Imam's Rights over the Subjects
26 hadiths
I advise you to fear Allah, and to listen and obey even if a slave is appointed as your leader. Whosoever among you shall live after me will see much discord. So hold fast to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs
Abu Najīh al-‘Irbād ibn Sāriyah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) gave us an exhortation at which hearts trembled and eyes shed tears. So we said: O Messenger of Allah, it is as though this is the exhortation of one bidding farewell; so advise us. He said: "I advise you to fear Allah, and to listen and obey even if a slave is appointed as your leader. Whosoever among you shall live after me will see much discord. So hold fast to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs, and cling to them firmly. Beware of new things (in religion) because every religious innovation is a misguidance."
Religion is sincerity
Tamīm ad-Dāri (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) 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."
I advise you to fear Allah and to hear and obey, even if an Abyssinian slave. You will see after me great discord. So, hold fast to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided Caliphs
Al-‘Irbād ibn Sāriyah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: One day, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) gave us an eloquent admonition that caused hearts to become afraid and eyes to shed tears. Someone then said: O Messenger of Allah, this is the admonition of someone who will soon part; so, advise us. He said: "I advise you to fear Allah and to hear and obey, even if an Abyssinian slave. You will see after me great discord. So, hold fast to my Sunnah and the Sunnah of the rightly guided Caliphs. Bite onto it with the molar teeth. Beware of newly invented matters (in religion), for every newly invented matter is misguidance."
They lead you in prayers. If they do well, then you will be rewarded; but if they make mistakes, then you will receive reward and the mistake will be theirs
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "They lead you in prayers. If they do well, then you will be rewarded; but if they make mistakes, then you will receive reward and the mistake will be theirs.”
Listen and obey, for they are only responsible for their duty, and you are responsible for your duty
Wā’il al-Hadrami reported: Salamah ibn Yazīd al-Ju‘fi (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), saying: O Prophet of Allah, what if we are governed by rulers who seek their rights from us and deny us our rights, what do you command us to do? He turned away from him. Then he asked him, and he turned away from him. Then he asked him for the second or third time, so Al-Ash‘ath ibn Qays pulled him, and he said: "Listen and obey, for they are only responsible for their duty, and you are responsible for your duty."
Anyone pledges allegiance to a ruler, giving him the grasp of his hand and sincerity of his heart, he should obey him to the best of his capacity. If another man comes forward disputing his authority, then you should behead the latter
Abdullāh ibn ‘Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: We were on a journey with the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) and we halted at some place to rest. Some of us began to mend their tents; others began to compete with one another in shooting; and others began to graze their beasts. An announcer of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) announced that we should gather for prayer. So we gathered around the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him). He said: "It was the duty of every prophet before me to guide his people to what he knew was good for them and warn them against what he knew was bad for them. The safety of this Ummah of yours lies in its early generations, whereas its late generations will be afflicted with trials and with things that you would reject. There will be tremendous trials, one after the other, each making the previous one dwindle into significance. When they are afflicted with a trial, the believer will say: 'This is going to bring about my destruction.' When it is over, they will be afflicted with another trial and the believer will say: 'This surely is going to be my end.' Anyone wishes to be saved from the Hellfire and be admitted to Paradise should die while having belief in Allah and the Last Day, and should treat people as he wishes to be treated by them. Anyone pledges allegiance to a ruler, giving him the grasp of his hand and sincerity of his heart, he should obey him to the best of his capacity. If another man comes forward disputing his authority, then you should behead the latter."
If any of you is assigned by us to a position but conceals a needle or more from us, it will amount to misappropriation and he will be called upon to restore it on the Day of Judgment
‘Uday ibn ‘Umayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Messenger (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If any of you is assigned by us to a position but conceals a needle or more from us, it will amount to misappropriation and he will be called upon to restore it on the Day of Judgment." A black man from the Ansār stood up - I can still see him - and said: "O Messenger of Allah, take back your assignment from me." The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "What has happened to you?" The man replied: "I heard you say such-and-such." The Prophet replied: "I say that even now: Whosoever from you is appointed by us to a position, he should render an account of everything, big or small, and whatever he is given therefrom, he should take, and he should desist from taking what is unlawful."
It is obligatory upon you to listen and obey (the ruler) in times of your ease and of your difficulty, whether you feel energetically stimulated or you feel compelled, and even when someone else is given undue preference over you
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "It is obligatory upon you to listen and obey (the ruler) in times of your ease and of your difficulty, whether you feel energetically stimulated or you feel compelled, and even when someone else is given undue preference over you."
Whenever we gave the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pledge of allegiance to listen and obey, he would say to us: To the best of your ability
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: Whenever we gave the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) pledge of allegiance to listen and obey, he would say to us: "To the best of your ability."
A Muslim person must listen and obey concerning what he likes and hates, unless he is ordered to commit a sin. If he is ordered to commit a sin, then he should neither listen nor obey
Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: “A Muslim person must listen and obey concerning what he likes and hates, unless he is ordered to commit a sin. If he is ordered to commit a sin, then he should neither listen nor obey.”
Whoever insults the ruler, Allah will insult him
Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) say: "Whoever insults the ruler, Allah will insult him.”
Listen and obey, even if an Abyssinian slave, whose head is like a raisin, was appointed a ruler over you
Anas ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Listen and obey, even if an Abyssinian slave, whose head is like a raisin, was appointed a ruler over you.”
Whoever obeys me has obeyed Allah, and whoever disobeys me has disobeyed Allah; and whoever obeys the leader has obeyed me, and whoever disobeys the leader has disobeyed me
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever obeys me has obeyed Allah, and whoever disobeys me has disobeyed Allah; and whoever obeys the leader has obeyed me, and whoever disobeys the leader has disobeyed me."
The best of your leaders are those whom you love and who love you, and who invoke Allah's blessings upon you and you invoke His blessings upon them. And the worst of your leaders are those whom you hate and they hate you, and whom you curse and they curse you
‘Awf ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The best of your leaders are those whom you love and who love you, and who invoke Allah's blessings upon you and you invoke His blessings upon them. And the worst of your leaders are those whom you hate and they hate you, and whom you curse and they curse you." He was asked: "O Messenger of Allah, shouldn't we overthrow them?" He said: "No, as long as they establish prayer amongst you. No, as long as they establish prayer amongst you."
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».
There will be rulers who tell lies and oppress; whoever believes their lies and assists them in their oppression does not belong to me, and I do not belong to him
Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "There will be rulers who tell lies and oppress; whoever believes their lies and assists them in their oppression does not belong to me, and I do not belong to him, and he will not come to the Hawd (Basin). But whoever does not believe their lies and does not assist them in their oppression belongs to me, and I belong to him, and he will come to the Hawd."
If Allah wills to do good to a ruler, He appoints for him a truthful adviser, who will remind him if he forgets and help him if he remembers. And if Allah wills otherwise for him, He appoints for him a bad adviser who will not remind him if he forgets, nor will he help him if he remembers.
‘Ā’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "If Allah wills to do good to a ruler, He appoints for him a truthful adviser, who will remind him if he forgets and help him if he remembers. And if Allah wills otherwise for him, He appoints for him a bad adviser who will not remind him if he forgets, nor will he help him if he remembers."
Allah never sent any prophet nor did He invest anyone with authority except that he has two entourages: one entourage enjoins him to do good and encourages him to carry it out; another entourage enjoins him to do evil and incites him to carry it out.
Abu Sa‘īd al-Khudri and Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with both of them) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Allah never sent any prophet nor did He invest anyone with authority except that he has two entourages: one entourage enjoins him to do good and encourages him to carry it out; another entourage enjoins him to do evil and incites him to carry it out. Saved is the one whom Allah protects.''
Do not be importunate in asking (for something), for by Allah, if one of you asked me for something and I gave it to him while I am reluctant, there will be no blessing in what I gave him
Abu ‘Abdur-Rahmān Mu‘āwiyah ibn Abi Sufyān (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Do not be importunate in asking (for something), for by Allah, if one of you asked me for something and I gave it to him while I am reluctant, there will be no blessing in what I gave him."
When we enter upon our rulers, we say to them things contrary to what we say when we leave them. He said: We used to consider this hypocrisy during the Prophet's lifetime
Muhammad ibn Zayd reported that some people said to his grandfather ‘Abdullāh Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with both of them): When we enter upon our rulers, we say to them things contrary to what we say when we leave them. He said: "We used to consider this hypocrisy during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him)."
إنه لا قُدِّست أمَّة لا يأخذ الضعيف فيها حقه غير متعتع
عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْخُدْرِيِّ قَالَ: جَاءَ أَعْرَابِيٌّ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَتَقَاضَاهُ دَيْنًا كَانَ عَلَيْهِ، فَاشْتَدَّ عَلَيْهِ، حَتَّى قَالَ لَهُ: أُحَرِّجُ عَلَيْكَ إِلَّا قَضَيْتَنِي. فَانْتَهَرَهُ أَصْحَابُهُ وَقَالُوا: وَيْحَكَ، تَدْرِي مَنْ تُكَلِّمُ؟ قَالَ: إِنِّي أَطْلُبُ حَقِّي. فَقَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «هَلَّا مَعَ صَاحِبِ الْحَقِّ كُنْتُمْ؟» ثُمَّ أَرْسَلَ إِلَى خَوْلَةَ بِنْتِ قَيْسٍ فَقَالَ لَهَا: «إِنْ كَانَ عِنْدَكِ تَمْرٌ فَأَقْرِضِينَا حَتَّى يَأْتِيَنَا تَمْر فَنَقْضِيَكِ»، فَقَالَتْ: نَعَمْ، بِأَبِي أَنْتَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ. قَالَ: فَأَقْرَضَتْهُ، فَقَضَى الْأَعْرَابِيَّ وَأَطْعَمَهُ، فَقَالَ: أَوْفَيْتَ، أَوْفَى اللَّهُ لَكَ. فَقَالَ: «أُولَئِكَ خِيَارُ النَّاسِ، إِنَّهُ لَا قُدِّسَتْ أُمَّةٌ لَا يَأْخُذُ الضَّعِيفُ فِيهَا حَقَّهُ غَيْرَ مُتَعْتَعٍ».
من رأى من أميره شيئًا فكرهه فليصبر
عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَ: قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «مَنْ رَأَى مِنْ أَمِيرِهِ شَيْئًا فَكَرِهَهُ فَلْيَصْبِرْ، فَإِنَّهُ لَيْسَ أَحَدٌ يُفَارِقُ الجَمَاعَةَ شِبْرًا فَيَمُوتُ إِلَّا مَاتَ مِيتَةً جَاهِلِيَّةً».
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».
أخبرنا عن مسيرك هذا
عن قيس بن عُباد، قال: قلت لعلي: أخبرنا عن مَسيرِكَ هذا، أعَهْدٌ عَهِدهَ إليك رسولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم أم رأيٌ رأيتَه؟ فقال: ما عَهِدَ إلىَّ رسولُ الله صلى الله عليه وسلم بشيءٍ، ولكنَّه رأيٌ رأيتُه.
أَخَذَ علينا النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم عند البيعة ألا ننوح
عن أم عطية رضي الله عنها قالت: أَخَذَ علينا النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم عند البيعة ألا ننوح، فما وفت منا امرأة غير خمس نسوة: أم سليم، وأم العلاء، وابنة أبي سبرة امرأة معاذ، وامرأتين، أو ابنة أبي سبرة، وامرأة معاذ وامرأة أخرى.
إن الله أمر يحيى بن زكريا بخمس كلمات
عن الحارث الأشعري أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: (إن الله أمر يحيى بن زكريا بخمس كلمات أن يعمل بها ويأمر بني إسرائيل أن يعملوا بها، وإنه كاد أن يبطئ بها، فقال عيسى: إن الله أمرك بخمس كلمات لتعمل بها وتأمر بني إسرائيل أن يعملوا بها، فإما أن تأمرهم، وإما أنا آمرهم، فقال يحيى: أخشى إن سبقتني بها أن يخسف بي أو أعذب، فجمع الناس في بيت المقدس، فامتلأ المسجد وقعدوا على الشرف، فقال: إن الله أمرني بخمس كلمات أن أعمل بهن، وآمركم أن تعملوا بهن: أولهن أن تعبدوا الله ولا تشركوا به شيئا، وإن مثل من أشرك بالله كمثل رجل اشترى عبدا من خالص ماله بذهب أو ورق، فقال: هذه داري وهذا عملي فاعمل وأد إلي، فكان يعمل ويؤدي إلى غير سيده، فأيكم يرضى أن يكون عبده كذلك؟ وإن الله أمركم بالصلاة، فإذا صليتم فلا تلتفتوا، فإن الله ينصب وجهه لوجه عبده في صلاته ما لم يلتفت، وآمركم بالصيام، فإن مثل ذلك كمثل رجل في عصابة معه صرة فيها مسك، فكلهم يعجب أو يعجبه ريحها، وإن ريح الصائم أطيب عند الله من ريح المسك، وآمركم بالصدقة فإن مثل ذلك كمثل رجل أسره العدو، فأوثقوا يده إلى عنقه وقدموه ليضربوا عنقه، فقال: أنا أفديه منكم بالقليل والكثير، ففدى نفسه منهم، وآمركم أن تذكروا الله فإن مثل ذلك كمثل رجل خرج العدو في أثره سراعا حتى إذا أتى على حصن حصين فأحرز نفسه منهم، كذلك العبد لا يحرز نفسه من الشيطان إلا بذكر الله)، قال النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم: (وأنا آمركم بخمس الله أمرني بهن، السمع والطاعة والجهاد والهجرة والجماعة، فإنه من فارق الجماعة قيد شبر فقد خلع ربقة الإسلام من عنقه إلا أن يرجع، ومن ادعى دعوى الجاهلية فإنه من جثا جهنم، فقال رجل: يا رسول الله وإن صلى وصام؟ قال: وإن صلى وصام، فادْعُوا بدعوى الله الذي سماكم المسلمين المؤمنين، عباد الله).