Muslim Rules For Leaders & Reformers

Source: Dr. Mazkar U. Kazi, compiler, Guidance of the Messenger (Jamaica, NY: Islamic Circle of North America, 1990). Dr. Kazi could be reached (in 1990) at the Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

These are some of the many sayings (Ahâdîth; henceforth "Ahadith") and acts (Sunnah) attributed to Mohammed, the "Messenger of God" (prophet of Islam). They are part of more than one half million items collected by his companions (the Sahâbah) and followers which were later sorted, evaluated for accuracy and compiled by scholars (the Muhaddithûn) who lived after Mohammed. The best known compilers include:

Compiler, Year compiler died, Title of compilation

1. Imâm al-Bukhârî, 870, al-Jâmi' al Sahîh
2. Imâm Muslim, 875, al-Jâmi' al Sahîh
3. Imâm Abu Dâûd, 888, al-Sunan
4. Imâm al-Tirmidhî, 892, al-Sunan
5. Imâm al-Nasâ'î, 915, al-Sunan
6. Imâm Ibn Mâja, 886, al-Sunan
7. Imâm Mâlik, 795, al-Muwatta'
8. Imâm al-Dârimî, 869, al-Sunan
9. Imâm Ibn Hibbân, 965, al-Sahîh
10. Imâm Ibn Khuzaima, 923, al-Sahîh
11. Imâm al-Hâkim, 1014, al-Mustadrak
12. Imâm Ibn Hanbal, 855, al-Musnad
13. Imâm Abû Nu'aim, 1038, Hilyat al-Awliyâ'
14. Imâm Baihaqî, 1066, Shu'ab al-îmân
15. Imâm al-Baghawî, 1117, Sharh al-sunnah
16. Imâm al-Tayâlisî, 818, al-Musnad

1. Anas ibn Malik related that Rasulullah said: "You should listen and obey your ruler even if he was an Ethiopian (negro) slave whose head looked like a raisin." (Source: Bukhârî)

   [ NOTE : stands for an Arabic phrase equivalent to "Peace Be Upon Him" that follows any reference to the Prophet Mohammed a.k.a. Rasulullah, the "Messenger of God."]

   [Comment by Dr. Kazi: Rasulullah in his farewell address made it very clear that in Islam, neither a white is superior to a black nor an Arab is superior to a non-Arab. The one who is more righteous is more respected in Islam. The Qur'ân says: Verily the most honored amongst you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. (49:13)]

2. Ibn 'Abbâs related that Rasulullah said: "If someone sees his Muslim ruler doing something of which he disapproves, then he should be patient, for whoever separates himself from the Muslim community even for a short time, and then dies, he will die as did the people of the Jâhiliyya (ignorance)." (Bukhârî)

3. Ibn 'Umar related that Rasulullah said: "A Muslim must hear and obey, both in what he likes and in what he dislikes, as long as he is not commanded to perform an act of disobedience to Allah, in which case he must neither hear nor obey." (Bukhârî, Muslim)

4. 'Abd al-Rahmân ibn Samur related that Rasulullah said: "Do not ask for the position of leader, for if you are given it after asking you will be left to carry it out by yourself, while if you are given it without asking you will be helped to carry out its duties." (Bukhârî, Muslim)

5. Ibn Yasâr related that Rasulullah said: "Any leader in charge of Muslim subjects who dies while acting dishonestly towards them will be excluded by Allah from Paradise." (Bukhârî, Muslim)

6. Tariq ibn Shihâb related that a person asked Rasulullah : "What is the highest form of striving in allah's cause?" He replied: "Speaking the truth to a tyrant." (Nasâ'î)

7. Jubair ibn Mut'im related that Rasulullah said: "Whoever calls others to sectarianism is not one of us. Whoever fights out of sectarianism is not one of us. Whoever dies for the cause of sectarianism is not one of us." (Abû Dâûd)

8. Abû Hurairah related that Rasulullah said: "A Muslim is a Muslim's brother, he should not cheat him, nor tell him a lie, nor humiliate him. Everything owned by a Muslim is forbidden for another Muslim to take, his property and his blood. Righteousness is an attribute of the heart. It is sufficient evil for a man even to look down on his Muslim brother with disdain." (Tirmidhî)