The Book on Government

كتاب الإمارة

Chapter 7: The prohibition of giving gifts to agents

Adi b. 'Amira al-Kindi heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying (as) was narrated in the (above-mentioned) hadith.

Chapter 8: The obligation of obeying leaders in matters that do not involve sin, but it is forbidden to obey them in sinful matters

This hadith has been narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira by more than one chain of transmitters.

According to one version of the tradition, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said

Whoso obeys the commander. He did not say:" My commander."

It has been narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said

It is obligatory for you to listen to the ruler and obey him in adversity and prosperity, in pleasure and displeasure, and even when another person is given (rather undue) preference over you.

In another version of the tradition, we have the wording

" An Abyssinian slave maimed and disabled."

Abu 'Imran narrated this hadith with a slight change of wording.

Chapter 13: The obligation of staying with the Jama'ah (main body) of the muslims when Fitn (tribulations) appear, and in all circumstances. The prohibition of refusing to obey and on splitting away from the Jama'ah

It has been narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said

One who defected from obedience (to the Amir) and separated from the main body of the Muslims - if he died in that state-would die the death of one belonging to the days of Jahiliyya (i.e. would not die as a Muslim). One who fights under the banner of a people who are blind (to the cause for which they are fighting, i.e. do not know whether their cause is just or otherwise), who gets flared up with family pride, calls (people) to fight for their family honour, and supports his kith and kin (i.e. fights not for the cause of Allah but for the sake of this family or tribe) - if he is killed (in this fight), he dies as one belonging to the days of Jahiliyya. Whoso attacks my Ummah (indiscriminately) killing the righteous and the wicked of them, sparing not (even) those staunch in faith and fulfilling not his promise made with those who have been given a pledge of security - he has nothing to do with me and I have nothing to do with him.

Chapter 16: The obligation to denounce rulers for that in which they go against Shari'ah, but they should not be fought so long as they pray regularly, etc

It has been narrated (through a different chain of tmnamitters) on the authority of Umm Salama (wife of the Holy Prophet) that he said

Amirs will be appointed over you, and you will find them doing good as well as bad deeds. One who hates their bad deeds is absolved from blame. One who disapproves of their bad deeds is (also) safe (so far as Divine wrath is concerned). But one who approves of their bad deeds and imitates them (is doomed). People asked: Messenger of Allah, shouldn't we fight against them? He replied: No, as long as they say their prayer. (" Hating and disapproving" refers to liking and disliking from the heart.)

Another version omits a portion at the end of the tradition-a portion which begins with man radiya wa taba and ends with the last word of the tradition.

Chapter 17: The best and worst of rulers

It has been narrated on the authority of Auf b. Malik al-Ashja'i who said that he heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say

The best of your rulers are those whom you love and who love you, upon whom you invoke God's blessings and who invoke His blessing upon you. And the worst of your rulers are those whom you hate and who hate you, who curse you and whom you curse. (Those present) said: Shouldn't we overthrow them at this? He said: No, as long as they establish prayer among you. No, as long as they establish prayer among you. Mind you! One who has a governor appointed over him and he finds that the governor indulges in an act of disobedience to God, he should condemn the governor's act, in disobedience to God, but should not withdraw himself from his obedience. Ibn Jabir said: Ruzaiq narrated to me this hadith. I asked him: Abu Miqdam, have you heard it from Muslim b. Qaraza or did he describe it to you and he heard it from 'Auf (b. Malik) and he transmitted this tradition of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)? Upon this Ruzaiq sat upon his knees and facing the Qibla said: By Allah, besides Whom there is no other God, I heard it from Muslim b. Qaraza and he said that te had heard it from Auf (b. Malik) and he said that he had heard it from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).

Chapter 18: It is recommended for the army to swear allegiance to the ruler when intending to fight, and an account of Bay'at Ar-Ridwan beneath the tree

It has been narrated (through a different chain of transmitters) on the authority of Abu Zubair who heard Jabir being questioned as to whether the Prophet (ﷺ) took the oath of fealty at Dhu'l-Hulaifa. He said

No! But he offered his prayers at that place, and he administered the oath of fealty nowhere except near the tree in (the plain oo Hudaibiya. Ibn Juraij said that he was informed by Abu Zabair who heard Jabir b. Abdullah say: The Prophet (ﷺ) prayed over the well at Hudaibiya (as a result of which its scanty water rose up and increased so as to be sufficient for the 1400 or 1500 men who had encamped at the place).

It has been narrated on the authority of Jabir who said

If we had been a hundred thousand in number, it (the water) would have sufficed us, but actually we were fifteen hundred.

It has been narrated on the authority of 'Abdullah b. Abu Aufa who said

The Companions of the Tree (i e. those who swore fealty under the tree) were one thousand and three hundred, and the people of Aslam tribe were one-eighth of the Muhajirs.

The tradition has been narrated on the authority of Sa'id b. Musayyib who learnt it from his father. The latter said

I had seen the tree. When I came to the spot afterwards, I could not recognise it.

It has been narrated on the authority of Yazid b. Abu Ubaid (the freed slave of Salama b. al-Akwa') who said

1 asked Salama as to what effect he had sworn fealty to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on the Day of Hudaibiya. He said: To the effect that we will die fighting.

Chapter 20: Swearing Allegiance and Pledging to adhere to Islam, to engage in Jihad and to do Good, after the conquest of Makkah, and the meaning of the phrase: "There is No Hijrah (migration) after the Conquest."

The above tradition has been handed down through a different chain of transmitters.

Chapter 24: The prohibition of travelling with the Mushaf to the land of the disbelievers if there is the fear that it may fall into their hands.

The above hadith has been narrated through several other chains with slight differences of wording.

Chapter 26: The virtue of horses; "Goodness is tied to their Forelocks."

A hadith like this has been narrated on the authority of Anas through another chain of transmitters.

Chapter 28: The virtue of Jihad and going out (to fight) in the cause of Allah

It has been narrated on the authority of Abu Huraira who said

Allah has undertaken to provide for one who leaves his home (only) to fight for His cause and to affirm the truth of His word; Allah will either admit him to Paradise or will bring him back home from where he had come out, with his reward and booty.

It has been narrated on the authority of Abu Haraira that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said

Every wound received by a Muslim in the way of Allah will appear on the Day of Judgment in the same condition as it was when it was inflicted, and would be bleeding profusely. The colour (of its discharge) will be the colour of blood, but its smell will be the smell of musk. By the Being in Whose Hand is Muhammad's life, if it were not hard upon the Muslims, I would not lag behind any expedition undertaken for Jihad, but I do not possess abundant means to provide the Mujahids with riding animals, nor do they (i. e. all of them) have abundant means (to provide themselves with all the means of Jihad) to follow me, nor would it please their hearts to stay behind me.