How should one admonish a fellow student who behaves wrongly?

First privately and kindly, then if necessary through the parents, and finally in confidence through those responsible, without gossip. And above all, one prays for them out of genuine concern.

When a fellow student behaves wrongly, one wants to help without exposing them. The first step is therefore a calm, personal word. One speaks to them privately or writes to them. One tells them kindly that their behaviour does not suit them and that better is expected of them. One can also remind them that others may draw wrong conclusions about their faith from their conduct.

If that has no effect, one may turn to their parents. One writes openly, giving one’s own name, about what one has noticed and that one has already spoken to the student. One asks the parents to take better care of their child. If that does not help either, one can inform those responsible in the community in confidence.

Discretion matters at every step. One does not tell others about it and does not talk loosely about what one has seen. The second verse above and the hadith show how seriously Islam takes a person’s honour. Whoever covers the faults of others will have their own faults covered by God.

Most important of all, however, is prayer. Some regard it as a mere formality. Yet prayer is a powerful reality. It can help overcome great difficulties that seem insurmountable. Whoever is truly concerned for someone, feels pain about it and prays for them in that state may trust that God will answer that prayer. Often changes then begin to appear little by little.