Is it the methodology of the Salaf to criticize the rulers from the pulpits?
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Q: Is it the methodology of the Salaf to criticize the rulers from the pulpits? And what is the methodology of the Salaf in advising the rulers?
A: It is not the methodology of the Salaf to publicize the faults of the rulers and mention them on the pulpits; for that leads to chaos and a lack of obedience in what is right, and it leads to delving into matters that harm rather than benefit. However, the method followed by the Salaf is: advising them in private between themselves and the ruler, writing to him, or contacting the scholars who have access to him so that he is guided to good.
As for forbidding evil without mentioning the doer: one forbids unlawful sexual intercourse, forbids intoxicants, and forbids usury or interest without mentioning who committed it; that is obligatory due to the generality of the evidence.
It is sufficient to forbid sins and warn against them without mentioning who committed them, whether a ruler or not.
When the fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) occurred during the time of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him): some people said to Usamah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him): "Will you not speak to 'Umar?" He said: "You see that I do not speak to him except that I hear you? I speak to him in private between me and him, without opening a matter that I do not like to be the first to open."
When the ignorant Khawarij (an early sect that declared sinners disbelievers) opened the door of evil during the time of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) and publicly criticized 'Umar, the fitnah (trial, discord or temptation), fighting, and corruption became great, and people are still in its aftermath to this day, until the fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) occurred between 'Ali and Mu'awiyah, and 'Umar ibn al-Khattab and 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with them both) were killed because of that, and a large group of the Companions (the Companions of the Prophet) and others were killed because of public criticism and publicly mentioning faults, until many people came to hate their ruler and killed him. And 'Iyad ibn Ghanam al-Ashe'ari narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:.
We ask Allah for well-being and safety for us and our Muslim brothers from all evil, for He is the All-Hearing, the Responsive.
And may Allah send prayers and peace upon our master Muhammad, and his family and his companions.
A: It is not the methodology of the Salaf to publicize the faults of the rulers and mention them on the pulpits; for that leads to chaos and a lack of obedience in what is right, and it leads to delving into matters that harm rather than benefit. However, the method followed by the Salaf is: advising them in private between themselves and the ruler, writing to him, or contacting the scholars who have access to him so that he is guided to good.
As for forbidding evil without mentioning the doer: one forbids unlawful sexual intercourse, forbids intoxicants, and forbids usury or interest without mentioning who committed it; that is obligatory due to the generality of the evidence.
It is sufficient to forbid sins and warn against them without mentioning who committed them, whether a ruler or not.
When the fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) occurred during the time of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him): some people said to Usamah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him): "Will you not speak to 'Umar?" He said: "You see that I do not speak to him except that I hear you? I speak to him in private between me and him, without opening a matter that I do not like to be the first to open."
When the ignorant Khawarij (an early sect that declared sinners disbelievers) opened the door of evil during the time of 'Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) and publicly criticized 'Umar, the fitnah (trial, discord or temptation), fighting, and corruption became great, and people are still in its aftermath to this day, until the fitnah (trial, discord or temptation) occurred between 'Ali and Mu'awiyah, and 'Umar ibn al-Khattab and 'Ali (may Allah be pleased with them both) were killed because of that, and a large group of the Companions (the Companions of the Prophet) and others were killed because of public criticism and publicly mentioning faults, until many people came to hate their ruler and killed him. And 'Iyad ibn Ghanam al-Ashe'ari narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Whoever wants to advise a person in authority should not do so publicly, but he should take his hand and be alone with him. If he accepts it from him, that is good; otherwise, he has fulfilled what is required of him.
من أراد أن ينصح لذي سلطان فلا يبده علانية، ولكن يأخذ بيده فيخلو به فإن قبل منه فذاك، وإلا كان قد أدى الذي عليهWe ask Allah for well-being and safety for us and our Muslim brothers from all evil, for He is the All-Hearing, the Responsive.
And may Allah send prayers and peace upon our master Muhammad, and his family and his companions.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.