The Messenger of Allaah Prohibited Rebellion Against Rulers Unless 5 Conditions are Met, by Shaikh Muhammad ibn Saleh al-'Uthaimeen

[Maher.ibn.Ahmad.Attiyeh]

Bismillaah Al-Hamdulillaah wa salatu wa salaamu 'ala rasulullaah
Amma-ba'd

The Messenger of Allaah (salallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) Prohibited Rebellion Against Rulers Unless 5 Conditions are Met, by Shaikh Muhammad ibn Saleh al-'Uthaimeen (rahimahullaah)


Shaikh al-'Uthaimeen (rahimahullaah) said:

Another principle wherein there is disagreement between Ahlus-Sunnah and Ahlul-Bid'ah is rebellion against the leaders. The Harooriyah, Khawaarij, rebelled against the Muslim leader. And they made takfeer upon him and fought against him. Consequently, they allowed the spilling of the blood of the Muslims. As for Ahlus-Sunnah wal Jama'ah, they say that they are obliged to listen and obey the ruler even if he were to do great, defiant sins, as long as they are not clear and explicit Kufr (disbelief).

We fight against him in this case, provided that the battle doesn't bring about any evil.

The Prophet (salallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) prohibited rebellion against the rulers if the following conditions are not met. He (salallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: Except if you see a clear and explicit disbelief of which you have proof from Allaah.

There are four conditions [mentioned in this hadeeth of the Prophet (salallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam)].

1: If you see ------> That is with your own eyes - or know - disbelief. And not merely a defiant sin, even if one were to see him fall into fornication (zina), steal, or kill somebody without due right - without (Istihlal) believing it to be halal. He is not a disbeliever in this case. He is a defiant sinner whom we are not allowed to revolt against.

2: The Prophet (salallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: Kufr (Kufran)

3: Clear and Explicit (BawaHan) -----> That is an undisputable Kufr which cannot be understood in a different way [other than Kufr]. If one were to be able to understand it in a different way, then we're neither doing takfeer on him nor revolting against him.

4: Of which you have proof from Allaah -----> That is, that the clear and explicit disbelief we have seen is not understood by way of comparisons and the likes, rather through clear and explicit evidences from the Qur`an and the Sunnah.

These are four conditions.

5: There is a fifth condition which has its basis in other evidences, namely the ability to remove the disbelieving ruler who blasphemed with clear and explicit disbelief (kufr) of which we have proof from Allaah. We should accordingly possess the ability [to remove him]. If we do not have the ability (Qudra), then the evil we want to eradicate will only become greater than what it currently is. One should instead mend the situation in another way as well as one can.

Thus, some brothers, who possess Islaamic vigilance and religiosity, are erring when they revolt against their rulers.

Allaah is wise. It is He Who bestows upon some of the unrighteous ones power over the others. Do not think that if some rulers expose others to injustice or aggression that it is occurring just because Allaah wants it to be like that. No, it happens due to wisdom [as well].

Allaah said: And thus We do make the wrongdoers allies one to another for what they used to earn. (An'aam, ayah 129)

The rulers only attack the citizens because of the citizens themselves: "As you are, you will be ruled over." Some people who try to revolt against their rulers - even if it be by way of force - are doing wrong.

First and foremost, we have to have knowledge of what the rulers really have done. One cannot merely base himself on rumors. We've heard a lot of rumors about the rulers and others which were proven to be baseless.

That's why it comes in the hadeeth: Except if you see clear and explicit disbelief.

Secondly, if we truly see this with our eyes or find out about it from many reliable sources, we then have to confront it by way of the Qur`an and the Sunnah to see if it (truly) is disbelief, or a sin.

If we believe that it is disbelief, we have to see if we have a proof of it from Allaah. Is it clear and explicit disbelief which cannot be understood in a different way? Is it disbelief while the doer of it is excused due to misunderstanding? Thus, it has to be clear and explicit, which cannot be misunderstood.

In addition, we have to have a definite and clear proof of it from Allaah.

The Prophet (salallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) was the one who set these conditions for rebellion against the leaders - which can be understood as difficult by some - just because the revolt brings about greater disadvantage than the current disadvantage.

You see the [results] of the revolts. Are the people happier after the revolts than they were before them? Never! Quite the opposite. We do not need to point out a specific country because this is clear and explicit.

We advise the Muslims not to be in a hurry in regards to these matters. If they get a ruler who attacks them, they should then ask Allaah to guide him, and spare them from him, and stay patient.

The Prophet (salallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam) said: If anyone of you sees something hateful from his leader [ruler], he should be patient, for whoever becomes separate from the Jama'ah even for a span (the width of a human hand) and then dies, he will die as those who died in Jaahiliyah (Pre-Islaamic Period of Ignorance).

One has to be patient and advise.

This is also one of the important principles wherein Ahlul-Bid'ah differ from Ahlus-Sunnah wal Jama'ah. You find how they revolt against the leaders and how the consequences only turn out to be worse. What is it that has split the Ummah after they [the Khawaarij] rebelled against 'Uthman (radiallaahu 'anhu) - if not this?

Source: Via Maktabah Al-Fawaaid.