One who separates from the community dies the death of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance; in some places, they rule by other than what Allah has revealed. If one obeys them, he obeys them in disobedience to Allah, and thus falls under His saying:
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The questioner : The hadith states that whoever goes out against the obedience of his Imam dies the death of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance. If one separates from the community in some places, for example, where they rule by other than what Allah has revealed, and if, for example, this person obeys them in disobedience to Allah, then if he obeys them in something other than disobedience to Allah, he falls under His saying regarding Pharaoh: [Hud 11:98] So here, we say: if he does not obey them, he has separated from the community and thus dies the death of the pre-Islamic age of ignorance. If he obeys them, he falls under this verse. What is our position?
The Shaykh : There is no confusion here. This obedience is restricted by what was mentioned previously: as long as it is not in disobedience to Allah. If they order him to rule by a law that contradicts the Shari'ah, he does not obey them. He does not obey them in that. But if they order him, for example, to do something else that is permissible, and he personally dislikes that thing and does not consider it correct, and he rebels and rejects it, then this is the one to whom the hadith applies. As for being ordered to commit a sin or disbelief, it is not permissible to obey, and this is not going out against the Imam.
He will precede his people on the Day of Resurrection and lead them into the Fire; and wretched is the place to which they are led.
يقدم قومه يوم القيامة فأوردهم النار فبئس الورد المورودThe Shaykh : There is no confusion here. This obedience is restricted by what was mentioned previously: as long as it is not in disobedience to Allah. If they order him to rule by a law that contradicts the Shari'ah, he does not obey them. He does not obey them in that. But if they order him, for example, to do something else that is permissible, and he personally dislikes that thing and does not consider it correct, and he rebels and rejects it, then this is the one to whom the hadith applies. As for being ordered to commit a sin or disbelief, it is not permissible to obey, and this is not going out against the Imam.