33/17. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1855a — Good and Bad Rulers in Islam
The best and worst of rulers
Good and Bad Rulers Hadith: Love, Prayer, and Obedience
Sahih Muslim : 1855a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1855a
حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْحَنْظَلِيُّ، أَخْبَرَنَا عِيسَى بْنُ يُونُسَ، حَدَّثَنَا الأَوْزَاعِيُّ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ بْنِ جَابِرٍ، عَنْ رُزَيْقِ بْنِ حَيَّانَ، عَنْ مُسْلِمِ بْنِ قَرَظَةَ، عَنْ عَوْفِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ، عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " خِيَارُ أَئِمَّتِكُمُ الَّذِينَ تُحِبُّونَهُمْ وَيُحِبُّونَكُمْ وَيُصَلُّونَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَتُصَلُّونَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَشِرَارُ أَئِمَّتِكُمُ الَّذِينَ تُبْغِضُونَهُمْ وَيُبْغِضُونَكُمْ وَتَلْعَنُونَهُمْ وَيَلْعَنُونَكُمْ " . قِيلَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَفَلاَ نُنَابِذُهُمْ بِالسَّيْفِ فَقَالَ " لاَ مَا أَقَامُوا فِيكُمُ الصَّلاَةَ وَإِذَا رَأَيْتُمْ مِنْ وُلاَتِكُمْ شَيْئًا تَكْرَهُونَهُ فَاكْرَهُوا عَمَلَهُ وَلاَ تَنْزِعُوا يَدًا مِنْ طَاعَةٍ " .
‘Auf b. Malik Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: The best of your rulers are those whom you love and who love you, who invoke God's blessings upon you and you invoke His blessings upon them. And the worst of your rulers are those whom you hate and who hate you and whom you curse and who curse you. It was asked (by those present): Shouldn't we overthrow them with the help of the sword? He said: No, as long as they establish prayer among you. If you then find anything detestable in them. You should hate their administration, but do not withdraw yourselves from their obedience.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1855aIn-book reference : Book 33, Hadith 101USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 20, Hadith 4573
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1855a
This Hadith speaks about leadership in Islam in a direct and practical way. The Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم describes the best rulers as those who are loved by the people and who love the people. They pray for the people, and the people pray for them. The worst rulers are described as those who are hated, who hate the people, and who exchange curses with them. When asked whether such rulers should be fought, the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said no, as long as they establish prayer among the people. The Hadith then gives a balanced response: dislike the wrong administration, but do not withdraw from obedience. It is a Hadith about rulers, prayer, public order, and moral dislike without rash action.
What we learn from this hadith
- Good leadership includes mutual love, care, and prayer between rulers and people.
- A ruler’s disliked action should be hated as wrong, without turning the text into a call for violence.
- The Hadith links public religious life with the establishment of prayer.
- Obedience is not the same as approving every action of those in authority.
