Are all the orders of the rulers obligatory, or not? And how is that known?
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The questioner : Our esteemed Shaykh (may Allah preserve him), are all the orders of the rulers obligatory, or are some of them obligatory and others recommended? And how can one know that? May Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : The orders of the rulers are divided into categories. The first category is that it is not permissible to obey them, and that is when they order disobedience to Allah, such as ordering the shaving of the beard or ordering other reprehensible things. In this case, it is not permissible to obey them, because Allah the Exalted said:[An-Nisa 4:59] He linked obedience to those in authority to obedience to Allah and His Messenger without repeating the verb, which indicates that obedience to those in authority is in the nature of a follower. And because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Sunan Abi Dawud 2625Sahih (Al-Albani) meaning: in what is not reprehensible. This is the first point.
The second category is when he orders what Allah and His Messenger have ordered. When the ruler orders what Allah and His Messenger have ordered from acts of worship, if it is obligatory, such as ordering congregational prayer and checking on people regarding it, then obedience to him here is obligatory. It is obligatory from two aspects:
The first aspect is that it is obligatory in the Shari'ah without the order of the ruler.
The second is that it becomes more emphasized when the ruler orders it.
The third is when he orders a non-obligatory act of worship that is prescribed, such as ordering people to fast. He says: "O people, fast tomorrow, for we are going out for the prayer for rain to seek rain, and the supplication of the fasting person is answered, so fast tomorrow." In this case, obedience is not obligatory. Obedience is not obligatory, because this is an act of worship between the servant and his Lord, so obedience to it is not obligatory.
The fourth is when he orders what preserves security and the well-being of society. In this case, obedience to him is obligatory, even if Allah and His Messenger did not order it, provided it is not disobedience. Such as the current orders in the systems that are established and do not contradict the Shari'ah. Then obedience to the ruler in these matters is obligatory, and whoever disobeys and contradicts them is sinful. This is what comes to my mind now regarding the categories of obedience to the rulers.
But here is an issue: some people, out of their zeal for the religion of Allah the Glorious and Exalted, when they see these reprehensible things and that these reprehensible things are widespread among people—what is found in newspapers, or heard on some radio stations, or watched via satellite dishes, for example—and they become zealous about this and see that the government is negligent in this matter. Then they go around spreading the faults of the government among people and inciting hearts against it. The consequence of this action is that it makes people hate their rulers. The truth is that this is a very wrong path, contrary to the Shari'ah, dangerous to society, and a cause of fitnah. If he had striven to reform society itself, it would have been better for him. For example, what is broadcast in the media—read, heard, and seen—he warns people against it. He says: "Beware, for example, of these magazines. Beware of watching harmful things in religion and in this world. Beware of such and such. Beware of such and such. Beware of riba, for example. Beware of bribery." Yes, it would have been better for him and for society. If society is reformed, then the rulers are part of the society; they must be reformed, either by choice or by necessity. But to pour all his zeal on the rulers in order to incite the hearts of people against them, resulting in evil and corruption, this is undoubtedly contrary to what is right and a deviation from the sound path.
It is not hidden from you all what happened of great fitnahs from the time of 'Ali ibn Abi Talib, or even from the time of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), in terms of the evil and corruption that occurred, and the making lawful of souls and wealth because of this. For the one who considers the fire great is the one who considers the sparks small. Therefore, we see that such a path is a wrong and forbidden path, and it is not permissible. If a person has true zeal, let him direct the people to good.
And it is amazing that you find some people pouring all their zeal on their rulers, while they find in their people those who associate partners with Allah the Glorious and Exalted, and they do not speak up. And shirk is greater than the sins committed by the rulers. Or they go and try to apply verses to the meanings they desire, saying, for example:[Al-Ma'idah 5:44] Then they say: "Every system or every law that contradicts the Shari'ah is disbelief." This is also an error. And if we assume, in a far-fetched supposition, that the ruler is a disbeliever, does that mean we should incite the hearts of people against him until rebellion, chaos, and fighting occur? No, this is a mistake. There is no doubt that this is a mistake. The benefit is not expected in such a path. The benefit that this person wants cannot be achieved through this path; rather, great harms will occur. For example, if a group of people rises against the ruler in the country, and the ruler has power and authority that this group does not have, what will happen? Will this small group overcome him? No, they will not overcome him. On the contrary, evil, chaos, and corruption will occur, and affairs will not be straightened out. A person must first look with the eye of the Shari'ah, and not look at the Shari'ah with a blind eye, taking texts from one side and ignoring the other, but rather combining the texts.
Second: He should also look with the eye of reason and wisdom. What are the consequences of this thing? Therefore, we see that such a path is very wrong and dangerous, and it is not permissible for a person to support one who follows it, but rather to reject it decisively. We are not speaking about a specific government, but we are speaking in general terms.
As for what concerns this government, praise be to Allah, the country, as you know, is governed by the Islamic Shari'ah, and the judges do not rule except by the Islamic Shari'ah. Fasting is established, Hajj is established, and lessons in the mosques are established, except for those who commit violations or from whom fitnah is feared. In that case, it is necessary to prevent evil and the causes of evil.
Then, if we look, and praise be to Allah, at our country, there is no building on graves, no circumambulation of graves, and no apparent Sufi innovations or others. There may be Sufi innovations or the like among the people, but they are hidden. This hidden corruption is something that must exist to some extent in every society. If we look at this and compare, and praise be to Allah, between this Kingdom and the neighboring countries, we find a great difference. In some neighboring countries, there are containers of intoxicants openly in the markets, being sold. Restaurants are opened during the day in Ramadan, and a person eats and drinks as he pleases. There are even prostitutes openly. Some people have told me that those who come to some countries for tourism, as soon as they get off the plane, find girls and boys with them, and I seek refuge in Allah. They say: "What do you choose? A boy or a girl?" Openly! Glory be to Allah. A person must look at the reality of his government and his country, and not go around spreading the faults, when the ruler may be excused for one reason or another. Then he is completely blind to the benefits and advantages, as if the government has no good at all. This is not justice. Allah the Glorious and Exalted says:[Al-Ma'idah 5:8]
So if someone asks: What makes this a reality? We say:
First: Zeal that has no limits, which is not restricted by the Shari'ah or by reason. Second, and this returns to ignorance.
Second: Desire. So its cause is two things: either ignorance of the Shari'ah or of wisdom, or desire. A person may know that this is a mistake, but because of something in his heart against the rulers, he wants to vent his feelings by spreading such things that cause people to turn away from their rulers and incite their hearts against them. Yes, guests, guests. May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : The orders of the rulers are divided into categories. The first category is that it is not permissible to obey them, and that is when they order disobedience to Allah, such as ordering the shaving of the beard or ordering other reprehensible things. In this case, it is not permissible to obey them, because Allah the Exalted said:
O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْObedience is in matters which are good and universally recognized.
إنما الطاعة في المعروفAnd because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent a man on a military expedition and ordered them to obey him. One day, they angered him, so he ordered them to gather firewood. They gathered firewood, then he ordered them to set it on fire, and they set it on fire. Then he ordered them to throw themselves into it, but they hesitated and said: "We did not follow the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) except out of fear of the Fire, and we refused to enter the fire." When they returned to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and informed him, he said: "If they had entered it, they would not have come out of it. Obedience is only in what is right."
ولأن النبي صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم بعث رجلا على سرية وأمرهم بطاعته وفي يوم من الأيام أغضبوه فأمرهم أن يجمعوا حطبا فجمعوا حطبا ثم أمرهم أن يشعلوا فيه النار فأشعلوا فيه النار ثم أمرهم أن يلقوا أنفسهم فيها فتوقفوا وقالوا : إننا لم نتبع الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم إلا خوفا من النار وأبوا أن يدخلوا النار فلما رجعوا إلى النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وأخبروه قال : إنهم لو دخلوها ما خرجوا منها إنما الطاعة في المعروفThe second category is when he orders what Allah and His Messenger have ordered. When the ruler orders what Allah and His Messenger have ordered from acts of worship, if it is obligatory, such as ordering congregational prayer and checking on people regarding it, then obedience to him here is obligatory. It is obligatory from two aspects:
The first aspect is that it is obligatory in the Shari'ah without the order of the ruler.
The second is that it becomes more emphasized when the ruler orders it.
The third is when he orders a non-obligatory act of worship that is prescribed, such as ordering people to fast. He says: "O people, fast tomorrow, for we are going out for the prayer for rain to seek rain, and the supplication of the fasting person is answered, so fast tomorrow." In this case, obedience is not obligatory. Obedience is not obligatory, because this is an act of worship between the servant and his Lord, so obedience to it is not obligatory.
The fourth is when he orders what preserves security and the well-being of society. In this case, obedience to him is obligatory, even if Allah and His Messenger did not order it, provided it is not disobedience. Such as the current orders in the systems that are established and do not contradict the Shari'ah. Then obedience to the ruler in these matters is obligatory, and whoever disobeys and contradicts them is sinful. This is what comes to my mind now regarding the categories of obedience to the rulers.
But here is an issue: some people, out of their zeal for the religion of Allah the Glorious and Exalted, when they see these reprehensible things and that these reprehensible things are widespread among people—what is found in newspapers, or heard on some radio stations, or watched via satellite dishes, for example—and they become zealous about this and see that the government is negligent in this matter. Then they go around spreading the faults of the government among people and inciting hearts against it. The consequence of this action is that it makes people hate their rulers. The truth is that this is a very wrong path, contrary to the Shari'ah, dangerous to society, and a cause of fitnah. If he had striven to reform society itself, it would have been better for him. For example, what is broadcast in the media—read, heard, and seen—he warns people against it. He says: "Beware, for example, of these magazines. Beware of watching harmful things in religion and in this world. Beware of such and such. Beware of such and such. Beware of riba, for example. Beware of bribery." Yes, it would have been better for him and for society. If society is reformed, then the rulers are part of the society; they must be reformed, either by choice or by necessity. But to pour all his zeal on the rulers in order to incite the hearts of people against them, resulting in evil and corruption, this is undoubtedly contrary to what is right and a deviation from the sound path.
It is not hidden from you all what happened of great fitnahs from the time of 'Ali ibn Abi Talib, or even from the time of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), in terms of the evil and corruption that occurred, and the making lawful of souls and wealth because of this. For the one who considers the fire great is the one who considers the sparks small. Therefore, we see that such a path is a wrong and forbidden path, and it is not permissible. If a person has true zeal, let him direct the people to good.
And it is amazing that you find some people pouring all their zeal on their rulers, while they find in their people those who associate partners with Allah the Glorious and Exalted, and they do not speak up. And shirk is greater than the sins committed by the rulers. Or they go and try to apply verses to the meanings they desire, saying, for example:
And whoever does not judge by what Allah has revealed - then it is those who are the disbelievers.
وَمَنْ لَمْ يَحْكُمْ بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ فَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْكَافِرُونَSecond: He should also look with the eye of reason and wisdom. What are the consequences of this thing? Therefore, we see that such a path is very wrong and dangerous, and it is not permissible for a person to support one who follows it, but rather to reject it decisively. We are not speaking about a specific government, but we are speaking in general terms.
As for what concerns this government, praise be to Allah, the country, as you know, is governed by the Islamic Shari'ah, and the judges do not rule except by the Islamic Shari'ah. Fasting is established, Hajj is established, and lessons in the mosques are established, except for those who commit violations or from whom fitnah is feared. In that case, it is necessary to prevent evil and the causes of evil.
Then, if we look, and praise be to Allah, at our country, there is no building on graves, no circumambulation of graves, and no apparent Sufi innovations or others. There may be Sufi innovations or the like among the people, but they are hidden. This hidden corruption is something that must exist to some extent in every society. If we look at this and compare, and praise be to Allah, between this Kingdom and the neighboring countries, we find a great difference. In some neighboring countries, there are containers of intoxicants openly in the markets, being sold. Restaurants are opened during the day in Ramadan, and a person eats and drinks as he pleases. There are even prostitutes openly. Some people have told me that those who come to some countries for tourism, as soon as they get off the plane, find girls and boys with them, and I seek refuge in Allah. They say: "What do you choose? A boy or a girl?" Openly! Glory be to Allah. A person must look at the reality of his government and his country, and not go around spreading the faults, when the ruler may be excused for one reason or another. Then he is completely blind to the benefits and advantages, as if the government has no good at all. This is not justice. Allah the Glorious and Exalted says:
O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm for Allah, witnesses in justice, and do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُونُوا قَوَّامِينَ لِلَّهِ شُهَدَاءَ بِالْقِسْطِ وَلا يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنَآنُ قَوْمٍ عَلَى أَلَّا تَعْدِلُوا اعْدِلُوا هُوَ أَقْرَبُ لِلتَّقْوَىSo if someone asks: What makes this a reality? We say:
First: Zeal that has no limits, which is not restricted by the Shari'ah or by reason. Second, and this returns to ignorance.
Second: Desire. So its cause is two things: either ignorance of the Shari'ah or of wisdom, or desire. A person may know that this is a mistake, but because of something in his heart against the rulers, he wants to vent his feelings by spreading such things that cause people to turn away from their rulers and incite their hearts against them. Yes, guests, guests. May Allah reward you with good.