And Allah has commanded in His Book obedience to Him, obedience to His Messenger, and obedience to those in authority among the believers.
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...
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.
[Who are those in authority?]
Those in authority are the people of command and its holders, and they are the ones who give orders to people.
This includes both people of power and capability and people of knowledge and speech.
Thus, those in authority consist of two types: the scholars and the rulers.
If they are righteous, the people will be righteous; and if they are corrupt, the people will be corrupt.
As Abu Bakr al-Siddiq said to al-Hamsiyyah when she asked him: 'What will sustain us in this matter?'
He said: 'As long as your leaders are upright.'
This includes kings, sheikhs, and those in administrative offices.
Everyone who is followed is from those in authority.
Each of them must command what Allah has commanded and forbid what He has forbidden.
Everyone required to obey them must obey them in obedience to Allah, and must not obey them in disobedience to Allah.
As Abu Bakr al-Siddiq said when he assumed responsibility over the Muslims and addressed them,
So in his speech, he said: 'O people, the strong among you is weak to me until I take the right from him,
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.
