Assalaamu alaykum dear Scholars. A member of the community who gives dawah (proselytization) has been giving dawah to women for the past two years. It has become known to members of the community that this brother who gives dawah has fallen into sin with women due to different sisters coming forward with stories of this brother trying to make advances on them. Brothers have advised him with the hope that he would stop falling into temptation and sinning further and repent; however, this brother continues his ways and continues to do things over and over again. Should we warn the community about this brother? What are the proper steps that should be taken in this case? Please advise. May Allaah reward you. Your assistance in the matter is greatly appreciated.

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

If that man commits this heinous deed, then it becomes obligatory on those in charge of the matters of the Muslims to stop him from teaching women as a way of repelling his evil from them. Also, you should continue to advise him in a wise manner with kind words and remind him of Allaah with evidence from the Quran and Sunnah about the danger of the corruption of the scholar or person who gives da'wah and the seriousness of his actions contradicting his words; as in the saying of Allaah (which means): {O you who have believed, why do you say what you do not do? Great is hatred in the sight of Allaah that you say what you do not do.} [Quran 61:2-3]

If he persists in what he is doing, then you can threaten to expose him to the community, hoping that this will deter him. If he is not deterred and does not take heed, then it is permissible to warn people against him; rather, this may be an obligation sometimes. Scholars stated that backbiting is permissible in warning people against dissolute and immoral people.

For more benefit in this regard, please refer to fataawa 85442 and 89115.

Allaah knows best.