The Best Jihad Is To Speak A Word Of Truth In Front Of A Tyrannical Ruler – Not In Front Of The People Or Behind His Back

The Best Jihad Is To Speak A Word Of Truth In Front Of A Tyrannical Ruler – Not In Front Of The People, Behind His Back, Or By Marching In The Streets.

Imām An-Nasā’ī (Allah’s mercy be upon him) reported in his Sunan:

عَنْ طَارِقِ بْنِ شِهَابٍ، أَنَّ رَجُلاً، سَأَلَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم وَقَدْ وَضَعَ رِجْلَهُ فِي الْغَرْزِ أَىُّ الْجِهَادِ أَفْضَلُ قَالَ‏ كَلِمَةُ حَقٍّ عِنْدَ سُلْطَانٍ جَائِرٍ ‏‏

Tāriq Ibn Shihāb narrated that a man asked the Prophet (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam) while he was placing his foot into the stirrups of his riding beast: “Which type of Jihad is the best?” The Prophet (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam) replied: “To speak a word of truth in front of a tyrannical ruler.” (no. 4206. Similar wording reported by Ibn Mājah, no. 4012, graded saheeh by Shaikh Al-Albānī)

Abu Dawood (no. 4344) reported it with the wording that the Prophet (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam) said:

أَفْضَلُ الْجِهَادِ كَلِمَةُ عَدْلٍ عِنْدَ سُلْطَانٍ جَائِرٍ‏ أَوْ ‏‏ أَمِيرٍ جَائِرٍ ‏

“The best Jihad is to speak a just word in the presence of a tyrannical sultān, or a tyrannical ameer.” (Graded saheeh by Shaikh Al-Albānī)

The Messenger of Allāh (salallāhu ʿalaihi wassallam) made it explicitly clear that it is forbidden to speak openly against the Muslim ruler. It is the Sunnah to advise him in private, regardless of his tyranny:

مَنْ أَرَادَ أَنْ يَنْصَحَ ‌لِذِي ‌سُلْطَانٍ فَلَا يُبْدِهِ عَلَانِيَةً، وَلَكِنْ يَأْخُذُ بِيَدِهِ فَيَخْلُوا بِهِ، فَإِنْ قَبِلَ مِنْهُ فَذَاكَ، وَإِلَّا كَانَ قَدْ أَدَّى الَّذِي عَلَيْهِ

“Whosoever wishes to advise the Ruler, let him not do so openly. Rather he should take him by his hand into seclusion [and advise him]. If he accepts that from him, it is in his favour, and if he does not accept, he has fulfilled his duty.” (Imām Ahmad in al-Musnad, no. 15359, As-Sunnah Ibn Abī ʿĀsim, no. 1096-1097 with Shaikh Al-Albānī’s checking – an authentic hadeeth)

He (salallāhu ʿalaihi wassallam) also stated in clear terms:

سيِّدُ الشُّهداءِ حمزةُ بنُ عبدِ المطَّلبِ ، ورجلٌ قام إلى إمامٍ جائرٍ فأمره ونهاه فقتله

“The chief of the martyrs is Hamzah Ibn ʿAbdul-Muttalib and a man who stands before a tyrannical ruler, commanding him with good and forbidding him from evil, for which the ruler kills him.” (Reported by al-Hākim 4884 who graded it as saheeh, Ibn Hibbān in Al-Majrooheen 1/186,  verified as authentic (saheeh) by Shaikh Al-Albānī in As-Sahīhah, no. 374)

This reward is for the one who is in the presence of the ruler, not the one who shouts ‘oppression’ from the streets, the pulpit sometimes thousands of miles away, or from internet forums and social media accounts.

Al-Imām Ibn Bāz (rahimahullāh) said:

“It is not from the methodology of the early scholars (Salaf) to spread the mistakes and shortcomings of the rulers and to mention that from the pulpits, because that leads to disorder and confusion, and the withdrawal of hearing and obeying the rulers in that which is good – and it leads to delving into affairs that are harmful and not of benefit. Instead, the way of the Salaf was to advise the sultan, and to write to him, or to inform the scholars who would then convey that advice to the ruler so that he is directed towards goodness. As for forbidding what is wrong without mentioning the name of the wrongdoer, such as forbidding and rebuking fornication, drinking alcohol and usury without mentioning the name of the doer, and that is an obligation due to the general proofs [in the Sharī’ah]. And it is sufficient that the sins are refuted and warned against without mentioning the name of the one doing them, not the ruler and nor other than him.” He continued, “And when the ignoramus Khawārij opened the door of evil in the time of the Caliph ‘Uthmān (radiyallāhu ‘anhu), and they criticised him openly, the fitnah became severe, fighting and corruption ensued whose effects upon the people have not ceased till this day.” (Majmooʿ Al-Fatāwā of Ibn Bāz 8/210)

Abu Khadeejah Abdul-Wahid.

Arabic of the full quote of Imām Ibn Bāz (rahimahullāh):

ليس من منهج السلف التشهير بعيوب الولاة، وذكر ذلك على المنابر؛ لأن ذلك يفضي إلى الفوضى وعدم السمع والطاعة في المعروف، ويفضي إلى الخوض الذي يضر ولا ينفع، ولكن الطريقة المتبعة عند السلف: النصيحة فيما بينهم وبين السلطان، والكتابة إليه، أو الاتصال بالعلماء الذين يتصلون به حتى يوجه إلى الخير.
أما إنكار المنكر بدون ذكر الفاعل: فينكر الزنا، وينكر الخمر، وينكر الربا من دون ذكر من فعله، فذلك واجب؛ لعموم الأدلة.
ويكفي إنكار المعاصي والتحذير منها من غير أن يذكر من فعلها لا حاكما ولا غير حاكم.
ولما وقعت الفتنة في عهد عثمان : قال بعض الناس لأسامة بن زيد : ألا تكلم عثمان؟ فقال: إنكم ترون أني لا أكلمه، إلا أسمعكم؟ إني أكلمه فيما بيني وبينه دون أن أفتتح أمرًا لا أحب أن أكون أول من افتتحه.
ولما فتح الخوارج الجهال باب الشر في زمان عثمان  وأنكروا على عثمان علنا عظمت الفتنة والقتال والفساد الذي لا يزال الناس في آثاره إلى اليوم، حتى حصلت الفتنة بين علي ومعاوية، وقتل عثمان وعلي رضي الله عنهما بأسباب ذلك، وقتل جمع كثير من الصحابة وغيرهم بأسباب الإنكار العلني، وذكر العيوب علنا، حتى أبغض الكثيرون من الناس ولي أمرهم وقتلوه، وقد روى عياض بن غنم الأشعري، أن رسول الله ﷺ قال: من أراد أن ينصح لذي سلطان فلا يبده علانية، ولكن يأخذ بيده فيخلو به فإن قبل منه فذاك، وإلا كان قد أدى الذي عليه.
نسأل الله العافية والسلامة لنا ولإخواننا المسلمين من كل شر، إنه سميع مجيب.
وصلى الله وسلم على سيدنا محمد، وآله وصحبه

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