39/36. Chapter:
Sunan an-Nasai 4208 — Avoid Complicity With Unjust Rulers
Those Who Do Not help The Leader To Do Wrong.
Avoid Complicity With Unjust Rulers and Their Lies
Sunan an-Nasai : 4208
Sunan an-NasaiHadith Number 4208
أَخْبَرَنَا هَارُونُ بْنُ إِسْحَاقَ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدٌ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ عَبْدِ الْوَهَّابِ - قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا مِسْعَرٌ، عَنْ أَبِي حَصِينٍ، عَنِ الشَّعْبِيِّ، عَنْ عَاصِمٍ الْعَدَوِيِّ، عَنْ كَعْبِ بْنِ عُجْرَةَ، قَالَ خَرَجَ إِلَيْنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَنَحْنُ تِسْعَةٌ خَمْسَةٌ وَأَرْبَعَةٌ أَحَدُ الْعَدَدَيْنِ مِنَ الْعَرَبِ وَالآخَرُ مِنَ الْعَجَمِ فَقَالَ " اسْمَعُوا هَلْ سَمِعْتُمْ أَنَّهُ سَتَكُونُ بَعْدِي أُمَرَاءُ مَنْ دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ فَصَدَّقَهُمْ بِكَذِبِهِمْ وَأَعَانَهُمْ عَلَى ظُلْمِهِمْ فَلَيْسَ مِنِّي وَلَسْتُ مِنْهُ وَلَيْسَ يَرِدُ عَلَىَّ الْحَوْضَ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَدْخُلْ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَمْ يُصَدِّقْهُمْ بِكَذِبِهِمْ وَلَمْ يُعِنْهُمْ عَلَى ظُلْمِهِمْ فَهُوَ مِنِّي وَأَنَا مِنْهُ وَسَيَرِدُ عَلَىَّ الْحَوْضَ " .
Ka'b bin 'Ujrah Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah came out to us and we were nine, five and four, some 'Arabs and some non- 'Arabs. He said: 'Listen. Have you heard that after me there will be rulers, whoever enters upon them and believes their lies and help them in their wrongdoing is not of me, and I am not of him, and he will not come to me at the Cistern? Whoever does not enter upon them or believe their lies or help them in their wrongdoing is of me and I am of him, and he will come to me at the Cistern.'
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4208In-book reference : Book 39, Hadith 60English translation : Vol. 5, Book 39, Hadith 4213
Summary of Sunan an-Nasai Hadith 4208
This hadith about rulers' lies and wrongdoing adds a detail about entering upon them. The Messenger of Allah warned that rulers would come after him. A person who goes to them, believes their lies, and helps their injustice is strongly disowned in the wording of the hadith and will not come to the Prophet at the Cistern. The person who does not enter upon them, does not believe their lies, and does not help their wrongdoing is praised and will come to him at the Cistern. The text focuses on complicity, not merely physical nearness. Entering their company becomes blameworthy in the described case because it is joined with confirming falsehood and aiding oppression. The safe path named here is to refuse both lies and unjust action.
What we learn from this hadith
- Do not confirm the lies of rulers.
- Do not assist rulers in oppression.
- Access to authority should not lead to moral compromise.
- Refusing complicity in lies and injustice is praised.
