Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah

Hazrat Harith bin Yazid Al-Khazrami (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that Hazrat Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) for a position of authority. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Indeed, you are weak. And verily, it is a great trust. And verily, on the Day of Resurrection, it will be a cause of disgrace and regret, except for the one who takes it with its due right and fulfills what is required of him regarding it."

Hazrat Abu Musa (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that I and my two cousins went to the service of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). One of these two men said: O Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)! Appoint us as governors over some part of the authority which Allah has granted you. The other person also said the same thing. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: By Allah! We do not entrust this position to the one who asks for it, nor to the one who is eager for it.

Hazrat Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Soon you will become eager for leadership.

Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Samurah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said to me: Never ask for a position of authority. Indeed, if it is given to you because of your asking, you will be left to it (without help). But if it is given to you without your asking, then you will be helped in it.

Hazrat Muhammad bin Munkadir (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that Hazrat Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: O Messenger of Allah ﷺ! Why do you not appoint me as a leader? Upon this, the Prophet ﷺ said: O Abbas! O uncle of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ! The soul that is saved from leadership is far better than leadership itself. You (may Allah be pleased with you) do not have the strength for it.

Hazrat Masruq (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that Hazrat Abdullah bin Masood (may Allah be pleased with him) said: No judge passes judgment among people except that on the Day of Resurrection he will be raised in such a way that an angel will seize him by the neck until he is brought to the edge of Hell. Then the angel will raise his head towards the Most Merciful. If the Most Merciful commands, "Throw him into Hell," the angel will cast him into the depths of Hell, a distance equal to forty years' travel. The narrator says that Hazrat Masruq (may Allah have mercy on him) said: In my view, judging with justice for one day is more beloved than striving in Allah's path for a whole year.

Hazrat Bishr bin Asim (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that Hazrat Umar bin Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to assign him an official position. So he said: I have no need for it. Indeed, I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) say that the officials of the state will be brought on the Day of Judgment and will be made to stand at the edge of Hell. Then, among them, whoever was obedient to Allah, Allah will take him by His right hand until He saves him from Hell, and whoever disobeyed Allah, the bridge of Hell will throw him into a valley where the fire will engulf him. The narrator says that Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) sent a messenger to Hazrat Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) and Hazrat Salman (may Allah be pleased with him). And he asked Hazrat Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him): Did you hear this hadith from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)? He replied: Yes, by Allah! And he said: After that valley, there will be another valley of Hell. And when Hazrat Salman (may Allah be pleased with him) was asked, he disliked to say anything about it. Upon this, Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: When this is the case regarding it, then who will take it? So Hazrat Abu Dharr (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The person whose nose and eyes Allah cuts off and whom He wishes to humiliate.

Hazrat Khaythamah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Leadership is a door to hardship, except for the one upon whom Allah has mercy.

Hazrat Urwah bin Zubair (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said: If a person has not shown any greed for leadership, then he has been just in this matter.

Hazrat Abu Bakr bin Hafs (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that Hazrat Umar bin Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him) appointed a man as a governor, so he said: O Commander of the Faithful! Advise me. He (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Sit down. And conceal this matter from me.

Hasan (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) appointed a man as a leader, so he said: O Messenger of Allah (ﷺ)! Give me some good advice. The Prophet (ﷺ) said: Sit down.

Hazrat Talha bin Musarrif al-Yami (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that Hazrat Khalid bin Walid (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Never reduce even a needle from an agreement you have made. And do not walk even three steps as a leader over two men, and do not deceive the leader of the Muslims.

A man from the tribe of Abdul Qais narrates: I saw Hazrat Salman (may Allah be pleased with him) on a donkey in an army in which he was the commander. Both his shins were trembling and the people of the army were saying, "The commander has come! The commander has come!" Upon this, Hazrat Salman (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Surely, the decision of good and evil regarding this will be made after today. And he said: If you have the strength to eat dust and not become a commander over two men, then do so. And beware of the supplication of the oppressed, for there is nothing that can prevent it.

Hazrat Sa’d bin ‘Ubadah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: There is no leader of ten people except that he will be brought on the Day of Resurrection with a collar around his neck. He will not be saved from that collar except in the case that he acted with justice.

Hazrat Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: There is no leader of three people except that he will be brought on the Day of Resurrection with his hands tied to his neck. Justice will set him free, or lack of justice will keep him tightly bound.

Hazrat Ma'qil bin Yasar (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: There is no ruler who governs any group of people, whether they are few or many, and does not deal with them justly, except that Allah Almighty will throw him face down into Hell.

Hazrat Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that Hazrat Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: There is no leader of three people except that he will be brought on the Day of Judgment. Justice will set him free, or lack of justice will bind him.

Hazrat Ismail bin Muhammad bin Saad (may Allah have mercy on him) narrates that Hazrat Saad (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "It is enough for you to know that holding a position of authority does not add any goodness to a person's religion."