Being a tribal chief ('irafah)

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: "The 'irafah (public headship and responsibility): its beginning is blame, its end is regret, and (for falling short in it) there is punishment on the Day of Resurrection." (The narrator said:) I said: O Abu Hurayrah, will this also be the state of those who were mindful of Allah (taqwa)? He said: "I am telling you just as I myself heard it."
Imam Abu Ya'la (may Allah have mercy on him) said that Shuja' bin Makhlad narrated to us; he said: Wahb bin Jarir narrated to us, from Hisham al-Dastuwa'i, with the same chain.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: "For the 'arif (the overseer and official in charge of the affairs of a people or tribe), a door of Hell, or of the Fire, is opened every year."
Imam Musaddad (may Allah have mercy on him) said that Yahya narrated this to us from Abu al-Ashhab, from Dabi' bin Bashshar, from his paternal uncle Sa'sa'ah bin Malik, from Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him).

It is narrated from Khalid bin Ghallaq that he said: I asked Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) (about some matter), and he said: "Do not become an 'arif (a headman of the people or an official representative), nor a shurti (a policeman or guard)." I asked: (O Abu Hurayrah,) why is that? He replied: "They will draw you close to them (for their own purposes) and then (at any slip or displeasure) they will never forget you."
Imam Musaddad bin Musarhad (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated it in his book, and the narrators in its chain, Isma'il bin Ulayyah and al-Jurayri, are among the reliable imams.

A man of Banu Tamim narrated from his father, from his grandfather (a Companion of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)), that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Never become an 'arif (an official representative or officer), nor a policeman (shurati)."
This narration is weak because one narrator in its chain is unknown; however, it warns against becoming part of the administrative apparatus of oppressors and their police.

Imam al-Humaydi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Sufyan bin Uyaynah (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated to us, narrating from Salih bin Salih (may Allah have mercy on him) (and he, Salih, was a better man than his two sons), who narrated from Imam al-Sha'bi (may Allah have mercy on him) that people said (to him): "Appoint this man as 'arif (overseer and officer) over us." He said: "Your 'arif is only (ever) the one who is al-ahyas al-akyas (very strong and very cunning), who is like al-dhi'b al-atlas (a dust-coloured (sharp) wolf), who is al-mukud al-milhas (one who amasses wealth greedily and licks up everything), such that when he is told "ha" (take this), he snatches it up, and when he is told "hati" (now pay (the due) or bring it), he draws back and shies away."
Imam al-Humaydi (may Allah have mercy on him) narrated this report in his Musnad al-Humaydi, in which Imam al-Sha'bi (may Allah have mercy on him) describes, in figurative and metaphorical style, the traits of a worldly, self-serving official: such a person is very quick in taking and extremely slow when it comes to giving.

According to the narration of Imam Abu Ya'la (may Allah have mercy on him), Sayyiduna Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) relates that a funeral (janazah) passed by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and he (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Tuba (glad tidings and the tree of Paradise) is for this man, provided he was not an 'arif (a headman of the tribe or a government official)."
Imam Abu Ya'la al-Mawsili narrated this hadith in his Musnad; note that in its chain Mubarak bin Suhaym is a weak narrator.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "People cannot do without a headman and overseer ('arif), but the 'arifs (who fall short in rights and duties) will be in the Fire." He (peace and blessings be upon him) (further) said: "And (on the Day of Resurrection the unjust) policeman (al-shurti) will be brought, and it will be said to him: 'Put down your whip and enter the Fire.'"
In the chain of this narration, Ubays bin Maymun and Yazid al-Raqashi are weak narrators.

It is narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Sa'id al-Khudri and Sayyiduna Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with them both) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "A time will surely come upon people when foolish and senseless rulers (umara' sufaha') will be set over you. They will bring the worst people of society close (advancing them to offices) and push the best of them back, and they will delay the prayers from their appointed times. So whoever among you lives to see that time should never become their 'arif (government overseer or official), nor a shurati (police soldier), nor a jabi (collector of taxes and alms), nor a kha'in (a betrayer of trust or a state agent)."
In this narration the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) foretold the trials and administrative corruption that would arise in the future, and he strongly warned the believers against becoming instruments in the system of unjust and foolish rulers, so that they would not share in their oppression and sins.