Corrupt Leaders and Islam
About corruption and what to do about Muslim leaders
whose
methodology or teaching
is to commit the haram (prohibited)
The Prophet (sallallahu aleihi wa sallam) said:
"Allah does not punish the individuals for the sins of the community
until they see the evil spreading among themselves, and while they have the
power to stop it, do not do so." (Ahmad)
Shaykhul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah
said:
"This is why those who are in authority are
of two groups: the scholars and the rulers. If they are upright, the people
will be upright; if they are corrupt, the people will be corrupt."
The Noble Qur'an - Hud
11:85
"And O my people! Give full measure and weight
in justice and reduce not the things that are due to the people, and do not
commit mischief in the land, causing corruption.
The Noble Qur'an - Hud
11:113
And incline not toward those who do wrong,
lest the Fire should touch you, and you have no protectors other than
Allâh, nor you would then be helped
Do not split
from the Jamaa'ah
as a result
of a corrupt leader
Hadith - Al-Bukhari and Muslim, and other
narration by at-Tirmidhee (no. 2867) and Ahmad (4/130).
Allaah’s Messenger (SAAWS) said, "He who
sees from his ruler something he dislikes, let him be patient with him, for
he who splits away from the Jamaa’ah by a handspan and then dies, dies
a death of Jaahiliyyah" and in a narration, "then he has thrown off the yoke
of Islaam from his neck."
Be Firm yet
Just with a Corrupt Muslim
The Noble Qur'an - Al-Ma'idah
5:8
O you who believe! Stand out firmly for Allâh
and be just witnesses and let not the enmity and hatred of others make you
avoid justice. Be just: that is nearer to piety, and fear Allâh. Verily,
Allâh is WellAcquainted with what you do.
Shaykh Abdul-Azeez ibn Baaz, hafidahullah 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:
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. Repelling the evil occurs
without mentioning the doer of the evil. So fornication, drinking of intoxicants
and the taking of usury are curbed without mentioning the one who does such
things. Warding off the evil and warning and the people against it is sufficient
without it being mentioned that such and such a person does it, whether he
is a ruler or other than the ruler.
And when the fitnah occurred in the time of 'Uthmaan , some of the people
said to Usaamah ibn Zaid , "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."
Hadith - Reported by Ahmad (3/403) and
Ibn Abee 'Aasim (2/521) with a saheeh isnaad.
It is authentically reported from the Messenger
in the hadeeth of 'Iyaad ibn Ghunum who said, "The Messenger of Allaah (saaws)
said, '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.' "
Sexual
Corruption
The Noble Qur'an 24:30
Tell the believing men to lower their gaze
(from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from
illegal sexual acts, etc.). That is purer for them. Verily, Allah is All-Aware
of what they do.
Hadith - Sahih Bukhari Book 25, No.
5403
Some persons from Banu Hisham entered the house
of Asma' daughter of Umays when AbuBakr also entered (and she was at that
time his wife). He (AbuBakr) saw it and disapproved of it and he made a mention
of that to Allah's Messenger saaws and said: I did not see but good only
(in my wife).
Thereupon Allah's Messenger saaws said:
Verily Allah has made her immune from all this.
Then Allah's Messenger saaws stood on the pulpit and said:
After this day no man should enter the house of another
person in his absence, but only when he is accompanied by one person or two
persons.
Hadith - Al-Tirmidhi 3118, Narrated Umar
ibn al-Khattab , Tirmidhi transmitted it
The Prophet saaws said,
"Whenever a man
is alone with a woman the Devil makes a third."
In order to
Lead the People,
You Must Qualify
to be a Wali
Hadith - Dawud 2078, Narrated 'Aisha
r.a. [also related by Ahmad, Tirmidhi,
and others. Tirmidhi said, this is a hasan Hadith]
"If they dispute, then the sultan (man in
authority) is the wali of those who have no wali."
The Duty of
the Muslim to Give Sincere Advice to the Corrupt
Ruler
"The master of martyrs (sayyid al-shuhada)
is Hamza, and a man who stands up to a tyrant ruler and gives him nasiha
(advice). And so the ruler kills him"
The Prophet (SAW) continued to say : 'By Allah
you have to enjoin good (Maroof) and forbid evil (Munkar), and hold against
the hand of the unjust ruler (Zalim), and force him on the truth strongly,
or you have to limit him to the truth'. By this evidence, which is the hadith
commenting on the verse, Allah (SWT) has prohibited us from remaining silent
against the evil (Munkar), and He commanded us to remove it. Allah (SWT)
commanded the Muslims to enjoin Maroof and deny Munkar, and made it a duty
upon them to do so. Allah (SWT) said; 'Let it be from among you a group who
call to the good, enjoin Maroof and deny Munkar'. Allah (SWT) also said:
'You have been the best nation (Ummah) brought to the people, because you
enjoin Maroof and deny Munkar'. [Musnad of Ahmad]
Saying of the Salaf
'Abdullah ibn Mas'ood (radiallaahu 'anhu) used
to say:
"Whoever aids an oppressor or taught him an
argument to nullify the right of an ordinary Muslims, has drawn upon himself
the anger of Allaah".
The Noble Qur'an
33:60-61
If the HYPOCRITES, and those in whose hearts
is a disease (evil desire for ADULTERY, etc.), and those who spread FALSE
NEWS among the people in AlMadinah, cease not, We shall certainly let
you OVERPOWER them, then they will not be able to stay in it as your neighbours
but a little while. Accursed, wherever found, they shall be seized and killed
with a (terrible) slaughter.
Hadith - Al-Tirmidhi 3741, Narrated Abdullah
ibn Abu Awfa
Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said,
"Allah is with the qadi as long as he is not tyrannical, but when
he is, He departs from him and the Devil attaches himself to him."
[Tirmidhi
and Ibn Majah transmitted it.]
Fighting a
corrupt muslim ruler
If an Imam (leader) or Amir (ruler) becomes corrupt he should first be given
a call to Islam (submission) in private, or possibly in public if his evil
deeds were done in public. If he does not turn away from his evil deeds,
he should be overthrown or removed from position. However, in the process
of removing him from position, he should not be physically fought, such as
waging war with weapons. This is because the ruler is still muslim, and the
muslims are not to attack or kill another muslim. If, however, the Muslim
leader or ruler completely abandons his salat, he nullifies his Islam and
can be fought if necessary. (However, to prove this, it would take an Islamic
court or similar situation in which the person could defend themselves
against all accusations).
Hadith - Sahih Muslim 4569, Narrated Umm Salamah, r.a.
The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: In the near future there
will be Amirs (rulers) and you will like their good deeds and dislike
their bad deeds. One who sees through their bad deeds (and tries to prevent
their repetition by his hand or through his speech), is absolved from blame,
but one who hates their bad deeds (in the heart of his heart, being unable
to prevent their recurrence by his hand or his tongue), is (also) safe (so
far as God"s wrath is concerned). But one who approves of their bad deeds
and imitates them is spiritually ruined. People asked (the Prophet): Shouldn't
we fight against them? He replied: No, as long as they say their prayers.
Hadith - Related by Ahmad, Dawud,
at-Tirmidhi, anNasa'i and Ibn Majah
Buraidah reported that the Prophet
said,
"The pact between
us and them is prayer. Whoever abandons it is a disbeliever."
