Is the commission of sins and major sins by some rulers a cause for rising against them?
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The questioner: Some people hold that the commission of sins and major sins by some rulers is a cause for rising against them and attempting to change the situation, even if this results in harm to the Muslims in the country. There are many events that our Islamic world is suffering from. What is your opinion, Your Eminence?
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful:
Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah, upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow his guidance. As for what follows:
Allah the Exalted said: : [Surat al-Nisa: 59]. This verse is an explicit text regarding the obligation of obeying those in authority, who are the rulers and the scholars. The authentic Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) has come to clarify that this obedience is necessary, and it is an obligation in what is right.
The texts from the Sunnah clarify the meaning and qualify the generality of the verse, indicating that the intended meaning is: obedience to them in what is right. It is obligatory for Muslims to obey the rulers in what is right, not in sins. If they command disobedience, they are not to be obeyed in the disobedience, but it is not permissible to rise up against them by force; because of his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih Muslim 1855b and his saying (peace and blessings be upon him): Sunan an-Nasa'i 4114Sahih (Darussalam) and he said (peace and blessings be upon him): Sahih Muslim 1839a The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) asked him when he mentioned that there would be rulers whom you will recognize and whom you will disapprove of, saying: What do you command us? He said: Sahih al-Bukhari 7052 'Ubadah ibn al-Samit (may Allah be pleased with him) said: We pledged allegiance to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) to listen and obey in our ease and hardship, in our comfort and distress, and when we are deprived of our rights, and not to dispute authority with its rightful people. And he said: Sahih al-Bukhari 7055, 7056
This indicates that it is not permissible for them to dispute with the rulers or rise against them, except if they see clear disbelief from them, with proof from Allah. And this is only because rising against the rulers causes great corruption and immense evil, whereby security is disrupted, rights are lost, it does not become easy to deter the oppressor or support the oppressed, and the roads become unsafe and one does not feel secure. Consequently, rising against the rulers results in great corruption and much evil, unless the Muslims see clear disbelief from them, with proof from Allah. In that case, there is no harm in rising against this ruler to remove him, if they have the capability. But if they do not have the capability, they should not rise, or if the rising causes more evil, they should not rise; out of regard for the public interests.
The agreed-upon legal principle is: (It is not permissible to remove evil with what is more evil than it, but rather it is obligatory to avert evil with what removes it or lightens it). As for averting evil with more evil, it is not permissible by the consensus of the Muslims. If this group that wants to remove this ruler who has committed clear disbelief has the capability to remove him with it, and to place a righteous and good imam in his stead, without this resulting in great corruption for the Muslims and evil greater than the evil of this ruler, then there is no harm.
But if the rising results in great corruption, the disruption of security, the oppression of people, and the assassination of those who do not deserve assassination... and so on of this great corruption, then this is not permissible. Rather, patience is obligatory, and listening and obeying in what is right, and advising the rulers, and supplicating for them with good, and striving to lighten and reduce the evil and increase the good. This is the straight path that must be followed; because in that there are interests for the Muslims in general, and because in that there is a reduction of evil and an increase of good, and because in that there is the preservation of security and the safety of the Muslims from more evil. We ask Allah for success and guidance for everyone.
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful:
Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon the Messenger of Allah, upon his family and his Companions, and upon those who follow his guidance. As for what follows:
Allah the Exalted said: :
O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. And if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you should believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is the best [way] and best in result.
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ فَإِنْ تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًاThe texts from the Sunnah clarify the meaning and qualify the generality of the verse, indicating that the intended meaning is: obedience to them in what is right. It is obligatory for Muslims to obey the rulers in what is right, not in sins. If they command disobedience, they are not to be obeyed in the disobedience, but it is not permissible to rise up against them by force; because of his saying (peace and blessings be upon him):
Mind you! One who has a governor appointed over him and he finds that the governor indulges in an act of disobedience to God, he should condemn the governor's act, in disobedience to God, but should not withdraw himself from his obedience.
ألا من ولي عليه وال فرآه يأتي شيئًا من معصية الله فليكره ما يأتي من معصية الله، ولا ينزعن يدًا من طاعةWhoever parts from obedience, and splits away from the Jama'ah and dies, then he has died a death of Jahiliyyah.
من خرج من الطاعة وفارق الجماعة فمات مات ميتة جاهليةIt is obligatory upon a Muslim that he should listen (to the ruler appointed over him) and obey him whether he likes it or not, except that he is ordered to do a sinful thing. If he is ordered to do a sinful act, a Muslim should neither listen to him nor should he obey his orders.
على المرء السمع والطاعة فيما أحب وكره إلا أن يؤمر بمعصية، فإن أمر بمعصية فلا سمع ولا طاعةPay their rights to them (to the rulers) and ask your right from Allah.
أدوا إليهم حقهم، وسلوا الله حقكمunless we noticed him having open Kufr (disbelief) for which we would have a proof with us from Allah
إلا أن تروا كفرًا بواحًا عندكم من الله فيه برهانThis indicates that it is not permissible for them to dispute with the rulers or rise against them, except if they see clear disbelief from them, with proof from Allah. And this is only because rising against the rulers causes great corruption and immense evil, whereby security is disrupted, rights are lost, it does not become easy to deter the oppressor or support the oppressed, and the roads become unsafe and one does not feel secure. Consequently, rising against the rulers results in great corruption and much evil, unless the Muslims see clear disbelief from them, with proof from Allah. In that case, there is no harm in rising against this ruler to remove him, if they have the capability. But if they do not have the capability, they should not rise, or if the rising causes more evil, they should not rise; out of regard for the public interests.
The agreed-upon legal principle is: (It is not permissible to remove evil with what is more evil than it, but rather it is obligatory to avert evil with what removes it or lightens it). As for averting evil with more evil, it is not permissible by the consensus of the Muslims. If this group that wants to remove this ruler who has committed clear disbelief has the capability to remove him with it, and to place a righteous and good imam in his stead, without this resulting in great corruption for the Muslims and evil greater than the evil of this ruler, then there is no harm.
But if the rising results in great corruption, the disruption of security, the oppression of people, and the assassination of those who do not deserve assassination... and so on of this great corruption, then this is not permissible. Rather, patience is obligatory, and listening and obeying in what is right, and advising the rulers, and supplicating for them with good, and striving to lighten and reduce the evil and increase the good. This is the straight path that must be followed; because in that there are interests for the Muslims in general, and because in that there is a reduction of evil and an increase of good, and because in that there is the preservation of security and the safety of the Muslims from more evil. We ask Allah for success and guidance for everyone.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.