Is it obligatory for a person to stay away from a job that involves a high position, or should he enter it?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The Shaykh : I said that the issue varies from person to person. I mean, between being weak, and you remember the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) admonition to Abu Dharr, or being strong, possessing willpower, resolve, and determination, not yielding to the arrogant, those who forbid what is right, and those who command what is wrong. I believe that for such a person, it is an individual obligation, because there are few who can undertake such a duty. However, I do not say that so-and-so is suitable for this or not, because I proceed from the like of His saying, the Exalted: [Al-Qiyamah 75:14] This is the answer.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : As you know, the path of the Salaf was to stay away from the sultans and the works of the sultans.
The Shaykh : But not all of them were like that; some were like this and some were like that. And I see that the reason is that both types were found, due to the difference in people’s natures first, with the observation of another thing as well: their difference in the extent of their mindfulness of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). A person may prefer to be an employee of the state, hoping for status or wealth, while knowing that he may fall short in doing what is obligatory upon him, and this indicates a lack of mindfulness of Allah. While others see that they do not submit to status or rank, but rather they enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, whatever the surrounding circumstances may be. These people are undoubtedly few in number. Therefore, we cannot say that everyone should maintain this position, this job, or that everyone should flee from it as one flees from a lion.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : You must have read in some biographies that many of the people of hadith, let alone others who were appointed to the judiciary, excelled in that and were remembered with good. Between them were others who were remembered with evil. The reason is what I mentioned just now. For example, they mention regarding Imam al-Zuhri, do you remember what was said about him? It was as if he was a soldier, or he was...
The questioner : ...visiting the sultan.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : Visiting the sultan, Sufyan ibn Uyaynah.
The Shaykh : Sufyan ibn Uyaynah was also like that. And so, in truth, we cannot say that so-and-so was inclined toward the world because of his connection to the sultan. Perhaps, perhaps. And we know from old and recent history that the connection of some scholars to rulers was sometimes a great evil, because they beautified their bad deeds for them. And sometimes it contained great good, because through their connection they averted a great evil from the individuals of the Ummah. But these people are few and very rare in all societies, especially in our society in this time. There is no god but Allah.
The student : Our Shaykh, we do not want to prolong things on you; we are at your disposal.
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you. Welcome, you are welcome. Are you traveling tomorrow?
The student : If Allah wills.
The Shaykh : What time do you depart?
The student : That is, with Allah’s permission, we may leave the house at eleven o’clock, if Allah wills. I hope for that from Allah. The plane takes off at one-thirty, so we will be at the airport at twelve, twelve minus a little, with Allah’s permission (Mighty and Majestic).
The Shaykh : One-thirty for the plane.
The student : The takeoff is at one-thirty.
Rather, man, against himself, will be a witness,
بَلِ الْإِنْسَانُ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ بَصِيرَةٌThe questioner : ... .
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : As you know, the path of the Salaf was to stay away from the sultans and the works of the sultans.
The Shaykh : But not all of them were like that; some were like this and some were like that. And I see that the reason is that both types were found, due to the difference in people’s natures first, with the observation of another thing as well: their difference in the extent of their mindfulness of Allah (Mighty and Majestic). A person may prefer to be an employee of the state, hoping for status or wealth, while knowing that he may fall short in doing what is obligatory upon him, and this indicates a lack of mindfulness of Allah. While others see that they do not submit to status or rank, but rather they enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong, whatever the surrounding circumstances may be. These people are undoubtedly few in number. Therefore, we cannot say that everyone should maintain this position, this job, or that everyone should flee from it as one flees from a lion.
The questioner : ... .
The Shaykh : You must have read in some biographies that many of the people of hadith, let alone others who were appointed to the judiciary, excelled in that and were remembered with good. Between them were others who were remembered with evil. The reason is what I mentioned just now. For example, they mention regarding Imam al-Zuhri, do you remember what was said about him? It was as if he was a soldier, or he was...
The questioner : ...visiting the sultan.
The Shaykh: Yes.
The questioner : Visiting the sultan, Sufyan ibn Uyaynah.
The Shaykh : Sufyan ibn Uyaynah was also like that. And so, in truth, we cannot say that so-and-so was inclined toward the world because of his connection to the sultan. Perhaps, perhaps. And we know from old and recent history that the connection of some scholars to rulers was sometimes a great evil, because they beautified their bad deeds for them. And sometimes it contained great good, because through their connection they averted a great evil from the individuals of the Ummah. But these people are few and very rare in all societies, especially in our society in this time. There is no god but Allah.
The student : Our Shaykh, we do not want to prolong things on you; we are at your disposal.
The Shaykh : May Allah bless you. Welcome, you are welcome. Are you traveling tomorrow?
The student : If Allah wills.
The Shaykh : What time do you depart?
The student : That is, with Allah’s permission, we may leave the house at eleven o’clock, if Allah wills. I hope for that from Allah. The plane takes off at one-thirty, so we will be at the airport at twelve, twelve minus a little, with Allah’s permission (Mighty and Majestic).
The Shaykh : One-thirty for the plane.
The student : The takeoff is at one-thirty.
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.