What is the ruling on one who rules by law?
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The questioner : Shaykh, if for example a person rules by law, meaning a specific ruler who claims to be Muslim and prays, but he brings in a disbeliever?
The Shaykh : Ruling by law, may Allah reward you, in reality there is a doubt in this, because some contemporary scholars, in particular, say: that what concerns worldly affairs is left to the unrestricted public interest (maslahah mursalah), and people in this matter each seek their own interest, and they cite as evidence a hadith that has no indication of what they are saying, which is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family): And the evidence for this is the occasion of the hadith, because the occasion of the hadith is that when the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) arrived in Madinah, he found the people pollinating the date palms; they would climb up to the male palm and bring one of them, then climb up to the female palm and pollinate it. This involved hardship and a waste of time, so he said, "If you would only leave this," or words to that effect. So they left it and did not pollinate from that year on. The fruit came out shriveled and spoiled, so they came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and said, "O Messenger of Allah, this is how the date palms are." He said: So some rulers have bad associates who beautify for them what they rule with, which contradicts the Shari'ah. So it is necessary to establish the proof against him if he claims that this is the Shari'ah, but he contradicts the Shari'ah, thinking that the Shari'ah is not suitable for every time and place. In that case, he becomes an apostate.
The questioner : We do not declare anyone a disbeliever.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : We do not declare anyone a disbeliever.
The Shaykh : We do not declare anyone a disbeliever unless the evidence for his disbelief is established, and the matter of declaring someone a disbeliever is not easy, it is not easy, because that necessitates that we consider his blood and wealth lawful, and that we declare war on him, or that we remain silent about an obligation.
The Shaykh : Ruling by law, may Allah reward you, in reality there is a doubt in this, because some contemporary scholars, in particular, say: that what concerns worldly affairs is left to the unrestricted public interest (maslahah mursalah), and people in this matter each seek their own interest, and they cite as evidence a hadith that has no indication of what they are saying, which is the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family):
You are more knowledgeable about your worldly affairs
أنتم أعلم بدنياكمYou know best the affairs of your worldly life.
أنتم أعلم بأمور دنياكمYou know best the affairs of your worldly life.
أنتم أعلم بأمور دنياكمThe questioner : We do not declare anyone a disbeliever.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : We do not declare anyone a disbeliever.
The Shaykh : We do not declare anyone a disbeliever unless the evidence for his disbelief is established, and the matter of declaring someone a disbeliever is not easy, it is not easy, because that necessitates that we consider his blood and wealth lawful, and that we declare war on him, or that we remain silent about an obligation.