Some groups claiming affiliation with the Salafi methodology appoint a general emir and subordinate emirs, and they oblige their followers to obey these emirs

The questioner: His EminenceThe Shaykh : Some Islamic groups that call to the Salafi creed appoint a general emir and subordinate emirs, and they oblige their followers to obey these emirs. They say: This emirate is a Shari'ah obligation that must be obeyed, and that disobeying it is disobedience to Allah and His Messenger. They cite the hadith: ; so what is your response?

The Shaykh : It is clear that this evidence is weak; because his saying - peace be upon him - , so this emir who appointed himself over a group of people numbering in the thousands or millions; who appointed him? The Prophet - peace and blessings be upon him - is the Messenger sent generally to all people, so if he appointed an emir, then without doubt it is obligatory to obey this emir. The Caliph who comes after the Messenger - peace be upon him - has the same ruling as the Messenger - may Allah praise and bless him - in that it is obligatory to obey him first; because Allah says: , so obeying the Messenger is obligatory like obeying Allah - Mighty and Majestic - and therefore He said - the Exalted - repeating the action: , then when He mentioned the authorities, He did not say: and obey the authorities; because their obedience is not independent like the obedience to the Messenger, but rather the obedience to the authorities is a consequence of their obedience to the Messenger - peace and blessings be upon him. So his saying - may Allah praise and bless him - : this is not valid in any way as evidence that it is permissible for every group that has a methodology and a specific path, even if it were in accordance with the Shari'ah, to appoint an emir; because that increases the division, separation, and discord among Muslims. Rather, the emir who must be obeyed is the one appointed by the first Imam; that is, the Caliph of the Muslims. And therefore I always say, and forever: The hadiths that came from the Prophet - peace and blessings be upon him - in absolute or general terms must be interpreted in light of the application of the righteous Salaf. The righteous Salaf had only one Imam, and under this Imam were emirs, without doubt, to manage the affairs of the state according to what that Imam sees fit, whom it is valid for me to say has no partner in this great authority; because the Prophet - peace and blessings be upon him - said - as in "Sahih Muslim" - : , this is an explicit text that it is not permissible for there to be two Caliphs; that is: two emirs; each commanding his group, so this increases among people - as we said - division and misguidance.
And the Muslims have proceeded to maintain the unity of the Imam who has the authority to appoint emirs after that, as we mentioned, according to what the interest of the Muslims requires. As for what has happened in this time; it is in reality a phenomenon that should be observed and not be deceived by; because the consequence of that is that the Muslims will become sects and parties, and Allah - Mighty and Majestic - says in the explicit noble Book: .
I do not deny that there may be multiple groups with different objectives. I do not deny that there is, for example, a group that undertakes correcting the creeds of Muslims and rectifying their concepts and worship, and they do not work, for example, in sports. And I do not deny, consequently, that there may be a group specialized in dealing with sports means with the intention of strengthening the bodies of Muslims; for what is known from his saying - peace be upon him - : . I do not deny that there may be a group that works, for example, in what is called today economics, and another group that works in politics, and so on; but I impose one condition: that all of these work within the circle of Islam and in light of the Book and the Sunnah. As for approving the gatherings with their various specializations, some of which we mentioned earlier, without linking them to the methodology of the Book and the Sunnah; this means approving the division of the Ummah, and casting the color of legitimacy on such division; and this is contrary to the explicit Book and the explicit Sunnah.
So, it is not befitting that we create emirs who are pledged allegiance to, as the first Caliph was pledged allegiance to. Rather, there is no objection - naturally - that each group has a system; because this system is what leads the group to its legitimate objectives. But we do not arrange upon it those rulings that were specific to the Caliphs and then to those they commanded, as came in the question; that they cite this hadith, and consequently some of them apply to their emirs whom they pledge allegiance to, such as his saying - may Allah praise and bless him - : . And therefore they appoint an emir and pledge allegiance to him. This emir is not the one who must be pledged allegiance to. Rather, the Muslims must work with all the strength and knowledge they have been given to restore the Islamic society, which requires that one man stand over it, the Caliph whom all Muslims must pledge allegiance to. As for this group that appoints an emir over it, and obliges the individuals to pledge allegiance, and that if they do not pledge allegiance they die a pre-Islamic death; this is distorting the words from their places, and this is something that is not permissible for a Muslim to fall into.
Please proceed.