The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume II — Page 549
XII - First Era of Life in Madīnah Comes to an End and the Islāmic System of Government 549 ْ اُمُوْرًا تُنْكِرُوْنَھَا قَالُوْا فَمَا تَاٴْمُرُنَا یَا رَسُوْل َ اللّٰه ِ قَال َ اَدُّوْا اِلَیْھِم ْ حَقَّھُم َّ سَتَرَوْن َ بَعْدِی ْ اَثَرَة ً و ْ كُم َّ وَسَلُوا اللّٰه َ حَق “‘O ye Muslims! After my demise, a time shall come when such people shall become rulers upon you who shall usurp your rights and commit very hateful things. ’ The Companions inquired, ‘O Messenger of Allāh! In such circumstances, what do you enjoin upon us?’ The Holy Prophet sa responded, ‘Fulfill the rights owed to your rulers and seek your rights from God. ’” 1 Then, he states: ً ة َّ اعَة ِ وَفَارَق َ الْجَمَاعَة َ فَمَات َ مِیْتَة ً جَاھِلِی َّ مَن ْ خَرَج َ عَن ِ الط “A person who refuses to render obedience to the Amīr, and sets the foundation for division by separating himself from a unified community, shall die a death of disbelief if he passes away before having repented. ” 2 However, along with this, the public has been urged to work towards reconciliation by giving righteous consultation, even if the Amīr acts in a cruel and oppressive manner. In Islām, this struggle has been deemed a very great Jihād and an act of goodness. The Holy Prophet sa states: ٍ اَفْضَل ُ الْجِھَاد ِ مَن ْ قَال َ كَلِمَة َ حَق ٍّ عِنْد َ سُلْطَان ٍ جَائِر “When an Amīr is guilty of tyranny and oppression, the greatest Jihād is to strive in order to prevent the cruel and unlawful practices of the Amīr by exhorting him to act with equity and justice. ” 3 However, if the Amīr still does not desist and remains adamant upon his unjust practices, and issues commandments in direct contradiction with divine 1 Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābul-Fitan, Bābu Qaulin-Nabiyyi sa “Satarauna Ba‘dī Umūran Tunkirūnahā,” Ḥadīth No. 7052 2 Mishkātul-Maṣābīḥ, By Waliyyudīn Abū ‘Abdillāh Muḥammad bin ‘Abdillāh, Volume 2, p. 4, Kitābul- Imārati Wal-Qaḍā’i , Al-Faṣlul-Awwal, Ḥadīth No. 3669, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2003) 3 Mishkātul-Maṣābīḥ, By Waliyyudīn Abū ‘Abdillāh Muḥammad bin ‘Abdillāh, Volume 2, p. 10, Kitābul- Imārati Wal-Qaḍā’i , Al-Faṣluth-Thānī, Ḥadīth No. 3705, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2003)