REVOLTING AGAINST IMPIOUS RULERS (2)

 

 

 REVOLTING AGAINST IMPIOUS RULERS (2)

          Among the arguments of the majority of Muslim scholars who hold the view that rebellion against impious rulers is prohibited are as follows:

1.    Allah says in the Qur’ān,

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آَمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ (النساء:59)

O you who believe, obey Allah and obey the

Messenger and those in authority among you…

(Q. 4:59)

This verse is supported with the Prophet’s statement, narrated by Abū Hurayrah, as follows:

مَنْ أَطَاعَنِي فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ اللَّهَ وَمَنْ عَصَانِي فَقَدْ عَصَى اللَّهَ

وَمَنْ أَطَاعَ أَمِيرِي فَقَدْ أَطَاعَنِي وَمَنْ عَصَى أَمِيرِي فَقَدْ عَصَانِي

(رواه أحمد و البيهقي و النسائي)

Whoever obeys me, obeys Allah, and whoever disobeys me,

 disobeys Allah. Whoever obeys my commander, obeys me,

 and whoever disobeys my commander, disobeys me.

(Reported by Ahmad, al-Bayhaqī, and al-Nasā’ī)

In this verse Allah mentions the term “obey” before the word “Allah” and “the Messenger”, not before “those in authority among you” to indicate that obeying Allah and the Messenger is unconditional, whereas obeying those in authority among the believers is conditional that  they do not command to sin. The Prophet s.a.w. said,

...إَنَّمَا الطَّاعَةُ فِي الْمَعْرُوْف  (رواه أحمد)

... obedience is only in righteousness

(Reported by Ahmad)

Disobeying them does not imply fighting them. Several hadiths stated that the Prophet s.a.w. ordered the Muslims to be patient in obeying their rulers although they did not like them, as follows:

مَنْ رَأَى مِنْ أَمِيرِهِ شَيْئًا يَكْرَهُهُ فَلْيَصْبِرْعَلَيْه

فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ  فَارَقَ الْجَمَاعَةَ شِبْرًا فَمَاتَ إلاَّ مَيْتَةً جَاهِلِيَّةٌ

  (رواه البخاري و مسلم و الدارمي و أحمد)

Whoever sees something from his leader that he

 does not like, let him be patient. The one who separates

 a hand span from the community and then dies, dies

 not except a death of the Days of Ignorance.

(Reported by Bukhārī, Muslim, al-Dārimī, and Aḥmad)

 

2.    In several ḥadīths the Prophet s.a.w. warned us against fighting each other and civil war and tribulations as the consequence of rebellion against oppressive and impious Muslim rulers, such as follows:

                                          سِبَابُ الْمُسْلِمِ فُسُوقٌ وَقِتَالُهُ كُفْرٌ            

(رواه البخاري و مسلم والترمذي و النسائي و أحمد)

Abusing a Muslim is wickedness and fighting

him is kufr (infidelity)

(Reported by Bukhārī, Muslim, al-Tirmidhī,

al-Nasā’ī  and Aḥmad)

إِذَا التَقَى المُسْلِمَانِ بِسَيْفَيْهِمَا فَالقَاتِلُ وَالمَقْتُولُ فِي النَّارِ ، فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ

هَذَا القَاتِلُ فَمَا بَالُ المَقْتُولِ قَالَ:  إِنَّهُ كَانَ حَرِيصًا عَلَى قَتْلِ صَاحِبِه

(رواه البخاري و مسلم و أحمد)

“If two Muslims engage each other with

their swords, the killer and the killed will be

in the Hell-fire. I [Abū Bakrah] said: “O Messenger

of Allah, that is for the killer but what is the case

with the killed?” He replied, “He was

anxious to kill his fellow [Muslim].

(Reported by Bukhārī, Muslim, and Aḥmad)

لَا تَرْجِعُوا بَعْدِي كُفَّارًا يَضْرِبُ بَعْضُكُمْ رِقَابَ بَعْضٍ

(رواه البخاري ومسلم)

Do not return after me to be disbelievers,

striking the necks of one another.

(Reported by Bukhārī, and Muslim)

There is insinuation here that killing each other is like returning to infidelity, and not the behaviour of good Muslims.

The Prophet s.a.w. also advised us not to be involved in fighting among ourselves during tribulation. He said, as narrated by Abū Hurayrah, as follows:

سَتَكُونُ فِتَنٌ الْقَاعِدُ فِيهَا خَيْرٌ مِنْ الْقَائِمِ وَالْقَائِمُ فِيهَا خَيْرٌ مِنْ الْمَاشِي

وَالْمَاشِي فِيهَا خَيْرًا مِنَ السَّاعِي مَنْ تَشَرَّفَ لَهَا تَسْتَشْرِفْهُ فَمَنْ وَجَدَ

 مِنْهَا مَلْجَأً أَوْ مَهَاذًا فَلْيَعُذْ بِهِ  (رواه البخاري ومسلم)

There will be trials and tribulations wherein the one

sitting is better than the one standing. The one standing

will be better than the one walking. The one walking will

be better than the one running. Whoever will expose

himself to these afflictions, they will destroy him.

So whoever can find a place or protection or

refuge from them should take shelter in it.

(Reported by Bukhārī, and Muslim)

What the Prophet means is, in a simple language, keep away from being involved in fighting among Muslims, or you will become  victims of this tribulation.

3.    The Prophet s.a.w. had prophesised what some rulers would do, but at the same time he did not order people to rebel against them. ‘Amr ibn Yaḥyā ibn Sa‘īd said that while he was sitting in the mosque of Madinah with others among whom was Marwān, Abū Hurayrah narrated that the Prophet s.a.w. said,

«هَلَكَةُ أُمَّتِي عَلَى يَدَيْ غِلْمَةٍ مِنْ قُرَيْشٍ» فَقَالَ مَرْوَانُ: لَعْنَةُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِمْ غِلْمَةً.

فَقَالَ أَبُو هُرَيْرَةَ: لَوْ شِئْتُ أَنْ أَقُولَ: بَنِي فُلاَنٍ، وَبَنِي فُلاَنٍ، لَفَعَلْتُ. فَكُنْتُ أَخْرُجُ

مَعَ جَدِّي إِلَى بَنِي مَرْوَانَ حِينَ مُلِّكُوا بِالشَّأْمِ، فَإِذَا رَآهُمْ غِلْمَانًا أَحْدَاثًا قَالَ لَنَا :

  عَسَى هَؤُلاَءِ أَنْ يَكُونُوا مِنْهُمْ؟ قُلْنَا: أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ (رواه البخاري ومسلم)

“The destruction of my Nation will be at the hands of

 young men from the Quraysh.” Marwān then said: ‘The

 curse  of Allah be upon the young men.’ Abū Hurayrah

 said, ‘If I willed  to say the tribe of so and so and the tribe

 of  so and so, I could do so.’ Then I [Amr] went with my

grand-father [Sa‘īd] to the Clan of Marwān after they

 gained control of al-Shām. When he [Marwān] saw

 that they were young, inexperienced men, he said

 to us, ‘Perhaps these are from among them.’

 We said, ‘You know best.’

(Reported by Bukhārī, and Muslim)

          In another ḥadīth, the Prophet s.a.w. said:

إِنَّكُمْ سَتَرَوْنَ بَعْدِي أَثَرَةً وَأُمُورًا تُنْكِرُونَهَا قَالُوا فَمَا تَأْمُرُنَا ياَ رَسُوْلَ الله

قَالَ أَدُوا إِلَيْهِمْ حَقَّهُمْ وَسَلُوا اللَّهَ حَقَّكُمْ (رواه البخاري)

‘After me, you shall see selfishness and some matters

 that you will disapprove of’. They said, ‘What do you

 order us to do [at that time], O Messenger of Allah?’ He

 said, ‘Fulfill their rights and ask Allah for your rights.’

(Reported by Bukhārī)

4.    The Prophet s.a.w. did not order the Muslims to revolt against impious or oppressing rulers, as he knew that this would lead them to destruction more than if they obeyed them. It is what we call   الضَّرَرَيْن أَخَفّ ُ , “the lesser of two evils”. Ibn Taymiyyah  (1263–1328 CE),) said: “Perhaps, no group is known to have revolted against a ruler except that it resulted with more evils than what they sought to remove.” He also said that the Prophet’s order to be patient with the injustice of rulers instead of fighting or rebelling against them is the best for the affairs of the humans in this life and the Hereafter. Going against this command, intentionally or mistakenly, will achieve nothing but evil. In other words, rebellion against unjust rulers will create instability and disturbance in the society.

5.    Historical evidence indicates that rebellion achieved nothing except evil. Ibn Taymiyyah gives many examples of revolts against rulers with power resulting with greater evil than any good. Some examples of these revolts are:

(a)        Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr’s revolt against Yazīd ibn Mu‘āwiyah ibn Abī Sufyān in Madinah (23 July 647 – 14 November 683), who was the Caliph as appointed by his father Muawiyah I and ruled for three years from 680 CE until his death in 683 CE. Ibn Zubayr ibn al-Awwam was the son of Asmā bin Abū Bakr. He and al-Ḥusayn ibn ‘Ali refused to swear allegiance to Yazīd ibn Mu‘āwiyah. When al-Ḥusayn was assassinated in Karbala, Ibn al-Zubayr revolted against Yazīd who later invaded Hejaz, took Madinah after the battle of al-Harrah. Tihamah was invaded and Makkah was sieged. After Yazīd’s sudden death civil war broke out, but Ibn al-Zubayr lost Egypt and whatever he had in Syria to Marwān I. He was finally defeated by Abdul Malik ibn Marwān who sent al-Ḥajjāj ibn Yūsuf, who was notorious for his brutality, killed Ibn al-Zubayr in the battlefield in 692, beheaded him and crucified his body.

(b)            In June 15, 747, Abu Muslim al-Khurasānī who revolted against the Umayyad caliph in Khorasan and other provinces eventually succeeded in overthrowing it. Marwan II, the last Umayyad caliph was defeated and killed in 750. In reward or his services, al-Saffaḥ, the first Abbasid caliph in 749, gave Abu Muslim the governorship of Khorasan. Due to his popularity as a leading politician, a powerful military leader, especially among non-Arabs, despite many services he rendered to the Abbasids, they became more suspicious of him, especially his inclination to separate his native country Khorasan from the rest of the Abbasid states. The caliph al-Manṣūr betrayed him, invited him to his court and put him to death. It was reported that realizing the betrayal, he had said condemning this dirty politics against him, لَعْنَةُ اللّهْ عَلَى سَاسَ يَسُوسُ وَمُشْتَقَّاتِه, “Allah’s curse upon [the words] ‘ruling, and its derivatives’, [meaning  سِيَاسَة   policy, politics, diplomacy].”

The companions of the Prophet who had been given the glad tidings of Paradise were not immune from taking part in rebellion, such as Ṭalḥah and al-Zubayr, who joined ‘Ᾱ’ishah against ‘Ali in the battle of Jamal where both of them murdered.  Imām Abū ’l-Ḥasan al-Ash‘arī (d. 324/936) the founder of     Ash‘arī school of theology) listed 25 members of the Prophet’s descendants who revolted against the corrupt rulers, but none of them succeeded.

6.    The Prophet s.a.w. said,

إنَّ اللَّهَ لَيُؤَيِّدُ هَذَا الدِّينَ بِالرَّجُلِ الْفَاجِرِ (رواه البخاري ومسلم والدارمي)

Verily, Allah supports this religion [even with]

 a wicked man.  

(Reported by Bukhārī, Muslim, and al-Dārimī)

                   In line with this ḥadīth Ibn Taymiyyah said, “The oppressive king is used by Allah to repel a harm greater than his own wrongdoing. It is said, ‘Sixty years under an oppressive ruler is better than one night without a leader.’ And if He decrees to increase his oppression, that is something harmful to the religion, (and) it is like an affliction that acts as expiation for their (people’s) sins…”

          What our scholars mean is that although rebellion against oppressive rulers is not justified to avoid blood-shed, the attempt to end their oppression or their rules by peaceful means should never end. The order of doing good deeds and prohibiting from doing bad deeds (amr bi ‘l-ma‘rūf wa ‘l-nahy ‘an al-munkar) remains. It has to be done by people who have knowledge, gentleness and patience. It is part of the jihad.

A man asked the Prophet s.a.w., “What is the best jihad?” He answered,

كَلِمَةُ عَدْلٍ عِنْدَ إِمَامٍ جَائِر (رواه أحمد و النسائي و الترمذي)

 [The best jihad is] a statement of justice in the

presence of unjust ruler.

(Reported by al-Tirmidhī, al-Nasā’ī  and Aḥmad)

In conclusion, we should not stand idle witnessing any misbehavior, injustice, oppression, and corruption in our society. We have to do something based on our ability, with knowledge, gentleness, and patient, avoiding bloodshed among our Muslim brothers and sisters. (CIVIC, 6.9.13) 

Bibliography:

1. Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr

2. Al-Mutairi, Dr.Abdul Rahman (trans. Jamaal al-Din Zarabozo),  Religious Extremism in the Lives of Contemporary Muslims. Denver: al-Basheer Publication & Translation, 2001

3. Al-Maktabah al-Shāmilah

4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdullah_ibn_Zubayr

REVOLTING AGAINST IMPIOUS RULERS (1)

 

   REVOLTING AGAINST  IMPIOUS RULERS (1)

          Long, long ago, in summer (June and July) o 1988, my Egyptian friend and I were taking a journey with his car to Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories of Canada. We stopped on the way to have rest and made fire for our food and drink. After we finished our meal and drink he kept the fire burning with wood which I considered wasting. So, I told him: “Do you realize how long it took to grow a tree, just to burn it for nothing?” He said: “What about bush fire, where so many trees are burned for nothing?” Different view makes different attitude and behaviour.

          Now, 25 years later, the same question comes to my mind. In order to raise a child to become a young man to defend our country, religion etc. it takes over twenty years, not to mention the nine-month suffering of his mother carrying him in her womb before he was born. We have a very long list of young Palestinian men who sacrificed their lives in defending their rights, even before reaching their thirties, and the list is going on and on. Palestinian mothers keep raising their children to become one day martyrs in defending their home-land. It is not an easy job to raise a child for over twenty-years to become a hero. A mother might have two, three, even more children to raise, and they grow up to sacrifice their lives.

When we see the situation in the Middle-East, such as Egypt, Syria, and Lebanon I remember what my friend did and said when he burned the wood wasting trees, and compared it to bush fire. Bush fire is accidental, unless a crazy arson does it, whereas the situation in the Middle-East which almost like a civil war, is not accidental, but the works of human, our own brothers and sisters in faith who are at each other’s throat. This is the consequence of revolting against their rulers. This situation could have been avoided, if everyone followed reason, rather than emotion, the teachings of Islam, rather than their own passion and the whisper of Satan who is our real enemy.

The Qur’an gives us a very valuable moral lesson in the history of Hābīl and Qābīl  (Abel and Cain). Allah said:

وَاتْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ نَبَأَ ابْنَيْ آَدَمَ بِالْحَقِّ إِذْ قَرَّبَا قُرْبَانًا فَتُقُبِّلَ مِنْ أَحَدِهِمَا وَلَمْ يُتَقَبَّلْ

 مِنَ الْآَخَرِ قَالَ لَأَقْتُلَنَّكَ قَالَ إِنَّمَا يَتَقَبَّلُ اللَّهُ مِنَ الْمُتَّقِينَ . لَئِنْ بَسَطْتَ إِلَيَّ يَدَكَ

لِتَقْتُلَنِي مَا أَنَا بِبَاسِطٍ يَدِيَ إِلَيْكَ لِأَقْتُلَكَ إِنِّي أَخَافُ اللَّهَ رَبَّ الْعَالَمِينَ .

إِنِّي أُرِيدُ أَنْ تَبُوءَ بِإِثْمِي وَإِثْمِكَ فَتَكُونَ مِنْ أَصْحَابِ النَّارِ وَذَلِكَ

جَزَاءُ الظَّالِمِينَ. فَطَوَّعَتْ لَهُ نَفْسُهُ قَتْلَ أَخِيهِ فَقَتَلَهُ فَأَصْبَحَ

 مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ (المائدة : 27-30)

And recite (O Muhammad) to them (the Jews) the

Story of the two sons of Adam (Hābīl and Qābīl –Abel

and Cain) in truth; when each offered a sacrifice (to Allah),

it was accepted from one but not from the other. The latter

said to the former “I will surely kill you.” The former said:

“Verily Allah accepts only from those who are pious. If you

do stretch your hand against me to kill me, I shall  never

stretch my hand against you to kill you: for I fear Allah the

Lord of the world (mankind, jinn and all that exists). Verily,

I intend to let you draw my sin on yourself as well As yours,

then you will be one of the dwellers of  the Fire; and that

is the recompense of wrong-doers.” So, the nafs (self)

of the other (latter one) encouraged him  and made

fair-seeming to him the murder of his brother; he

murdered him and became one of the losers.

(Q. 5: 27-30)

    Out of jealousy Hābīl killed his own brother Qābīl in cold blood.

          There are two views among Muslim scholars concerning rebellion against oppressive, unjust, impious, or oppressive rulers. The first view is that it permissible, which is the view of the minority of scholars, whereas the second view is that it is prohibited to do so which is the view of the majority of Muslim scholars. Among the arguments of those who allow it are as follows: 

1.  Allah says in the Qur’an,

وَإِنْ طَائِفَتَانِ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ اقْتَتَلُوا فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَهُمَا فَإِنْ بَغَتْ إِحْدَاهُمَا

عَلَى الْأُخْرَى فَقَاتِلُوا الَّتِي تَبْغِي حَتَّى تَفِيءَ إِلَى أَمْرِ اللَّهِ فَإِنْ فَاءَتْ فَأَصْلِحُوا

 بَيْنَهُمَا بِالْعَدْلِ وَأَقْسِطُوا إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُقْسِطِينَ ( الحجرات:9)

 If two parties among the believers fall into a quarrel,

Make  peace between them. But if one of them transgresses

 beyond bounds against the other, then fight (all) against

 the one that transgresses until it complies with the

command of Allah.(Q. 49:9)

They say that since tyrannical ruler and those who follow him transgress beyond bounds against the other party, then fighting them is justifiable.

2.  Allah says:               

وَإِذِ ابْتَلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ رَبُّهُ بِكَلِمَاتٍ فَأَتَمَّهُنَّ قَالَ إِنِّي جَاعِلُكَ لِلنَّاسِ إِمَامًا

قَالَ وَمِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِي قَالَ لَا يَنَالُ عَهْدِي الظَّالِمِينَ ( البقرة:124)

And (remember) when the Lord of Ibrāhīm (Abraham) (i.e., Allah)  tried him with (certain) Commands, which he fulfilled. He (Allah) said (to him), “Verily, I am going to make you an Imām (a leader) for mankind (to follow you). Ibrāhīm (Abraham) said, “And for my offspring (to make leaders).” (Allah) said, My  Promise does not extend to the wrong-doers.”

(Q. 2:124)

They say that since it is not permissible for wrongdoers to obtain leadership, it becomes obligatory to rebel against him to stop him from committing wrongdoings.

3.  Allah says:

... وَتَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْبِرِّ وَالتَّقْوَى وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا عَلَى الْإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ ... ( المائدة:2)

 Help one another in righteousness and piety, but

 help not one another in sin and rancor (Q. 5:2)

They say that not revolting against the tyrant is tantamount to helping him in his committing sin and rancor.

4.  Islam enjoins Muslims to do what is right and prohibits them from doing what is wrong. Allah says,

وَلْتَكُنْ مِنْكُمْ أُمَّةٌ يَدْعُونَ إِلَى الْخَيْرِ وَيَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ

وَأُولَئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ (آل عمران:104)

Let there arise of you a band of people inviting

to all thatis good, enjoining what is right, and

forbidding  what is wrong they are the ones to

attain felicity (Q. 3:104)

                    The Prophet s.a.w. says,

مَنْ رَأَى مِنْكُمْ مُنْكَرًا فَلْيُغَيِّرْهُ بِيَدِهِ فَإِنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَبِلِسَانِهِ

فَإِنْ لَمْ يَسْتَطِعْ فَبِقَلْبِهِ وَذَلِكَ أَضْعَفُ الْإِيمَانِ

  (رواه  مسلم والترمذي وأبو داؤد و النسائي و ابن ماجه)

Whoever of you sees an evil must then change it with

his hand. If he is unable to do so, then [he must change it]

 with his tongue. And if he is unable to do so, then [he

 must change it] with his heart. And that is the

slightest [effect of] faith.

(Reported by Muslim, al-Tirmidhī, Abū Dā’ūd,

al-Nasā’ī  and Ibn Mājah)

 

5.  The Prophet’s statement that there is no obedience in a matter involving disobedience to Allah. He says,

السَّمْعُ وَالطَّاعَةُ عَلَى الْمَرْءِ الْمُسْلِمِ فِيمَا أَحَبَّ أَوْ كَرِهَ إِلَّا أَنْ يُؤْمَرَ بِمَعْصِيَةٍ فَإِنْ أُمِرَ

بِمَعْصِيَةٍ فَلَا سَمْعَ وَلَا طَاعَةَ (رواه البخاري و مسلم والترمذي وأبو داؤد والنسائي و أحمد)

Hearing and obeying are upon a person concerning what he likes and what he dislikes, unless he is ordered to do an act of disobedience [to Allah]. If he is ordered to do an act of disobedience, there is no hearing or obeying.

(Reported by Bukhārī, Muslim, al-Tirmidhī,

 Abū Dā’ūd, al-Nasā’ī  and Aḥmad)

6.  The Prophet s.a.w. indicates the danger of misguiding rulers when he says,

إِنِّي أَخَافُ عَلَى أُمَّتِي الْأَئِمَّةَ الْمُضِلِّيْن

(رواه الترمذي وأبو داؤد  و أحمد)

I fear for my Nation from the misguiding rulers.

(Reported by al-Tirmidhī, Abū Dā’ūd, and Aḥmad)

  They say that it implies revolting against them.

7.  Muslim scholars agree that any Muslim group that refuses to abide by Islamic law is to be fought. This could imply fighting governments that rule by man-made laws rather than the Sharī‘ah.

According to the majority of Muslim scholars the above arguments do not imply rebellion against unjust rulers. Fighting against the group that transgresses, and revolting against a ruler is itself a kind of transgression. Instead of fighting the unjust ruler which could lead to bloodshed, trials and affliction, people are ordered to be patient. The obligation of enjoining of what is good and prohibiting evil should not be used as evidence in justifying rebellion against unjust rulers. Disobeying unjust rulers who orders to commit sin, does not necessarily mean removing him from his position. Imām al-Nawawī, for example, says: “As for rebellion against them [rulers], this is forbidden according to the consensus of the Muslims, even if they were impious, oppressors.” An oppressive ruler is better than anarchy.

          The Prophet’s statement indicating the prohibition of revolting against unjust rulers is as follows:

خِيَارُ أَئِمَّتِكُمُ الَّذِيْنَ تُحِبُّوْنَهُمْ وَيُحِبُّوْنَكُمْ ، وَتُصَلُّوْنَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَيُصَلُّوْنَ عَلَيْكُمْ ،

وَشِرَارُ أَئِمَّتِكُمُ اَّلذِيْنَ تُبْغِضُوْنَهُمْ وَيُبْغِضُوْنَكُمْ ، وَتَلْعَنُوْنَهُمْ وَيَلْعَنُوْنَكُمْ ، قُلْنَا :

ياَ رَسُوْلَ اللهِ أَفَلَا نُنَابِذُهُمْ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ ؟ ، فَقَالَ : لاَ مَا أَقَامُوْا فِيْكُم الصَّلاةَ ،

إلاَّ مَنْ وَلِيَ عَلَيْهِ وَالٍ فَرَآهُ يَأْتِي شَيْئًا مِنْ مَعْصِيَةِ اللهِ فَلْيَكْرَهْ مَا يَأْتِي مِنْ

مَعْصِيَةِ اللهِ ، وَلَا يَنْزِعَنَّ يَدًا مِنْ طَاعَةِ.

(رواه  مسلم  و أحمد  و الدارمي و البيهقي)

“The best of your rulers are those whom you love and

they love you. You pray over them and they pray over you.

The worst of your rulers are those whom you have and they

 hate you. You curse them and they curse you.” They said,

 “O Messenger of Allah, shall we fight and oppose them over that?” He replied, “No, not as long as they establish the

 prayer among you. No, not as long as they establish the

 prayer among you. If someone is appointed over a person

 and he sees some act of isobedience to Allah from him,

 he should dislike what he does of disobedience to Allah

 but he should not remove his hand from obedience.”

(Reported by Muslim, Ahmad, al-Dārimī, and al-Bayhaqī)

One example is Imām Abū Ḥanīfah who did not accept al-Manṣūr as the rightful caliph was offered a position of the Qāḍī al-Quḍāt (Chief Judge) of the State in 146/763. He refused the offer politely, saying that he was not fit for the position. “You are lying,” said al-Manṣūr, and Abū Ḥanīfah said, “If I am lying, then how can you appoint a liar to the exalted post of a Chief Qadi (Judge)?” He also said, even if he were to accept this position, and the caliph wanted him to pass his judgment on his favour, or to be thrown into the river, surely, he would choose to be thrown into the river.

Al-Manṣūr imprisoned him and thrashed him with a stick, but he became more popular, that the caliph allowed him to teach in the prison. Out of frustration, the caliph poisoned him, and died in the prison of Baghdad in 150/767 at the age of 70. His funeral was attended by over fifty thousand people and the funeral prayer was performed six times. The qāḍī who washed his body said to him, ‘You are the greatest faqīh (jurisprudent) and most pious man of our time.”

But this view of the minority is being adopted by many people in Muslim countries. People revolted against their rulers whom they considered corrupt, and the rulers oppressed the rebels. The consequence: bloodshed, sufferings of people including elders, women and children who are not involved in the conflict. They have become unsafe in their own homes, and many of them took refuge to neighboring countries. Most refugees nowadays are Muslims from Muslim countries. It may take and sacrifice thousands and thousands of innocent people to replace a corrupt ruler. May Allah guide us all to the right path. (CIVIC, 30.08.13)

Sources:

1.  Al-Maktabah al-Shāmilah

2.  Al-Mutairi, Dr.Abdul Rahman (trans. Jamaal al-Din Zarabozo),  Religious Extremism in the Lives of Contemporary Muslims. Denver: al-Basheer Publication & Translation, 2001

3.  http://www.sunnah.org/publication/khulafa_rashideen/life_of_ imam_abu_hanifah.htm

4.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abū_Ḥanīfa