33/5. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1828a — Gentle Leadership
The virtue of a just ruler and the punishment of a tyrant; Encouragement to treat those under one's authority with kindness and the prohibition against causing them hardship
Hadith About Gentle Leadership and Kindness to People
Sahih Muslim : 1828a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1828a
حَدَّثَنِي هَارُونُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ الأَيْلِيُّ، حَدَّثَنَا ابْنُ وَهْبٍ، حَدَّثَنِي حَرْمَلَةُ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، بْنِ شُمَاسَةَ قَالَ أَتَيْتُ عَائِشَةَ أَسْأَلُهَا عَنْ شَىْءٍ، فَقَالَتْ مِمَّنْ أَنْتَ فَقُلْتُ رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ مِصْرَ . فَقَالَتْ كَيْفَ كَانَ صَاحِبُكُمْ لَكُمْ فِي غَزَاتِكُمْ هَذِهِ فَقَالَ مَا نَقَمْنَا مِنْهُ شَيْئًا إِنْ كَانَ لَيَمُوتُ لِلرَّجُلِ مِنَّا الْبَعِيرُ فَيُعْطِيهِ الْبَعِيرَ وَالْعَبْدُ فَيُعْطِيهِ الْعَبْدَ وَيَحْتَاجُ إِلَى النَّفَقَةِ فَيُعْطِيهِ النَّفَقَةَ فَقَالَتْ أَمَا إِنَّهُ لاَ يَمْنَعُنِي الَّذِي فَعَلَ فِي مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرٍ أَخِي أَنْ أُخْبِرَكَ مَا سَمِعْتُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ فِي بَيْتِي هَذَا " اللَّهُمَّ مَنْ وَلِيَ مِنْ أَمْرِ أُمَّتِي شَيْئًا فَشَقَّ عَلَيْهِمْ فَاشْقُقْ عَلَيْهِ وَمَنْ وَلِيَ مِنْ أَمْرِ أُمَّتِي شَيْئًا فَرَفَقَ بِهِمْ فَارْفُقْ بِهِ " .
Abd al-Rahman b. Shumasa Narrated from:
I came to A'isha to inquire something from her. She said: From which people art thou? I said: I am from the people of Egypt. She said: What was the behaviour of your governor towards you in this war of yours? I said: We did not experience anything bad from him. If the camel of a man from us died, he would bestow on him a camel. If any one of us lost his slave, he would give him a slave. If anybody was in need of the basic necessities of life, he would provide them with provisions.She said: Behold! the treatment that was meted out to my brother, Muhammad b. Abu Bakr, does not prevent me from telling you what I heard from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). He said in this house of mine: O God, who (happens to) acquire some kind of control over the affairs of my people and is hard upon them-be Thou hard upon him, and who (happens to) acquire some kind of control over the affairs of my people and is kind to them-be Thou kind to him.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1828aIn-book reference : Book 33, Hadith 22USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 20, Hadith 4494
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1828a
This hadith about gentle leadership reports a powerful supplication from the Messenger of Allah (صلى الله عليه وسلم). Aisha heard him say in her house that whoever gains any control over the affairs of his people and is hard on them, may Allah be hard on him. And whoever gains control over any affair of his people and is kind to them, may Allah be kind to him. The narration also includes a question about a governor’s behavior, and the answer mentioned good treatment, such as replacing a lost camel or slave and giving needed provisions. The main teaching is plain: authority should not be used to make people suffer. Kindness in leadership matters.
What we learn from this hadith
- A leader who is hard on people is warned in the Prophet’s supplication.
- Kindness toward people under one’s care is praised in the supplication.
- The report connects authority with how people are treated.
- Good treatment can include helping people with real needs.
