Advising the Ruler
Taken from the footnotes of 'The Creed of the Imaam of Hadeeth al-Bukhari & of the Great Scholars from whom he narrated' (pp.37-8)
Being translated from Al-Ma'loom min Waajib il-'Ilaaqah bain al-Haakim wal-Mahkoom (pp.22-3) by Amjad Rafiq and Aboo Talha:
...And Shaykh Abdul-Azeez ibn Baaz was asked, 'Is it from the manhaj (methodology) of the Salaf to criticise the Rulers from the minbar (the pulpit)? And what is the manhaj of the Salaf with respect to advising the Rulers?' He responded:
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'It is not from the manhaj of the Salaf to publicise the faults of the Rulers and to mention such things from the pulpit because that leads to confusion/disorder and the absence of hearing and obeying the ruler in what is good. It also results in (the people) becoming engrossed (with these matters, arguing and debating) which causes harm and produces no benefit. The followed path with the Salaf however, is to give naseehah (advice) with respect to the matters which are between themselves and the leader, writing to him, or by reaching him through the scholars who keep in touch with him (to advise him) until the ruler is directed towards the good...
And when the fitnah occurred in the time of 'Uthmaan (ra) some of the people said to Usaamah ibn Zaid (ra), 'Will you not speak to 'Uthmaan?' So he replied, 'You think that I will not talk to him without letting you know about it (also). Indeed, I will certainly talk to him regarding that which concerns me and him without initiating a matter which I do not love to be the first to initiate.'
And when they (the Khawaarij) opened up the evil in the time of 'Uthmaan (ra), and rejected 'Uthmaan openly, the fitnah, the killing and the mischief, which has not ceased to affect the people to this day, was brought about. And this caused the fitnah to occur between 'Alee and Mu'aawiyyah and 'Uthmaan was killed for these reasons...
(Furthermore) a large number of Companions and others besides them were killed due to this open rebellion and the open proclamation of the faults (of the ruler), until the people began to hate the one charged with authority over them and killed him. We ask Allaah for success.'
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End of the words of the Shaykh.
It is authentically reported from the Messenger (saw) in the hadeeth of 'Iyaad ibn Ghunm who said, "The Messenger of Allaah (saw) said,
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'Whoever desires to advise the one with authority then he should not do so openly, rather he should take him by the hand and take him into seclusion (and then advise him). And if he accepts (the advice) from him then (he has achieved his objective) and if not then he has fulfilled that which was a duty upon him.'" Reported by Ahmad (3/403) and Ibn Abee 'Asim (2/521) with a saheeh isnaad.
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Taken from 'Explanation of the Creed' by Imaam al-Barbahaaree
Translated by Abu Talhah (pp.85-86):
...If you find a man making supplication against the ruler, know that he is a person of innovation. If you find a person making supplication for the ruler to be upright, know that he is a person of the Sunnah, if Allaah wills. Fudayl ibn 'Iyaad said, "If I had an invocation which was to be answered, I would not make it except for the ruler." It was said to him, "O Abu 'Alee, explain that to us," he replied, "If I made an invocation for myself, it would not go beyond me. Whereas if I make it for the ruler, he is corrected and through that, the servants and the land are set in order." [Abu Nu'aym in al-Hilyah (8/91) with a saheeh isnaad and Khallaal in as-Sunnah (no.9)].
We are ordered to make supplication for them 9 (i.e. the rulers) to be upright. We have not been ordered to make supplication against them, even if they commit tyranny and oppression, since their tyranny and oppression reflect only upon themselves but their rectitude is good for themselves and the Muslims...
Source: http://www.islaam.net/main/display.php?id=96&category=3
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