When most of us read the hadith about witnessing an evil and changing it with your own hands, if possible, and with your tongue, if possible, and finally, simply hating the evil in your heart, if that is the only option you have; we tend to understand that it relates to conditions beyond our control; in other words, that if we cannot change the evil by our own hands, it must be because the circumstances do not allow for this. But, that is not what is being said here, in my opinion.
Note that Rasulullah ï·º said that hating an evil in your heart constitutes the least level of Imaan. But, if circumstances prevented us from doing more, this would not reflect on the level of our faith; we cannot be blamed for not fighting an evil with our hands or for not speaking out against an evil, if circumstances prevent us from doing so.
No, this hadith clearly indicates that what is being referred to here is the individual’s personal capability, and that the one who possesses only the lowest level of capability possesses only the least level of Imaan. This is because, if his Imaan was greater, he would have prepared himself, would have developed his capabilities, would have improved his strength and skills, so that when he witnesses an evil, he is capable of correcting it with his own hand.
For example, if you are out of shape, weak, physically unfit; you are essentially predetermining that you will be incapable of confronting evil with your own hands. And if you are intellectually deficient, if you have not equipped yourself with knowledge and information, have not developed your critical thinking skills, and your ability to argue and debate; you are predetermining that you will be incapable of correcting an evil by speaking out against it. You have decided that you will only ever be capable of hating evil in your heart, and incapable of doing anything about it. So, yes, that reveals a weakness in your Imaan.
Don’t think that Imaan is some sort of mystical, unquantifiable thing that exists only in your heart. And don’t think that the only things that reflect your level of Imaan are recitation of Qur’an, nawaafil Salah, and so on. No. The best slave in the eyes of his master is the slave with the most skills, the best behavior, the smartest slave, the strongest slave, the most capable slave; the slave who is most able to implement the will of his master.
Well, you are the slave of the Rabb-il-‘Alameen; your master is the Best Master, and it is incumbent upon you to develop yourself, to strengthen yourself, to improve yourself; mentally, spiritually, and physically, to be the best slave to your Rabb that you can be. Anything you do in this regard is ‘Ibaadah, and anything you do in this regard is fueled by your Imaan.