Obedience to God and Authority

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وقد أمر الله في كتابه بطاعته وطاعة رسوله وطاعة أولي الأمر من المؤمنين،

And Allah has commanded in His Book obedience to Him, obedience to His Messenger, and obedience to those in authority among the believers.

كَمَّا قَالَ تَعَالَىٰ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِيَ الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ فَإِنْ تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ

As Allah the Exalted said: O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you; then if you dispute about anything...

فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا النِّسَاءِ ٥٩ سُورَةً النِّسَاءِ آيَةٌ ٥٩

Refer the matter to Allah and the Messenger if you believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is better and best in final interpretation. Chapter The Women, verse 59.

مَن هُم أُولُو الأَمْرِ

[Who are those in authority?]

وأولو الأمر أصحاب الأمر وذووه، وهم الذين يأمرون الناس،

Those in authority are the people of command and its holders, and they are the ones who give orders to people.

وَذَٰلِكَ يَشْتَرِكُ فِيهِ أَهْلُ الْيَدِ وَالْقُدْرَةِ وَأَهْلُ الْعِلْمِ وَالْكَلَامِ

This includes both people of power and capability and people of knowledge and speech.

فَلِهَذَا كَانَ أُولُو الأَمْرِ صِنْفَيْنِ الْعُلَمَاءُ وَالأُمَرَاءُ

Thus, those in authority consist of two types: the scholars and the rulers.

فَإِذَا صَلَحُوا صَلَحَ النَّاسُ وَإِذَا فَسَدُوا فَسَدَ النَّاسُ

If they are righteous, the people will be righteous; and if they are corrupt, the people will be corrupt.

كَمَا قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقُ ﵁ لِلْأَحْمَسِيَّةِ لَمَّا سَأَلَتْهُ مَا بَقَاؤُنَا عَلَى هَذَا الْأَمْرِ

As Abu Bakr al-Siddiq said to al-Hamsiyyah when she asked him: 'What will sustain us in this matter?'

قَالَ مَا اسْتَقَامَتْ لَكُمْ أَئِمَّتُكُمْ

He said: 'As long as your leaders are upright.'

وَيَدْخُلُ فِيهِمُ الْمُلُوكُ وَالْمَشَايِخُ وَأَهْلُ الدِّيوَانِ

This includes kings, sheikhs, and those in administrative offices.

وَكُلُّ مَن كَانَ مَتْبُوعًا فَإِنَّهُ مِن أُولِي الأَمْرِ

Everyone who is followed is from those in authority.

وَعَلَى كُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِنْ هَؤُلَاءِ أَنْ يَأْمُرَ بِمَا أَمَرَ اللهُ بِهِ وَيَنْهَى عَمَّا نَهَى عَنْهُ

Each of them must command what Allah has commanded and forbid what He has forbidden.

وَعَلَى كُلِّ وَاحِدٍ مِمَّنْ عَلَيْهِ طَاعَتُهُ أَنْ يُطِيعَهُ فِي طَاعَةِ اللهِ وَلَا يُطِيعَهُ فِي مَعْصِيَةِ اللهِ

Everyone required to obey them must obey them in obedience to Allah, and must not obey them in disobedience to Allah.

كَمَا قَالَ أَبُو بَكْرٍ الصِّدِّيقُ ﵁ حِينَ تَوَلَّى أَمْرَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَخَطَبَهُمْ

As Abu Bakr al-Siddiq said when he assumed responsibility over the Muslims and addressed them,

فَقَالَ فِي خُطْبَتِهِ أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ القَوِيُّ فِيكُمُ الضَّعِيفُ عِنْدِي حَتَّى آخُذَ مِنْهُ الحَقَّ

So in his speech, he said: 'O people, the strong among you is weak to me until I take the right from him,

وَالضَّعِيفُ فِيكُمُ القَوِيُّ عِنْدِي حَتَّى آخُذَ لَهُ الحَقَّ أَطِيعُونِي مَا أَطَعْتُ اللهَ فَإِذَا عَصَيْتُ اللهَ فَلَا طَاعَةَ لِي عَلَيْكُمْ

And the weak among you is strong to me until I take his right for him. Obey me as long as I obey Allah. If I disobey Allah, then you owe me no obedience.