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الفتح الربانی
Fath al-Rabbani
كتاب الخلافة والإمارةThe Book of Caliphate and Leadership
فَصْل فِي تَحْدِيرِ وَلَاةِ الْأُمُورِ مِنْ بِطَانَةِ السُّوْءِ، وَمَا يَحِلُّ لَهُمْ مِنْ أَمْوَالِ اللَّهِSection Regarding Warning the Rulers from Evil Advisors, and What Is Permissible for Them from the Wealth of Allah
Hadith 12056
اُردوEn
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ ”مَا مِنْ نَبِيٍّ وَلَا وَالٍ إِلَّا وَلَهُ بِطَانَتَانِ بِطَانَةٌ تَأْمُرُهُ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ وَتَنْهَاهُ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَبِطَانَةٌ لَا تَأْلُوهُ خَبَالًا وَمَنْ وُقِيَ شَرَّهُمَا فَقَدْ وُقِيَ وَهُوَ مَعَ الَّتِي تَغْلِبُ عَلَيْهِ مِنْهُمَا“
Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Every prophet and ruler has two confidants; one confidant commands him to do good and forbids him from evil, and the other leaves no stone unturned in seeking his destruction and ruin. The ruler who is saved from his evil is indeed protected, and he is with the one who prevails among them.
Brief Explanation
Benefits: … Hafiz Ibn Hajar said: The following hadith of Sayyidah Aisha radi Allahu anha is in the same meaning as this hadith:
The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “Whoever among you is appointed to a position of responsibility, and Allah intends good for him, He grants him a righteous minister; if he forgets, the minister reminds him, and if he remembers, the minister assists him.” … When any of you is made responsible for a task and Allah intends good for him, He grants him a righteous minister; if he forgets, the minister reminds him, and if he remembers, the minister assists him. Ibn al-Teen said: It is possible that by the two confidants are meant two ministers, and it is also possible that what is meant are an angel and a devil. Whereas Kirmani is of the opinion that by them can also be meant the commanding soul (nafs al-ammarah) and the tranquil soul (nafs al-mutma’innah). (Fath al-Bari: 13/236)
Before this discussion, Hafiz Ibn Hajar, quoting the statement of Ashhab, said: The ruler should appoint trustworthy, reliable, intelligent, and wise people to become aware of the conditions of the people, because when he starts considering unreliable people as trustworthy, then calamities become the ruler’s fate. (Fath al-Bari: 13/236)
The following hadith also beautifully explains this subject:
Sayyidah Aisha radi Allahu anha narrates that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “When Allah intends good for a leader, He grants him a truthful minister: if he forgets, the minister reminds him, and if he remembers, the minister assists him. But when Allah intends otherwise for a leader, He gives him an evil minister: if he forgets, the minister does not remind him, and if he remembers, the minister does not assist him.” (Abu Dawud: 2932)
But are the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam also included in this law? Other ahadith prove that Allah ta’ala kept him sallallahu alayhi wa sallam in protection and safety, as is established by the following hadith:
Sayyiduna Abu Sa’id al-Khudri radi Allahu anhu narrates that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “Allah ta’ala has not sent any prophet nor appointed any caliph as a successor except that he has two confidants: one confidant commands him to do good and encourages him towards it, and the other confidant commands him to do evil and incites him towards it, and the protected one is he whom Allah ta’ala protects.” (Sahih Bukhari: 7198)
Therefore, the company and incitement of the evil confidant does not necessitate that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would accept his word.
And it is also possible that, in the case of the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, the two confidants refer to the angel and the devil, as Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Mas’ud narrates that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “There is none among you except that Allah has appointed for him his companion from among the jinn.” They said: “And for you as well, O Messenger of Allah?” He sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “Yes, for me as well, except that Allah helped me against him and he submitted (became Muslim), so he only commands me to do good.” (Sahih Muslim: 2814)
The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “Whoever among you is appointed to a position of responsibility, and Allah intends good for him, He grants him a righteous minister; if he forgets, the minister reminds him, and if he remembers, the minister assists him.” … When any of you is made responsible for a task and Allah intends good for him, He grants him a righteous minister; if he forgets, the minister reminds him, and if he remembers, the minister assists him. Ibn al-Teen said: It is possible that by the two confidants are meant two ministers, and it is also possible that what is meant are an angel and a devil. Whereas Kirmani is of the opinion that by them can also be meant the commanding soul (nafs al-ammarah) and the tranquil soul (nafs al-mutma’innah). (Fath al-Bari: 13/236)
Before this discussion, Hafiz Ibn Hajar, quoting the statement of Ashhab, said: The ruler should appoint trustworthy, reliable, intelligent, and wise people to become aware of the conditions of the people, because when he starts considering unreliable people as trustworthy, then calamities become the ruler’s fate. (Fath al-Bari: 13/236)
The following hadith also beautifully explains this subject:
Sayyidah Aisha radi Allahu anha narrates that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “When Allah intends good for a leader, He grants him a truthful minister: if he forgets, the minister reminds him, and if he remembers, the minister assists him. But when Allah intends otherwise for a leader, He gives him an evil minister: if he forgets, the minister does not remind him, and if he remembers, the minister does not assist him.” (Abu Dawud: 2932)
But are the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam also included in this law? Other ahadith prove that Allah ta’ala kept him sallallahu alayhi wa sallam in protection and safety, as is established by the following hadith:
Sayyiduna Abu Sa’id al-Khudri radi Allahu anhu narrates that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “Allah ta’ala has not sent any prophet nor appointed any caliph as a successor except that he has two confidants: one confidant commands him to do good and encourages him towards it, and the other confidant commands him to do evil and incites him towards it, and the protected one is he whom Allah ta’ala protects.” (Sahih Bukhari: 7198)
Therefore, the company and incitement of the evil confidant does not necessitate that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam would accept his word.
And it is also possible that, in the case of the Noble Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, the two confidants refer to the angel and the devil, as Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Mas’ud narrates that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “There is none among you except that Allah has appointed for him his companion from among the jinn.” They said: “And for you as well, O Messenger of Allah?” He sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said: “Yes, for me as well, except that Allah helped me against him and he submitted (became Muslim), so he only commands me to do good.” (Sahih Muslim: 2814)
