Obedience is compulsory upon Muslims for the Muslim ruler who implements the laws of Islam in his ruling, even if He did wrong or withheld the rights, as long as He does not order an act of disobedience (to Allah) and as long as He does not show an act of flagrant disbelief (Kufr Bawah)
Evidence about the obligation of obedience to the ruler is manifested in the Holy verses and the related Ahadith. Allah (swt) says;
“O you who believe obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority from amongst you.” [TMQ An-Nisa’: 59]
Al- Bukhari reported on the authority of Abu Salama Ibnu ‘Abdul Rahman that He heard Abu Hurayra say;
“The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said; ‘whoever obeyed me is as if He had obeyed Allah, and whoever disobeyed me is as if He had disobeyed Allah. And whoever obeyed my Ameer is as if He had obeyed me and whoever disobeyed my Ameer is as if He had disobeyed me.’” In another narration He was reported to have said;
“Whoever obeyed the Ameer is as if He had obeyed me.” Al- Bukhari narrated from Anas Ibnu Malik, who said;
“The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said; ‘You must hear and obey, even if it were appointed upon you an Abyssinian slave whose hair is like a raisin.’” Muslim narrated from ‘Amru bin Al-’Ass, that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said;
“Whosoever gave his Bay’ah to an Imam giving Him the clasp of his hand and the fruit of his heart let Him obey Him as long as He can, and if another comes to dispute with Him you must strike the neck of the latter.”
These are clear evidences that obedience is obligatory, for Allah (swt) has ordered the obedience to the people in authority, to the Ameer and to the Imam. This order has been associated with a Qareenah (indication), that it is decisive by the fact that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) considered the disobedience of the Ameer as disobedience to the Messenger (pbuh) and to Allah (pbuh). He (pbuh) emphasised obedience even if the ruler was an Abyssinian slave. All these serve as Qaraa’in (indications) that the order is decisive, thus the obedience of the ruler is obligatory.
The obedience has come unrestricted, not confined to a certain ruler nor to certain issues. It is therefore obligatory to obey any Muslim ruler, even if He were a wrongdoer, a rebel, or unjustly squandering people’s wealth. His obedience is obligatory, for the evidences have come unrestricted, and should remain so.
Some Ahadith have however been reported indicating that obedience to the ruler is obligatory even if the ruler did wrong, and even if He were a tyrant. Al- Bukhari narrated from ‘Abdullah, who said; “The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said to us:
‘You shall witness after me selfishness and matters which you will disown.’ They said; ‘What do you order us, O Messenger of Allah?’ He said; ‘Give them their due right and ask Allah for your due right’.” Al-Bukhari also reported on the authority of Abu Raja’a from Ibnu ‘Abbas that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said;
“If anyone sees in his Ameer something that displeases Him let Him remain patient, for behold! He who separates himself from the Jama’a (community) by even so much as a hand span and dies thereupon, He would have died the death of Jahiliyyah.”
These Ahadith are explicit regarding the obligation of obeying the ruler whatever He does. The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) stressed this very strongly, for Muslim narrated from Nafi’ on the authority of ‘Abdullah Ibnu ‘Umar, who said; “I heard the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) say:
‘Whoever withdraws his hand from obedience to the Ameer will find no proof for himself when He meets Allah on the Day of Judgement, and whoever dies without having an oath of allegiance (Bay’ah) on his neck He would die the death of Jahiliyyah.’”
The Hadith of Ibnu ‘Umar as reported by Al-Hakim states that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said;
“He who abandons the Jama’a by even so much as a hand span is as if He has taken the knot of Islam off his neck, until He returns. And whoever dies while there was no Imam of Jama’a ruling over him, his death would be that of the days of Jahiliyyah.”
It is thus forbidden to disobey the ruler whatever He does.
It is not allowed to disobey the ruler whatever He did, nor to rebel against Him or fight him, whatever happened from him. Al-Bukhari narrated from ‘Abdullah bin ‘Umar that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said; “He who takes up arms against us is not one of us.”
The ruler should not be disputed with over the authority whatever is the reason, except for what has been stated by a text, which is the appearance of the flagrant disbelief.
The prohibition of fighting against the rulers is also explicit, even if they committed Munkar. For Muslim reported on the authority of Umm Salama that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said;
“‘Ameers will be appointed over you, you will recognise some of what they do and you will disown some. Whoever recognised He is absolved from blame.Whoever disapproved (of their bad deeds) He is safe, but whoever consented and followed them (he is doomed.)’ They said; ‘Should we not fight against them?’ He (pbuh) replied: ‘No, as long as they prayed.’” In a Hadith reported by Muslim from ‘Awf bin Malik “... It was said;
“‘O Messenger of Allah? Should we not fight against them?’ He said; ‘No, as long as they established prayer amongst you.’” Additionally in the narration of ‘Ubadah Ibnus-Samit regarding the Bay’ah as reported by Muslim:
“And you should not dispute with the people in authority unless you witness a flagrant act of disbelief upon which you have a proof from Allah.”
All these are explicit texts that prohibit the rebellion against the ruler, fighting against Him and disputing with Him over the authority. In addition, there are Ahadith that indicate the obligation of obeying the ruler no matter how much of a tyrant He is, and no matter how many evils He commits. All these Ahadith exhort and demand total obedience to the ruler. The unrestricted Ayaat and Ahadith that command the enjoining of Ma’ruf and the forbidding of Munkar even by hand do not apply to the ruler, because the Ahadith has specified this and excluded the ruler as mentioned earlier. The obedience of the ruler therefore, is general and unrestricted except where it is mentioned.