The Book of Jihad, Military Expeditions, and Authority-09a
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The reciter: Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah narrated to us, and Abdullah ibn Idris narrated to us from Yahya ibn Sa'id and Ubayd Allah ibn Umar, from 'Ubadah ibn al-Walid ibn 'Ubadah, from his father, from his grandfather, who said: Sahih Muslim 1709e.
The Shaykh : These are great matters for which they pledged allegiance to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)Sunan an-Nasa'i 4152Sahih (Darussalam). "Listening" means to the rulers, and obedience to them in all circumstances, in hardship and ease, in what is pleasant and what is disliked, and when we are deprived of our rights. This is where the souls are attached. "Deprivation" means taking precedence, such that those with the prince and those who hold authority have the palaces and cars, and other things they take precedence with over the people. It is upon us to listen and obey, and whatever they take for themselves is upon themselves. Just as it is upon us to listen and obey even if he drinks intoxicants, steals, and commits unlawful sexual intercourse, because it is not a condition for the obligation of obedience that the prince be protected from sins. His sin is upon himself, and upon us is listening and obedience. For this reason, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: .
He also said:. So who are "those to whom it belongs"? Are "those to whom it belongs" those in whom initial conditions are required, such as being from Quraysh, being capable, and being such and such? Or does "those to whom it belongs" mean those who qualified themselves for this position, even if the conditions required at the beginning are not met in them? The answer is the second. "Those to whom it belongs" are those who have seized control of the lands, whatever their circumstances, whatever their lineage, and whatever their state. He says: Sahih Muslim 1709e, in every place. It is upon us to speak the truth. If we are asked about it, we clarify it. If necessity calls for its clarification, we clarify it, because the first is a question by the tongue, and the second is a question by the situation. However, it may be better for a person to delay clarifying the truth, as Mu'adh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) did: . But concealing the truth one possesses until death is not permissible. One must clarify the truth.
Sahih Muslim 1709e: Even if they reproach us for the truth, it does not concern us. But if one is tortured for the truth, is it permissible for him to interpret [the text] and conceal the truth explicitly, or what? This requires detail: If concealing the truth leads to the death of the truth, because no one else will uphold it, then it is not permissible. Rather, it is obligatory to clarify the truth even if one is killed, because clarifying the truth in that case is jihad in the path of Allah. If the matter is otherwise, meaning that if he conceals the truth, he will find someone who will clarify it, then if he is coerced into concealing the truth, there is no blame on him.
For this reason, when people were coerced during the time of Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) in the fitnah of the creation of the Qur'an, many scholars interpreted [the text] (may Allah have mercy on them). They would count on their fingers, saying for example: "The Torah, the Gospel, the Psalms, and the Scrolls of Ibrahim and Musa: all of these are created, all of these are created." What they meant was the fingers, interpreting [the text] out of fear of being killed, imprisoned, or tortured. When it came to Imam Ahmad's turn (may Allah have mercy on him), he did not interpret [the text], because if he had interpreted, the truth would have died. People were waiting to see what this Imam would say. So he explicitly stated that the Qur'an is the speech of Allah, and that it is revealed, not created. He was tortured for this, as is well known.
So this requires detail: If clarifying the truth leads to [its preservation], let him clarify it even if he is killed. Look at the story of the boy with the tyrant king who was calling to shirk (associating partners with Allah), while the boy was calling to tawhid (the oneness of Allah). The king harassed him, threw him into the sea, and threw him from the tops of mountains, but he would return, and Allah the Exalted would save him. The boy said to him: "If you want to kill me, gather the people, take an arrow from my quiver, shoot it, and say: 'In the name of the Lord of the boy.'" The king did so, because he wanted to get rid of him by any means. He gathered the people, took an arrow from his quiver, shot it, and said: "In the name of the Lord of the boy." The arrow hit him and he died. The people all cried out, saying: "The Lord is the Lord of the boy," because this king was unable to kill him with his power and strength, but when he named the Lord of this boy, he killed him. So they said: "Then the matter belongs to the Lord of the boy, He is the one who has authority." So now he chose to kill himself to manifest the truth. Likewise, Imam Ahmad and other scholars who feared that if they interpreted [the text] as others did, the truth would be lost, spoke the truth and were patient with what they were denied and afflicted with.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) took an oath of allegiance from us on our listening to and obeying the orders of our commander in adversity and prosperity, in pleasure and displeasure (and even) when somebody is given preference over us, on our avoiding to dispute the delegation of powers to a person deemed to be a fit recipient thereof (in the eye of one who delegates it) and on our telling the truth in whatever position we be without fearing in the matter ef Allah the reproach of the reproacher.
بَايَعْنَا رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ عَلَى السَّمْعِ وَالطَّاعَةِ فِي الْعُسْرِ وَالْيُسْرِ، وَالْمَنْشَطِ وَالْمَكْرَهِ، وَعَلَى أَثَرَةٍ عَلَيْنَا، وَعَلَى أَنْ لَا نُنَازِعَ الْأَمْرَ أَهْلَهُ، وَعَلَى أَنْ نَقُولَ بِالْحَقِّ أَيْنَمَا كُنَّا، لَا نَخَافُ فِي اللهِ لَوْمَةَ لَائِمٍThe Shaykh : These are great matters for which they pledged allegiance to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)
to hear and obey both in times of hardship and ease, when we felt energetic and when we felt tired
عَلَى السَّمْعِ وَالطَّاعَةِ فِي الْعُسْرِ وَالْيُسْرِ، وَالْمَنْشَطِ وَالْمَكْرَهِThey pray for you. If they do right, it is for you and for them. If they do wrong, it is for you and upon them.
يُصلّون لكم ، فإن أصابوا فلكم ولهم، وإن فلكم وعليهمHe also said:
And not to dispute authority with those to whom it belongs.
وألا ننازع الأمر أهلهon our telling the truth in whatever position we be
وأن نقول بالحق أينما كناThe right of the servants upon Allah is that He does not punish anyone who does not associate anything with Him.
حق العباد على الله ألا يُعذّب من لا يُشرك به شيئاًand on our telling the truth in whatever position we be without fearing in the matter ef Allah the reproach of the reproacher.
وَعَلَى أَنْ نَقُولَ بِالْحَقِّ أَيْنَمَا كُنَّا، لَا نَخَافُ فِي اللهِ لَوْمَةَ لَائِمٍFor this reason, when people were coerced during the time of Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) in the fitnah of the creation of the Qur'an, many scholars interpreted [the text] (may Allah have mercy on them). They would count on their fingers, saying for example: "The Torah, the Gospel, the Psalms, and the Scrolls of Ibrahim and Musa: all of these are created, all of these are created." What they meant was the fingers, interpreting [the text] out of fear of being killed, imprisoned, or tortured. When it came to Imam Ahmad's turn (may Allah have mercy on him), he did not interpret [the text], because if he had interpreted, the truth would have died. People were waiting to see what this Imam would say. So he explicitly stated that the Qur'an is the speech of Allah, and that it is revealed, not created. He was tortured for this, as is well known.
So this requires detail: If clarifying the truth leads to [its preservation], let him clarify it even if he is killed. Look at the story of the boy with the tyrant king who was calling to shirk (associating partners with Allah), while the boy was calling to tawhid (the oneness of Allah). The king harassed him, threw him into the sea, and threw him from the tops of mountains, but he would return, and Allah the Exalted would save him. The boy said to him: "If you want to kill me, gather the people, take an arrow from my quiver, shoot it, and say: 'In the name of the Lord of the boy.'" The king did so, because he wanted to get rid of him by any means. He gathered the people, took an arrow from his quiver, shot it, and said: "In the name of the Lord of the boy." The arrow hit him and he died. The people all cried out, saying: "The Lord is the Lord of the boy," because this king was unable to kill him with his power and strength, but when he named the Lord of this boy, he killed him. So they said: "Then the matter belongs to the Lord of the boy, He is the one who has authority." So now he chose to kill himself to manifest the truth. Likewise, Imam Ahmad and other scholars who feared that if they interpreted [the text] as others did, the truth would be lost, spoke the truth and were patient with what they were denied and afflicted with.