What is the ruling on obeying the one in authority if he orders the abandonment of a matter to which the Shari'ah has recommended us, such as da'wah (calling others to Islam), given that it is reported in the hadith: "Obedience is only in what is right"?
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The questioner : May Allah reward you. If Allah (Mighty and Majestic) has recommended to us matters of the Shari'ah in a general sense, and the one in authority prevents their implementation.
The Shaykh : Prevents?
The questioner : The one in authority prevents their implementation.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : So, do we obey the one in authority in this, given the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him):Sunan Abi Dawud 2625Sahih (Al-Albani), provided that it is feasible? May Allah reward you with good.
The Shaykh : This issue must be specified. I mean, say: If he said such and such.
The questioner : I am afraid it will not be counted for me, because I feel this issue requires elaboration.
The Shaykh : No, say something like: If he said: Do not pray the rawatib (regular voluntary prayers) of the midday prayer.
The questioner : For example, da'wah (calling others to Islam) to Allah (Mighty and Majestic); the original basis for it is permission from Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : If the one in authority prevents a person from da'wah (calling others to Islam) to Allah (Mighty and Majestic), is this part of the "what is right" about which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan Abi Dawud 2625Sahih (Al-Albani)? Is it obligatory to comply with the order of the one in authority in this case?
The Shaykh : Okay, we say: If the one in authority says to a person, for example, "Do not speak," we look at the situation. If no one else is performing this duty, then the one in authority is not to be obeyed, because it becomes an individual obligation (fard 'ayn) for this person, and there is no obedience to the one in authority in an individual obligation.
However, if others are performing it in his place, we look at whether the one in authority dislikes admonition and guiding the people. In that case, the one in authority must be advised sincerely in this matter, and it should be said: Fear Allah, do not prevent the servants of Allah from guiding their brothers.
But if there is another reason arising from this man's speech, and he sees that the public benefit (maslahah) lies in stopping him, while others are fulfilling what is required of them, then it is not permissible for him to oppose the one in authority. 'Ammar ibn Yasir (may Allah be pleased with him) was with 'Umar ibn al-Khattab on a journey, and 'Ammar became in a state of major ritual impurity (janabah). He began to roll in the dust, as a beast rolls, meaning he turned over so that the earth would cover his entire body. Then he returned to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and mentioned this to him. The Prophet said to 'Ammar:Bulugh al-Maram 129 and showed him dry ablution (tayammum).
Then the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) passed away, and the caliphate of Abu Bakr came, followed by the caliphate of 'Umar. 'Ammar used to narrate this hadith, so one day 'Umar summoned him and asked: How are you narrating this hadith?
Because 'Umar held the view that one in a state of major ritual impurity (janabah) does not perform dry ablution (tayammum), and that tayammum is only for minor ritual impurity. One in a state of janabah waits until he finds water, then performs the full ritual bath (ghusl) and prays. This was his opinion. So 'Ammar said to him:. It seems 'Umar had forgotten this, so he said to him: "O Commander of the Faithful! If you wish, by the obedience Allah has placed for you over me, that I not narrate it, I will do so." 'Umar said to him: "No, we will appoint you to the position you held," meaning: Narrate it.
The point is that he did not object to his saying: "If you wish, by the obedience Allah has placed for you over me, that I not narrate it, I will do so."
However, if the one in authority says, for example, "Do not pray the voluntary prayers," we say: Pray them, but without opposition. Pray them in your house, because opposing the one in authority leads to many harms. Not just for you, the one opposing, because you, the one opposing, might be taken and harmed, and you believe you were harmed for the sake of Allah. But others are also affected by this opposition. How are they affected?
Perhaps others who do not know what you know will follow your example and oppose without knowledge. Perhaps news will be scrutinized around you, and everyone around you will be brought in and harmed without crime. Furthermore, diminishing the status of the rulers, whether scholars or princes, in the eyes of the people has great harm. If the status of the rulers falls in the eyes of the people, the people will rebel against the one in authority and see no value in his orders, and they will view him as any other person. And if the status of the scholars falls in the eyes of the people, what they say of the Shari'ah of Allah will have no value, and people will not trust their words. The Shari'ah will be cast aside from this bridge, because their status has been belittled in the eyes of the people, so people do not care about them, do not take their words, and go to take from so-and-so and so-and-so who are below them in the understanding of the Shari'ah of Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
So we should not look at these matters only at their surface, because they have a deep and far-reaching depth. Therefore, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said about the rulers who demand their rights and neglect the rights of Allah in their subjects:. Meaning: Even if they prevent our rights, we give them what is due to them from us, and we ask Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) for our rights, that Allah guide them to fulfill them. We should not, my brothers, look at matters only from their superficiality, but we should look at the great harms that result from them. Security has no price; the entire world is sacrificed for the sake of security, and a person lowers himself in many things for the sake of security. One does not know the value of security except one who has been tested with fear. Ask your forefathers what this land was like in the past regarding fear?
People did not travel from Buraydah to Unayzah, or from Unayzah to Buraydah, unless they were armed and in great fear. Indeed, some of our elders told me: By Allah, we used to go out in Ramadan, a sacred month. We used to go out in Ramadan from our houses after 'Isha', or even after Maghrib, with weapons on our sides. They would go out for tarawih at the beginning of the night, armed, fearing for their lives from an enemy entering the town or otherwise. The blessing of security is not matched by any other blessing. And if security slips away, who will restore it?
So in this issue, we must avoid everything that incites the people. We do not exonerate the rulers from error; the rulers, whether scholars or princes, have many errors. But it is reported in the athar: "As you are, so will your rulers be." Look at the state of the people; their rulers will be like them. It is from the wisdom of Allah that the ruler and the ruled are equal, as Allah the Exalted said:[Al-An'am 6:129]: Thus, Allah appoints the righteous over the righteous.
And if we look at the state of the subjects, we find that we ourselves are the first among the subjects, with much negligence in obligations, neglect, and laxity. We find deceit in transactions, lying in transactions, forgery, and false testimony, and many other things. I mean, if a person delved into and shone a light on the state of the Muslim society today, he would say: These are not Muslims. The Muslim society is truthfulness, loyalty, and trust, but this is missing now. If we lose trust, and we do not have great authority, how much more so for the great one in authority?
He may be more negligent of trust than we are. But if you are upright, Allah will appoint over you those who are upright.
Furthermore, it is better, or rather, if I do not say it is obligatory: that we make du'a' (supplication) for our rulers, in secret and in public. We should ask Allah for them for success, rectitude, and reform, because they are our rulers, and we have given them the pledge of allegiance (bay'ah). So we must ask Allah for their rectitude so that Allah may rectify things through them. It is mentioned that Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "If I knew that I had a supplication that would be answered, I would direct it to the ruler." Because if he is rectified, the nation is rectified.
And this is correct. So it is obligatory upon us, my brothers, not to despair, and to make du'a' for our rulers that Allah rectify their affairs, and that He help them with what He has burdened them with, and that He remove from them every bad inner circle. For the rulers, do not think it is just him; he has assistants, he has ministers, and he has companions. If he is granted a righteous companion, a righteous assistant, and a righteous minister, that is from his success and the success of the subjects. And if it is the other way, it is from his misfortune and the misfortune of the subjects. For this reason, we must ask Allah for our rulers that He grant them success in rectitude and reform, and that He make easy for them a righteous inner circle. And we ask Allah for you and for us for success.
The questioner : Amen.
The Shaykh : Prevents?
The questioner : The one in authority prevents their implementation.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : So, do we obey the one in authority in this, given the saying of the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him):
Obedience is in matters which are good and universally recognized.
إنّما الطّاعة في المعروفThe Shaykh : This issue must be specified. I mean, say: If he said such and such.
The questioner : I am afraid it will not be counted for me, because I feel this issue requires elaboration.
The Shaykh : No, say something like: If he said: Do not pray the rawatib (regular voluntary prayers) of the midday prayer.
The questioner : For example, da'wah (calling others to Islam) to Allah (Mighty and Majestic); the original basis for it is permission from Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : If the one in authority prevents a person from da'wah (calling others to Islam) to Allah (Mighty and Majestic), is this part of the "what is right" about which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Obedience is in matters which are good and universally recognized.
إنّما الطّاعة في المعروفThe Shaykh : Okay, we say: If the one in authority says to a person, for example, "Do not speak," we look at the situation. If no one else is performing this duty, then the one in authority is not to be obeyed, because it becomes an individual obligation (fard 'ayn) for this person, and there is no obedience to the one in authority in an individual obligation.
However, if others are performing it in his place, we look at whether the one in authority dislikes admonition and guiding the people. In that case, the one in authority must be advised sincerely in this matter, and it should be said: Fear Allah, do not prevent the servants of Allah from guiding their brothers.
But if there is another reason arising from this man's speech, and he sees that the public benefit (maslahah) lies in stopping him, while others are fulfilling what is required of them, then it is not permissible for him to oppose the one in authority. 'Ammar ibn Yasir (may Allah be pleased with him) was with 'Umar ibn al-Khattab on a journey, and 'Ammar became in a state of major ritual impurity (janabah). He began to roll in the dust, as a beast rolls, meaning he turned over so that the earth would cover his entire body. Then he returned to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and mentioned this to him. The Prophet said to 'Ammar:
This would have been enough for you
إنّما كان يكفيك أن تقول بيديك هكذاThen the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) passed away, and the caliphate of Abu Bakr came, followed by the caliphate of 'Umar. 'Ammar used to narrate this hadith, so one day 'Umar summoned him and asked: How are you narrating this hadith?
Because 'Umar held the view that one in a state of major ritual impurity (janabah) does not perform dry ablution (tayammum), and that tayammum is only for minor ritual impurity. One in a state of janabah waits until he finds water, then performs the full ritual bath (ghusl) and prays. This was his opinion. So 'Ammar said to him:
O Commander of the Faithful! Do you not remember when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent us and you were in need, and such and such happened?
يا أمير المؤمنين! أما تذكر لما بعثنا النّبيّ صلّى الله عليه وسلّم وأنت في حاجة وحصل كذا وكذا؟The point is that he did not object to his saying: "If you wish, by the obedience Allah has placed for you over me, that I not narrate it, I will do so."
However, if the one in authority says, for example, "Do not pray the voluntary prayers," we say: Pray them, but without opposition. Pray them in your house, because opposing the one in authority leads to many harms. Not just for you, the one opposing, because you, the one opposing, might be taken and harmed, and you believe you were harmed for the sake of Allah. But others are also affected by this opposition. How are they affected?
Perhaps others who do not know what you know will follow your example and oppose without knowledge. Perhaps news will be scrutinized around you, and everyone around you will be brought in and harmed without crime. Furthermore, diminishing the status of the rulers, whether scholars or princes, in the eyes of the people has great harm. If the status of the rulers falls in the eyes of the people, the people will rebel against the one in authority and see no value in his orders, and they will view him as any other person. And if the status of the scholars falls in the eyes of the people, what they say of the Shari'ah of Allah will have no value, and people will not trust their words. The Shari'ah will be cast aside from this bridge, because their status has been belittled in the eyes of the people, so people do not care about them, do not take their words, and go to take from so-and-so and so-and-so who are below them in the understanding of the Shari'ah of Allah (Mighty and Majestic).
So we should not look at these matters only at their surface, because they have a deep and far-reaching depth. Therefore, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said about the rulers who demand their rights and neglect the rights of Allah in their subjects:
Give them what is their right, and ask Allah for your right
أعطوهم ما لهم واسألوا الله حقّكمPeople did not travel from Buraydah to Unayzah, or from Unayzah to Buraydah, unless they were armed and in great fear. Indeed, some of our elders told me: By Allah, we used to go out in Ramadan, a sacred month. We used to go out in Ramadan from our houses after 'Isha', or even after Maghrib, with weapons on our sides. They would go out for tarawih at the beginning of the night, armed, fearing for their lives from an enemy entering the town or otherwise. The blessing of security is not matched by any other blessing. And if security slips away, who will restore it?
So in this issue, we must avoid everything that incites the people. We do not exonerate the rulers from error; the rulers, whether scholars or princes, have many errors. But it is reported in the athar: "As you are, so will your rulers be." Look at the state of the people; their rulers will be like them. It is from the wisdom of Allah that the ruler and the ruled are equal, as Allah the Exalted said:
And thus will We make some of the wrongdoers allies of others for what they used to earn.
وَكَذَلِكَ نُوَلِّي بَعْضَ الظَّالِمِينَ بَعْضاً بِمَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَAnd if we look at the state of the subjects, we find that we ourselves are the first among the subjects, with much negligence in obligations, neglect, and laxity. We find deceit in transactions, lying in transactions, forgery, and false testimony, and many other things. I mean, if a person delved into and shone a light on the state of the Muslim society today, he would say: These are not Muslims. The Muslim society is truthfulness, loyalty, and trust, but this is missing now. If we lose trust, and we do not have great authority, how much more so for the great one in authority?
He may be more negligent of trust than we are. But if you are upright, Allah will appoint over you those who are upright.
Furthermore, it is better, or rather, if I do not say it is obligatory: that we make du'a' (supplication) for our rulers, in secret and in public. We should ask Allah for them for success, rectitude, and reform, because they are our rulers, and we have given them the pledge of allegiance (bay'ah). So we must ask Allah for their rectitude so that Allah may rectify things through them. It is mentioned that Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) said: "If I knew that I had a supplication that would be answered, I would direct it to the ruler." Because if he is rectified, the nation is rectified.
And this is correct. So it is obligatory upon us, my brothers, not to despair, and to make du'a' for our rulers that Allah rectify their affairs, and that He help them with what He has burdened them with, and that He remove from them every bad inner circle. For the rulers, do not think it is just him; he has assistants, he has ministers, and he has companions. If he is granted a righteous companion, a righteous assistant, and a righteous minister, that is from his success and the success of the subjects. And if it is the other way, it is from his misfortune and the misfortune of the subjects. For this reason, we must ask Allah for our rulers that He grant them success in rectitude and reform, and that He make easy for them a righteous inner circle. And we ask Allah for you and for us for success.
The questioner : Amen.