What is the Proper Response to Non-Muslims Wearing Jewellery Bearing Allah’s Name‏?


Hanafi Fiqh

Answered by Ustadh Salman Younas
Question: My colleague who is a non Muslim often wears a pendant and bracelet bearing Allah’s name. Sometimes it ignites anger within me because she practices most of the vices that are prohibited to Muslims.
Is it in my place to say anything to her? How can I do that without upsetting her?
Answer: assalamu `alaykum
This returns to the guidelines scholars have stipulated for enjoining the good and forbidding evil. It would only be obligatory or recommended to counsel your colleague if you firmly believe that he or she will in fact listen to your advice or you have reasonable hope that this will be the case.
However, if the situation is likely to get exasperated as a result of your advice, it would be better to avoid, and, in some situations, even necessary.

Wisdom & Tact

It is important to note that when counseling someone, one should do so in a manner that is tactful and takes into account the particulars of the situation. One can, for example, resort to indirect advice when direct advice is not beneficial. Instead of telling your colleague that she should not wear the name of God in the manner she does, you could point out how you have noticed it and casually mention how people of faith in general treat the name of God. The purpose of enjoining good is to nudge people towards what is correct and so one must be circumspect before extending any enjoinder.
For more details, please refer to:
The Criteria of Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil
Salman
Checked & Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani.