Explaining the Meaning of Rising Against the Ruler and Its Conditions

Question:
This questioner asks, saying: A caller on one of the satellite channels issued a ruling that rising against the ruler is only armed rebellion, not rising in demonstrations. Is this statement correct? What are the conditions for rising against the ruler?

Answer:
This person is speaking without knowledge. Allah knows best. If he is ignorant, we hope that Allah will guide him and return him to the truth. But if he is doing so with malicious intent, we hope that Allah will deal with him as he deserves and protect the Muslims from his evil.
Rising against the imam is not limited to carrying weapons; rather, speaking about the right of the one in authority and insulting the one in authority is rising against him. This is rising against him and inciting against him. It is a cause of fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) and evil. So, speaking is not less dangerous than weapons. As the poet said: "Indeed, fire is kindled with two sticks, and war begins with words, and with a word, war and heads were stirred." Ah. Rising against the imam is done with weapons, with words, and even with belief. If one believes that it is permissible to rise against the one in authority, then he has shared the belief of the Khawarij. This is the belief of the Khawarij. Yes.