Listen and obey, for they are only responsible for their duty, and you are responsible for your duty
Chapter: Obeying Rulers even if they withhold the people's rights
Authentic
hadith of Sahih Muslim
Sahih Muslim 1846b
وَحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ، حَدَّثَنَا شَبَابَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ سِمَاكٍ، بِهَذَا الإِسْنَادِ مِثْلَهُ وَقَالَ فَجَذَبَهُ الأَشْعَثُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " اسْمَعُوا وَأَطِيعُوا فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْهِمْ مَا حُمِّلُوا وَعَلَيْكُمْ مَا حُمِّلْتُمْ " .
Wā’il al-Hadrami reported: Salamah ibn Yazīd al-Ju‘fi (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), saying:
O Prophet of Allah, what if we are governed by rulers who seek their rights from us and deny us our rights, what do you command us to do? He turned away from him. Then he asked him, and he turned away from him. Then he asked him for the second or third time, so Al-Ash‘ath ibn Qays pulled him, and he said: "Listen and obey, for they are only responsible for their duty, and you are responsible for your duty."
Reported by Muslim (No. 1846b, 1846a) and At-Tirmidhi (No. 2199).
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about the rulers who demand their right from people, i.e., to listen and obey and withhold the right that is due to them, namely fulfilling justice, giving the spoils of war, redressing and settling grievances. What do you command us to do with them?
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) turned away from him as if he disliked these kinds of questions. However, the questioner repeated his question for the second and third time; thereupon, Al-Ash‘ath ibn Qays (may Allah be pleased with him) pulled the questioner to silence him.
The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) answered by saying: Listen to what they say and obey their command, as they are only responsible for their duty and for what is entrusted to them of fulfilling justice and giving the subjects their rights, and you are responsible for your duty of obedience, fulfilling rights, and enduring misfortunes patiently.
Lessons
The command to listen to and obey the rulers in all cases when it comes to what pleases Allah Almighty, even if they do not fulfill the subjects' rights.
The rulers' negligence in carrying out their duty does not justify the people's negligence in fulfilling their duties in return, as everyone is responsible for his deeds and will be held accountable for his negligence.
Religion is not built on bartering; rather, it is built on the commitment to obligations, even if others in return prove negligent in meeting their duties, as mentioned in this Hadīth.
Explanation in Arabic
سُئِلَ النبيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم عن الأمراء الذين يَطلبون حَقَّهم من الناس مِن السمع والطاعة، ويَمنعون الحقَّ الذي عليهم؛ مِن بَذْل العدل وإعطاء الغنيمة ورد المظالم والتسوية، فما تأمرنا أن نفعل معهم؟
فأعْرَضَ النبيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم عنه؛ كأنه كَرِهَ هذه المسائل، لكنْ أعادَ السائلُ عليه مرة ثانية وثالثة، فَجَذَبَ الأشعثُ بنُ قيس رضي الله عنه السائلَ لِيُسْكِتَه.
فأجاب النبيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم، وقال: اسمعوا لقولِهم، وأطيعوا أمرَهم؛ فإنما عليهم ما حُمِّلوا وما كُلِّفوا مِن العدل وإعطاء حق الرعية، وعليكم ما حُمِّلْتُم من الطاعة وأداء الحقوق والصبر على البلية.
الأمر بالسمع والطاعة للأمراء على كل حال فيما يرضي الله عز وجل، وإن لم يقوموا بحق الرعية.
تقصير الحكّام في واجبهم لا يُسَوِّغُ تقصيرَ الناس بالمقابل في واجباتهم؛ فكلٌّ مسؤولٌ عن عملِه، ومؤاخذ عن تقصيره.
الدين ليس مبنيًّا على المُقايَضَة، وإنما على الالتزام بما وَجَب وإنْ قَصَّرَ الآخَرُ بما وجب عليه في المقابل، كما ورد في هذا الحديث.
Scholars’ grades
Grade taken from the status of the collection (Sahih Muslim).
وعن أبى هنيدة وائل بن حجر رضي الله عنه قال: سأل سلمة بن يزيد الجعفي رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم ، فقال: يا نبي الله، أرأيت إن قامت علينا امراء يسألونا حقهم، ويمنعونا حقنا، فما تأمرنا؟ فأعرض عنه، ثم سأله، فقال…
