° Obeying the Rulers & Those in Authority °

° Obeying the Rulers & Those in Authority °

** Shaykh 'Abdul Azeez Aali-Shaykh on Disobeying the Rulers & Abandoning the Scholars **

Question: Some biased and questionable people these days are promoting by way of the Internet and calling the youth of this country to disregard obeying the leaders of the country, and instead to oppose them. They also call the youth not to listen to the scholars in this regard. So, we ask for your counsel and comments on this.

Answer: We seek refuge with Allaah from such evil circumstances. These are the hypocrites. They are astray and in their hearts is a disease. They envy Islaam and its people. Whoever calls to opposing and rebelling against the leader, whoever calls to insurgence against authorities, whoever calls to chaos, then there is hypocrisy in his heart and a disease. May Allaah suppress and disgrace such a person.

This person is, and we seek help from Allaah, one of the callers to evil and wickedness and of those who cause distress to a nation. He is one of those who have a sickness of envy in their hearts towards Islaam and adherents. They love to spread chaos and anarchy among Muslim societies.

It is required for every Muslim to have insight and to comprehend fully all that he hears. No doubt, the Internet is one of the technological advances in communication. However, unfortunately, sometimes it contains websites and allows access to the promotion of criminal, misleading, and hypocritical information that takes others away from Allaah. These are biased people causing nothing but corruption. Allaah, سبحانه وتعالى says:

"And when it is said to them, 'Do not cause corruption on Earth,' they say, 'We are only trying to rectify and better the situation.' For sure, they are the corruptors but they do not perceive it." [Surah Al Baqarah, 2:11-12]

Anyone who invited another person to oppose and rebel against the obedience of those in leadership and not to listen to them, then assume the worst of such a person in that he is a hypocrite and a wicked sinner. He has no allegiance, no religion, and no loyalty. This is so because, and we seek refuge with Allaah, as these types of incitements promotes chaos bloodshed, plundering property, and the violation of people's rights. Our society, thanks to Allaah, is a Muslim society under Muslim leadership. There are men in its service working for the rectification of the nation, defending it, working throughout the entire night safeguarding it in order to protect it in every possible way. They sacrifice their time and money for the establishment of this society. Whenever any ways leading to evil arise, Allaah repels them from the country by means of what it contains of good rectifications, legislative rulings, and good intentions from those in positions of authority within this country. May Allaah Grant them success and Guide them to all that is good.

Therefore, these types of calls and invitations on the internet and by other means originated from envious people and misguided hypocrites. They cannot come from a Muslim who fears Allaah and remains conscious of Him. A Muslim is someone who fears Allaah constantly, calls to that which Allaah calls to of listening to and obeying the leaders in obedience to Allaah, and supports them by cooperation, especially in these recent times of dangers and tribulations which threaten all Muslim societies. So, alliance, cooperation, mutual support, the unity of hearts and goals, and of the ranks of the people - this is what is obligated upon us and required from every individual among us. The Prophet,صلى الله عليه وسلم, said,

"Whoever meets Allaah (dies) with no allegiance of obedience upon him, then he dies a death in a state of Jaahiliyyah (pre-Islaamic state of ignorance)."
[Recorded by Muslim (no 4770)]

Whoever has within his heart, envy and enmity towards the nation and the disregard for obedience and order, he lives a wretched life and dies the death of Jaahiliyyah.
A Muslim should love the good for other Muslims. He should love that they are united and that their hearts and ranks are one. These enemies desire only chaos, disorder, and not unity and this is obvious.

This country is envied because of its religion, its safety its leadership, affluence, and rich resources, and due to its unity and homogeny. So, we ask Allaah for His Protection from these misguiding propagations. Every Muslim is required, when hearing such evil, to pay no attention to it, reject it, and make it known that it originates from people with hearts full of envy and animosity, of deviance and evil, from those waging war against Allaah and His Messenger, صلى الله عليه و سلم.
May Allaah protect our Muslim lands from every evil. we ask Allah to preserve for us our religion, our safety, and our leadership. may He unite us on obedience to Him and may He prevent the plots of the treacherous and the hatred of the envious.

[The Khawaarij & their Recurring Ideologies, Page 166-169: From the cassette "Ahdaaf al-Hamalaat al-'Ilaamiyyah Dhid Wulaah wa 'Ulamaa Bilaad al-Haramayn"]