I remember my sin, I get impetus to worship more."

The sage asked him what sin he had committed so that even he can do it and gain the stamina to worship so much. The Satan said, "Go to a particular prostitute in the town, pay her two dirhams and fulfill your needs with her."

"From where can I get two dirhams?" asked the sage, "I don't even know what a Dirham means". The Satan took out two dirhams from under his feet and gave them to the sage and also gave him his cloak and sent him towards the city.

The sage sought the address of the prostitute. The people guided him thinking that he was going to her to guide her towards morality. The sage gave the two dirhams to the woman and asked her to entertain him.

The prostitute invited him inside with respect and said, "Pious people like you do not visit prostitutes. Why have you taken such a step?" The sage explained his aim in detail. The woman told him, "Actually, avoiding a sin is easier than repenting for it. Because it is not necessary that a sinner will get a chance to repent. I think that the one who has advised you for this is Satan, who has assumed a human form to mislead you. Go back to your place and you shall find him missing."

The sage returned home and by chance the prostitute died the same night. In the morning people saw the following inscribed on her door: "Take part in the funeral of this woman, she is from the people of Paradise."

The people fell into doubt and were so astounded that for three days they were not able to bury her. Till the Almighty Allah (SWT) revealed upon His Messenger, Musa Ibn Imran (as) [Prophet Moses (pbuh)] to recite her funeral prayer and also command the people to participate in it. "Because she had prevented a servant of Mine from committing a grievous sin. So I have forgiven all her sins and made Paradise incumbent on her."

Have you refrained anyone today from committing a sin? How fortunate are those who practice Amar Bil Maroof (enjoining the right) and Nahi Anil Munkar (forbidding the wrong) everyday in an Islamic Society/Muslim Society.