If the one who openly commits sin is among the rulers or the sultan, how is he to be rebuked?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner:
He says: Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success, if the one who openly commits sin is among the rulers or the sultan, how is he to be rebuked and how is one’s conscience cleared in that matter?
The Shaykh:
Rebuke him through appropriate means, by being alone with him and requesting a meeting with him, or by writing him a secret letter and placing it in his hand, or by instructing one of the trustworthy people who have contact with him to convey the message and advise him in this matter. As for publicizing his fault and talking about him in gatherings, this causes more harm and is not right, and this is not rebuking, rather this is what is wrong. Yes.
The questioner:
I say, Honorable.
The Shaykh:
If you are unable to contact him or convey the advice to him, you are excused. Fear Allah as much as you are able. Yes.
He says: Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success, if the one who openly commits sin is among the rulers or the sultan, how is he to be rebuked and how is one’s conscience cleared in that matter?
The Shaykh:
Rebuke him through appropriate means, by being alone with him and requesting a meeting with him, or by writing him a secret letter and placing it in his hand, or by instructing one of the trustworthy people who have contact with him to convey the message and advise him in this matter. As for publicizing his fault and talking about him in gatherings, this causes more harm and is not right, and this is not rebuking, rather this is what is wrong. Yes.
The questioner:
I say, Honorable.
The Shaykh:
If you are unable to contact him or convey the advice to him, you are excused. Fear Allah as much as you are able. Yes.
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، [130 -954] إذا كان الذي يجاهر بالمعصية من ولاة الأمر أو السلطان، فكيف يُنكر عليه؟ الشيخ صالح الفوزان — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.