The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Whoever notices something which he dislikes done by his ruler, then he should be patient, for whoever becomes separate from the company of the Muslims even for a span and then dies, he will die as those who died in the Pre-lslamic period of Ignorance (as rebellious sinners). (Fath-ul-Bari page 112, Vol. 16)
Afflictions and the End of the World
Sahih al-Bukhari 7054
Hadith Text
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Whoever notices something which he dislikes done by his ruler, then he should be patient, for whoever becomes separate from the company of the Muslims even for a span and then dies, he will die as those who died in the Pre-lslamic period of Ignorance (as rebellious sinners)."
Commentary
This profound hadith establishes the critical Islamic principle of maintaining unity within the Muslim community and obeying legitimate authority, even when rulers commit errors. The command to exercise patience when witnessing disliked actions from rulers prevents the greater evil of civil strife (fitnah) that inevitably follows rebellion.
The severe warning about dying in a state of separation from the Muslim community equates such a death with that of pre-Islamic ignorance (Jahiliyyah), indicating the grave spiritual danger of schism. This does not prohibit offering sincere counsel to rulers through proper channels, but absolutely forbades armed rebellion and secession from the collective body of Muslims.
Scholars clarify that this applies when rulers maintain basic Islamic observance and do not commit open disbelief. The "span" mentioned emphasizes that even brief separation carries this severe consequence, highlighting the paramount importance of Muslim unity as a fundamental pillar of Islamic governance and community preservation.