In the name of Allah, Most Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy.
The Text of the Chapter
Shaikhul-Islam Muhammad Ibn Abdul-Wahhāb said:
It is mentioned in the Saheeh from Abu Hurairah (radiyallahu ʿanhu) from the Prophet (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam) that he said:
إن أخنع اسم عند الله رجل تسمَّى ملك الأملاك. لا مالك إلا الله
“Indeed the most lowly and awful name that a man can name himself with in the sight of Allah is ‘King of Kings,’ whilst there is no true King except for Allah.” (Al-Bukhari, no. 6205, Muslim no. 2143)
Sufyān (rahimahullah) said: “Such the title شاهان شاه ‘Shāhān Shah.’”
In another narration, the Prophet (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam) said:
أغيظ رجل على الله يوم القيامة وأخبثه
“The man who angers Allah the most on the Day of Judgement, and the most foul and wicked in His sight is this one (the one who calls himself King of Kings).” (Al-Bukhari no. 6206, Muslim no. 2143)
Explanation
In this chapter, there is a dislike of calling oneself the Judge of judges, and likewise calling oneself the King of kings, when it is known that Allah (the Most High) is the Judge of judges and He is the King of kings. As for the title King, then this is established for other than Allah in the Qur’ān in His statement:
وَكَانَ وَرَاءَهُم مَّلِكٌ يَأْخُذُ كُلَّ سَفِينَةٍ غَصْبًا
“There was a king behind them who seized every ship by force.” (Surah al-Kahf 18:79)
Also, the Prophet Dāwud and his son Sulaimān (ʿalaihimas-salām) were kings, and Allah (the Most High) offered the Prophet (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam) kingship. Also, there is the hadeeth:
عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ جَلَسَ جِبْرِيلُ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَنَظَرَ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فَإِذَا مَلَكٌ يَنْزِلُ فَقَالَ جِبْرِيلُ إِنَّ هَذَا الْمَلَكَ مَا نَزَلَ مُنْذُ يَوْمِ خُلِقَ قَبْلَ السَّاعَةِ فَلَمَّا نَزَلَ قَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ أَرْسَلَنِي إِلَيْكَ رَبُّكَ قَالَ أَفَمَلِكًا نَبِيًّا يَجْعَلُكَ أَوْ عَبْدًا رَسُولًا قَالَ جِبْرِيلُ تَوَاضَعْ لِرَبِّكَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ قَالَ بَلْ عَبْدًا رَسُولًا
Abu Hurairah said: “Jibreel was sitting with the Prophet (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam) and he looked towards the sky as an angel descended. So, Jibreel said, ‘This angel has never descended since the day he was created.’ The angel said, ‘O Muhammad, your Lord has sent me to you asking should I make you a prophet-king or a servant-messenger.’ Jibreel said to the Prophet (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam), ‘Be humble before your Lord, O Muhammad!’ So, the Prophet (salallāhu ʿalaihi wasallam) said, “Rather, I wish to be a servant-messenger.” (Ahmad, no. 7160, saheeh, see Saheeh at-Targheeb, no. 3280)
So, being named ‘King’ is permissible as can be seen from the above. The noble companion Mu’āwiyah ibn Abi Sufyan (radiyallahu ʿanhu), the khāl (maternal uncle) of the ummah, was a king and he excelled in his kingship. After him there was another king of great renown and repute and that was ʿUmar ibn ʿAbdul ʿAziz (d. 101 AH, rahimahullah) from Banu Umayyah — and the scholars say that his revival of the deen was the most complete due to his being able to revive all matters in the land related to Islam, and remove bidʿah and disobedience, because he was the ruler and a scholar.
Therefore, it is established that holding the title of King is permissible, however, what is forbidden and warned against is that a person calls himself King of kings or Judge of judges because these titles are not befitting except for Allah (the Most High). However, if a person is named the Head of the Judges or the Judiciary, or something similar to that, then there is no harm in this.
Perhaps it might be said, ‘What is the relevance of this chapter heading in Kitāb at-Tawheed which warns against shirk and commands people to tawheed?’ The answer to this is that this is shirk (associating partners) in naming — that is, a person names himself King of kings or Judge of judges thus making himself equal to Allah, and it is for this reason that it is forbidden. As for the title ‘Shāhān Shah,’ then this means ‘King of kings’ in the Persian language.
From Al-ʿAllāmah Shaikh Ahmad Ibn Yahyā An-Najmi’s (rahimahullāh) explanation with added notes by Abu Khadeejah.
سبحانك اللهم وبحمدك أشهد أن لا إله إلا أنت، أستغفرك وأتوب إليك
الحمد لله رب العالمين وصلى الله على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه وسلم
This article was transcribed by Umm Maryam (may Allah reward her) from the classes of Abu Khadeejah. Please share it with others.
