Understanding The Prophet's Life
From Issue: 916 [Read full issue]
Advising Rulers
When the rulers are wrong, they should be told that they are wrong - but one must always be careful and ascertain that the steps he is taking lead to greater benefit than harm. For this reason, many of the pious forefathers of Islam emphasized advising the rulers in private and not publicly. Indeed, the Prophet (peace be upon him) himself made that point in his statement, "Whoever wishes to give advice to a ruler about a matter should not do so publicly. Instead, he should take him by his hand and be alone with him [to talk to him] about it. If he accepts the advice from him [the matter is finished successfully]. If he does not [accept the advice], the person has fulfilled [the obligation] upon him." [Hakim, Ahmad]
It is recorded that Said ibn Jubair asked ibn Abbaas, "Shall I order my ruler to do what is right." He replied, "If you fear that he will kill you, then do not say anything bad about the ruler. But if you insist on doing something, then make it between yourself and him only." [Ibn Rajb] Al-Bukhari records that someone inferred to Usama ibn Zaid that he should speak to the caliph Uthman ibn Affan - concerning Uthman's half-brother al-Waleed ibn Uqbah who had become known for drinking - and Usama's response was, "Do you think that I have not spoken to him simply because you did not hear it? I speak to him privately without opening a door such that I would be the first one to open that door." The "door" he was referring to was the act of rebuking the rulers publicly instead of privately.
Compiled From:
"Commentary on the Forty Hadith of al-Nawawi" - Jamaal al-Din Zarabozo, p. 409