Islamic Standard of Obedience — Seal of the Prophets Vol. 2
Introduction
In this discourse from The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 2), Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra) details the historical events and scholarly insights surrounding Islamic Standard of Obedience.
Book Series: The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 2)
Author: Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra)
Section: XII – First Era of Life in Madinah Comes to an End and the Islamic System of Government
Pages: Book pp. 548–551 (PDF pp. 572–575)
Navigation: Book Table of Contents | « Previous: [The Question of Deposition and Election for a Fixed Term; as well as the Difference between Religious and Secular Rulers] | Next: [Deposition of a Government is Not Permissible Whilst Living Under its Rule] »
Historical Account
However, since Islām wishes to prevent disorder and is a very staunch defender of the establishment of peace, the teaching presented by the Holy Prophetsa emphatically states that aside from extreme circumstances, the question of a refusal of obedience and deposition should not arise. It is necessary, inasmuch as possible, for the people to never think of rebelling against an Amīr. However, in this respect, such a strict directive has been given that the Holy Prophetsa states that even if the people notice their rights being usurped, they should demonstrate patience; if required, they should bear the tyranny and oppression of their rulers, but refrain from following a course of rebellion and division. Hence, the Holy Prophetsa states:
ْاُمُوْرًا تُنْكِ رُوْنَھَا قَالُوْا فَمَا تَاٴْمُرُنَا یَا رَسُ وْلَ اللّٰهِ قَالَ اَدُّوْا اِلَیْھِمْ حَ قَّھُمَّسَ تَرَوْنَ بَعْدِیْ اَثَرَةً و
ْكُ مَّوَسَ لُوا اللّٰهَ حَ ق
“‘O ye Muslims! After my demise, a time shall come when such people shall become rulers upon you who shall usurp your rights and commit very hateful things.’ The Companions inquired, ‘O Messenger of Allāh! In such circumstances, what do you enjoin upon us?’ The Holy Prophetsa responded, ‘Fulfill the rights owed to your rulers and seek your rights from God.’”
[Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābul-Fitan, Bābu Qaulin-Nabiyyisa “Satarauna Ba‘dī Umūran Tunkirūnahā,” Ḥadīth No. 7052]
Then, he states:
ًةَّاعَةِ وَفَارَقَ الْجَ مَاعَةَ فَمَاتَ مِیْتَةً جَ اھِلِیَّمَنْ خَ رَجَ عَنِ الط
“A person who refuses to render obedience to the Amīr, and sets the foundation for division by separating himself from a unified community, shall die a death of disbelief if he passes away before having repented.”
[Mishkātul-Maṣābīḥ, By Waliyyudīn Abū ‘Abdillāh Muḥammad bin ‘Abdillāh, Volume 2, p. 4, Kitābul- Imārati Wal-Qaḍā’i, Al-Faṣlul-Awwal, Ḥadīth No. 3669, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2003)]
However, along with this, the public has been urged to work towards reconciliation by giving righteous consultation, even if the Amīr acts in a cruel and oppressive manner. In Islām, this struggle has been deemed a very great Jihād and an act of goodness. The Holy Prophetsa states:
ٍاَفْضَ لُ الْجِ ھَادِ مَنْ قَالَ كَلِمَةَ حَ قٍّ عِنْدَ سُ لْطَ انٍ جَ ائِر
“When an Amīr is guilty of tyranny and oppression, the greatest Jihād is to strive in order to prevent the cruel and unlawful practices of the Amīr by exhorting him to act with equity and justice.”
[Mishkātul-Maṣābīḥ, By Waliyyudīn Abū ‘Abdillāh Muḥammad bin ‘Abdillāh, Volume 2, p. 10, Kitābul- Imārati Wal-Qaḍā’i, Al-Faṣluth-Thānī, Ḥadīth No. 3705, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2003)]
However, if the Amīr still does not desist and remains adamant upon his unjust practices, and issues commandments in direct contradiction with divine
injunctions, the public has been given the right to obey the Amīr in everything righteous and lawful as usual, but to refuse obedience in anything which is unlawful. As such, the Holy Prophetsa states:
َاَلسَّ مْعُ وَالطَّاعَةُ عَلَی الْمَرْءِ الْمُسْ لِمِ فِیْمَا اَحَ بَّ وَكَرِهَ وَمَا لَمْ یُوٴْمَرْ بِمَعْصِ یَةٍ فَاِذَا اُمِر
بِمَعْصِ یَةٍ فَلَا سَ مْعَ وَلَا طَ اعَةَ
“It is obligatory upon every Muslim to obey his Amīr, whether he agrees with a commandment issued by him or not. However, if he issues a commandment which explicitly contradicts divine law, then it shall not be compulsory to obey such an order.”
[Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābul-Aḥkām, Bābus-Sam‘i Waṭṭā‘ati Lil-Imāmi Mā Lam Takun Ma‘ṣiyatan, Ḥadīth No. 7144]
If, despite the good consultation and partial disobedience of the people, an Amīrs chain of unjust commandments continues to increase; and he openly begins to tread a path which is at odds with the divine law of government and Sharī‘at, to the extent that his leadership takes on such a harmful state that in order to ensure its dismissal, it becomes appropriate to risk the peace of the country and unity of the community, in such extreme circumstances of this nature, people have been permitted to relinquish their obedience to the Amīr, and struggle to depose him. It is related in a Ḥadīth:
ِعَنْ عُبَادَةَ بْنِ الصَّ امِتِ بَایَعْنَا رَسُ وْلَ اللّٰهِ صَ لَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَیْهِ وَسَ لَّمَ عَلَی السَّ مْعِ وَالطَّاعَة
فِیْ مَنْشَ طِنَا وَمَكْ رَھِنَا وَعُسْ رِنَا وَیُسْ رِنَا وَاَثَرَةٍ عَلَیْنَا وَعَلیٰ اَلَّا نُنَازِعَ الْاَمْرَ اَھْلَهٗ اِلَّا اَنْ تَرَوْا
كُفْرًا بَوَاحً ا عِنْدَكُمْ مِنَ اللّٰهِ فِیْهِ بُرْھَان
“A renowned Companion of the Holy Prophetsa named ‘Ubādah bin Ṣāmit relates, ‘When the Messenger of Allāhsa would take an oath of allegiance from us, he would make us declare that we would always demonstrate obedience to our Amīr: in a time of hardship or ease, in a state of pleasure or displeasure, whether our rights were given to us or snatched from us; and that we would never quarrel with our Amīrs in the matter of administration.’ However, the Holy Prophetsa said, ‘Verily, if you witness manifest disbelief in the attitude of
your Amīrs, i.e., you notice a clear disbelief in a fundamental law of God, for which you have a clear and conclusive argument from God, then you have the right to challenge the leadership of the Amīr.’”
[Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābul-Fitan, Bābu Qaulin-Nabiyyisa “Satarauna Ba‘dī Umūran Tunkirūnahā,” Ḥadīth No. 7056 * Ṣaḥīḥu Muslim, Kitābul-Imārah, Bābu Wujūbi Ṭā‘til-Umarā’i Fī Ghairi Ma‘ṣiyyatin….., Ḥadīth No. 4771]
In this Ḥadīth, with regards to the word ‘Kufr’ [i.e., ‘disbelief’] it should be remembered that this does not only infer a disbelief in religious doctrine; rather, it also implies a divergence from the fundamental principles of the law of government and Sharī‘at. Therefore, it is mentioned in another Ḥadīth that the unlawful killing of an innocent Muslim is also a form of ‘disbelief.’ Moreover, learned scholars from among the Companions have also declared the unlawful designs of the rebels in the era of Ḥaḍrat ‘Uthmānra as constituting ‘disbelief.’ However, in order to stand up against an Amīr, it is necessary for this disbelief to be absolutely clear and manifest. It should not be the result of an error in judgement or obscure circumstances. Furthermore, there should be no door open for the Amīr to be absolved even as a possibility and his leadership must take on such a dangerous form that it becomes necessary to risk the peace of the country and unity of the nation in order to overthrow such a government.
[Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābul-Fitan, Bābu Qaulin-Nabiyyisa “Lā Tarji‘ū Ba‘dī Kuffāran…..,” Ḥadīth No. 7076-7077]
[Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābul-Fitan, Bābu Idhā Qāla ‘Inda Qaumin Shai’an…..,” Ḥadīth No. 7114]
Deposition of a Government is Not Permissible
Whilst Living Under its Rule
However, even in such a case, Islām does not approve that a person should raise the flag of rebellion, whilst living in the sovereignty of an Amīr in a state of subservience. The purpose of this instruction is to prevent civil war from breaking out in the land and so that the dangerous state does not arise that people begin to stand up against an Amīr whilst living under his rule. Therefore, in extreme circumstances of this nature, the Islāmic practice is that those people who consider the government of an Amīr to be unbearably oppressive, they should migrate from that country. After having left the country, if they believe that it is necessary and appropriate, they should work
Book Series: The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 2)
Section: XII – First Era of Life in Madinah Comes to an End and the Islamic System of Government | Navigation: « Previous: [The Question of Deposition and Election for a Fixed Term; as well as the Difference between Religious and Secular Rulers] | Next: [Deposition of a Government is Not Permissible Whilst Living Under its Rule] »