It’s true that “generally speaking”, if a person makes a mistake on a “one-on-one” basis, we are supposed to advise him privately.
But, if anyone makes a *public* mistake, then the *correction* should *also* be made in *public*.
That’s because people might be misguided by that mistake, and if the person is only corrected in private, then nobody would know that this was a mistake.
And they would continue to follow that mistake.
Proof
Adee bin Haatim radhi Allaahu anhu reported that a person delivered a sermon in the presence of the Messenger of Allaah Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam saying:
“He who obeys Allaah and His Messenger, he in fact follows the right path, and he who disobeys both of them, he has gone astray.”
Upon this the Messenger of Allaah Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam said:
“What a bad speaker you are! (Rather) say: ‘He who disobeys Allaah and His Apostle’”.
(Saheeh Muslim 1890, Sunan Abu Dawood 1099, 4981 and Sunan al-Nasaa’i 3281)
The reason why the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam said:
“What a bad speaker you are” is because the man mentioned Allaah and His Messenger Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam in one pronoun (Ya’sihimaa), “disobeys”, which makes it seem like Allaah and His Messenger Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam are *equivalent* in rank.
But of course, there is absolutely no comparison between the Creator and the created.
1. Since the man gave a *public* talk, he was corrected *publicly*.
2. The Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam corrected him straightaway and *did not wait to advise him in private.*
3. The correction *had* to be made in *public* so that those who were listening to the speaker would also benefit from this and that they are made aware of the mistake and that they too do not do the same.
Another example:
A man who had drunk alcohol was brought to the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam and he said: “Beat him.” (al-Bukhaari 6777)
The Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam did not go to this man “privately” to rebuke him.
Rather, he openly corrected his mistake because he was drinking openly.
And there are other examples.
Ibn Taymiyyah said:
“Thus if it (the innovation or the mistake) is done *publicly*, then its recompense *must be done in public as well*, in accordance with conceivable justice.”
(Majmoo` al-Fataawa 15/286)
And he said:
“If a man commits evil actions openly, he must be rebuked openly, and speaking about him in his absence is no longer haraam.”
(al-Fataawa al-Kubra 3/434)
And the scholars said:
“If there is a scenario where giving advice openly clearly serves the *greater interest*, then there is nothing wrong with giving advice openly, such as correcting one who made a mistake in matters of belief (‘aqeedah) in front of people, lest people be deceived by what he said and follow him in his mistake. Another example is denouncing someone who tells people that ribaa (usury) is permissible, or spreads bid‘ah (innovation) and immorality among people.
In such cases giving advice in public is *prescribed*, and may even be *obligatory*, because of the greater interest that is served thereby, and so as to ward off harm that is likely to occur.”
(Islamqa Fatwa 225160)
Allaah says:
“Whosoever intercedes for an *evil* cause will have a share in its burden.
And Allaah is Ever All-Able to do (and also an All-Witness to) everything.“
(Surah an-Nisaa:85)
And the Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam said:
“Whoever starts a bad thing in Islaam, and others do likewise after him, there will be written for him a burden of sin like that of those who followed him, without it detracting in the least from their burden.'" (Muslim)
So we must prevent wrong from happening and mistakes from spreading.
The Deen is sincerity.
The Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam said:
“Religion is sincerity.”
We said: To whom?
He said:
“To Allaah, to His Book, to His Messenger, and to the leaders of the Muslims and their common folk.”
(Saheeh Muslim 55)
bn al-Atheer said:
“Sincerity towards the common folk of the Muslims means ‘guiding them to that which is in their best interests’.”
(an-Nihaayah 5/142)
And Ibn Rajab said:
“Abu ‘Amr ibn as-Salaah said:
“Naseehah (sincerity, sincere advice) is a comprehensive word which means that the one who is sincere should want all kinds of good for the one to whom advice is offered, and should try to achieve that for him.”
(Jaami‘ al-‘Uloom wa’l-Hukam p. 80).
So if I’m sincere to Allaah and His Messenger Sal Allaahu Alayhi wa Sallam and then to my Muslim brothers and sisters, then I must advise them and do my best to guide them to that which is pleasing to Allaah and prevent them from doing anything that may be harmful to their Aakhirah.
And I must correct them in public if the mistake is on a public forum, so that not only the person himself but even others who read that message will not follow that wrong message.
Ibn Rajab said:
“If the aim is no more than highlighting the truth of the matter, so that people will not be deceived by the wrong notions uttered by that person, then undoubtedly he (the one who seeks to give advice) will be rewarded for his intention, and on the basis of his intention he will be regarded as being sincere towards Allaah, His Messenger, the leaders of the Muslims and their common folk.”
(al-Farq bayna an-Naseehah wa’t-Ta‘yeer p. 7).
So how can we let bid’ah or misguidance or misinformation spread or become common without correcting it, even if it means correcting someone in public and possibly risking embarrassing him?
The *bigger* benefit is to correct the mistake publicly to prevent a *greater harm*.
After all, it’s the very foundation of our faith that we love for our brother what we love for ourselves, and we hate for our brother what we hate for ourselves.
We all know the beautiful hadeeth:
The Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam said:
“No one of you truly believes until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself.”
(al-Bukhaari 13 and Muslim 45)
Let us try and put this hadeeth into practice.
And Allaah knows best.
