The Book of Jihad, Expeditions, and Authority-10a
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The reciter: And Muhammad ibn Sahl ibn 'Askar al-Tamimi narrated to me, Yahya ibn Hassan narrated to us. And 'Abd Allah ibn 'Abd al-Rahman al-Darimi narrated to us, Yahya, who is Ibn Hassan, informed us. Mu'awiyyah, meaning Ibn Salam, narrated to us. Zayd ibn Salam narrated to us from Abu Salam, who said: Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman said: Sahih Muslim 1847b.
The Shaykh : His statement: If someone were to ask, how can they be imams when they do not follow the guidance of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) nor adopt his Sunnah? We say: The imam here is the one who is followed, whether in good or in evil. As Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, said: [As-Sajdah 32:24] These are the imams of good. And He said, Exalted is He: [Al-Qasas 28:41] These are the imams of evil. So imams is the plural of imam, which is the one who is emulated and followed, whether in good or in evil.
These are imams, meaning they have followers who follow them in what they are upon, but they do not follow the guidance of the Prophet (may Allah's prayer and peace be upon him) nor adopt his Sunnah. And perhaps the Prophet (may Allah's prayer and peace be upon him) is referring to the Khawarij, for this is their condition: they are imams, but they do not follow the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) nor adopt his Sunnah. Rather, they are rebels who rise up against people over the smallest of sins, while they consider the greatest of sacred rights permissible to violate. For this reason, the scholars described them by saying: They fight the righteous and make truces with the disbelievers, because they fight the Muslims, their swords red with their blood, but they do not fight the disbelievers.
And in this hadith is evidence for the obligation of listening and obeying the imam, even if the back is struck and the wealth is taken. Even if your back is struck, listen and obey. And if your wealth is taken, listen and obey. And if he is unjust, the reckoning is on the Day of Resurrection. And if it is with right, then it is with right; he has the right to strike the back and take the wealth. For this reason, the stronger position is that it is permissible to impose discretionary punishment with wealth, meaning that we impose a fine on the sinner for his sin. As that came in the burning of the camel of the one who deviated from the caravan, and in reducing the value for the one who withholds lost property.
Messenger of Allah, no doubt, we had an evil time (i. e. the days of Jahiliyya or ignorance) and God brought us a good time (i. e. Islamic period) through which we are now living Will there be a bad time after this good time? He (the Holy Prophet) said: Yes. I said: Will there be a good time after this bad time? He said: Yes. I said: Will there be a bad time after good time? He said: Yes. I said: How? Whereupon he said: There will be leaders who will not be led by my guidance and who will not adopt my ways? There will be among them men who will have the hearts of devils in the bodies of human beings. I said: What should I do. Messenger of Allah, if I (happen) to live in that time? He replied: You will listen to the Amir and carry out his orders; even if your back is flogged and your wealth is snatched, you should listen and obey.
قُلْتُ : يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، إِنَّا كُنَّا بِشَرٍّ، فَجَاءَ اللهُ بِخَيْرٍ، فَنَحْنُ فِيهِ، فَهَلْ مِنْ وَرَاءِ هَذَا الْخَيْرِ شَرٌّ؟ قَالَ : نَعَمْ، قُلْتُ : هَلْ وَرَاءَ ذَلِكَ الشَّرِّ خَيْرٌ؟ قَالَ : نَعَمْ، قُلْتُ : فَهَلْ وَرَاءَ ذَلِكَ الْخَيْرِ شَرٌّ؟ قَالَ : نَعَمْ، قُلْتُ : كَيْفَ؟ قَالَ : يَكُونُ بَعْدِي أَئِمَّةٌ لَا يَهْتَدُونَ بِهُدَايَ، وَلَا يَسْتَنُّونَ بِسُنَّتِي، وَسَيَقُومُ فِيهِمْ رِجَالٌ قُلُوبُهُمْ قُلُوبُ الشَّيَاطِينِ فِي جُثْمَانِ إِنْسٍ، قَالَ : قُلْتُ : كَيْفَ أَصْنَعُ يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، إِنْ أَدْرَكْتُ ذَلِكَ؟ قَالَ : تَسْمَعُ وَتُطِيعُ لِلْأَمِيرِ، وَإِنْ ضُرِبَ ظَهْرُكَ، وَأُخِذَ مَالُكَ، فَاسْمَعْ وَأَطِعْThe Shaykh : His statement:
There will be imams
يكون أئمةAnd We made from among them leaders guiding by Our command when they were patient and [when] they were certain of Our signs.
وجعلناهم أئمة يهدون بأمرنا لما صبروا وكانوا بآياتنا يوقنونAnd We made them leaders inviting to the Fire, and on the Day of Resurrection they will not be helped.
وجعلناهم أئمة يدعون إلى النار ويوم القيامة لا يُنصرونThese are imams, meaning they have followers who follow them in what they are upon, but they do not follow the guidance of the Prophet (may Allah's prayer and peace be upon him) nor adopt his Sunnah. And perhaps the Prophet (may Allah's prayer and peace be upon him) is referring to the Khawarij, for this is their condition: they are imams, but they do not follow the guidance of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) nor adopt his Sunnah. Rather, they are rebels who rise up against people over the smallest of sins, while they consider the greatest of sacred rights permissible to violate. For this reason, the scholars described them by saying: They fight the righteous and make truces with the disbelievers, because they fight the Muslims, their swords red with their blood, but they do not fight the disbelievers.
And in this hadith is evidence for the obligation of listening and obeying the imam, even if the back is struck and the wealth is taken. Even if your back is struck, listen and obey. And if your wealth is taken, listen and obey. And if he is unjust, the reckoning is on the Day of Resurrection. And if it is with right, then it is with right; he has the right to strike the back and take the wealth. For this reason, the stronger position is that it is permissible to impose discretionary punishment with wealth, meaning that we impose a fine on the sinner for his sin. As that came in the burning of the camel of the one who deviated from the caravan, and in reducing the value for the one who withholds lost property.