The virtue of the just ruler and condemnation of the tyrant

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "On the Day of Resurrection, the most excellent of all the servants of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, in rank before Allah Almighty will be a just and gentle ruler (imam 'adil rafiq) who cares for his subjects; and indeed, on the Day of Resurrection, the worst of the servants of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, in rank before Allah Almighty will be an unjust, harsh and boorish ruler (imam ja'ir khariq)."
Imam Ishaq bin Rahwayh narrated this hadith in his Musnad; however, in its chain a narrator named Muhammad bin Abi Humayd is weak.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever is made overseer or governor (responsible) over even the slightest of the affairs of the Muslims and then does not act with justice and fairness among them, upon him is the bahlah of Allah," and the bahlah of Allah is in fact "the curse of Allah Almighty".

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "A ruler's being just among his subjects for a single day is more excellent than a worshipper's worship performed while living among his family for a hundred years or fifty years."
The narrator who doubted about this (the period of fifty or a hundred years) is Hushaym (may Allah have mercy on him).

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Hudhayfah (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: "I am not one to praise any governor (wali)." (The narrator said:) I said: Why is that? He said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) saying: "On the Day of Resurrection all the rulers will be brought, whether just or unjust, until they are made to stand on the bridge over Hell. Then Allah, Mighty and Majestic, will say: 'Fikum talabi (It is from you that I demand (the right of servitude and trust)).' So no ruler who was unjust in his rule, or took a bribe (rishwah) in his judgement, or lent his ear (with partiality) to one of the two disputing parties (that is, favoured him), will escape; rather, he will fall into the depths of the Fire to a distance of seventy years."
Imam Abu Ya'la narrated this narration in his Musnad (Musnad Abi Ya'la).

It is narrated from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) that he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Gifts to officials (hadaya al-'ummal) (gifts given to officials and state agents) are all of them unlawful."
Imam Ahmad (may Allah have mercy on him) recorded this hadith in his Musnad. This prophetic saying shows that a gift received because of a public office or responsibility falls, in Islamic law, under the ruling of embezzlement and breach of trust.

It is narrated from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Any man who appoints someone (as person in charge or overseer) over ten people, while knowing that among those ten there is someone more excellent (more deserving) than the one he appointed, has certainly betrayed Allah Almighty, His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and the community of the Muslims (jama'at al-muslimin)."
And (on the Day of Resurrection) the one who exceeded the prescribed limit (hadd) by striking more blows will be brought, and Allah, Glorified and Exalted, will ask: "O My servant, why did you strike more than I commanded?" He will say: "(O Lord,) I became angry." So Allah Almighty will say: "Was your anger more severe than My anger?"
Then the one who fell short (in carrying out the punishment) will be brought, and Allah Almighty will say: "O My servant, why did you reduce (the punishment)?" He will say: "I felt mercy for him." So Allah Almighty will say: "Was your mercy greater than My mercy?" Then both of them will be ordered to Hell (being equally guilty).

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whoever appoints a man in charge of a group of people while in that group there is someone more pleasing (and more fit) to Allah Almighty than him, has certainly betrayed Allah Almighty, His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) and all the believers."
Imam al-Hakim (may Allah have mercy on him) recorded it by way of Ibn Lahi'ah, from Yazid bin Abi Habib, from Ikrimah (may Allah have mercy on him).

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Umamah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "There are two classes of my Ummah whom my intercession will not reach, nor will my intercession ever come to them (or he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: I will never intercede for them): one is a ruler who is wholly oppressive, unjust and crushing to his subjects (amir zalum ghashum 'asuf), and the other is every one who goes to extremes in the religion and departs from the bounds of truth (ghalin mariq)."
Imam Musaddad (may Allah have mercy on him) recorded this narration through the chain of Ja'far bin Sulayman, al-Mu'alla and Abu Ghalib.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Ma'qil bin Yasar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "There are two men of my Ummah whom my intercession will not reach: one, a ruler who is extremely oppressive, harsh beyond measure towards his subjects and a usurper of their rights (imam zalum 'asuf ghashum), and the other, a man who goes to extremes in the religion and departs from it (ghalin fi al-din mariq fihi)."
Imam Abu Ya'la recorded a narration like it through another chain from Mu'awiyah bin Qurrah (may Allah have mercy on him), except that the word "'asuf" is not mentioned in it.

It is narrated from the grandfather of Abu al-Aswad al-Maliki (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "That governor (or responsible official) has by no means fulfilled the demands of justice and fairness who himself begins trading and doing business among his subjects (the people under his administration)."
Imam Ahmad bin Mani' (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated this hadith in his al-Musnad, in which rulers and officials are urged, during their term of office, to avoid seeking financial gain among the public and dealing in trade with their subjects, so that the system of justice and fairness is not harmed.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Whenever Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, makes a servant the guardian of a flock (ra'iyyah) (subjects or subordinates), whether they are few or many, Allah Almighty will certainly question him about them: whether he upheld his authority (imrah) (rule and responsibility) among them well or squandered it, until Allah will call him to account especially about the members of his own household."
Imam Abu Ya'la narrated this hadith.