Duties of the Imam
27 hadiths
Religion is sincerity
Abu Ruqayyah Tamīm ibn Aws ad-Dāri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Religion is sincerity." We said: "To whom?" He said: "To Allah, to His Book, to His Messenger, to the Muslim leaders and their common folk."
There will be selfishness and other matters that you will disapprove of after me." They asked: What do you order us to do (in such circumstances), O Messenger of Allah? He said: '"Fulfill your duty (towards the ruler), and ask Allah for your rights
Ibn Mas‘ūd (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "There will be selfishness and other matters that you will disapprove of after me." They asked: What do you order us to do (in such circumstances), O Messenger of Allah? He said: '"Fulfill your duty (towards the ruler), and ask Allah for your rights."
O Allah, treat harshly those who rule over my nation with harshness and treat gently those who rule over my nation with gentleness
‘Ā'ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported: I heard the Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) saying in my house: "O Allah, treat harshly those who rule over my nation with harshness and treat gently those who rule over my nation with gentleness."
Every one of you is a guardian and responsible for his subjects
‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him and his father) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Every one of you is a guardian and responsible for his subjects. The leader in charge of the people is a guardian and is responsible for them; the man is a guardian over his household and is responsible for them; the woman is a guardian over her husband's house and his children and is responsible for them; the slave is a guardian over his master's property and is responsible for it. Verily, each of you is a guardian, and each of you is responsible for his subjects."
خيار أئمتكم الذين تحبونهم ويحبونكم ويصلون عليكم وتصلون عليهم
عَنْ عَوْفِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «خِيَارُ أَئِمَّتِكُمُ الَّذِينَ تُحِبُّونَهُمْ وَيُحِبُّونَكُمْ، وَيُصَلُّونَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَتُصَلُّونَ عَلَيْهِمْ، وَشِرَارُ أَئِمَّتِكُمُ الَّذِينَ تُبْغِضُونَهُمْ وَيُبْغِضُونَكُمْ، وَتَلْعَنُونَهُمْ وَيَلْعَنُونَكُمْ»، قِيلَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، أَفَلَا نُنَابِذُهُمْ بِالسَّيْفِ؟ فَقَالَ: «لَا، مَا أَقَامُوا فِيكُمُ الصَّلَاةَ، وَإِذَا رَأَيْتُمْ مِنْ وُلَاتِكُمْ شَيْئًا تَكْرَهُونَهُ، فَاكْرَهُوا عَمَلَهُ، وَلَا تَنْزِعُوا يَدًا مِنْ طَاعَةٍ».
I remembered a gold nugget in my house which I didn't want to distract me, so I ordered it to be distributed (in charity)
‘Uqbah ibn al-Hārith (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I offered the ‘Asr prayer behind the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) in Madīnah. When he finished the prayer with Taslīm, he got up hurriedly and went out by crossing the rows of people to one of his wives' rooms. The people were astonished at his speed. The Prophet came back and saw the people surprised at his haste and said to them: "I remembered a gold nugget in my house which I didn't want to distract me, so I ordered it to be distributed (in charity). In another version: "I left a piece of gold in my house from the charity which I did not want to let it remain with us overnight."
By Allah! We do not entrust this post to anyone who seeks it or is keen to attain it
Abu Mūsa al-Ash‘ari (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I and two of my paternal cousins entered upon the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). One of them said: "O Messenger of Allah, appoint us rulers over some of what Allah, the Almighty, has entrusted you with." The other said the same. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "By Allah! We do not entrust this post to anyone who seeks it or is keen to attain it.’"
O son, I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: The worst of shepherds is the harsh one, so beware of being one of them
‘Ā'idh ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) visited ‘Ubaydullāh ibn Ziyād and said: "O son, I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: 'The worst of shepherds is the harsh one', so beware of being one of them." Thereupon, Ibn Ziyād said to him: "Sit down, for you are from the chaff of the Muhammad's Companions." ‘Ā'idh said: "Was there chaff among them? Chaff only appeared after them and in other than them."
I was walking with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and he was wearing a Najrāni cloak with a thick hem. A Bedouin approached him and pulled him violently by his cloak
Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I was walking with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and he was wearing a Najrāni cloak with a thick hem. A Bedouin approached him and pulled him violently by his cloak. I looked at the neck of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon) [and saw that] it was chaffed by his hard tug. The Bedouin then said: "O Muhammad, give me some of Allah's wealth that you have with you." The Prophet turned to him, laughed, and ordered that he be given something.
By Allah, no one of you takes anything unlawfully except that he will meet Allah carrying it on the Day of Judgment
Abu Humayd as-Sā‘idi (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) appointed a man named Ibn al-Lutbiyyah, to collect the charity of Banu Sulaym. When the man returned, he held him accountable. he said: This is your wealth, and this is a gift. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Why do you not sit in the house of your father and mother and wait to see if that gift comes to you, if you are truthful?" Then he addressed us, praised Allah, and said: "To proceed, I appoint one of you to a task that Allah has entrusted to me, and he comes back and says: This is your wealth and this was gifted to me. Why does he not sit in the house of his father and mother and wait to see if that gift comes to him? By Allah, no one of you takes anything unlawfully except that he will meet Allah carrying it on the Day of Judgment. I will certainly recognize one of you who meets Allah carrying a camel that is groaning, or a cow that is mooing, or a sheep that is bleating.” Then he raised his hand until the whiteness of his armpit could be seen and said: “O Allah, have I conveyed (the message)?”My eyes have seen, and my ears have heard.
The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to stick to the rear while traveling, urging the weak to walk quickly, letting some ride behind him, and making supplication for them
Jābir ibn ‘Abdullāh (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) used to stick to the rear while traveling, urging the weak to walk quickly, letting some ride behind him, and making supplication for them.
If Allah, the Exalted, puts anyone in the position of authority over the affairs of Muslims and he secludes himself, not meeting their needs, deficiencies, and poverty; Allah will keep Himself away from him, not fulfilling his needs, deficiencies, and poverty
Abu Maryam al-Azdi reported: When I went to see Mu‘āwiyah, he said: "How good your visit is to us, O father of so-and-so." (This is an idiom used by the Arabs on such occasions). I said: "I will tell you a Hadīth that I heard. I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: 'If Allah, the Exalted, puts someone in the position of authority over the affairs of Muslims and he secludes himself, not meeting their needs, deficiencies, and poverty, Allah will keep Himself away from him, not fulfilling his needs, deficiencies, and poverty.'" He said: “He appointed a man to meet people’s needs.”
هؤلاء الآيات الثلاث نزلت في اليهود خاصة في قريظة والنضير
عن ابن عباس قال: {ومن لم يحكم بما أنزل الله فأولئك هم الكافرون} إلى قوله: {الفاسقون} [المائدة: 44 - 47] هؤلاء الآيات الثلاث نزلت في اليهود خاصة في قريظة والنضير.
كيف أنت إذا كانت عليك أمراء يؤخرون الصلاة عن وقتها؟
عن أبي ذر قال: قال لي رسول الله: «كيف أنت إذا كانت عليك أمراء يؤخرون الصلاة عن وقتها؟» أو «يميتون الصلاة عن وقتها؟» قال: قلت: فما تأمرني؟ قال: «صلِّ الصلاة لوقتها، فإن أدركتها معهم فصَلِّ، فإنها لك نافلة».
كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يسمر مع أبي بكر في الأمر من أمر المسلمين وأنا معهما
عن عمر بن الخطاب قال: كان رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يسمر مع أبي بكر في الأمر من أمر المسلمين وأنا معهما.
وللمال أرسلتني؟
عن إبراهيم بن عطاء مولى عمران بن حصين عن أبيه أن زيادًا أو بعض الأمراء، بعث عمران بن حصين على الصدقة، فلما رجع قال لعمران: أين المال؟ قال: وللمال أرسلتني؟ أخذناها من حيث كنا نأخذها على عهد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم، ووضعناها حيث كنا نضعها على عهد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم.
ما من أميرِ عشرةٍ إلا يؤتى به يوم القيامة مغلولًا، لا يَفكُّه إلا العدلُ، أو يوبقه الجورُ
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، قَالَ: «مَا مِنْ أَمِيرِ عَشَرَةٍ إِلَّا يُؤْتَى بِهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ مَغْلُولًا، لَا يَفُكُّهُ إِلَّا الْعَدْلُ، أَوْ يُوبِقُهُ الْجَوْرُ».
ستكون أمراء، فتعرفون وتنكرون، فمن عرف برئ، ومَن أنكر سلم، ولكن من رضي وتابع
عَنْ أُمِّ سَلَمَةَ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «سَتَكُونُ أُمَرَاءُ فَتَعْرِفُونَ وَتُنْكِرُونَ، فَمَنْ عَرَفَ بَرِئَ، وَمَنْ أَنْكَرَ سَلِمَ، وَلَكِنْ مَنْ رَضِيَ وَتَابَعَ» قَالُوا: أَفَلَا نُقَاتِلُهُمْ؟ قَالَ: «لَا، مَا صَلَّوْا».
من كان لنا عاملًا فليكتسب زوجةً، فإلم يكن له خادمٌ فليكتسب خادمًا، فإلم يكن له مسكنٌ فليكتسب مسكنًا
عَنِ الْمُسْتَوْرِدِ بْنِ شَدَّادٍ قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ: «مَنْ كَانَ لَنَا عَامِلًا فَلْيَكْتَسِبْ زَوْجَةً، فَإِلَّمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ خَادِمٌ فَلْيَكْتَسِبْ خَادِمًا، فَإِلَّمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ مَسْكَنٌ فَلْيَكْتَسِبْ مَسْكَنًا»، قَالَ: قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ: أُخْبِرْتُ أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: «مَنِ اتَّخَذَ غَيْرَ ذَلِكَ فَهُوَ غَالٌّ أَوْ سَارِقٌ».
When the revenues of Bahrain arrive, I shall give you this much and this much and this much
Jābir (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said to me: "When the revenues of Bahrain arrive, I shall give you this much and this much and this much." He passed away before the revenues were received. When they arrived during the caliphate of Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), he called out: "Anyone whom the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) promised or owed anything should come to me." I went to him and said: "The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) had said to me such-and-such." He took a double handful out of the money and gave it to me. I counted it and found that it was five hundred. Then he said to me: "Take twice as much more of that amount."
O Commander of the Believers! Allah said to His Prophet: {Show forgiveness, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the ignorants} [Al-A‘rāf: 199]. Indeed, this one is from the ignorants
‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: ‘Uyaynah ibn Hisn came to Madīnah and stayed with his nephew Al-Hurr ibn Qays who was among the people close to ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). The Qur’anic reciters, old or young, had the privilege of joining ‘Umar's council and he used to consult them. ‘Uyaynah said to Al-Hurr: "My nephew, you are privileged in the sight of the Commander of the Believers. So, seek permission for me to sit with him?" Al-Hurr asked ‘Umar and he granted permission. When ‘Uyaynah came into the presence of ‘Umar, he addressed him thus: "O son of Al-Khattāb, By Allah, you neither bestow much on us nor deal with us justly." ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) got so angry that he was about to beat him. Thereupon, Al-Hurr said: ''O Commander of the Believers! Allah said to His Prophet: {Show forgiveness, enjoin what is good, and turn away from the ignorants} [Al-A‘rāf: 199]. Indeed, this one is from the ignorants." By Allah! ‘Umar stood committed to the verse when Al-Hurr recited it, as he always adhered strictly to the Book of Allah.
People were judged by the divine revelation during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) but the divine revelation has ceased. Now, we only judge you by what is apparent to us from your deeds. Whoever appears to be good, we trust and honor him, and what he does in secret is no concern of ours, for Allah will judge him for what he does in secret. Whoever appears to be evil, we will not trust or believe him.
‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Utbah ibn Mas‘ūd reported: I heard ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) say: "People were judged by the divine revelation during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) but the divine revelation has ceased. Now, we only judge you by what is apparent to us from your deeds. Whoever appears to be good, we trust and honor him, and what he does in secret is no concern of ours, for Allah will judge him for what he does in secret. Whoever appears to be evil, we will not trust or believe him, even if he says that his intentions are good."
The people of Kufa complained to ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb about their governor Sa‘d. He dismissed him and appointed ‘Ammār as their governor
Jābir ibn Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The people of Kufa complained to ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) about their governor Sa‘d (ibn Abi Waqqās) (may Allah be pleased with him). He dismissed him and appointed ‘Ammār as their governor. They lodged many complaints against Sa‘d and even alleged that Sa‘d does not know how to perform the prayers properly. ‘Umar sent for him and said: "O Abu Is'hāq, those people claim that you do not pray properly." He replied: "By Allah, I used to lead them in prayer exactly as I learnt from the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him). I prolong the first two Rak‘ahs of the ‘Ishā' prayer and shorten the last two." ‘Umar then said: "That is what I thought of you, O Abu Is'hāq." Then he sent a man (or more) with him to Kufa to ask the people about him. This man went there and did not leave any mosque without asking about Sa‘d. All the people praised him till he came to the mosque of the tribe of Banu ‘Abs; where a man called Usāmah ibn Qatādah, with a surname of Abu Sa‘d, stood up and said: "Since you asked, I am bound to tell you that Sa‘d never marched with the armies, nor did he ever divide the spoils of war fairly, nor was he ever fair in delivering justice regarding legal verdicts." This complaint reached Sa‘d and he said: "By Allah, I shall make three supplications: O Allah, if this slave of Yours is a liar and got up for showing off and speaking boastfully, then prolong his life, make him poor for the rest of his life, and afflict him with trials." This person suffered, following the invocation of Sa‘d and would tell people he was an old man subjected to trials because of Sa‘d’s invocation. ‘Abd al-Malik ibn ‘Umayr, who narrated from Jābir ibn Samurah, said: "I saw this man afterwards in such a state that his eyebrows were shaggy and had fallen over his eyelids, because of old age; and he used to wink at young girls as they pass by in the roads.”
‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) allocated a sum of four thousand dirhams for each of the early Muhājirūn
Nafi‘ reported that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) allocated a sum of four thousand dirhams for each of the early Muhājirūn, but for his son, he allocated three thousand five hundred. He was asked: "He is also a Muhājir, so why did you allocate a lesser sum for him?" He said: "It was his father who took him along with him. He is not like one who emigrated by himself."
We will not appoint for our affairs anyone who seeks that position. But O Abu Mūsa! You go to Yemen
Abu Mūsa (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I came to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) along with two men (from the tribe) of Ash‘ariyyīn, one on my right and the other on my left, while the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was brushing his teeth (with a tooth-stick), and both men asked him for employment (as governors). The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Abu Mūsa (or O ‘Abdullāh ibn Qays)!" I said: "By Him Who sent you with the truth, they did not tell me what was on their minds and I did not feel that they were seeking employment." As if I were looking now at his tooth-stick being drawn to a corner under his lips, and he said: "We will not (or, we do not) appoint for our affairs anyone who seeks that position. But O Abu Mūsa! (or O ‘Abdullāh ibn Qays!) You go to Yemen." The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) then sent Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal after him, and when Mu‘ādh reached him, he spread out a cushion for him and asked him to sit. There was a fettered man beside Abu Mūsa. Mu‘ādh asked: "Who is this (man)?" Abu Mūsa said: "He was a Jew and became a Muslim and then reverted back to Judaism." Then Abu Mūsa asked Mu‘ādh to sit down but Mu‘ādh said: "I will not sit down till he is killed. This is the judgment of Allah and His Messenger (for such cases)," and he repeated it thrice. Abu Mūsa ordered that the man be killed, and he was killed. Then they discussed the voluntary night prayers and one of them said: "I pray and sleep, and I hope that Allah will reward me for my sleep as He rewards me for my prayers."
Verily Allah sent Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) with the truth and sent the Book down to him. Part of what was revealed to him was the verse on stoning. We recited, understood, and comprehended it. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) did administer stoning and we administered it after his death
‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Abbās reported that ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb, while he was sitting on the Prophet's pulpit, said: "Verily Allah sent Muhammad (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) with the truth and sent the Book down to him. Part of what was revealed to him was the verse on stoning. We recited, understood, and comprehended it. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) did administer stoning and we administered it after his death. Yet, I am concerned that, after a long time has passed, someone may say: 'We cannot find stoning in Allah's Book,' and they will be led astray for abandoning an obligation that Allah has sent down. Indeed, stoning is established in the Book of Allah against those married men and women who commit adultery, when there is evidence, pregnancy, or a confession."
من أعطاها مؤتجرًا فله أجرها، ومن أبى فإنا آخذوها وشطر إبله
عن بهز بن حكيم قال: حدثني أبي عن جدي قال: سمعت النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: «في كل إبل سائمة في كل أربعين ابنة لبون، لا يُفرَّق إبلٌ عن حسابها، من أعطاها مؤتجرًا فله أجرها، ومن أبى فإنا آخذوها وشطر إبله، عزمة من عزمات ربنا، لا يحل لآل محمد صلى الله عليه وسلم منها شيء».