4 Narrations on the importance of advising the tyrant rulers

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

• Four narrations on the importance of advising the rulers privately even if they are tyrants.

• The scholars’ advice the rulers privately as the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم instructed us.

• Only because we do not witness it doesn't mean that the scholars do not do it.

• Shouting from the minbar (pulpit) against the rulers is not from the Sunnah.

• Your hatred towards the rulers should not make you go against the Sunnah.

• Shouting behind their back is Gheebah (backbiting) and does not achieve the purpose (as the message does not reach them), except that it cause chaos and disruption.

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Narrated Abu Waail: Somebody said to Usaamah رضي الله عنه: Will you go to so-and-so (i.e. `Uthmaan رضي الله عنه) and talk to him (i.e. advise him regarding ruling the country)? He said: ❝Do you think that I have not spoken to him simply because you did not hear it? Really, I speak to (advise) him privately without opening a gate (of affliction), for neither do I want to be the first to open it (i.e. rebellion).❞

[Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (3267, 7098) and Saheeh Muslim (7483)]

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Abu Sa`eed al-Khudree رضي الله عنه said that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

أَفْضَلُ الْجِهَادِ كَلِمَةُ عَدْلٍ عِنْدَ سُلْطَانٍ جَائِرٍ، أَوْ أَمِيرٍ جَائِرٍ

❝The best type of Jihad (striving in the way of Allaah) is speaking a true word in the PRESENCE of a tyrant ruler.❞

[Sunan Abu Dawood (4344), Sunan Ibn Maajah (4011), Sunan al-Tirmidhee (2174) and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]

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Sa`eed Ibn Jumhaan said: I went to `Abdullaah Ibn Abee Aufaa رضي الله عنه, and he had become blind and I greeted him with Salaam. He asked me: ❝Who are you?❞ I said: I am Sa`eed Ibn Jumhaan. He asked: ❝What have they done to your father?❞ I said: He was killed. The Azaariqah have killed him. He said: ❝Allaah’s curse be upon al-Azaariqah, Allaah’s curse be upon al-Azaariqah.❞ The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم informed us:

أَنَّهُمْ كِلَابُ النَّارِ

❝They are the dogs of Hellfire.❞ I said: (Are) al-Azaariqah alone (the dogs of the Hellfire) or the whole of the Khawaarij? He said: ❝The whole of the Khawaarij.❞ I (further) said: The ruler oppresses the people and does such-and-such to them. He said: ❝Give me your hand.❞ Then he grabbed my hand firmly and said: ❝Woe unto you O son of Jumhaan! Upon you is to stick to the Sawaad al-A`dham (the main group). If the ruler listens to you, then approach him in his house (i.e. in seclusion) and inform him (in private) of what you know. So if he listens to you (then it is good) otherwise leave him, for you are not more knowledgeable than him.❞

[Musnad Ahmad (19415) and graded as “Hasan” by Shaikh al-Albaanee in his checking of Kitaab al-Sunnah (2/523) and Shaikh Muqbil also graded it “Hasan” in Saheeh al-Musnad (542)]

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Imaam Ahmad reported: `Iyaadh Ibn Ghanm was whipping a person of a land which was conquered. So Hishaam Ibn Hakeem spoke harshly with him, until `Iyaadh became angry. So he stayed the night (like this) through the night, then he came to Hishaam Ibn Hakeem and sought an excuse from him. Then Hishaam said to `Iyaadh: Have you not heard the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم saying:

إِنَّ مِنْ أَشَدِّ النَّاسِ عَذَابًا، أَشَدَّهُمْ عَذَابًا فِي الدُّنْيَا لِلنَّاسِ

❝Verily the person who shall suffer the severest punishment is the one who is most severe in punishing the people in this world.❞ So `Iyaadh Ibn Ghanm said: O Hishaam Ibn Hakeem! ❝Indeed we have heard what you have heard, but you have not heard the statement of the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم:

مَنْ أَرَادَ أَنْ يَنْصَحَ لِسُلْطَانٍ بِأَمْرٍ، فَلَا يُبْدِ لَهُ عَلَانِيَةً، وَلَكِنْ لِيَأْخُذْ بِيَدِهِ، فَيَخْلُوَ بِهِ، فَإِنْ قَبِلَ مِنْهُ فَذَاكَ، وَإِلَّا كَانَ قَدْ أَدَّى الَّذِي عَلَيْهِ لَهُ

❝Whosoever wishes to advise the ruler concerning a matter, then let him not do it openly. Rather, he should take him by the hand and take him into seclusion. So if he accepts his advice, then he has achieved his objective, and if he does not accept from him, then he has still conveyed that which was a duty upon him.❞ And verily you – O Hishaam – are a reckless– therefore, you dare to come out against the ruler of Allaah.❞

[Imaam Ahmad in his Musnad (15333) and Ibn Abee `Aasim in Kitaab al-Sunnah (1096, 1097, 1098) under the heading: “Chapter: How are the leaders of the common-folk to be advised?” (but without the conversation between Hishaam and `Iyaadh and both of them are from the Companions of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم) and graded as “Saheeh li ghairihee” by Shaikh al-Albaanee in his checking of Kitaab al-Sunnah]