Obedience to Rulers
Total Hadiths 16
What Islam Teaches About Obedience to Leaders and Rulers
These authentic prophetic traditions outline the foundational duties and boundaries regarding obedience to rulers in Islam. The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) received explicit pledges from his companions to hear and obey their authorities across all life circumstances, whether facing severe hardship or enjoying times of ease. This discipline remains vital whether a person feels highly energetic or deeply tired, and even when others are unfairly preferred over them. However, according to Islamic scholars, this authority is never absolute. As demonstrated when a commander ordered soldiers to step into a fire, the Prophet (ﷺ) explicitly clarified that true compliance is strictly required only when a leader enjoins what is good and lawful, protecting believers from harmful or sinful commands.
أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا يَعْقُوبُ، عَنْ أَبِي حَازِمٍ، عَنْ أَبِي صَالِحٍ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " عَلَيْكَ بِالطَّاعَةِ فِي مَنْشَطِكَ وَمَكْرَهِكَ وَعُسْرِكَ وَيُسْرِكَ وَأَثَرَةٍ عَلَيْكَ " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah said: "You have to obey when you feel energetic and when you feel tired, during your ease and your hardship, and when others are preferred over you."
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4155In-book reference : Book 39, Hadith 7English translation : Vol. 5, Book 39, Hadith 4160
أَخْبَرَنَا يُوسُفُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا حَجَّاجٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ جُرَيْجٍ، أَنَّ زِيَادَ بْنَ سَعْدٍ، أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ ابْنَ شِهَابٍ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّ أَبَا سَلَمَةَ أَخْبَرَهُ أَنَّهُ، سَمِعَ أَبَا هُرَيْرَةَ، يَقُولُ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مَنْ أَطَاعَنِي فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ اللَّهَ وَمَنْ عَصَانِي فَقَدْ عَصَى اللَّهَ وَمَنْ أَطَاعَ أَمِيرِي فَقَدْ أَطَاعَنِي وَمَنْ عَصَى أَمِيرِي فَقَدْ عَصَانِي " .
Abu Hurairah Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah said: 'Whoever obeys me, obeys Allah, and whoever disobeys me, disobeys Allah. Whoever obeys my governor (Amir), he has obeyed me, and whoever disobeys my governor, he has disobeyed me.'
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4193In-book reference : Book 39, Hadith 45English translation : Vol. 5, Book 39, Hadith 4198
أَخْبَرَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا حَجَّاجٌ، قَالَ قَالَ ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ أَخْبَرَنِي يَعْلَى بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، { يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ } قَالَ نَزَلَتْ فِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ حُذَافَةَ بْنِ قَيْسِ بْنِ عَدِيٍّ بَعَثَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي سَرِيَّةٍ .
Ibn 'Abbas Narrated from:
It was narrated from Ibn 'Abbas (concerning the Verse): "O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger (Muhammad). That he said: This was revealed concerning 'Abdullah bin Hudhaifah bin Qais bin 'Adiyy, whom the Messenger of Allah appointed in charge of an expedition"
[2] An-Nisā' 4:49.Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4194In-book reference : Book 39, Hadith 46English translation : Vol. 5, Book 39, Hadith 4199
أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ، ح وَأَخْبَرَنِي عَلِيُّ بْنُ حُجْرٍ، عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ كُنَّا نُبَايِعُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى السَّمْعِ وَالطَّاعَةِ ثُمَّ يَقُولُ " فِيمَا اسْتَطَعْتَ " . وَقَالَ عَلِيٌّ " فِيمَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ " .
Ibn 'Umar Narrated from:
We used to pledge to the Messenger of Allah to hear and obey, the he said: 'In as much as you can.'
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4187In-book reference : Book 39, Hadith 39English translation : Vol. 5, Book 39, Hadith 4192
أَخْبَرَنَا الْحَسَنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا حَجَّاجٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ جُرَيْجٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي مُوسَى بْنُ عُقْبَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ كُنَّا حِينَ نُبَايِعُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى السَّمْعِ وَالطَّاعَةِ يَقُولُ لَنَا " فِيمَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْ " .
Ibn 'Umar Narrated from:
When we gave our pledge to the Messenger of Allah to hear and obey, he would say to us: 'In as much as you can".
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4188In-book reference : Book 39, Hadith 40English translation : Vol. 5, Book 39, Hadith 4193
أَخْبَرَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ، عَنْ نَافِعٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " عَلَى الْمَرْءِ الْمُسْلِمِ السَّمْعُ وَالطَّاعَةُ فِيمَا أَحَبَّ وَكَرِهَ إِلاَّ أَنْ يُؤْمَرَ بِمَعْصِيَةٍ فَإِذَا أُمِرَ بِمَعْصِيَةٍ فَلاَ سَمْعَ وَلاَ طَاعَةَ " .
Ibn 'Umar Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah said: 'The Muslim must hear and obey whether he likes it or not, unless he is commanded to commit an act of disobedience. If he is commanded to commit an act of disobedience, then he is not required to hear and obey.'
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4206In-book reference : Book 39, Hadith 58English translation : Vol. 5, Book 39, Hadith 4211
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَاحِدِ، حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي سَعْدُ بْنُ عُبَيْدَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ عَلِيٍّ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ بَعَثَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم سَرِيَّةً فَاسْتَعْمَلَ رَجُلاً مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ، وَأَمَرَهُمْ أَنْ يُطِيعُوهُ، فَغَضِبَ فَقَالَ أَلَيْسَ أَمَرَكُمُ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَنْ تُطِيعُونِي. قَالُوا بَلَى. قَالَ فَاجْمَعُوا لِي حَطَبًا. فَجَمَعُوا، فَقَالَ أَوْقِدُوا نَارًا. فَأَوْقَدُوهَا، فَقَالَ ادْخُلُوهَا. فَهَمُّوا، وَجَعَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ يُمْسِكُ بَعْضًا، وَيَقُولُونَ فَرَرْنَا إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مِنَ النَّارِ. فَمَا زَالُوا حَتَّى خَمَدَتِ النَّارُ، فَسَكَنَ غَضَبُهُ، فَبَلَغَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ " لَوْ دَخَلُوهَا مَا خَرَجُوا مِنْهَا إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ، الطَّاعَةُ فِي الْمَعْرُوفِ ".
'Ali Narrated from:
The Prophet (ﷺ) sent a Sariya under the command of a man from the Ansar and ordered the soldiers to obey him. He (i.e. the commander) became angry and said "Didn't the Prophet (ﷺ) order you to obey me!" They replied, "Yes." He said, "Collect fire-wood for me." So they collected it. He said, "Make a fire." When they made it, he said, "Enter it (i.e. the fire)." So they intended to do that and started holding each other and saying, "We run towards (i.e. take refuge with) the Prophet (ﷺ) from the fire." They kept on saying that till the fire was extinguished and the anger of the commander abated.When that news reached the Prophet (ﷺ) he said, "If they had entered it (i.e. the fire), they would not have come out of it till the Day of Resurrection. Obedience (to somebody) is required when he enjoins what is good."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4340In-book reference : Book 64, Hadith 369USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 5, Book 59, Hadith 629
أَخْبَرَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ الْمُثَنَّى، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ بَشَّارٍ، قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدٌ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ زُبَيْدٍ الإِيَامِيِّ، عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ عُبَيْدَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ، عَنْ عَلِيٍّ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم بَعَثَ جَيْشًا وَأَمَّرَ عَلَيْهِمْ رَجُلاً فَأَوْقَدَ نَارًا فَقَالَ ادْخُلُوهَا . فَأَرَادَ نَاسٌ أَنْ يَدْخُلُوهَا وَقَالَ الآخَرُونَ إِنَّمَا فَرَرْنَا مِنْهَا . فَذَكَرُوا ذَلِكَ لِرَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ لِلَّذِينَ أَرَادُوا أَنْ يَدْخُلُوهَا " لَوْ دَخَلْتُمُوهَا لَمْ تَزَالُوا فِيهَا إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ " . وَقَالَ لِلآخَرِينَ خَيْرًا . وَقَالَ أَبُو مُوسَى فِي حَدِيثِهِ قَوْلاً حَسَنًا . وَقَالَ " لاَ طَاعَةَ فِي مَعْصِيَةِ اللَّهِ إِنَّمَا الطَّاعَةُ فِي الْمَعْرُوفِ " .
'Ali Narrated from:
The Messenger of Allah sent an army and appointed a man in charge of them. He lit a fire and said: "Enter it." Some people wanted to enter it, and other said: "We are trying to keep away from it." They mentioned that to the Messenger of Allah, and he said to those who had wanted to enter if: "If you had entered it you would have stayed there until the Day of Resurrection." And he spoke good words to the others. And he said: "There is no obedience if it involves disobedience toward Allah. Rather obedience is only (required) in that which is good."
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4205In-book reference : Book 39, Hadith 57English translation : Vol. 5, Book 39, Hadith 4210
أَخْبَرَنَا الإِمَامُ أَبُو عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ النَّسَائِيُّ، مِنْ لَفْظِهِ قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ عُبَادَةَ بْنِ الْوَلِيدِ بْنِ عُبَادَةَ بْنِ الصَّامِتِ، عَنْ عُبَادَةَ بْنِ الصَّامِتِ، قَالَ بَايَعْنَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى السَّمْعِ وَالطَّاعَةِ فِي الْيُسْرِ وَالْعُسْرِ وَالْمَنْشَطِ وَالْمَكْرَهِ وَأَنْ لاَ نُنَازِعَ الأَمْرَ أَهْلَهُ وَأَنْ نَقُومَ بِالْحَقِّ حَيْثُ كُنَّا لاَ نَخَافُ لَوْمَةَ لاَئِمٍ .
'Ubadah bin As-Samit Narrated from:
We pledged to the Messenger of Allah to hear and obey, both in times of ease and hardship, when we felt energetic and when we felt tired, that we would not contend with the orders of whomever was entrusted with it, that we would was entrusted with it, that we would stand firm in the way of truth wherever we may be, and that we would not fear the blame of the blamers.
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4149In-book reference : Book 39, Hadith 1English translation : Vol. 5, Book 39, Hadith 4154
أَخْبَرَنَا عِيسَى بْنُ حَمَّادٍ، قَالَ أَنْبَأَنَا اللَّيْثُ، عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ سَعِيدٍ، عَنْ عُبَادَةَ بْنِ الْوَلِيدِ بْنِ عُبَادَةَ بْنِ الصَّامِتِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، أَنَّ عُبَادَةَ بْنَ الصَّامِتِ، قَالَ بَايَعْنَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَلَى السَّمْعِ وَالطَّاعَةِ فِي الْعُسْرِ وَالْيُسْرِ . وَذَكَرَ مِثْلَهُ .
'Ubadah bin As-Samit Narrated from:
We pledged to the Messenger of Allah to hear and obey, both in times of hardship and ease. And he mentioned similarly.
Reference : Sunan an-Nasa'i 4150In-book reference : Book 39, Hadith 2English translation : Vol. 5, Book 39, Hadith 4155
