Question:
O Eminent Sheikh—may Allah grant you success—this questioner asks: Is shyness a valid legal excuse for failing to forbid an evil?
Answer:
No, it is not a valid Sharia excuse. He must convey [the warning or report it]; he should inform the authorities or “the religious police” (Al-Hisbah) if such an institution exists. Otherwise, he should privately advise the person committing the evil so that he clears his conscience by giving that advice.