Obeying good rulers & disobeying bad rulers
Good Rulers
Allah's Messenger SAW said, "If any ruler having the authority to rule Muslim subjects dies while he is deceiving them, Allah will forbid Paradise for him."
Sahih Muslim - Volume 9, Book 89, Number 264, Narrated Ma'qil
I heard the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) saying, "Any man whom Allah has given the authority of ruling some people and he does not look after them in an honest manner, will never feel even the smell of Paradise."
“There are three kinds of judges, two are in the fire and one in Jannah: The one in Jannah is the one who knew the truth and he judged by it. The one who judged amongst people in his ignorancy then he is in the fire, and the man who knew the truth, but he deviated from his judgement, then he is in the fire”Al Hakim, on the authority of Ibn Umar
Praying for the Muslim Ruler
It is reported that Al-Fudayl b. ‘Ayyâd – Allâh have mercy on him – said, “If I had one supplication that was going to be answered I would make it for the ruler (imâm), for the wellbeing and righteousness of the imâm means wellbeing for the land and its people.”
Al-Dhahabî, Siyar A’lâm Al-Nubalâ` in his biography of Al-Fudayl b. ‘Ayyâd.
Al-Barbahârî (Sharh Al-Sunnah p113, 114) states, “If you see a man supplicating against the ruler, know that he is a heretic (sahib hawâ), and if you see a man supplicating for the ruler, know that he is a Sunni – inshâ Allâh.”
On Obeying Good rulers:
“O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger, and those who are in authority over you. If you differ in anything among yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger, if you believe in Allah and in the Last Day.” [4:59]
O you who believe! Obey Allaah and obey the Messenger (Muhammad), and those of you (Muslims) who are in authority. (And) if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allaah and His Messenger, if you believe in Allaah and in the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination. (An-Nisa, ayah 59)
Whosoever obeys the ruler has obeyed me and whoever obeys me had obeyed Allaah; and he who disobeys the ruler has disobeyed me and whoever disobeys me has disobeyed Allaah. (Al-Bukhaaree and Muslim)
Whoever meets Allaah (meaning whoever dies) with no allegiance of obedience upon him, then he dies a death in a state of Jaahiliyyah (pre-Islaamic state of ignorance). (Muslim, no. 4770)
Imaam Muslim reported, as you know, the hadeeth of Abu Hurairah (radiallaahu 'anhu), that the Prophet (salallaahu 'alaihi wa salaam) said: Whoever leaves the obedience, and splits from the Jamaa'ah and dies, then his death is the death of Jaahiliyyah, and whoever fights under the flag of the blindness and becomes angry due to nationalism/tribalism (asabiyyah) and calls to nationalism and dies, then his death is the death of Jaahiliyyah, and whoever rebels against my nation and fights the righteous and corrupt and does not avoid (fighting) those who believe, then he is not from me and I'm not from him and he's not from me.
Hadith - Sahih Al-Bukhari 9:265
Enjoining good & forbidding evil is essential:
103:3. Except those who believe (in Islâmic Monotheism) and do righteous good deeds, and recommend one another to the truth (i.e. order one another to perform all kinds of good deeds (Al-Ma'rûf ÇáãÚÑæÝ)which Allâh has ordained, and abstain from all kinds of sins and evil deeds (Al-Munkar ÇáãäßÑ)which Allâh has forbidden), and recommend one another to patience (for the sufferings, harms, and injuries which one may encounter in Allâh's Cause during preaching His religion of Islâmic Monotheism or Jihâd, etc.).
1 Priority should be to speak to the ruler privately.
It is authentically reported from the Messenger (sallallaahu alaihi wasallam) in the hadeeth of ‘Iyaad ibn Ghunum who said, “The Messenger of Allaah s said, “Whoever desires to advise the one with authority then he should not do so openly, rather he should take him by the hand and take him into seclusion (and then advise him). And if he accepts (the advice) from him then (he has achieved his objective) and if not, then he has fulfilled that which was a duty upon him.” [7] Reported by Ahmad (3/403) and Ibn Abee ‘Aasim (2/521) with a saheeh isnaad.
2 If ruler is arrogant and stubborn then accuse him of his crimes openly and enjoin good and forbid evil and if he ammends his conduct then its good otherwise fight if it does'nt leads to greater evil .
Thus We have appointed you a middle nation, that you may be witnesses against mankind, and that the Messenger may be a witness against you. [2:143]
The Prophet Muhammad (salla' lahu alaihi wa sallam) also said,“If the people witness an oppressor and they do not take him by his hands (to prevent him) then they are close to Allah covering them all with punishment.” (Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, ibn Majah)
The Prophet Muhammad (salla 'lahu alaihi wa sallam) also said,“The best Jihad is the word of Justice in front of the oppressive Sultan.” (Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, ibn Majah)
The Prophet Muhammad (salla' lahu alaihi wa sallam) said peace be upon him:If you have seen my ummah fearing the oppressor and to tell him, “certainly you are unjust” simply tell them goodbye! (Narrated by Ahmad and al-Bayhaqi.)
And Al-Bayhaqi said commenting on this hadeeth:(Ahmed said that the meaning of this is, "About them, if they feared for themselves from this statement and then abandoned it they are worse than it and the greatest of speech and the most feared action as they were called to Jihad with the mushrikeen but out of fear for themselves and their closest money and if they became like this therefore they were bid farewell and were deposited, and firmly established their presence and nonexistence (People of faith -Bayhaqi) oh martyrdom."
The Prophet Muhammad (salla 'lahu alaihi wa sallam) : “By He whose hand rest my soul, you either enjoin good and forbid evil and catch hold of the hand of the oppressor and persuade him to act justly and stick to the truth, or, Allah will involve the hearts of some of you with the hearts of others and will curse you as He had cursed them” (Tabaraani in Muajam Kabirr and al-Bayhaqi in al-Sunan.)
The Prophet (salla 'lahu alaihi wa sallam) continued to say : 'By Allah you have to enjoin good (Maroof) and forbid evil (Munkar), and hold against the hand of the unjust ruler (Zalim), and force him on the truth strongly, or you have to limit him to the truth'. By this evidence, which is the hadith commenting on the verse, Allah (SWT) has prohibited us from remaining silent against the evil (Munkar), and He commanded us to remove it. Allah (SWT) commanded the Muslims to enjoin Maroof and deny Munkar, and made it a duty upon them to do so. Allah (SWT) said; 'Let it be from among you a group who call to the good, enjoin Maroof and deny Munkar'. Allah (SWT) also said: 'You have been the best nation (Ummah) brought to the people, because you enjoin Maroof and deny Munkar'. [Musnad of Ahmad]
The noble words of Abu Bakr when he said upon assuming the khilafah,
O people! I have been put in charge over you, but I am not the best of you. If I act well, then help me, and if I act badly, then put me right. Truthfulness is a trust and lying is treachery … Obey me as long as I obey Allah and His Messenger. If I disobey Allah and His Messenger, you owe me no obedience. (Sirat Ibn Hisham)
The hadith was reported by At-Tabarani as “kufran Surahan (open kufr)”, and as “unless the disobedience of Allah is bawahan”. It was also reported by Ahmad as “unless they order you of ithmin bawahan (open sin)”.
"If a leader abandons salah or calls to a biddah or changes the sharia then he is out of the fold of islam and loses the authority to rule and obeying him becomes baatil" (sharh an nawawi sahih muslim 12/229)
"It is fard for muslims collectively to remove him and replace him with a just ruler if they are able to do so but if it can be done by a group of them then it is still fard to remove the ruler who has become kafir"(sharh nawawi sahih muslim 12/229)
"Whoever tampers with the sharia, even if he tampered with a single aspect of it, has become kafir and it is fard to fight such a ruler by all necessary means until he returns to rule by the Quran and sunnah" (tafsir al quran al azeem 2/64) (tafsir ibn kathir)
and what Imam Ibn Hazm said about those people who defend such rulers? He said:
ويقال لهم ما تقولون في سلطان جعل اليهود أصحاب أمره والنصارى جنده وألزم المسلمين الجزية وحمل السيف على أطفال المسلمين وأباح المسلمات للزنا وحمل السيف على كل من وجد من المسلمين وملك نساءهم وأطفالهم وأعلن العبث بهم وهو في كل ذلك مقر بالإسلام معلنا به لا يدع الصلاة؟ فإن قالوا لا يجوز القيام عليه، قيل لهم: أنه لا يدع مسلما إلا قتله جمله وهذا إن ترك أوجب ضرورة إلا يبقى إلا هو وحده وأهل الكفر معه، فإن أجازوا الصبر على هذا خالفوا الإسلام جملة وانسلخوا منه
"We should ask them: What do you say about a sultan who makes the jews partners in his affair and builds his army out of christians and he enforce upon muslims jizyah and he kills muslim children and he allows muslims women being used for prostitution and he draws his sword against every muslim he finds and takes their women and children into his property, use them as entertainment, spoil them, and while doing all these things he still accepts Islam in public and never leaves his prayers? What do you say about such person? If they answer that it's not allowed to revolt against him, we tell them: Without doubt he will not leave a muslim alive untill he kills all of them, and if he is not opposed, then there will remain only he and people of kufr with him. If they still allow patiance against such ruler, they have totally opposed Islam and left Islam."
"al-Fasl bil-Milal wa Ahwa wan-Nihal", 4/131-132
Then Ibn Hazm says that if they agree that he should be revolted against (which is their opinion as Ibn Hazm confirms it) and then he goes on and asks them about a ruler that does less than that: lets say he kills 90% of muslims or less than that? It's the same thing, there is no difference between these two situations. He says: "If they say that it's not allowed to revolt against him, then they have contradicted themselves, because they allowed in the first place and there is no difference between killing all muslims, or killing some of them...and if they agree that he should be revolted against, then we go on until killing a muslim without right..."
So apparently Ibn Hazm tries to ridicule their arguments, saying that the purpose of Islam is to protect the bloods of muslims, and to protect the property of muslims, their honour and families...not to protect the rights of ruler. And he shows the controdictions of those who defend these bloody rulers.
I saw 'Uthman and 'Ali. 'Uthman used to forbid people to perform Hajj-at-Tamattu' and Hajj-al-Qiran (Hajj and 'Umra together), and when 'Ali saw (this act of 'Uthman), he assumed Ihram for Hajj and 'Umra together saying, "Lubbaik for 'Umra and Hajj," and said, "I will not leave the tradition of the Prophet Muhammad salla lahu alaihi wa sallam on the saying of somebody."(Sahih Al-Bukhari, Kitab Al-Hajj)
And those who, when wrong is done to them, defend themselves [Shura: 39].
Yet indeed, as for any who defend themselves after having been wronged - no blame whatever attaches to them [Shura: 41]
Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said :“Fight with the owner until you take possession of ownership, or are killed so you become one of the martyrs in the Hereafter. (Saheeh: narrated by Imam Ahmad and Tabaraani).
Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said : “Whoever is killed under oppression is a martyr” Narrated by Ahmad from Ibn Abbas.
Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said: “Whoever is killed defending his wealth is a martyr”. Narrated by Muslim.
3 If fighting evil leads to greater evil then just forbid evil to the ruler & return but do not fight ,be patient & make dua
The Prophet Muhammad (salla llahu alaihi wa sallam) also said,“Whoever from amongst you sees an evil should change it by his hand, if he is unable to do so then he should change it by his tongue (by speaking against it), and if he is unable to do so then he should reject it in his heart – and this is the weakest of Iman.” (Muslim)
Ibn Teen narrates from al-Dawudi: ‘The scholars have stated that if one is able to remove a transgressing ruler, without causing any Fitnah and oppression, then he should be removed, otherwise it is necessary to be patient.”
Imaam an-Nawawi (rahimahullaah) said, “And as for revolt - meaning against the rulers - and fighting them, then it is haraam by unanimous agreement (Ijmaa’) of the Muslims, even if they are sinful oppressors. And the hadeeth are abundantly overwhelming with the meaning that I have mentioned. And Ahl us-Sunnah are united that the ruler is not to be removed, on account of his sinfulness. As for the angle that has been mentioned in some of the books of fiqh of some of our associates, that he is to be removed, and which is quoted from the Mu’tazilah, then this is an error on behalf of the one who says it and is in opposition to the Ijmaa’. And the Scholars have said that the reason for the absence of his removal and the forbiddance of revolting against him is due to what arises from that of tribulations, and shedding of blood, and also corruption that is evident. Hence, the harm from his removal is greater than from him remaining in place.” [Sharh Saheeh Muslim (12/229)]
Imam Ahmad on Rebelling against Rulers
Abul-Hârith Ahmad b. Muhammad Al-Sâ`igh, the close and respected friend of Imâm Ahmad, reports:
I asked Abû ‘Abdillâh (Imâm Ahmad) about something that had occurred in Baghdâd, and [because of which] some people were considering revolting [against the ruler]. I said, “O Abû ‘Abdillâh, what do you say about taking part in the revolt with these people?” He decried it and started saying, “Subhânallâh! The blood [of the people], the blood [of the people]! I do not believe in this and I do not tell others to do it. For us to suffer our situation in patience is better than the fitnah (tribulation) in which blood is spilt, property is taken, and the prohibited are violated (e.g. the honor of women). Do you not know what happened to the people (in the days of the previous fitnah)?” I said, “And the people today, Abû ‘Abdillâh, are they not in fitnah [because of the ruler]?” He replied, “If so, it is a limited fitnah, but if the sword is raised, the fitnah will engulf everything and there will be no way to escape. To suffer patiently this [current difficulty], where Allâh keeps your religion safe for you is better for you.” I saw him decry revolting against the leaders, and say, “[Do not spill the people's] blood. I do not believe in this and I do not command it.”Abû Bakr Al-Khallâl, Al-Sunnah article 89.
Supplication or the Sword? [oppressive rulers]
It is reported that Al-Hasan Al-Basrî – Allâh have mercy on him – said:
If people called on Allâh when put to trial because of their rulers, Allâh would relieve their suffering; but instead they resorted to the sword, so they were left to it. And not one day of good did they bring.Then he recited (Quran 7: 137):
And the good word of your Lord was fulfilled for the Children of Israel, for the patience and perseverance they had, and We destroyed the works of Pharaoh and his people and what they had erected.Ibn Abî Hâtim, Al-Tafsîr no. 8897.
Ahadith of the Prophet Muhammad (salla lahu alaihi wa sallam):Al-Bukhari narrated on the authority of Junada b. abi Umayyah who said: We went to ‘Ubadah b. as-Samit when he was sick and we said: May Allah (swt) guide you. Inform us of a Hadith from the Messenger of Allah (saw) so Allah may benefit you from it. He said, the Messenger of Allah (salla lahu alaihi wa sallam) called upon us and we gave him the Bai’ah, and he said, of that which he had taken from us, that we should give him the pledge to listen and obey, in what we like and dislike, in our hardship and ease, and that we should not dispute the authority of its people unless we saw open Kufr (kufr buwah) upon which we had a proof (burhan) from Allah.
Statements of the great tabi’ee al-Hasan al-Basri. A group of Muslims came to him seeking a ruling for rebelling against al-Hajjaj. So they said: “O Abaa Sa’eed! What do you say about fighting this oppressor who has unlawfully spilt the blood, and unlawfully taken wealth, and did this, and did that?” So al-Hasan said:“I say not to fight him. If this is a punishment from Allah, then you will not be able to remove it with your swords. If this is a trial from Allah, then be patient until Allah’s Judgment comes, and He is the Best of Judges.” (Tabaqat ibn Sa’d)
And it is also related by Ibn Sa’ad in Tabaqaatul-Kubraa (7/163-165): A group of Muslims came to al-Hasan al-Basree (d.110H) seeking a verdict to rebel against al-Hajjaaj . So they said, “O Aboo Sa’eed! What do you say about fighting this oppressor who has unlawfully spilt blood and unlawfully taken wealth and did this and that?” So al-Hasan said, “I hold that he should not be fought. If this is the punishment from Allah, then you will not be able to remove it with your swords. If this is a trial from Allaah, then be patient until Allaah’s judgment comes, and He is the best of judges.” So they left al-Hasan, disagreed with him and rebelled against al-Hajjaaj - so al-Hajjaaj killed them all.
About them al-Hasan used to say, “If the people had patience, when they were being tested by their unjust ruler, it will not be long before Allaah will give them a way out. However, they always rush for their swords, so they are left to their swords. By Allaah! Not even for a single day did they bring about any good.”
The Prophet Muhammad (sal allaah ‘alaihi wa sallam) told us, “There will come leaders who will not follow my guidance and not follow my Sunnah. There will be among them men who will have the hearts of devils in the bodies of humans.” (The Companion) asked, “What shall I do, O Messenger of Allah, if I reach that?” He replied, “You should hear and obey the ruler, even if he beats your back and takes your money; then still hear and obey.” [Saheeh Muslim]
Ibn Katheer narrated in Al-Bidaya wa Al-Nihaya:
Al-Hajjaj made the Khutbah (sermon) very long. Ibn 'Umar started saying: "Prayers! Prayers!" repeatedly. Then he got up and led the people in prayers behind him and Al-Hajjaj had to pray with the people. When they finished the prayers, he said to Ibn 'Umar, "What made you do this?" Ibn 'Umar replied, "We came for prayers, so pray the prayers on time and then bray what you want to bray!"
Umara b. Ruwaiba said he saw Bishr b. Marwan on the pulpit raising his hands and said: Allah, disfigure these hands! I have seen Allah's Messenger (sallahulahu alaihi wa sallam) gesture no more than this with his hands, and he pointed with his forefinger.Sahih Muslim, Kitab Al-Salah
Ziyad Bin Sumayyah made the khutbah very long on Friday and delayed the prayers. Hajar Bin 'Adi criticized him, got up and said the athan (call to prayer) without caring for Ziyad, fearing that the permissible time slot for prayers would pass and pelted Ziyad with pebbles) and the people prayed behind him...(Tarikh Ibn Khaldoon, Musannaf Ibn Razzaq, Mustadrak Hakim)
Narrated By Said bin Jubair : I was with Ibn Umar when a spear head pierced the sole of his foot and his foot stuck to the paddle of the saddle and I got down and pulled his foot out, and that happened in Mina. Al-Hajjaj got the news and came to enquire about his health and said, "Alas! If we could only know the man who wounded you!" Ibn Umar said, "You are the one who wounded me." Al-Hajjaj said, "How is that?" Ibn Umar said, "You have allowed the arms to be carried on a day on which nobody used to carry them and you allowed arms to be carried in the Haram even though it was not allowed before."(Sahih Al-Bukhari, Kitab Al-'Eidain Volumn 002, Book 015, Hadith Number 083.
(Sahih Al-Bukhari, Kitab Al-'Eidain Volumn 002, Book 015, Hadith Number 083.Abu Naufal reported: A-Hajjaj sent (his messenger) to Asma' (bint Abu Bakr, 'Abdullah's mother). But she refused to come. He again sent the messenger to her with the message that she must come, otherwise he would bring her forcibly catching hold of her hair. But she again refused and said: By Allah, I will not come to you until you send one to me who would drag me by pulling my hair. Thereupon he said: Bring me my shoes. He put on his shoes and walked on quickly swollen with vanity and pride until he came to her and said: How do you find what I have done with the enemy of Allah? She said: I find that you wronged him in this world, whereas he has spoiled your next life...... Verily Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) told us that in Thaqif, there would be born a great liar and great murderer. The liar we have seen, and as far as the murderer is concerned, I do not find anyone else besides you. 'Thereupon he (Hajjaj) stood up and did not give any reply to her.
Narated By Abu Sa'id Al-Khudri : The Prophet (sal allaah ‘alaihi wa sallam) used to proceed to the Musalla on the days of Id-ul-Fitr and Id-ul-Adha; the first thing to begin with was the prayer and after that he would stand in front of the people and the people would keep sitting in their rows. Then he would preach to them, advise them and give them orders, (i.e. Khutba). And after that if he wished to send an army for an expedition, he would do so; or if he wanted to give and order, he would do so, and then depart. The people followed this tradition till I went out with Marwan, the Governor of Medina, for the prayer of Id-ul-Adha or Id-ul-Fitr.When we reached the Musalla, there was a pulpit made by Kathir bin As-Salt. Marwan wanted to get up on that pulpit before the prayer. I got hold of his clothes but he pulled them and ascended the pulpit and delivered the Khutba before the prayer. I said to him, "By Allah, you have changed (the Prophet's tradition)." He replied, "O Abu Sa'id! Gone is that which you know." I said, "By Allah! What I know is better than what I do not know." Marwan said, "People do not sit to listen to our Khutba after the prayer, so I delivered the Khutba before the prayer."(Sahih Al-Bukhari Kitab Al-'Eidain)
Umar on obeying the Muslim Ruler
Suwayd b. Ghaflah reports that ‘Umar b. Al-Khattâb – Allâh be pleased with him – once took him by the hand and said:
O Abû Umayah, by Allâh, I know not if we will meet again after today. Fear and obey Allâh your Lord until the Day of Resurrection, as if you see Him, and obey the ruler (imâm) even if he is a cut-nosed Abyssinian slave: if he beats you, be patient; if he robs you, be patient and if he belittles you, be patient. And if he tells you [to do something] to the detriment of your religion (to sin), say: “I hear and obey, [but] my blood goes before my religion.” Never leave the Main Muslim Body (Al-Jamâ’ah).Ibn Zanjawayh, Kitâb Al-Amwâl article 30; Ibn Abî Zamanîn, Usûl Al-Sunnah article 205 with a slight variation in wording. Also recorded in other collections.Note:[That part of the quote means a person should not obey the ruler if told to do sin: 'my blood goes before my religion' means I would rather come to harm than compromise my religion. "I hear and obey' means I will still be obedient to the ruler in matters not involving sin.
Al-Imâm Al-Âjurrî (d360H) states (Al-Sharî’ah Vol.1 p371), “I have mentioned warnings against the ways of the Khawârij that convey the message for everyone who Allâh protects against the ways of the Khawârij, and who does not hold the views of the Khawârij, but is [instead] patient over the injustice of the rulers … and who prays for the wellbeing and righteousness of the rulers, and who does Hajj and Jihâd behind the rulers against every enemy of the Muslims, and who prays the Jumu’ah and ‘Eid prayers behind the rulers. Whoever fits this description is upon the Straight Path – inshâ Allâh.”
Tawoos’ takfeer of al-Hajjaj however is very famous in the books of Islamic history. Refer to Tahtheeb at-Tahtheeb, vol. 1/363.
Imaam Ibn Abi Shayba said: Abu Bakr bin Ayash narrated to us on the authority of al Ajlah on the authority of ash-Sha’bee who said “I bear witness that he is a believer in taghoot and a disbeliever in Allah (referring to al-Hajjaj)” Isnad: (hasan).
Imaam Ibn Abi Shayba said: Wakee’ narrated to us (hadathana) on the authority of Sufyan on the authority of Ibraheem who said: “It is enough (misguidance) for him who doubts al-Hajjaj’s condition, may Allah bark (i.e. destroy) him.” Isnad: Saheeh.
Al-Haafith Ibn Katheer (rahimahullah) said: “Abu Bakr bin Khaythama said: Abu Thafr Ja’far bin Sulayman narrated on the authority of Bistam bin Muslim, on the authority of Qatadah who said: ‘It was said to Sa’eed bin Jubayr: ‘You rebelled (kharajta) against al-Hajjaj.’ He replied (i.e. Sa’eed): ‘By Allah I did not rebel against him until he disbelieved (hatta kaffar)’”
Yahya bin ‘Eesaa ar-Ramlee narrated on the authority of al-A’mash who said: “The people disputed over the affair of al-Hajjaj so they asked Mujahid (the Imaam of Tafseer) and he replied: Do you ask me about the kaafir Shaykh (referring to al-Hajjaj)?”
Conclusion
As-Shawkani said: “Those who viewed the obligation of rebelling against the oppressive rulers, challenging them with the sword and struggling against them with fighting, have used as evidence some general imports from the Book and the Sunnah, concerning the obligation of enjoining the ma’roof and forbidding the munkar. There is no doubt that the ahadith we mentioned in Al-Musannaf in this subject are absolutely more specific than those general imports; besides these ahadith are mutawatir in meaning as understood by those who have knowledge in the Sunnah.”
An-Nawawi mentioned, in his commentary on the hadith narrated by ‘Ubadah, regarding the phrase ‘ unless you see an open kufr (kufran surahan)’: “What is meant by al-kufr here is the sin (al-ma’siyah). And the meaning of the hadith is not to dispute with rulers (wulat ul-umoor) regarding their authority, and not to object them unless you see from them an unquestionable munkar you know from the fundamentals of Islam. If you have seen that, then disclaim it and say the truth wherever you were.” It came in Al-Fath, as commentary on the words of An-Nawawi: “Others said, if the contest was regarding the authority (wilayah), then he should not contest him in a matter that degrades the authority unless he committed kufr. He explained the narration of the sin (ma’siyah) saying it means the contest over a matter other than the authority. If he did not degrade the authority, then he can contest with him over the sin by disapproving with him kindly and in a way that achieves establishing the truth without violence. He would do that if he could.”
Qadi Iyad said: "If he is adamant on Kufr, (and) in changing the shariah, or on innovation, then his obedience is invalid and it becomes a duty upon the Muslims to revolt against him, removing him and placing a just Imam (ruler) in his place if possible”.
It also came in Al-Fath: “The Fuqahaa’ agreed unanimously on the obligation of obedience to the overpowering (mutaghallib) ruler and of fighting (together) with him; and that obedience to him is better than rebel against him, because this spares the blood and appeases the masses. However, if the ruler showed explicit kufr (kufr sareeh), then it is not obliged to obey him; it is rather obligatory, for those who can, to fight against him, as it came in the hadith.”
WAllahu alam.
Posts
