Lesson 7 on the explanation of Usool us-Sittah (The Six Principles) is now available. You can listen to or download it here:
The Third Foundation
Indeed, from the completion of unity is hearing and obeying the one who took power [of authority] over us, even if it be an Abyssinian slave. So Allāh explained this with a clear, broad and sufficient explanation, through many aspects of various types of explanation, both legislatively and through decree. Then this foundation became unknown to many of those claiming knowledge, so how then could it be acted upon?
The text of Usool us-Sittah can be found here: The Six Principles (Arabic and English).pdf
Points or topics discussed in the lesson:
- This third principle (unity behind those who are in authority over the affairs of the Muslims) is a completion of the other type of unity, which is unity upon the sound creed, upon the foundations of the Religion, which was the second principle.
- Unity cannot be achieved and nor authority, or the Religion remain upright except by hearing and obeying the one who takes authority over us. This is from the foundational obligations in Islam.
- “Even if he was an Abyssian slave” – meaning without looking at his status, position, race, ethnicity, or whether just or unjust (or sinful).
- It is not a condition that the ruler we are obliged to obey and listen to, that he should be just. Many of the people who oppose this principle will try to falsely interpret the texts which command with obedience.
- They say these texts only apply to a just ruler, a legitimate one. This is plainly false as the ahadith are very explicit. The Messenger (sallAllaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) explained that there will be splitting of the Muslim nation into various creeds and orientations, that there will a Prophetic Khilafah, followed by a Rightly-Guided one, followed by kingship which will be mercy, followed by a kingship which will be biting, followed by a tyrannical type of kingship. And he mentioned some of the traits and qualities of the rulers that would appear, from among them:
– that they will not follow my Sunnah or my guidance
– that they will have hearts of devils in the bodies of men
– that they will confiscate your wealth
– that they will beat your backs
– that they will demand their rights and not give you your rights
– that they will favour themselves financially, hoard wealth - The Messenger (sallAllaahu ‘alaihi wasallam) already explained all of these affairs in many authentic ahadith. Therefore to specify this condition, as we found among the Khawarij and groups like Ikhwanul-Muslimeen (Muslim Brotherhood), Hizb ut-Tahrir, and the likes, then this is a false condition and its also a false interpretation of those verses in the Quran.
- Rather, what is correct, is that any person who takes over the affairs of the Muslims, whoever ends up in authority, irrespective of how he did it, in the books of Aqidah like Usool us-Sunnah of Imam Ahmad and many other texts, the scholars clearly explain that irrespective of how a person comes to power, whether he did it through the peoples agreement or whether he came and fought with the sword and took power, forcefully, if that person is in control of the affairs of the Muslims, meaning he has assumed power, then that person, it is obligatory to obey him in obedience to Allah and His Messenger (sallAllaahu ‘alaihi wasallam), meaning in whatever he commands of goodness (and righteousness).
