No excuse with Allah for unlawful rebellion
📖Sahih Muslim 1851
Abdullah ibn Umar reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said,
“Whoever pulls his hand away from lawful obedience to the ruler, he will meet Allah on the Day of Resurrection without any argument in his favor. Whoever dies without any ties of allegiance, he will have died a death of ignorance.”
Description:
This hadith teaches that Muslims are obligated to obey their rulers as long as the rulers govern according to justice and the laws of Islam. Obedience maintains order, unity, and peace in society. However, if a ruler acts unjustly or violates Islamic principles, obedience to such wrongdoing is not required. Those who have the power to remove corrupt rulers should do so responsibly and peacefully, The last part of the hadith – “Whoever dies without any ties of allegiance, he will have died a death of ignorance” – means that dying without pledging loyalty to a legitimate Muslim authority is like dying in a state of jahiliyya (pre-Islamic ignorance). This highlights the importance of maintaining connection and allegiance to rightful leadership to preserve the Muslim community’s unity and avoid chaos, In short, Muslims must obey just rulers and maintain allegiance to legitimate authority for the sake of social harmony. If the ruler is unjust, change must be pursued peacefully and with the support of the community. Violence and division are prohibited when peaceful means are possible.
What we learn from it today:
- Obey lawful rulers who govern justly and uphold Islamic values.
- If rulers act wrongly, seek peaceful and collective ways to bring change.
- Do not create violence or hatred if you cannot remove unjust rulers by force.
- Maintaining allegiance to legitimate authority is essential to avoid division and ignorance.
- The Muslim community thrives when it is united under lawful leadership.
Quranic Context:
📖Quran 4:59
O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. And if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you should believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is the best [way] and best in result.