Forty Gems of Beauty — Page 62
62 Explanatory Notes If, on the one hand, the Muslims have been enjoined to be exemplars in obedience to the commands of their rulers and to hear their rulers and their commands with attentiveness and to implement them with wholeheartedness, they are, on the other hand, required to have the moral courage to advise the ruler and to reform his ways if he takes to the wrong path and to oppressive means, and should thus help him to establish justice and equity in the land. Since counselling a wrongdoing and oppressive ruler calls for an act of extraordinary courage and maybe, at times, is even risky, the Holy Prophet (May peace and blessings of Allah be on him) has described it as the highest form of Jihad. The truth of the matter is that Islam has established such a wonderful equilibrium between the relations inter se of the ruler and the king and the subject, that it is impossible to improve upon its teachings. The first and foremost injunction of Islam is that, irrespective of caste or creed, all public offices from the Head of State down to the lowest grade, should be assigned on the basis of merit. The Holy Quran says in this connection, All public offices are a public trust, and Allah commands that these should be entrusted to the worthy and fit and the officers should administer with equity and justice. 14 Secondly, Islam enjoins that people should obey their rulers wholeheartedly, hear their commands with attention and comply with enthusiasm. 14 The Holy Quran, Ch: 4 (an-Nisā’), V: 59