Openly criticising the Muslim ruler

Openly criticising the Muslim ruler
Question: Is it permissible to openly criticise the Muslim ruler in front of a gathering and the people?
Answer: We have spoken about this issue many times before! It is not permissible to speak about the rulers because this brings about evil and differing in the society and it splits the unity of the Muslims and cause hatred between the ruler and the ruled. And this splitting and evil leads to rebellion against the ruler and the shedding of blood and matters which have blameworthy consequences. So if you have a comment about them, take it to the ruler secretly by visiting him, if possible, or by writing to him or by informing someone who can convey it to the ruler as a sincere advice to him, and it should be done secretly not openly and this has been mentioned in the hadeeth, ýWhoever wishes to advise the ruler, then let him not mention it in public, rather let him take the ruler by his hand. So if he listens then that is that, and if not then he has fulfilled that which was upon him.ý And this meaning has been reported from the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahualaihi wasallam).
Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan Al-Ijaabaat al-Muhimmah fee Mashaakil il-Mudlahimmahý by Muhammad bin Fahad al-Husayn
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During the time of the Salaf, either a person was “the Ruler”(Khalifah or his representative like the Governors,etc.) or from “the Ruled”. And Qur’aan and Sunnah showed clearly how each one has to behave in all circumstances. Similarly this Ruler was either a Muslim or a Non-Muslim and again it was clear that rebelling against this Muslim Ruler was forbidden and criticizing him in the gathering and on the pulpits was forbidden.
During the current era, there is no Khalifah. However, we do have Muslims who are Presidents, Kings, Leaders, etc. So, there is a need to establish the Khilafah once again and no Muslim denies that. However, what is the manhaj of doing that? And till the Khilafah is restored, how do we deal with these Muslim Kings, Presidents,etc.? Should we consider them to be Wulaat ul-Amr or not? What do Qur’aan and Sunnah tell us?
Anyone who looks closely and uses his/her mind will have to agree that Allaah hasn’t left us without guidance and we need to treat these Muslim leaders as Wulaat ul Amr and obey them as long as it doesn’t involve disobedience to Allaah and in case we have to advise them, then it should be in private. And mashAllaah the Imaams of our times like Ibn Baaz rahimahullaah and others were upon this minhaaj.
Those sects who oppose The Jamaah in this issue, like Hizb ut tahrir, Jamate islami, Ikhwaanul Muslimeen and others are clearly in error and have no proof whatsoever for their positions.
Read the beneficial article by Brother Abu Iyaad hafidhahullaahhttp://www.troid.ca/…/concerning-the-multiplicity-of-muslim…
And here is a beneficial audio by Shaykh Anjaree hafidhahullaah debating with a takfeeree http://www.troid.ca/media/audio/zztakfeeree.mp3
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Shaykh Dr. Saalih as-Suhaymee hafidhahullaah mentioned that one of the ways in which the extremists spread their falsehood are:
The belittlement of the leaders and those in authority and the public exposing of their faults or what some people assume to be their faults. They do this publicly on their pulpits (while delivering lectures in the mosques) and on the questionable satellite channels. They distort the texts commanding the obedience to the leaders to mean that such obedience referred to in these texts is only given to the main leader who has authority over all the Muslims in the world (and not the various individual leaders of each country). They forget, or pretend to forget, that all of the scholars and Imams unanimously agreed that this obedience is also incumbent during times of the existence of various separate Islamic countries. Even though each country may possess its own wealth, with its own rights and obligations dependant upon its respective leader; obedience to such a leader is still an obligation and revolting and rebelling against him is forbidden as long as he establishes the rights of Allah. This is an agreement that all of the scholars of Islam were united upon.http://salaf-us-saalih.com/…/openly-criticising-the-muslim…/