Good and Evil Minister: The Criterion of a Ruler’s Well-being or Misfortune
Written by: Imran Ayyub Lahori
➊ Narration of ʿĀʾishah (RA):
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«إذا أراد الله بالأمير خيرا جعل له وزير صدق ، إن نسى ذكره ، وإن ذكر أعانه ، وإذا أراد الله به غير ذلك جعل له وزير سوء إن نسي لم يذكره وإن ذكر لم يعنه»
"When Allah intends good for a ruler, He appoints for him a truthful minister. If the ruler forgets, he reminds him, and if he remembers, he assists him. But when Allah intends otherwise for a ruler, He appoints for him an evil minister. If the ruler forgets, he does not remind him, and if he remembers, he does not assist him."
References: [Ṣaḥīḥ li-ghayrihi: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Targhīb: 2296, Kitāb al-Qaḍāʾ: Bāb Targhīb al-Imām wa ghayrihi min wulāt al-umūr fī ittikhādh wazīr ṣāliḥ wa biṭānah ḥasanah; Abū Dāwūd: 2932; Ibn Ḥibbān in al-Ṣaḥīḥ: 4477; al-Nasāʾī: 7/159]
➋ Narration of Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī (RA) and Abū Hurayrah (RA):
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«ما بعث الله من نبي ولا استخلف من خليفة إلا كانت له بطانتان: بطانة تأمره بالمعروف وتحضه عليه ، وبطانة تأمره بالشر وتحضه عليه ، والمعصوم من عصم الله»
"Allah has not sent any Prophet, nor appointed any Caliph, except that he had two kinds of confidants: one who enjoins him towards good and encourages him upon it, and another who enjoins him towards evil and encourages him upon it. And the one who is protected is he whom Allah protects."
References: [Bukhārī: 7198, Kitāb al-Aḥkām: Bāb Biṭānat al-imām wa ahl mashūratih al-biṭānah al-dakhalāʾ; al-Ṣaḥīḥah: 1641]
Written by: Imran Ayyub Lahori
❖ Good Minister and Bad Minister
➊ Narration of ʿĀʾishah (RA):
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«إذا أراد الله بالأمير خيرا جعل له وزير صدق ، إن نسى ذكره ، وإن ذكر أعانه ، وإذا أراد الله به غير ذلك جعل له وزير سوء إن نسي لم يذكره وإن ذكر لم يعنه»
"When Allah intends good for a ruler, He appoints for him a truthful minister. If the ruler forgets, he reminds him, and if he remembers, he assists him. But when Allah intends otherwise for a ruler, He appoints for him an evil minister. If the ruler forgets, he does not remind him, and if he remembers, he does not assist him."
References: [Ṣaḥīḥ li-ghayrihi: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Targhīb: 2296, Kitāb al-Qaḍāʾ: Bāb Targhīb al-Imām wa ghayrihi min wulāt al-umūr fī ittikhādh wazīr ṣāliḥ wa biṭānah ḥasanah; Abū Dāwūd: 2932; Ibn Ḥibbān in al-Ṣaḥīḥ: 4477; al-Nasāʾī: 7/159]
➋ Narration of Abū Saʿīd al-Khudrī (RA) and Abū Hurayrah (RA):
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:
«ما بعث الله من نبي ولا استخلف من خليفة إلا كانت له بطانتان: بطانة تأمره بالمعروف وتحضه عليه ، وبطانة تأمره بالشر وتحضه عليه ، والمعصوم من عصم الله»
"Allah has not sent any Prophet, nor appointed any Caliph, except that he had two kinds of confidants: one who enjoins him towards good and encourages him upon it, and another who enjoins him towards evil and encourages him upon it. And the one who is protected is he whom Allah protects."
References: [Bukhārī: 7198, Kitāb al-Aḥkām: Bāb Biṭānat al-imām wa ahl mashūratih al-biṭānah al-dakhalāʾ; al-Ṣaḥīḥah: 1641]
