The Right of Ruler (15th) Commentary on Imam Al-Sajjad’s (AS) Treaties of Right by Mohammad Sobhanie.
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
فأَمَّا حَقُّ سَائِسِكَ بالسُّلْطَانِ فَأَنْ تَعْلَمَ أنّكَ جُعِلْتَ لَهُ فِتنَة وأنَّهُ مُبْتَلىً فِيكَ بمَا جَعَلَهُ اللهُ لَهُ عَلَيْكَ مِنَ السُّلْطَانِ وَأَنْ تُخلِصَ لَهُ فِي النَّصِيحَةِ وَأَنْ لا تُمَاحِكَهُ وَقَدْ بُسِطْتَ يَدُهُ عَلَيْكَ فَتَكُونَ سَبَبَ هَلاكِ نفْسِكَ وَهلاكِهِ. وتَذَلَّلْ وتَلَطَّفْ لإِعْطَائِهِ مِنَ الرِّضَا مَا يَكُفُّهُ عَنْكَ وَلا يَضُرُّ بدينِكَ وتَسْتَعِينُ عَلَيْهِ فِي ذلِكَ باللهِ. ولا تُعَازَّهُ ولا تُعَانِدَهُ فَإنَّكَ إنْ فَعَلْتَ ذلِكَ عَقَقْتَهُ وَعَقَقْتَ نَفْسَكَ فَعَرَضْتَهَا لِمَكرُوهِهِ وَعَرَضْتَهُ لِلْهَلَكَةِ فِيكَ وَكُنْتَ خَلِيقًا أَنْ تَكُونَ مُعِينًا لَهُ عَلَى نفْسِكَ وَشَرِيكًا لَهُ فِيمَا أَتى إلَيْكَ. وَلا قُوَّةَ إلا بالله
The Right of Ruler (15th)
“Allah (SWT) tests the ruler with the power he has over you. (Some rulers pass the test by treating the people with justice, while others fail by abusing their power to oppress and betray the people’s rights.)
(A ruler, in general, is not free from errors and mistakes. If he does make a mistake) his right over you is to advise him sincerely. Do not quarrel with him (for their mistake) since he completely dominates you, and strife with him may end in your and his annihilation.
Be humble and courteous to him and get his acquiescence as long as it does not harm your religion, and seek help from God in this matter.
Do not be antagonistic, and do not show resistance to his ruling. Should you do so, you will cause a disservice to him and yourself. Your hostility severs your relationship and creates hatred and enmity, which may push him to persecute you and destroy himself in return. In this case, you would be blamed as an accomplice in whatever he did, including harming you. And there is no power but in God.”
Commentary:
The statement of Imam Sajjad (AS) points to the necessary presence of a governing body in every society. This idea is contrary to the view of the Khawarij, who believed that sovereignty belongs only to Allah (SWT) and no one has the right to rule[1].
In the 40th sermon of Nahjul-Balagha, Amir Al-Mu’minan (AS) rejects the notion of the Khawarij and says:
“(The sovereignty belongs only to Allah (SWT), and no one has the right to rule) is a true statement that a false meaning has been deduced from it. Judgment indeed belongs to Allah. But people need a ruler, whether good or bad[2]. So that the faithful perform (good) acts while the unfaithful enjoy (worldly) benefits. People could live safely under the rule of the government. The government collects taxes, fights the enemy, protects the roadways, and protects the rights of the weak and vulnerable people against the aggression of the strong ones. The righteous live with prosperity and away from the evil of wicked people.”
Nations in the past felt the necessity of a ruler to manage their affairs and protect their interests. An example is the nation of Bani Israel, which asked for a king from their prophet, which is mentioned in verses 246-247 of the Quran (Al-Baqarah).
Islam generally condemns oppression and infringement on people’s rights, invites people to oppose oppression, and stand up against tyrants. A clear example is the historical uprising of Imam Hussain (AS) against Yazid. This was from the teachings of the Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt. For instance, Imam Sadeq (AS) said[3],[4]:
تَمَنَّوُا اَلْفِتْنَةَ، فَفِيهَا هَلاَكُ اَلْجَبَابِرَةِ، وَ طَهَارَةُ اَلْأَرْضِ مِنَ اَلْفَسَقَةِ.
Wish for trial and tribulation (a revolution against the ruling system to establish justice and implement divine decrees), which would result in two effects:
- Annihilation of oppressors
- Cleanse the earth from mischievous.
However, sometimes circumstances force patience and forbearance with a ruler for the sake of Islam. An example is the silence of Imam Ali (AS) during the rule of the three previous caliphs. After Imam Ali (AS) was unjustly deprived of the Caliphate position, he said:
“Then I began to think whether I should rise or endure calmly the blinding darkness of tribulations wherein the grown-up is made feeble, and the young grow old, and the true believer acts under strain till he meets Allah (on his death). I found that endurance thereon was wise[5].”
Other instances include the signing of the peace treaty between Imam Hassan (AS) and Muawiya[6] for the interests of the Muslim ummah and the treaty of Hudaibiyah that was signed between the Prophet and the infidels of Mecca.
On the rights of the ruler, Imam Sajjad (AS) stated:
“Do not be antagonistic, and do not show resistance to his ruling. Should you do so, you will cause a disservice to him and yourself. Your hostility severs your relationship and creates hatred and enmity, which may push him to persecute you and destroy himself in return. In this case, you would be blamed as an accomplice in whatever he did, including harming you.”
Perhaps, this call is for circumstances in which a premature uprising against a tyrannical ruler would result in the bloodshed of innocent people without producing a useful outcome.
Appendix:
كَلِمَةُ حَقٍّ يُرَادُ بِهَا بَاطِلٌ! نَعَمْ إِنَّهُ لا حُكْمَ إِلاَّ للهِ، ولكِنَّ هؤُلاَءِ يَقُولُونَ: لاَ إِمْرَةَ، فَإِنَّهُ لاَبُدَّ لِلنَّاسِ مِنْ أَمِير بَرّ أَوْ فَاجِر، يَعْمَلُ فِي إِمْرَتِهِ الْمُؤْمِنُ، وَيَسْتَمْتِعُ فِيهَا الْكَافِرُ، وَيُبَلِّغُ اللهُ فِيهَا الاْجَلَ، وَيُجْمَعُ بِهِ الْفَيءُ، وَيُقَاتَلُ بِهِ الْعَدُوُّ، وَتَأْمَنُ بِهِ السُّبُلُ، وَيُؤْخَذُ بِهِ لِلضَّعِيفِ مِنَ الْقَوِيِّ، حَتَّى يَسْتَرِيحَ بَرٌّ، وَيُسْتَرَاحَ مِنْ فَاجِر.
أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الْمَلَإِ مِن بَنِي إِسْرَائِيلَ مِن بَعْدِ مُوسَىٰ إِذْ قَالُوا لِنَبِيٍّ لَّهُمُ ابْعَثْ لَنَا مَلِكًا نُّقَاتِلْ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ۖ … ﴿٢٤٦﴾ وَقَالَ لَهُمْ نَبِيُّهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَدْ بَعَثَ لَكُمْ طَالُوتَ مَلِكًا ۚ … ﴿٢٤٧﴾
2:246-247 Have you not considered the assembly of the Children of Israel after [the time of] Moses (AS) when they said to a prophet of theirs: “Send to us a king, and we will fight in the way of Allah (SWT).” And their prophet said to them, “Indeed, Allah (SWT) has sent to you Saul as a king.”
Notes:
[1] https://fa.wikishia.net/view/ لا_حکم_الا_لله
[2] In the rule of the righteous, the pious person performs his duty well, but in the rule of the wicked, the impure will benefit from it until his term expires.
[3] https://hadith.inoor.ir/ar/hadith/298157/hadith-noorlib?rownumber=NaN
[4] (الأمالي (للطوسی) , الجزء۱ , الصفحة۷۰۰)
[5] https://www.al-islam.org/nahjul-balagha-part-1-sermons/sermon-3-allah-son-abu-quhafah
[6] https://www.al-islam.org/imam-hasan-and-caliphate-qurrat-ul-ain-abidiy/terms-peace-treaty
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