Umm Husayn Ahmasiyyah (may Allah be pleased with her) says: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) delivering a sermon during the Farewell Pilgrimage. He was wearing a cloak wrapped under his armpit, and (as if I am) seeing the flesh of his arm trembling. I heard him say: "O people! Fear Allah, and even if a slave with a cut ear from among the Abyssinians is appointed as your ruler, listen to him and obey him, as long as he establishes the Book of Allah for you" (i.e., as long as he rules according to the Book of Allah) __QUR_N__.
Imam Tirmidhi says:
1- This hadith is Hasan Sahih.
2- (This hadith) is also narrated from Umm Husayn through other chains.
3- In this chapter, ahadith have also been narrated from Abu Hurairah and Irbad bin Sariyah (may Allah be pleased with them) __XREF_N__ __REF_N__.
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Dr. Abdur Rahman Freywai
Explanation:
1:
In this hadith, encouragement is being given to obey the leader (amir) and to remain under his authority, and an order is being given to avoid every such action from which there is a fear of the emergence of tribulation (fitnah) and the disruption of the unity of the Muslims.
Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhi – Majlis ‘Ilmi Dar al-Da‘wah, New Delhi Edition, Page: 1706
Shaykh Maulana Abdul Aziz Alvi
Hadith Commentary: Benefits and Issues: ➊
It is permissible to use an umbrella to protect oneself from the heat during Hajj, or to sit under a shade.
In the state of ihram, it is not permissible to place cloth or anything similar on the head.
➋
If the supreme authority appoints as the head of a region or department a person who, in worldly terms, does not belong to a high-ranking family or lacks personal prestige and beauty, but acts in accordance with the guidance of the Qur’an and Sunnah, then obedience and compliance to him is obligatory.
It is not permissible to rebel against him.
If his commands and actions are contrary to the religion, then obedience to him will not be observed.
Source: Tuhfat al-Muslim: Commentary on Sahih Muslim, Page: 3138
Hafiz Muhammad Ameen
(1) Since, generally in society, a slave is considered inferior, the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) gave an emphatic and exaggerated command that if the leader of the Muslims appoints a slave—and that too an Abyssinian slave, who is usually not attractive or appealing—as a subordinate leader or imam, then obedience and compliance to him is just as obligatory as it is to a free man. In this obedience, there is no difference due to freedom or slavery.
(2) From this blessed hadith, it is also understood that freedom is not a condition for becoming an imam or leader; it is not necessary that only a free person can become an imam or leader. With the permission of his master, a slave can also become an imam or leader. In such a case, the slave is not merely a slave, but also a rightful imam, and therefore, obedience to him will also be obligatory.
(3) This issue is understood: any imam, leader, or leader of the Muslims is only obligatory to obey as long as he gives commands according to the Book and the Sunnah, leads people according to Islamic law, and himself remains bound by the Shariah. However, if any leader wants to enforce obedience merely to his own desires in opposition to the Book and the Sunnah, then in that case, he is absolutely not deserving of obedience, because the Messenger of Allah (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) said: [لا طاعةَ لِمخلوقٍ في معصيةِ اللَّهِ إنَّما الطّاعةُ في المعروفِ ] (Musnad Ahmad: 1/94)
(4) Furthermore, from this blessed hadith, the concept of unconditional personal imitation (taqlid shakhsi) is completely refuted. Unconditional obedience is the exclusive right of Allah and His Messenger (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), which cannot be given to anyone else.
Source: Sunan Nasa'i: Translation and Benefits by Shaykh Hafiz Muhammad Amin Hafizullah, Page: 4197