Part of Riyad as-Salihin — Gardens of the Righteous (series completed)
· Lesson 80 of 190
Riyadh Al-Salehin | Episode (90) | Chapter on the obligation to obey those in charge without disobedience
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Transcript
Machine translation — may contain errors
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*Riyad al-Salihin* (The Meadows of the Righteous)
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From the words of the Master of the Messengers,
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peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
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Chapter: The Obligation to Obey Those in Authority in What Does Not Involve Disobedience,
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and the Prohibition of Obeying Them in Sin.
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Allah Almighty says:
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“O ye who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the messenger and those of you who are in authority; and if ye have a dispute concerning any matter, refer it to Allah and the messenger if ye are (in truth) believers in Allah and the Last Day. That is better and more seemly in the end.” (4:59)
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On the authority of Ibn 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both,
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from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), who said:
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"A Muslim is obligated to listen and obey in what he likes and dislikes,
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unless he is commanded to commit a sin.
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If he is commanded to commit a sin, there is no listening and no obedience."
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Agreed upon.
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"Listening and obedience"
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means acceptance and submission to the ruler in obedience to Allah.
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Among the lessons derived from the hadith:
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The obligation to obey the leader in every matter,
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whether it aligns with the person's desires or not,
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unless one is commanded to commit a sin,
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for there is no obedience to anyone who disobeys Allah.
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Personal desires and individual interests ought to be relinquished
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for the sake of the unity and solidarity of the Muslim Ummah.
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On the authority of Ibn 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, who said:
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"Whenever we pledged allegiance to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) to listen and obey,
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he would say to us: 'In what you are able to do.'"
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Agreed upon.
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Among the lessons derived from the hadith:
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The obligation of giving the pledge of allegiance to the leader of the Muslims to listen and obey.
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Obedience is contingent upon capability;
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thus, if the Caliph commands something unbearable
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that exceeds a person's capability,
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obedience is not incumbent upon him.
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The ruler ought to show compassion toward his subjects,
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following the example of the compassion and mercy of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) toward his Ummah.
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Prompting the wording during the pledge of allegiance is permissible.
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On the authority of Ibn 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, who said:
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I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) say:
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"Whoever withdraws a hand from obedience
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will meet Allah on the Day of Resurrection with no defense for himself,
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and whoever dies without having a pledge of allegiance upon his neck
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dies a death of the pre-Islamic Days of Ignorance (Jahiliyyah)."
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Reported by Muslim.
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In another narration of his:
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"And whoever dies while separating from the main body (Jama'ah),
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indeed dies a death of the pre-Islamic Days of Ignorance."
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"Withdraws a hand from obedience"
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means nullifying one's transaction and commitment,
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breaking one's pledge of allegiance by rebelling against the leader,
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and failing to submit to him in matters not involving sin.
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"With no defense for himself"
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means he will have no valid excuse for breaching his covenant.
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"A death of the pre-Islamic Days of Ignorance"
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means he dies in a state of misguidance and ignorance,
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just as the people of Jahiliyyah used to die,
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for they would never submit to the authority of a leader
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and regarded doing so as a disgrace.
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"Separating from the main body"
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means diverging from the Muslims regarding the pledge and obedience to the ruling leader based on listening and obeying.
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Among the lessons derived from the hadith:
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The obligation of adhering to the main body of Muslims and pledging allegiance to their leader.
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Whoever deposes the leader and breaks the pledge of allegiance
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has committed an act among the major sins
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and has resembled the ways of the people of Jahiliyyah.
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The Ummah is obligated to appoint a Caliph who establishes them upon the law of Allah,
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upholds His religion among them,
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and protects their integrity,
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because the leader is a shield behind whom fighting is conducted.
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On the authority of Anas (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
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The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
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"Listen and obey,
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even if an Abyssinian slave is appointed over you
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whose head is like a raisin."
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Reported by al-Bukhari.
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"Appointed over you" means made a leader over you.
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"His head is like a raisin"
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means dark, small, and having crisp, curly hair.
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"An Abyssinian slave"
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means an enslaved black person.
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Among the lessons derived from the hadith:
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The obligation to listen and obey the ruler in whatever does not involve sin,
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regardless of his color or ethnic origin.
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The prayer led by an enslaved person or a freed slave is valid
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if he is the best reciter of the Book of Allah among the people,
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since obedience to him was commanded;
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hence, praying behind him is valid.
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It is forbidden to rebel against the ruler even if he is unjust,
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because rising against him usually leads to worse consequences than what is being denounced in him.
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On the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
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The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
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"You must listen and obey in your hardship and your ease,
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in what you find pleasing and what you dislike, and even when others are favored over you."
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Reported by Muslim.
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"Your hardship and your ease"
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means your poverty and your wealth.
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"What you find pleasing and what you dislike"
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means what you love and what you hate.
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"When others are favored over you"
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refers to monopolizing and taking exclusive possession of worldly matters.
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Among the lessons derived from the hadith:
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The obligation of obedience under all circumstances,
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as long as one is not commanded to sin or burdened beyond what one can bear.
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A foretelling of rulers monopolizing worldly gains
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and withholding from their subjects their rights out of what is in their possession.
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On the authority of 'Abdullah ibn 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, who said:
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"We were with the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) on a journey,
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and we stopped to camp at a place.
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Some of us were pitching their tents,
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others were competing in archery,
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and others were attending to their pasturing animals,
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when the caller of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) announced:
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'The prayer is about to gather the people!'
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So we gathered around the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him),
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and he said:
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'There was never a prophet before me
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except that it was an obligation upon him to guide his nation to the best of what he knew for them,
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and to warn them against the worst of what he knew for them.
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Indeed, this nation of yours has had its well-being placed in its early part,
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and its latter part will be afflicted with trials and matters you will detest.
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Tribulations will arrive, each making the previous one seem insignificant,
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and tribulations will come
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so that the believer will say: "This is my destruction!"
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Then it will pass away,
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and further tribulations will come
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so that the tribulations arrive
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and the believer will say: "This is the one! This is the one!"
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Whoever would love to be drawn away from the Fire and admitted into Paradise,
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let his death come to him while he believes in Allah and the Last Day,
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and let him treat people the way he loves to be treated.
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And whoever pledges allegiance to an Imam, giving him the clasp of his hand
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and the sincere commitment of his heart,
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let him obey him if he can;
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and if another comes to dispute with him,
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then strike the neck of that other.'"
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Reported by Muslim.
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His saying: "competing in archery" (*yantadhil*)
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means competing in shooting arrows and bolts.
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And *al-jashar*
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refers to grazing livestock that pasture and remain outdoors overnight.
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His saying: "each making the previous one seem insignificant"
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means some of them will make the others appear minor;
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that is, light in comparison to the enormity of what follows,
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the second making the first appear trivial;
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and it is also said to mean that they entice one another
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through embellishment and temptation;
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and it is said that they will resemble one another.
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"A place to camp" (*manzil*)
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means a location where we halt to rest.
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"Tent" (*khiba'*)
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means that which offers shelter,
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which is made of camel hair, goat hair, or wool,
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pitched on two or three poles;
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if it has more than that, it is called a house (*bayt*).
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"Its well-being"
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means its safety from tribulations.
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"In its early part"
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means during the first three favored generations.
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"Its latter part"
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means what follows the first three generations.
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"Trials" (*bala'*)
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means tribulations and afflictions.
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"Matters"
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means newly invented, innovated things contrary to the Sharia.
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"My destruction"
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means that wherein lies my ruin.
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"Drawn away" (*yuzahzah*)
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means set aside and removed far away.
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"Let his death come to him"
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means let him ensure that death reaches him while in this described state.
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"Let him treat" (*li-ya'ti*)
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means let him give and offer.
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"Clasp of his hand" (*safqah*)
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means striking hand upon hand,
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which the Arabs used to do when concluding a sale,
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and it was later used for making a binding contract.
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"The sincere commitment of his heart"
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means his deep resolve and firm intention.
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"Disputes with him"
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means rebels against his obedience seeking rule for himself.
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"Then strike the neck"
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means kill him.
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*Al-Nabl*
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means Arab arrows.
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*Al-Nushshab*
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means arrows in general.
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Among the lessons derived from the hadith:
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The recommendation to gather the Ummah
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to inform them of what concerns them in their worldly life and their Hereafter.
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The prophets and messengers, may the blessings and peace of Allah be upon them,
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guide their communities only toward goodness and uprightness,
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and warn them against evil and harm.
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Likewise, the inheritors of the prophets must be
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alerting the Ummah against every evil and darkness.
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The hadith is among the proofs of his Prophethood (peace be upon him),
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as he informed his Ummah about what would afflict its latter generations
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of trials, afflictions, and tribulations,
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each closely succeeding the other,
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every tribulation being more heinous and terrible than the one before it;
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and all of this is witnessed today just as the Chosen One (peace be upon him) foretold.
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The latter part of this Ummah
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he will deviate from the methodology of the salaf (early generations), wherein lies safety from tribulations,
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protection from misguidance,
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and guidance from error.
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The believer safeguards his religion and maintains his principled authenticity,
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so he does not plunge into tribulations,
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nor is he swept away by the current of corruption and depravity.
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Adorning oneself with noble character and adhering to Tawhid
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protects the servant from the evil of tribulations and saves him from Hellfire.
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The obligation of obeying the ruler and fulfilling the pledge of allegiance;
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the obligation of fighting the rebellious faction
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that revolts against the ruler, breaches the bond of obedience, and divides the unity of the Muslims;
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and that is in order to preserve the united front of the Muslim community
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and prevent the fracturing of their unity.
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On the authority of Abu Hunaidah Wa'il Ibn Hujr (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
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Salamah Ibn Yazid al-Ju'fi asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him),
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saying, "O Prophet of Allah,
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what is your view if rulers are appointed over us
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who demand their rights from us while withholding our rights from us?
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What do you command us to do?"
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The Prophet turned away from him.
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Then he asked him again,
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so the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
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"Listen and obey,
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for they are only responsible for what is placed upon them,
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and you are responsible for what is placed upon you."
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Narrated by Muslim.
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Among the lessons of the hadith:
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The obligation of obeying the ruler, even if he falls short in his duty,
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in order to preserve stability in society and ward off tribulations.
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The negligence of rulers in fulfilling their duties
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does not justify the people's negligence in fulfilling their obligations,
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for an anomaly is not cured by another anomaly.
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Everyone is accountable for their own deeds and answerable for their shortcomings.
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On the authority of 'Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
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The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
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"Indeed, after me there will be selfishness and matters that you will disapprove of."
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They said, "O Messenger of Allah,
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what do you command those of us who live to see that to do?"
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He said:
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"Fulfill the right that is due upon you,
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and ask Allah for that which is due to you."
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Agreed upon.
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"Selfishness" (atharah):
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meaning the rulers monopolizing worldly gains,
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withholding the distribution of rights to the Muslims,
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and favoring some over others in grants.
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Among the lessons of the hadith:
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Rulers must maintain justice among their subjects.
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Those in authority are obligated to deliver rights to their rightful owners
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and not consume the wealth of the people,
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usurp their rights, or enrich themselves at the expense of the subjects.
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Rulers and leaders will introduce matters contrary to the Law of Allah.
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A wrong is not remedied by another wrong like it;
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thus, whoever is deprived of his right and wronged should seek his reward with Allah,
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and turn to Him for justice against the oppressor,
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yet he must still fulfill the obligations incumbent upon him.
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On the authority of Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
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The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
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"Whoever obeys me has indeed obeyed Allah,
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and whoever disobeys me has indeed disobeyed Allah.
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And whoever obeys the leader has indeed obeyed me,
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and whoever disobeys the leader has indeed disobeyed me."
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Agreed upon.
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Among the lessons of the hadith:
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Hearing and obeying is obligatory toward the supreme leader
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and whoever the leader appoints with specific authority.
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Obeying those in authority in what is good is an act of drawing near to Allah for which a person is rewarded,
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“Whoso obeyeth the messenger hath obeyed Allah, and whoso turneth away: We have not sent thee as a warder over them.” (4:80)
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because the Messenger (peace be upon him) commands obedience to Allah, the Glorified,
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and Allah has commanded obedience to His Messenger (peace be upon him).
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On the authority of Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both),
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that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said:
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"Whoever sees something from his ruler that he dislikes, let him be patient,
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for indeed, whoever steps outside the authority of the ruler by even a handspan
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dies a death of the days of ignorance (Jahiliyyah)."
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Agreed upon.
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"Something", meaning other than open, manifest disbelief.
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"A handspan":
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a metaphor for even a slight act of defiance.
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Among the lessons of the hadith:
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Exercising patience over the deviation of those in authority,
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while still offering sincere advice to them according to one's ability.
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Discouraging rebellion against legitimate authority
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due to the widespread harm it entails for the Muslims.
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On the authority of Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him), who said:
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I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) saying:
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"Whoever humiliates the ruler, Allah will humiliate him."
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Narrated by al-Tirmidhi.
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Among the lessons of the hadith:
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The hadith points to a profound principle,
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which is venerating people of status among scholars, caliphs, and rulers,
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so that they retain reverence in the hearts of the people,
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whereby they are listened to and their orders are obeyed,
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and those seeking discord and fracturing the Muslim community do not dare challenge them.
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This meaning from the hadith is indicated by his statement (peace be upon him):
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"Whoever wishes to advise a ruler regarding a matter,
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let him not disclose it to him publicly,
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but rather take him by his hand
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and be alone with him.
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If he accepts it from him, then so be it;
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and if not, he has fulfilled the obligation due from him toward him."
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Riyad al-Salihin.