33/17. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 1855b — Rulers and Obedience
The best and worst of rulers
Rulers and Obedience Hadith: Hate the Sinful Act, Not Order
Sahih Muslim : 1855b
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 1855b
حَدَّثَنَا دَاوُدُ بْنُ رُشَيْدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا الْوَلِيدُ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ مُسْلِمٍ - حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ، يَزِيدَ بْنِ جَابِرٍ أَخْبَرَنِي مَوْلَى بَنِي فَزَارَةَ، - وَهُوَ رُزَيْقُ بْنُ حَيَّانَ - أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ مُسْلِمَ بْنَ، قَرَظَةَ ابْنَ عَمِّ عَوْفِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ الأَشْجَعِيِّ يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ عَوْفَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ الأَشْجَعِيَّ، يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " خِيَارُ أَئِمَّتِكُمُ الَّذِينَ تُحِبُّونَهُمْ وَيُحِبُّونَكُمْ وَتُصَلُّونَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَيُصَلُّونَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَشِرَارُ أَئِمَّتِكُمُ الَّذِينَ تُبْغِضُونَهُمْ وَيُبْغِضُونَكُمْ وَتَلْعَنُونَهُمْ وَيَلْعَنُونَكُمْ " . قَالُوا قُلْنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَفَلاَ نُنَابِذُهُمْ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ قَالَ " لاَ مَا أَقَامُوا فِيكُمُ الصَّلاَةَ لاَ مَا أَقَامُوا فِيكُمُ الصَّلاَةَ أَلاَ مَنْ وَلِيَ عَلَيْهِ وَالٍ فَرَآهُ يَأْتِي شَيْئًا مِنْ مَعْصِيَةِ اللَّهِ فَلْيَكْرَهْ مَا يَأْتِي مِنْ مَعْصِيَةِ اللَّهِ وَلاَ يَنْزِعَنَّ يَدًا مِنْ طَاعَةٍ " . قَالَ ابْنُ جَابِرٍ فَقُلْتُ - يَعْنِي لِرُزَيْقٍ - حِينَ حَدَّثَنِي بِهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ آللَّهِ يَا أَبَا الْمِقْدَامِ لَحَدَّثَكَ بِهَذَا أَوْ سَمِعْتَ هَذَا مِنْ مُسْلِمِ بْنِ قَرَظَةَ يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ عَوْفًا يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ فَجَثَا عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ وَاسْتَقْبَلَ الْقِبْلَةَ فَقَالَ إِي وَاللَّهِ الَّذِي لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ لَسَمِعْتُهُ مِنْ مُسْلِمِ بْنِ قَرَظَةَ يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ عَوْفَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم .
‘Auf b. Malik al-Ashja‘i Narrated from:
It has been narrated on the authority of Auf b. Malik al-Ashja'i who said that he heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: The best of your rulers are those whom you love and who love you, upon whom you invoke God's blessings and who invoke His blessing upon you. And the worst of your rulers are those whom you hate and who hate you, who curse you and whom you curse.(Those present) said: Shouldn't we overthrow them at this? He said: No, as long as they establish prayer among you. No, as long as they establish prayer among you. 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.Ibn Jabir said: Ruzaiq narrated to me this hadith. I asked him: Abu Miqdam, have you heard it from Muslim b. Qaraza or did he describe it to you and he heard it from 'Auf (b. Malik) and he transmitted this tradition of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)? Upon this Ruzaiq sat upon his knees and facing the Qibla said: By Allah, besides Whom there is no other God, I heard it from Muslim b. Qaraza and he said that te had heard it from Auf (b. Malik) and he said that he had heard it from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).
Reference : Sahih Muslim 1855bIn-book reference : Book 33, Hadith 102USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 20, Hadith 4574
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 1855b
This Hadith gives a clear lesson about rulers and obedience in Islam. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم describes good rulers as people who love their community and are loved by them. They make prayers for the people, and the people make prayers for them. He also describes bad rulers as those who hate the people and are hated by them, and who curse while being cursed. When the Companions asked about overthrowing them, he repeated that this should not be done as long as they establish prayer among the people. The wording also says that when a governor does an act of disobedience to Allah, the believer should condemn that act. The Hadith does not tell a person to approve wrong. It teaches moral rejection while keeping public obedience.
What we learn from this hadith
- Love, prayer, and care are signs of better leadership in this Hadith.
- When a governor commits disobedience to Allah, the act itself should be condemned.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم repeated the limit: no overthrow as long as prayer is established among the people.
- The report keeps a difference between hating a wrong act and leaving obedience.
