Brief Comments on Riyaadh al-Saaliheen #75

Disgrace is the retribution from Allaah for the one who insults the rulers

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

Ziyaad bin Kusaib Al-`Adawi said: I was with Abu Bakrah رضي الله عنه near the Minbar (pulpit) of Ibn `Amir while he was giving a Khutbah (Friday sermon) wearing a fine garment. Abu Bilaal said: Look at our Ameer wearing clothes of wickedness! So Abu Bakrah said: Be quiet! I heard the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم saying: “Whoever insults Allaah’s ruler on the earth, Allaah will disgrace him.” [Sunan al-Tirmidhee (2224) and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]

Shaikh Ibn `al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله said:

Then the author (Imaam al-Nawawee) mentioned the last Hadeeth in this chapter: The Hadeeth of Abu Bakrah that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said:

من أهان السلطان أهانه الله

“Whoever insults the ruler, Allaah will disgrace him.”

Insulting the ruler can be in different forms:

1) Making fun of his orders: When the ruler orders something, the man says (sarcastically): “Look at what he is saying?”

2) When he does something: If a ruler does something which is not to his liking, he says: “Look at what he is doing?” He wants to belittle the orders of the rulers for the people; because once he succeeds in belittling the orders of rulers, the people will also belittle them, so they will not follow what he orders nor will they avoid that which he disallows.

That is why, the one who insults the ruler – by spreading his shortcomings and mistakes among the people and dispraising him, criticizing him and defaming him – this can become the reason for Allaah عز وجل disgracing such a person. This is because if he insults the ruler by such ways, the people will turn against this person and disobey him, and then this will become the means by which Allaah تعالى will humiliate him. So, if he is humiliated in this world, then he has received his share of punishment; but if he is not humiliated in this world, then he will be liable to be humiliated in the Hereafter – and Allaah’s refuge is sought from this. The speech of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم is the truth:

من أهان السلطان أهانه الله

“Whoever insults the ruler, Allaah will disgrace him.”

And whoever helps the ruler, Allaah will help him, because helping him is from goodness and righteousness. So if it becomes clear to the people what is obliged from them for the ruler, and they help him in obedience (to Allaah) and not in disobedience (to Allaah), then there is lot of good in it. The condition is that this cooperation should be based on piety, righteousness and goodness. We ask Allaah that He provides us and you with protection from that which angers His Countenance and guide us towards that which He loves and is pleased with.

وصلى الله وسلم وبارك على نبينا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين.

[Sharh Riyaadh al-Saaliheen (3/673)]

And who is Allaah’s ruler on earth?

Al-Mubaarakpuri commented:

“Whoever insults Allaah’s ruler on the earth, Allaah will disgrace him.” i.e. anyone who insults the one whom Allaah gave honor and made him to wear the cloak of rulership (i.e. gave him the position of ruler), Allaah will disgrace him.

And “on the earth”, in relation to the Allaah’s ruler is related with the saying of Allaah تعالى:

﴿إِنَّا جَعَلْنَاكَ خَلِيفَةً فِي الْأَرْضِ﴾

{…indeed We have made you a successor upon the earth} [Surah Saad (38): 26]

And referring to the ruler as “Allaah’s ruler” is an addition for honor, like saying the “House of Allaah”, “the she-camel of Allaah” (as mentioned in Surah Hood and Surah al-Shams). 

[تحفة الأحوذي بشرح جامع الترمذي (6/394)]