Sahih Muslim #4671
The Book on Government
The Arabic includes the chain of narration (sanad) and the collector's commentary; the English translation shows the Prophet's words only.
حَدَّثَنَا دَاوُدُ بْنُ رُشَيْدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا الْوَلِيدُ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ مُسْلِمٍ - حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنُ، يَزِيدَ بْنِ جَابِرٍ أَخْبَرَنِي مَوْلَى بَنِي فَزَارَةَ، - وَهُوَ رُزَيْقُ بْنُ حَيَّانَ - أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ مُسْلِمَ بْنَ، قَرَظَةَ ابْنَ عَمِّ عَوْفِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ الأَشْجَعِيِّ يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ عَوْفَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ الأَشْجَعِيَّ، يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " خِيَارُ أَئِمَّتِكُمُ الَّذِينَ تُحِبُّونَهُمْ وَيُحِبُّونَكُمْ وَتُصَلُّونَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَيُصَلُّونَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَشِرَارُ أَئِمَّتِكُمُ الَّذِينَ تُبْغِضُونَهُمْ وَيُبْغِضُونَكُمْ وَتَلْعَنُونَهُمْ وَيَلْعَنُونَكُمْ " . قَالُوا قُلْنَا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَفَلاَ نُنَابِذُهُمْ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ قَالَ " لاَ مَا أَقَامُوا فِيكُمُ الصَّلاَةَ لاَ مَا أَقَامُوا فِيكُمُ الصَّلاَةَ أَلاَ مَنْ وَلِيَ عَلَيْهِ وَالٍ فَرَآهُ يَأْتِي شَيْئًا مِنْ مَعْصِيَةِ اللَّهِ فَلْيَكْرَهْ مَا يَأْتِي مِنْ مَعْصِيَةِ اللَّهِ وَلاَ يَنْزِعَنَّ يَدًا مِنْ طَاعَةٍ " . قَالَ ابْنُ جَابِرٍ فَقُلْتُ - يَعْنِي لِرُزَيْقٍ - حِينَ حَدَّثَنِي بِهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ آللَّهِ يَا أَبَا الْمِقْدَامِ لَحَدَّثَكَ بِهَذَا أَوْ سَمِعْتَ هَذَا مِنْ مُسْلِمِ بْنِ قَرَظَةَ يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ عَوْفًا يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ فَجَثَا عَلَى رُكْبَتَيْهِ وَاسْتَقْبَلَ الْقِبْلَةَ فَقَالَ إِي وَاللَّهِ الَّذِي لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ لَسَمِعْتُهُ مِنْ مُسْلِمِ بْنِ قَرَظَةَ يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ عَوْفَ بْنَ مَالِكٍ يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم .
The best of your rulers are those whom you love and who love you, upon whom you invoke God's blessings and who invoke His blessing upon you. And the worst of your rulers are those whom you hate and who hate you, who curse you and whom you curse. (Those present) said: Shouldn't we overthrow them at this? He said: No, as long as they establish prayer among you. No, as long as they establish prayer among you. Mind you! One who has a governor appointed over him and he finds that the governor indulges in an act of disobedience to God, he should condemn the governor's act, in disobedience to God, but should not withdraw himself from his obedience. Ibn Jabir said: Ruzaiq narrated to me this hadith. I asked him: Abu Miqdam, have you heard it from Muslim b. Qaraza or did he describe it to you and he heard it from 'Auf (b. Malik) and he transmitted this tradition of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)? Upon this Ruzaiq sat upon his knees and facing the Qibla said: By Allah, besides Whom there is no other God, I heard it from Muslim b. Qaraza and he said that te had heard it from Auf (b. Malik) and he said that he had heard it from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).
Narrated by It has been narrated on the authority of Auf b. Malik al-Ashja'i who said that he heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say:
Context
In this hadith, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) describes the characteristics of good and bad leaders. He emphasizes that the best rulers are those who are loved by their people and reciprocate that love, while the worst are those who are despised. The Prophet (ﷺ) advises against rebellion as long as the leaders maintain the practice of prayer, highlighting the importance of community and stability.
Modern Application
This teaching can be applied today by encouraging individuals to engage with their leaders constructively, fostering a sense of community and responsibility. It reminds people to focus on positive engagement rather than divisiveness, promoting a healthier societal environment.
Topics
This hadith is tagged with Leadership and Authority and Community Responsibility because it addresses the relationship between leaders and their followers and emphasizes the importance of maintaining community ties.
Related Ayahs
سُورَةُ النِّسَاءِ
An-Nisaa (The Women)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَطِيعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا۟ ٱلرَّسُولَ وَأُو۟لِى ٱلْأَمْرِ مِنكُمْ ۖ فَإِن تَنَٰزَعْتُمْ فِى شَىْءٍۢ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَٱلرَّسُولِ إِن كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْءَاخِرِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌۭ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا
O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. And if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you should believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is the best [way] and best in result.
سُورَةُ الحُجُرَاتِ
Al-Hujuraat (The Inner Apartments)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
وَٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ فِيكُمْ رَسُولَ ٱللَّهِ ۚ لَوْ يُطِيعُكُمْ فِى كَثِيرٍۢ مِّنَ ٱلْأَمْرِ لَعَنِتُّمْ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ حَبَّبَ إِلَيْكُمُ ٱلْإِيمَٰنَ وَزَيَّنَهُۥ فِى قُلُوبِكُمْ وَكَرَّهَ إِلَيْكُمُ ٱلْكُفْرَ وَٱلْفُسُوقَ وَٱلْعِصْيَانَ ۚ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلرَّٰشِدُونَ
And know that among you is the Messenger of Allah. If he were to obey you in much of the matter, you would be in difficulty, but Allah has endeared to you the faith and has made it pleasing in your hearts and has made hateful to you disbelief, defiance and disobedience. Those are the [rightly] guided.
سُورَةُ المَائـِدَةِ
Al-Maaida (The Table)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مَن يَرْتَدَّ مِنكُمْ عَن دِينِهِۦ فَسَوْفَ يَأْتِى ٱللَّهُ بِقَوْمٍۢ يُحِبُّهُمْ وَيُحِبُّونَهُۥٓ أَذِلَّةٍ عَلَى ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ أَعِزَّةٍ عَلَى ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ يُجَٰهِدُونَ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا يَخَافُونَ لَوْمَةَ لَآئِمٍۢ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ فَضْلُ ٱللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَآءُ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ
O you who have believed, whoever of you should revert from his religion - Allah will bring forth [in place of them] a people He will love and who will love Him [who are] humble toward the believers, powerful against the disbelievers; they strive in the cause of Allah and do not fear the blame of a critic. That is the favor of Allah; He bestows it upon whom He wills. And Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing.
سُورَةُ آلِ عِمۡرَانَ
Aal-i-Imraan (The Family of Imraan)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
فَبِمَا رَحْمَةٍۢ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ لِنتَ لَهُمْ ۖ وَلَوْ كُنتَ فَظًّا غَلِيظَ ٱلْقَلْبِ لَٱنفَضُّوا۟ مِنْ حَوْلِكَ ۖ فَٱعْفُ عَنْهُمْ وَٱسْتَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ وَشَاوِرْهُمْ فِى ٱلْأَمْرِ ۖ فَإِذَا عَزَمْتَ فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحِبُّ ٱلْمُتَوَكِّلِينَ
So by mercy from Allah, [O Muhammad], you were lenient with them. And if you had been rude [in speech] and harsh in heart, they would have disbanded from about you. So pardon them and ask forgiveness for them and consult them in the matter. And when you have decided, then rely upon Allah. Indeed, Allah loves those who rely [upon Him].
سُورَةُ الحَجِّ
Al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage)
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
1 ayah
ٱلَّذِينَ إِن مَّكَّنَّٰهُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ أَقَامُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَوُا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَأَمَرُوا۟ بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَنَهَوْا۟ عَنِ ٱلْمُنكَرِ ۗ وَلِلَّهِ عَٰقِبَةُ ٱلْأُمُورِ
[And they are] those who, if We give them authority in the land, establish prayer and give zakah and enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong. And to Allah belongs the outcome of [all] matters.
Common Words
140 total107 unique14 repeated
ٱلله10x
فى6x
من5x
ٱلذين3x
ٱلأمر3x
إن3x
على3x
يأيها2x
ءامنوا2x
منكم2x
ذلك2x
إليكم2x
عن2x
لهم2x
أطيعوا1x
وأطيعوا1x
ٱلرسول1x
وأولى1x
فإن1x
تنزعتم1x
Related Hadiths
About Sahih Muslim
This hadith is #4671 from Sahih Muslim, in the Book of The Book on Government. It is graded Sahih and narrated by It has been narrated on the authority of Auf b. Malik al-Ashja'i who said that he heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say:.