Remove Evil with Goodness

One cannot remove evil by responding with evil. The best corrective strategy is that the one who has behaved badly should be shown good behaviour in return.

According to a tradition, the Prophet of Islam once observed: “God does not remove evil from evil but he removes evil from good. Dirt is not cleaned by dirt.” (Musnad Ahmad 3672)

Good behaviour towards others is engrained in human nature. Everyone by his nature wants to behave with others in a way which will elevate his position in society. Then why does it happen that he often deviates from this high moral attitude? The reason is reactive psychology. It is in reaction that he returns evil for evil.

Whenever in society one’s feelings are hurt, the person concerned regards his honour to be in danger. And to safeguard his honour, he thinks that he must return the slight (real or imagined) tit for tat in order to compensate for this. But this is a wrong strategy. Such an act does not yield any positive results.

Just as filth cannot be cleaned by filth, so also it is not possible for one wrong to be rectified by another wrong. Bad behaviour is not the answer to bad behaviour. The best corrective strategy is that the one who has behaved badly should be shown good behaviour in return.

When you return bad behaviour for bad behaviour, it makes your adversary vengeful. He then becomes a greater problem for you than before. On the contrary, if you return good behaviour for bad behaviour he will feel ashamed of his bad deeds. His conscience will start to prick him and this feeling will compel him to rectify his attitude towards you. One ought to refrain from seeking revenge whatever the issue. He should rather seek a solution to the problem.