33/16. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1854b — Hating and Rejecting Bad Deeds
The obligation to denounce rulers for that in which they go against Shari'ah, but they should not be fought so long as they pray regularly, etc
Hadith About Hating Wrongdoing and Not Following It
Sahih Muslim : 1854b
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1854b
وَحَدَّثَنِي أَبُو غَسَّانَ الْمِسْمَعِيُّ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، جَمِيعًا عَنْ مُعَاذٍ، - وَاللَّفْظُ لأَبِي غَسَّانَ - حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاذٌ، - وَهُوَ ابْنُ هِشَامٍ الدَّسْتَوَائِيُّ - حَدَّثَنِي أَبِي، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا الْحَسَنُ، عَنْ ضَبَّةَ بْنِ مِحْصَنٍ الْعَنَزِيِّ، عَنْ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ، زَوْجِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنَّهُ قَالَ " إِنَّهُ يُسْتَعْمَلُ عَلَيْكُمْ أُمَرَاءُ فَتَعْرِفُونَ وَتُنْكِرُونَ فَمَنْ كَرِهَ فَقَدْ بَرِئَ وَمَنْ أَنْكَرَ فَقَدْ سَلِمَ وَلَكِنْ مَنْ رَضِيَ وَتَابَعَ " . قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَلاَ نُقَاتِلُهُمْ قَالَ " لاَ مَا صَلَّوْا " . أَىْ مَنْ كَرِهَ بِقَلْبِهِ وَأَنْكَرَ بِقَلْبِهِ .
Umm Salamah Narrated from:
It has been narrated (through a different chain of transmitters) on the authority of Umm Salama (wife of the Holy Prophet) that he said: Amirs will be appointed over you, and you will find them doing good as well as bad deeds. One who hates their bad deeds is absolved from blame. One who disapproves of their bad deeds is (also) safe (so far as Divine wrath is concerned). But one who approves of their bad deeds and imitates them (is doomed).People asked: Messenger of Allah, shouldn't we fight against them? He replied: No, as long as they say their prayer. (" Hating and disapproving" refers to liking and disliking from the heart.)
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1854bIn-book reference : Book 33, Hadith 98USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 20, Hadith 4570
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1854b
This hadith about hating wrongdoing from leaders explains the heart-level response clearly. Leaders will be appointed, and people will find them doing good and bad deeds. One who hates their bad deeds is free from blame, and one who disapproves of them is safe, while the one who approves and follows them is warned. The narration also explains that hating and disapproving refers to the heart. When people asked about fighting them, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said no, as long as they pray. For searches such as hadith about disapproving bad rulers and reject evil in the heart hadith, the message is plain: do not love, approve, or copy what is wrong.
What we learn from this hadith
- Leaders may do both good and bad deeds in the situation described.
- The heart must not approve wrongdoing.
- Following bad deeds is warned against in the narration.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said not to fight them as long as they pray.
