Majma al-Zawaid — Hadith 9163

Sa'id bin Jumhan narrates: I met Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abi Awfa (may Allah be pleased with him); his eyesight had gone. I greeted him with salam, and he asked: "Who are you?" I replied: "I am Sa'id bin Jumhan." He asked: "How is your father?" I said: "The Azariqah have killed him." He said: "May Allah Almighty curse the Azariqah! The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) told us that they are the dogs of Hell." I asked: "Only the Azariqah, or all the Khawarij?" He said: "Rather, all the Khawarij." I asked: "What if a ruler oppresses the people and treats them badly?" The narrator says: He took hold of my hand, squeezed it hard and then said: "Woe to you, O Ibn Jumhan! You must stay with the great majority (al-sawad al-a'zam)." He said this twice and then said: "If the ruler listens to you, go to him in his house and inform him according to what you know. If he accepts what you say, well and good; otherwise leave him to his state, for you are not more knowledgeable than him."
(Allamah al-Haythami says:) I say: Imam Ibn Majah has recorded a part of this narration.
This narration has been recorded by Imam Ahmad and Imam al-Tabarani; the narrators of Imam Ahmad are thiqat (trustworthy).