Author: "Abu Aisha"
Mu’tazila (30th part)
Ahl al-Sunnah’s Point of View
The opinion of Ahl al-Sunnah regarding cruel rulers whose rulings are based on Islam, but they may commit oppression or fall into immorality that is related to their own person and doesn’t cause others to order or encourage them [to commit that sin], is that they should not go out with the sword against such rulers because it has caused a lot of bloodshed and often does not yield good results.
The basis of this view and the opinion of Ahl al-Sunnah and Jama’ah is based on hadiths they heard from the Messenger of Allah; peace be upon him. Anas bin Malik, may Allah be pleased with him, has been quoted in Sahihin as saying that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: “Listen and obey, even if your Amir is an Abyssinian slave whose head is like a raisin.” Until he makes the Book of Allah Almighty ruler among you.
It is narrated from Ibn Masoud, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “After me, the preference [self over others with wealth and…] And there will be things that you find objectionable.” The Companions said: “O Messenger of Allah, what do you command?” He said: You are fulfilling the right that is owed to you and you are asking God Almighty for your right.
It is narrated from Abi Bahtari Ta’i that it was said to Abu Hudhayfah, may Allah be pleased with him: “Don’t you enjoin the good and forbid the evil?” He said: “Enjoining good and forbidding evil is good, but the Sunnah is not that you take up arms against your ruler.”
Imam Muhammad bin Hasan Shaibani, may Allah have mercy on him, says: “Obedience is necessary for the subjects until they are commanded to commit a sin, and if they are commanded to sin, obedience is not required. Of course, it is appropriate for them to wait and not deviate from his command and obedience.
In Al-Mughni’s book, it is mentioned in reference to some Muslim kings: “He conquered the people with his sword until the people recognized him, obeyed him, and followed him. In this case, he is the ruler of the Muslims who fights with them, and going out against him is forbidden because when he leaves his command, the unity and solidarity of Muslims will fall apart, and a lot of blood will be shed, and their property will be destroyed.”
Imam Tahawi, may Allah have mercy on him, says: “We don’t believe in going against the Amirs and officials, even if they do wrong, and we don’t pray against them, and we don’t stop obeying them. We believe that obeying them is obeying Allah Almighty, of course, as long as we don’t commit sin or order sin, and we pray for their reformation and well-being.”
The author of the book “Sharh al-Aqedah al-Tahawiyyah,” Allamah Abi al-Ezz Damashqi, may Allah have mercy on him, in his book, has presented numerous reasons for this issue from the verses of the Qur’an and the hadiths of the Prophet, (PBUH). In conclusion, he stated: “The book and the Sunnah indicate the obligation to obey the first order as long as they do not command a sin. Think about this word of Almighty Allah: “وأطیعوا الله وأطیعوا الرسول وأولی الأمر منکم” (Obey Allah and obey [His] Messenger and those who command you). Allah Almighty said: “وأطیعوا الرسول” Obey the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him. He didn’t say: “وأطیعوا أولی الأمر منکم” Obey your officials and owners, because the first order is not obeyed alone, but they are obeyed in a place where they obey Allah and His Messenger, and he repeated the verb with the Messenger because whoever obeys the Messenger has also obeyed Allah. The Messenger does not command anything other than obeying Allah (s.w.t) because he is innocent. However, the first command sometimes gives orders other than obeying Allah, so obedience is obeyed in a place where he obeys Allah and His Messenger.
But in the case of oppression and tyranny, why should they be obeyed? The reason is that when disobedience is done to him, the corruptions and losses will be many times bigger the injustice. Instead, patience and enduring their oppression can lead to the forgiveness of sins, and their reward will be doubled with Allah Almighty. Allah Almighty has made them (oppressive rulers and kings) dominant over us because of our corrupt deeds. Whatever you do, you do to yourself, and you will see the same reward. In this case, it is necessary for us to repent, seek forgiveness, and correct our actions.
