The Principles of Prophetic Education (14): “Repel Evil with Good!”

One of the fundamental principles of prophetic education is the principle of “repelling evil with good.”The most effective way to eliminate evil is to confront it with goodness and thereby increase the presence of good.

This divine directive, given to the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) in the Qur’an and exemplified countless times throughout his life, should serve as a core behavioral guideline for every parent and teacher in matters of education and upbringing: “Goodness and evil are not equal. So repel evil with what is better…”1

Rather than reacting to a mistake, wrongdoing, or evil act with anger and responding in kind, approaching the individual with love, compassion, and mercy—and addressing the need with goodness—plants seeds of friendship in the heart and opens it to truth, righteousness, and goodness. Indeed, the verse highlights the transformative effect of such goodness: “…Then suddenly, the one with whom you had enmity becomes as though he were a devoted, warm-hearted friend.”2

“The Outcomes of Goodness and Evil Are Not the Same!”

In this verse, the Qur’an draws attention to a fundamental principle of communication, teaching, and education based on a truth that every human mind can comprehend and accept: “Goodness and evil; good behavior and bad behavior, good words and bad words are not equal.”For this reason, a true messenger, guide, or educator does not respond to evil with evil. The psychological impact of goodness is not the same as the effect of evil. When someone who commits evil is met with goodness, their negative emotions subside, and their rebellious spirit softens.This fosters a sense of profound peace, trust, and security, leading them to develop warmer feelings toward others and to approach issues more rationally rather than emotionally.This is why a person who is very angry or tense can calm down in the face ofkind words and a gentle approach, and may even feel remorse for their aggressive behavior.

On the contrary, if one responds to an angry individual with equal hostility, their anger escalates, potentially turning the situation into a major conflict. Such conflicts not only fail to resolve the issues at hand but also make them more intractable. When egos and pride come into play, many problems that could be resolved with kindness become impossible to address.

Thus, both logically and practically, goodness and evil are not equal—not in their essence, nor in their outcomes. The behavioral and educational value of goodness is exceptionally high, while evil holds no moral or educational worth.The Qur’an reinforces this logic with another teaching: the righteous and the wicked cannot be considered equal. “Do those who recklessly indulge in evil think that We will make them equal to those who believe and do righteous deeds, who act in goodness and excellence? Can their lives and deaths be the same? What a flawed and misguided judgment!”. 3

Similarly, “The blind and the sighted are not equal! Nor are the believers who do good deeds equal to those who commit evil. How poorly you judge!”4In conclusion, monotheism and polytheism, faith and disbelief, justice and oppression, gentleness and harshness, knowledge and ignorance, forgiveness and anger—in other words, goodness and evil—are never the same. Goodness transforms enmity into friendship, while evil turns friendship into hostility. Goodness tames defiance, whereas evil fosters rebellion.

“Repel Evil with Good!”

After stating the truth that “goodness and evil are not equal”in the Qur’anic verse, the first principle emphasized for success in the education and upbringing of individuals is the directive: “Repel evil with good!”Through this, God teaches the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and, by extension, all believers—especially parents and educators—five essential truths:Every person inherently values goodness.

This truth must never be overlooked in teaching and nurturing. Otherwise, the prejudice of thinking, “Even if I do good to this child or student, they won’t understand or benefit from it,”becomes one of the greatest obstacles to effective education.Responding to evil with evil leads to worse outcomes, whereas responding with goodness produces far better and more beautiful results. Education is fundamentally a movement of pure goodness. Itcannot succeed through mutual harsh words or negative behaviors. Positive morals and behaviors can only be instilled through kind words, good deeds, and acts of generosity.“O Messenger! (peace and blessings be upon him) Everyone acts in accordance with their own disposition…”5Even if others wrong you, you do not act in kind because “You are upon the most exalted character!”6

The respected Aisha beautifully described the Prophet’s approach to education: “He never engaged in harsh words or behavior toward anyone. He did not argue with people in the marketplace, nor did he respond to evil with evil. Instead, he saw every act of evil as an opportunity to do good, showing forgiveness and tolerance.”7

Undoubtedly, the importance of forgiveness, tolerance, and doing good in education cannot be overstated. Therefore, believers should follow his example in this regard.In other verses, the Qur’an offers warnings, encouragement, and guidance to the Prophet and believers, emphasizing the importance of not losing composure or changing one’s demeanor in the face of evil: “Be patient, O Messenger!(peace and blessings be upon him) Remember, God’s promise will certainly come to pass. Let not those who lack conviction in their own words provoke you into rashness or reactionary behavior! Do not let them disrupt your demeanor!”8”

The true servants of the Most Merciful are those who walk humbly upon the earth, and when the ignorant address them harshly, they respond with words of peace: ‘Peace be upon you.’”9

The Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him), sent as both a mercy and a teacher to all of humanity, never responded in kind to the rude or hurtful behavior of those who were in need of learning and growth. His mission was to nurture and guide these individuals while setting a perfect example for them. Had he reciprocated their behavior, they would not have been able to learn the truth, believe in its practice, or attain moral excellence.

In the same way, no parent or teacher should allow their emotions to cloud their judgment or lower their standards to match the misconduct of their audience. Instead, they must embrace them with love and compassion, employing the language and power of goodness through their actions.God commands justice, kindness, and excellentbehavior under all circumstances. At the same time, He forbids all forms of evil, wrongdoing, indecency, oppression, tyranny, and any words or actions that contradict sound reason and common sense. 10

Thus, even if the other party acts without regard for principles or rules, a believer cannot abandon their own moral compass. A believer seeks justice within lawful boundaries, responding with goodness and righteousness rather than evil. The respected Umarcaptured this principle succinctly: “Even if someone does evil to you by disobeying God, respond to them by obeying God—that is, with goodness and the best of conduct.”11

Similarly,the respected Abdullah ibn Abbas offered this poignant example: “If someone insults you and their words are true, may God forgive me! But if they are false, may God forgive you!”12

By practicing patience, gentleness, forgiveness, reason, compassion, kind words, and acts of benevolence (ihsan), not only is evil repelled, but the hearts of others are also opened to truth and beauty.This consciousness of ihsan(excellence in character and actions) bridges the gaps that may arise between parents or teachers and their charges. As the Qur’an indicates, this approach fosters relationships stronger and more meaningful than ever before.

“Friendship is Born from Goodness!”

An essential psychological principle highlighted in the Qur’anic verse is that goodness fosters warmth between hearts and paves the way for rekindled friendships: “…And you will see that the one with whom there was enmity becomes like a devoted and warm friend.”13

Goodness begets goodness and friendship, while evil begets evil and enmity. From this perspective, responding to evil with goodness and in the best possible manner is the sole formula for ending hostility, turning enmity into friendship, and redirecting the negative tendencies of others toward goodness. The respected Abdullah ibn Abbas succinctly described the transformative path from hostility to friendship:“This verse embodies patience, mastery over anger, gentleness, forgiveness, and doing good to others. Whoever succeeds in embodying these virtues will find that God protects them from the harm of both human and jinn devils. God opens the hearts of their enemies to the truth and inclines them toward those who show them kindness.”14

This virtuous approach removes negative emotions from hearts, cleanses feelings of hatred, enmity, and vengeance, and dispels the doubts and whispers that Satan implants in others. As a result, a new friendship emerges. Parents and teachers must maximize the power of goodnessto build friendships in their roles as nurturers and educators.

Parents should avoid immediately condemning or punishing their children with thoughts like, “My child has erred or done wrong!”Instead, they should seek ways to reconnect with their child’s heart through acts of kindness, aiming to restore their bond and guide them back to virtuous behavior.Likewise, teachers must not approach their students with preconceived notions such as, “These students are bad”or “These students are involved in this or that wrong; there’s no hope for them!”On the contrary, teachers should outdo their students’ missteps with greater acts of kindness to regain their trust and friendship. Without earning the goodwill of their audience, it becomes nearly impossible to reform them, free them from harmful habits, or break their ties to toxic influences.

“Responding to Evil with Goodness is the Reward of the Patient.”

Mastering one’s anger in the face of wrongdoing and focusing on doing good instead of succumbing to negative impulses is not an easy standard for everyone to achieve. Living by and upholding this virtue demands strong willpower and great determination. For this reason, the Qur’an emphasizes two key qualities necessary to attain such moral strength: “This virtue of repelling evil with good is achieved only by those who are patient and those who are blessed with a great share of goodness.”15

Education and upbringing are lengthy processes that require significant effort and patience. Thus, educators must prioritize patience and moral excellence in their responses to challenges. Otherwise, actions such as expressing anger, scolding, criticizing, shouting, or prolonged disengagement harm communication and education. These reactions alienate children and young people from their parents and separate students from their teachers and mentors. For this reason, one of the greatest obstacles in the path of education is not the mistakes of children or students, but rather the impatience of parents or educators.

Don’t Let Whispers Enslave Your Patience and Resolve!

One of the greatest inner enemies of perseverance in goodness is whispers of doubt. When confronted with wrongdoing and evil, individuals committed to the principle of “respond with goodness”may find themselves swayedby their own emotions or nafs(ego). Adding to this internal struggle, both human and demonic forces may whisper discouraging thoughts: “Look at this! Despite all your goodness in the face of their wrongdoing, they haven’t changed. Your principle of ‘responding to evil with good’ clearly isn’t working. This person will never understand goodness. Abandon this principle and teach them a lesson they’ll remember!”To counter such satanic and ego-driven whispers, parents, teachers, guides, and all believers are called to seek refuge in God: “And if an evil whisper comes to you from Satan, then seek refuge in God. Indeed, He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.”16

Satan often preys upon human anger, exploiting moments of vulnerability to incite retribution or punishment rather than patience and goodness. In such situations, turning to God for protection and guidance is a crucial directive that safeguards both the person who is responding and the individual they are trying to nurture or educate. This reliance on God’s support helps to prevent emotional reactions that would derail the core principles of education and moral development.

Even If You Cannot Do Good in the Face of Evil!

In education and training, the principle of “repelling evil with good”is highly effective and significant. However, there are times when a person may not be able to transcend their ego and act according to this principle. In such situations, parents or educators must, at the very least, avoid harboring hostile feelings and adhere strictly to the guidance given by the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon you): “Do not be like weak-willed people who say, ‘If people do good to us, we do good to them; and if they oppress us, we oppress them.’ Rather, adopt the principle of doing good to those who do good to you and refraining from oppressing those who do evil to you (always upholding justice).”17

Thus, the primary principle in education and teaching is to respond to good with good and to repel evil with good. However, if doing good is not possible, then at the very least, no injustice should be done to others, and justice should always be upheld. The Qur’an commands the preservation of the “limits of fairness”even when administering justice, while also encouraging the act of repelling evil with good: “The recompense for an evil deed is its equivalent. But if anyone pardons and reconciles, their reward is with God. Surely, He does not love the wrongdoers.” 18

In another verse, it is explicitly stated that patience is more virtuous than responding in kind: “If you punish, then punish to the extent of the injury that was done to you. But if you endure patiently, it is better for those who are patient.”19

The application of the principle of repelling evil with good in a manner that leads to goodness and virtue depends not only on the wisdom and insight of those in charge but also on their experience. Within these general principles, parents,teachers, and guides should determine a course of action based on the age, level, and character of those they are dealing with. Sometimes, when they believe that imposing consequences for wrongdoing would be more effective and beneficial, they may administer punishment in proportion to the wrongdoing, observing justice and taking into account the age and actions of the individual. It is also worth noting that the Qur’an and Sunnah’s commands and recommendations to forgive and respond to evil with good pertain to the violation of personal rights. This principle does not apply to crimes or wrongdoings committed against the public or community.
Author: Dr. Selim Koç
Footnotes:
1.Surah Fussilat, 41:34. See also Surah Al-Mu’minun, 23:96; Surah Ar-Ra’d, 13:22; Surah Al-Qasas, 28:54
2.Surah Fussilat, 41:34
3.Surah Al-Jathiya, 45:51
4.Surah Ghafir, 40:58
5.Surah Al-Isra, 17:84
6.Surah Al-Qalam, 68:4
7.Tirmidhi, Al-Birr, 69
8.Surah Ar-Rum, 30:60
9.Surah Al-Furqan, 25:63; Surah Az-Zukhruf, 43:89
10.See Surah An-Nahl, 16:90
11.See Qurtubi, Tafsir, under the commentary for Surah Fussilat, 34
12.See Qurtubi, Tafsir, under the commentary for Surah Fussilat, 34
13.Surah Fussilat, 41:34
14.See Ibn Kathir, Tafsir, under the commentary for Surah Fussilat, 24
15.Surah Fussilat, 41:35
16.Surah Fussilat, 41:36; Surah Al-Mu’minun, 23:97–98; Surah Al-A’raf, 7:199–200
17.Tirmidhi, Al-Birr, 63
18.Surah Ash-Shura, 42:40. See also Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:194
19.Surah An-Nahl, 16:126