In the name of Allah, Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy.
It is reported by Muslim from the hadith of ʿArfajah al-Ashjaʿi, radiyallahu ʿanhu, in a marfuʿ narration, that the Prophet sallallahu ʿalayhi wa-sallam said:
مَنْ أَتَاكُمْ وَأَمْرُكُمْ جَمِيعٌ عَلَى رَجُلٍ وَاحِدٍ، يُرِيدُ أَنْ يَشُقَّ عَصَاكُمْ، وَيُفَرِّقَ جَمَاعَتَكُمْ، فَاقْتُلُوهُ.
“Whoever comes to you whilst your affair is united under one man, seeking to divide your unity and split your community, then kill him.” (no. 60 and 1852)
Al-ʿAllāmah al-Fawzān (may Allāh preserve him) explained:
His statement, sallallahu ʿalayhi wa-sallam, in the hadith of ʿArfajah: “Whoever comes to you whilst your affair is united under one man, seeking to divide your unity and split your community, then kill him,” indicates that when the affair has been settled, the pledge of allegiance has been given to the ruler, and the people have united upon that pledge, then whoever seeks to divide the unity of the Muslims and split the community must be killed in order to protect the Muslims from his evil. This falls under the principle of repelling the greater evil by means of the lesser evil. Thus, he is killed even if he is a Muslim, because killing him entails less corruption than the greater harm that would otherwise result.
This shows that it is not permissible to obey the callers to misguidance who pursue the slips of those in authority, spreading them in order to stir up tribulation. One must therefore beware of this category of people, for indeed the welfare of all is achieved by restraining their evil; it is not just merely for the benefit of the ruler.
It is possible that these misguided ones do not have the ability to overthrow the rulers—however they sow dissension, and they stir up trouble, and they talk in gatherings and at public event—all of which leads to corruption.
Al-Hajjaj was indeed oppressive and severe in his tyranny. Despite this, the Muslims and the scholars exercised patience in the face of his oppression, and among them were the best of the Tabiʿin.
This was also the position of Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal [in his era], despite all that he suffered at the hands of the rulers. He was patient, seeking his reward with Allah, and he excused and pardoned the ruler who punished him and oppressed him.
The Muslims and the scholars would stand alongside the rulers even if they fell into mistakes and error: they would help them and fight alongside them [in their battles].
This was especially so with Imam Ahmad. He was in a position to incite the people against the Caliph, but he remained patient and did not rebel against the ruler. This is a great principle in the methodology of the Muslims: one does not rebel against the ruler on account of his oppression and sins because of what results from that of tribulations, the shedding of blood, corruption between the people. And the corruption that results from rebelling against him is greater than the corruption that arises from his remaining in power. Therefore, it is obligatory to beware of the callers to tribulation who have infiltrated the ranks of the Muslims.
Source: Sharh Kitāb al-Kabā’ir (pp. 552-553 of Silsilah Sharh ar-Rasā’il).
Abu Khadeejah.
