Muslim

Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues:

A messenger is the representative of Allah and His conveyor of messages. Therefore, his obedience is obedience to Allah, as is stated in the Noble Qur’an:
﴿مَّن يُطِعِ الرَّسُولَ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ اللَّـهَ﴾ “Whoever obeys the Messenger has indeed obeyed Allah.”
Likewise, Allah the Exalted has commanded obedience to His Messenger. Thus, obedience to the Messenger is compliance with His command.

Similarly, the leader (amir) appointed by the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam gives orders on his behalf, and he (the Prophet) has commanded obedience to him. Therefore, obedience to the amir is obedience to the Messenger, and disobedience to him is disobedience to the Messenger. This is also established by this hadith.

Just as the Messenger does not issue any command without the will and pleasure of Allah, in the same way, leaders and rulers cannot issue any command from themselves while disregarding the Book and the Sunnah. If they do so, they exceed their position and status. Therefore, their word is not to be followed.

Hadith Commentary:

That is, the person of the Imam is a means of protection for the people. No one is able to oppress another. It is due to him that protection is ensured from the attacks of enemies, because he is always prepared for defense. These ahadith shed light on the personality and authority of the Imam of the time, and reveal the status of Islamic politics and lawful governance. Due to the absence of this, today Islam is a stranger everywhere and Muslims are compelled to live a life of servitude.

Those individuals should also reflect upon these ahadith who, by giving the title of "Imam of the time" to some Mawlawi Sahib, invite people to pledge allegiance to him, while the reality is that Mawlawi Sahib does not possess even as much authority and political power as an ordinary government peon.

Hadith Commentary:
➊
The person of the ruler of the Shari‘ah is like a shield for the people, such that in his presence, no one oppresses another, and even the enemy remains fearful. Therefore, it is necessary for all Muslims to protect this shield.

➋
From this hadith, the personality and authority of the leader of the Shari‘ah are also evident, as well as the status of a Shari‘ah-based government. Due to its absence today, Islam is in a state of estrangement everywhere, and Muslims are compelled to live a life of subjugation.

➌
By “imam” is meant every authoritative person who manages the affairs of the people, whose commands and prohibitions, and in matters of jihad, are to be followed.
The meaning of the hadith is that jihad and fighting should be carried out together with the imam and ruler.
Without this, it is extremely difficult to attain those benefits from jihad which are intended by it.

Hadith Commentary:
But if the command of the leader is contrary to the Qur'an and Hadith, then it must be abandoned and one must act upon the Qur'an and Hadith.

Hadith Commentary:
➊
Obedience refers to carrying out commands and refraining from prohibitions.
Obedience to the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is, in essence, obedience to Allah, because it is He who commands the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).
Similarly, in order to maintain the system of governance, it is necessary to obey the rulers of the time, and the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) has declared obedience to them as obedience to himself.
However, if any ruler gives a command contrary to the Qur’an and Hadith, then that command must be abandoned and one must act upon the Qur’an and Hadith, so that the supremacy of the Shari’ah is maintained.
➋
The Quraysh were unfamiliar and inexperienced with the system of governance and did not obey their rulers; therefore, the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) emphasized obedience to the leader. Thus, once the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) was sitting among the noble Companions (radi Allahu anhum ajma‘in) and said:
“Do you not know that obedience to me is a sign of obedience to Allah?” The Companions (radi Allahu anhum ajma‘in) replied:
“Indeed!” The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said:
“It is also part of obedience that you obey your leaders and rulers.”
And Allah knows best.
(Musnad Ahmad 2/93)

(1) The correspondence of the hadith with the chapter is clear. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) encouraged obedience to the leader in such a way that he made obedience to him tantamount to obedience to himself and to Allah, the Mighty and Majestic. The Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) appointed several Companions as leaders on his behalf, such as when he appointed Mu'adh ibn Jabal, Ali, and Abu Musa al-Ash'ari (radi Allahu anhum) to the people of Yemen.

(2) The obedience to which the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) encouraged is conditional and restricted obedience, meaning obedience only in what is right (ma'ruf). It is not permissible to obey anyone in disobedience to Allah. That is, in the case of disobedience to the Creator, obedience to the creation is not permissible.

Benefits and Issues:
(1)
Obedience to the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is obligatory because obedience to the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is, in reality, obedience to Allah. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) does not issue commands from his own desire; rather, he enforces the commands revealed from Allah or, with Allah’s permission, issues discretionary rulings.

(2)
Disobedience to the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is forbidden because, in reality, it is disobedience to Allah.

(3)
By “imam” is meant the central leader of the Muslims, i.e., the caliph and Amir al-Mu’minin, but it can also refer to any governor, judge, military commander, etc., appointed by the caliph. The Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), in his capacity as the central leader, would appoint individuals possessing the necessary qualifications to these positions.

(4)
Any commands from Muslim rulers that are explicitly contrary to the Shari’ah should not be accepted; rather, the caliph or his appointed official should be reminded of the Shari’ah ruling so that he may amend his command.

Commentary:
(1)
This issue has also been stated in the Noble Qur’an in these words:
﴿مَّن يُّطِعِ الرَّسُولَ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ اللَّـهَ﴾ (An-Nisa: 80)
Whoever obeys the Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), he has (in reality) obeyed Allah.
The reason for this is that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam did not state the rulings of the Shari‘ah according to his own opinion or preference, but rather in accordance with the revelation sent down from Allah.
The statement of Allah, the Exalted, is:
﴿وَمَا يَنْطِقُ عَنِ الْهَوَىٰ، إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْيٌ يُوحَىٰ﴾ (An-Najm: 3, 4)
“He does not speak from desire; it is nothing but revelation sent down (to him).”
This is why the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam himself would act upon these rulings in the same way as other believers.
In fact, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam presented a far greater example of piety and righteous action than ordinary believers.

(2)
The Noble Qur’an, the Prophetic statements, and the sayings of the noble Companions and their Followers all make adherence to and following of the Prophetic Sunnah obligatory.
A few statements in this regard are as follows:

(a)
Umar al-Faruq radi Allahu anhu said:
O people! Beware of the people of opinion, for they are the enemies of the Sunnah.
When they became incapable of memorizing the statements of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, they began to issue rulings based on their own opinions.
In this way, they themselves went astray and led others astray as well.
See: (Miftah al-Jannah fi al-Ihtijaj bi al-Sunnah, p. 47)

(b)
Ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhuma saw Tawus rahimahullah performing two units of voluntary prayer after ‘Asr and said:
Do not perform them.
He replied:
I will perform them.
Ibn Abbas said:
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam forbade voluntary prayer after ‘Asr.
I think that for these two units, you will receive punishment instead of reward, because Allah the Exalted says:
﴿وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٍ وَلَا مُؤْمِنَةٍ إِذَا قَضَى اللَّـهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَمْرًا أَن يَكُونَ لَهُمُ الْخِيَرَةُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِمْ﴾ (Al-Ahzab: 36)
“It is not for a believing man or a believing woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter, that they should have any choice in their affair.” (Sunan al-Darimi, al-Muqaddimah, Bab ma yuttaqa min tafsir hadith al-nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam wa qawl ghayrihi ‘inda qawlihi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, Hadith: 438)

(c)
Ayyub al-Sakhtiyani rahimahullah said:
“When you teach someone the Prophetic Sunnah and he says:
Leave the Sunnah, teach us from the Qur’an,
then know that such a person is misguided.” See: (Miftah al-Jannah, p. 35)

(d)
Imam Ibn Sirin rahimahullah narrated a Prophetic statement to a man, and he replied:
So-and-so and so-and-so say such-and-such.
The Imam said:
I narrate to you the statement of the Prophet, and you narrate to me the opinions of people? Go! From today I will not speak with you. See: (Iqaz al-Himmah li-Ittiba‘ Nabi al-Ummah, p. 123)
From the conduct of the predecessors, it is established that following the Imams and the opinions of people is absolutely incorrect and impermissible.

(3)
Allamah Mulla Ali Qari al-Hanafi rahimahullah, defining taqlid (blind following), writes:
(وَالتَّقْلِيْدُ قَبُولُ قَوْلِ الْغَيْرِ بِلَا دَلِيْلٍ فَكَأَنَّه لِقَبُولِهِ جَعَلَهُ قلَادَةً فِي عُنُقِهِ) (Sharh Qasidat Amali, p. 34)
“Accepting the statement of another without evidence is taqlid (blind following).
It is as if the follower, by accepting the statement of the Imam, has made it a necklace around his neck.”

(4)
The beginning of taqlid (blind following) occurred after the best generations, in the fourth century Hijri.
Before this, this innovation did not exist; rather, the noble Companions, the Followers, and their students considered following the Qur’an and Sunnah alone to be obligatory.
Shah Waliullah rahimahullah says:
(إِعْلَمْ اَنَّ النَّاسّ كَانُوا قَبْلَ الْمِائَةِ الرَّابِعَةِ غَيْرُ مُجْمَعِيْنَ عَلَي التَّقْلِيدِ الْخَالِصِ لِمَذْهَبٍ وَّاحِدٍ)
“Know that before the fourth century Hijri, people were not united upon exclusive taqlid of a single madhhab.” (Hujjat Allah al-Balighah, p. 157)

(5)
Observe the statements of the noble Companions and the Imams of the madhhabs in refutation of taqlid:

(a)
Umar al-Faruq radi Allahu anhu used to say:
“By Him in Whose hand is the soul of Umar! Allah did not seize the soul of His Prophet nor cut off revelation from him until He made his Ummah independent of the opinions of people.” See (Haqiqat al-Fiqh, p. 75)

(b)
Ibn Abbas radi Allahu anhuma said:
Do you not fear that Allah will afflict you with punishment or cause you to sink into the earth? You say, ‘The Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said such-and-such, and so-and-so said such-and-such,’ meaning that presenting someone’s opinion in opposition to the Prophetic statement is inviting the punishment of Allah. (Haqiqat al-Fiqh, p. 76)

(c)
Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud radi Allahu anhu said:
None of you should blindly follow anyone in matters of religion, for if he (the one followed) is a believer, his follower will also be a believer, and if he is a disbeliever, his follower will also become a disbeliever.
In this regard, taqlid is undoubtedly an example in evil. (Al-Iqaz li-Himam Uli al-Absar) May Allah protect us from it.

(d)
Abdullah ibn Mu‘tamir said:
(لَا فَرقَ بَيْنَ بَهِيْمَةٍ تَنْقَادُ وُإنْسَانٍ يُقَلِّدُ)
“There is no difference between an animal that is led and a person who blindly follows.” (Haqiqat al-Fiqh, p. 78)

(e)
Imam Abu Hanifah rahimahullah said:
(لَا تُقَلِّدْنِي وَلَا تُقَلِّدَنَّ مَالِكاً وَّلَا غَيْرَهُ وَخُذِالَأحْكَامَ مِنْ حَيْثُ أَخَذُوْا مِنَ الْكِتَابِ وَالسُّنَّةِ) (Haqiqat al-Fiqh, p. 90)
“Do not blindly follow me, nor Malik, nor anyone else.
Take the rulings from where they took them—from the Book and the Sunnah.”
He also said:
“It is not permissible for anyone to give a fatwa based on my statement without knowing my evidence.” (Haqiqat al-Fiqh, p. 88)

(f)
Imam Malik rahimahullah said:
“Everyone’s statement can be accepted or rejected, except for the statement of the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam (which is obligatory to follow).”

(g)
Imam Shafi‘i rahimahullah said:
“When you see that my statement contradicts the Prophetic hadith, then act upon the Prophetic hadith and throw my statement against the wall.”
He also said:
(إِذَا صَحَّ الْحَدِيْثُ فَهُوَ مَذْهَبِي) (Iqd al-Jid wa Hujjat Allah al-Balighah: 1/157)
“When an authentic hadith is found, that is my madhhab.”

(h)
Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal rahimahullah said:
“No one has any right to speak alongside Allah and His Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.” (As long as the Book and Sunnah exist, no one’s opinion has any significance.)

(i)
Imam Tahawi rahimahullah said:
(هَل يُقَلِّدُ اِلَّا عَصِيٌّ)
“None but the disobedient does taqlid (blind following).”

(j)
Allamah Jarullah al-Hanafi rahimahullah said:
(إِنْ كَانَ لِضَلاَلٍ اُمٌّ فَالتَّقْلِيْدُ اُمُّهُ)
“If misguidance had a mother, it would be taqlid (blind following).” (Haqiqat al-Fiqh, pp. 58, 51)
From the aforementioned statements of the Salaf Imams, it is clear that the root and essence of misguidance is taqlid.
May Allah grant us the ability to follow the Sunnah and grant us deliverance from taqlid.
Amin.

Explanation of the Hadith:
Whoever obeyed me has obeyed Allah:
Indeed, this statement of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is in complete accordance with this verse of the Noble Qur’an: «مَنْ يُّطِعِ الرَّسُوْلَ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ اللهُ» [النساء: 80]
“Whoever obeys the Messenger has certainly obeyed Allah.”
Similarly, regarding disobedience... the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: «وَمَنْ يَّعْصِنِىْ فَقَدْ عَصَى اللهَ» “And whoever disobeys me has indeed disobeyed Allah.”
In this hadith, the importance of obeying the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is stated; therefore, no person can become obedient to Allah by disobeying the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). Nor can one be a servant of Allah by violating the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam).
«وَمَنْ يُّطِعِ الْأَمِيْرَ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَنِيْ ، وَمَنْ يَعْصِ الْأَمِيْرَ فَقَدْ عَصَانِيْ .»
“And whoever obeyed the leader has indeed obeyed me, and whoever disobeyed the leader has indeed disobeyed me.”
In this part of the hadith, the importance of obeying the leader is mentioned, and the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), clarifying the obedience to the leader, said to Sayyiduna Abu Dharr (radi Allahu anhu) that obey the leader even if he is a slave, an Abyssinian, or mutilated in the nose. [صحيح مسلم، كتاب الامارة، رقم: 4755]
However, if the leader’s command is against the Qur’an and Hadith, then it must be abandoned and the Qur’an and Hadith must be followed. The statement of Allah, the Exalted, is:
«يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنكُمْ ۖ فَإِن تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِن كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا» [النساء: 59]
“O you who believe! Obey Allah and obey the Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) and those in authority among you. Then if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you should believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is the best [way] and best in result.”
In this verse, Allah, the Exalted, has commanded the subjects—whether they are members of the army or common people—to obey Him, His Messenger, and the Muslim rulers, except when the rulers command disobedience to Allah; in that case, their command is not to be followed. Therefore, the legal principle is: «لَا طَاعَةِ لِمَخْلُوْقٍ فِىْ مَعْصِيَتِ الْخَالِقْ» [ارشاد السارى: 216/10]
“There is no obedience to the creation where there is disobedience to the Creator.”
Imam al-Bukhari (rahimahullah) narrated from Ibn Abbas (radi Allahu anhu) that this verse was revealed regarding Abdullah bin Hudhafah bin Qays bin ‘Adi, when the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) sent him on an important expedition as a leader. [صحيح بخاري، كتاب التفسير، رقم: 4584]
Sayyiduna Ali (radi Allahu anhu) narrates that the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) sent a detachment and appointed a man from the Ansar as their leader and ordered the people to obey him. Then the leader became angry with the people and said, “Did not the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) command you to obey me?” The people replied, “Indeed, he did.” Upon this, he said, “I command you to gather wood and kindle a fire and then jump into it.” The people gathered wood and lit a fire, and when they were about to jump into it, they began to look at one another. Some among them said, “We followed the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) to escape from the Fire; should we then enter it ourselves?” Meanwhile, the fire cooled down and the leader’s anger subsided. When this was mentioned to the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), he said, “If they had entered it, they would never have come out of it. Obedience is only in good matters.” [صحيح بخاري، كتاب الاحكام، رقم: 7145]
Furthermore, Imam al-Bukhari (rahimahullah) in his Sahih, in the Book of Jihad and Expeditions, and in the “Book of Rulings,” has established a chapter: «بَابُ السَّمْعِ وَالطَّاعَةِ لِلْاِمَامِ مَالَمْ تَكُنْ مَعْصِيَةً» “Chapter: It is obligatory to listen to and obey the Imam and the ruler of the Muslims as long as he does not command something contrary to the Shari‘ah or to sin.”
And under this, he has brought the hadith of the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) in which he said:
«اَلسَّمْعُ وَالطَّاعَةُ عَلَى الْمَرْءِ الْمُسْلِمِ فِيمَا أَحَبَّ وَكَرِهَ مَا لَمْ يُؤْمَرْ بِمَعْصِيَةٍ، فَإِذَا أُمِرَ بِمَعْصِيَةٍ فَلَا سَمْعَ وَلَا طَاعَةَ» [صحيح بخاري، رقم: 2955 ، 7144]
“It is obligatory for a Muslim to listen to and obey the leader in matters he likes and in matters he dislikes, as long as he is not commanded to commit a sin. But if he is commanded to commit a sin, then there is neither listening nor obedience.”