The Ruling on Appointing a Blind Person as Ruler
Source: Fatawa Ameenpuri by Shaykh Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Ameenpuri
❖ Question
Is it permissible to appoint a blind person as the ruler of the time?
❖ Answer
A blind person cannot be appointed as ruler, and there is consensus (ijma‘) on this. The reason is that a blind ruler cannot fulfill many of the responsibilities required of a leader.
❀ ʿAllamah Ibn al-ʿArabi (رحمه الله, 543H) said:
لا خلاف بين المسلمين فى المنع من كون الأعمى حاكما.
“There is no difference among the Muslims regarding the prohibition of appointing a blind person as a ruler.”
(Al-Masalik fi Sharh Muwatta Malik, 6/230)
