Ahadith

Wail ibn Hujr relates that Salamah ibn Yahid Jo‘ffi asked the Holy Prophet: Tell me, if our rulers should be such that they should require from us their due and should refuse to render to us our due, what would be your direction for us? The Holy Prophet turned away from him, but he repeated his question, whereupon the Holy Prophet said: Hear them and obey them. They are accountable for their obligations and you are accountable for yours (Muslim).

Abdullah ibn Mas‘ud relates that the Holy Prophet said: There will be discrimination after me and things that you will dislike. He was asked: Messenger of Allah, how would you direct those of us who should encounter these things? He answered: Discharge your obligations and supplicate Allah for your rights (Bokhari and Muslim).

Abu Hurairah relates that the Holy Prophet said: He who obeys me obeys Allah and he who disobeys me disobeys Allah, and he who obeys my appointee obeys me and he who disobeys my appointee disobeys me (Bokhari and Muslim).

Ibn Abbas relates that the Holy Prophet said: If a person erperiences something unpleasant at the hands of a ruler he should bear it with equanimity, for he who departs from obedience a hand’s breadth dies in error (Bokhari and Muslim).

Abu Bakr relates that he heard the Holy Prophet say: He who dishonours the ruler is dishonoured by Allah (Tirmidhi). (Bani Isra'il 36)

Abdur Rahman ibn Samurah relates that the Holy Prophet said to him: Do not ask for public office. If you are given it without asking you will be helped in discharging its responsibilities, but if you are given it on asking for it you will be its captive. If you vow to do a thing and then find a better alternative adopt the latter and expiate your vow (Bokhari and Muslim). (Bani Isra'il 36)

Abu Dharr relates that the Holy Prophet said to him: Abu Dharr, I find you are weak and I desire for you what I desire for myself. Do not seek authority even over two people, nor take up the guardianship of an orphan’s property (Muslim). (Bani Isra'il 36)

Abu Dharr relates: I said to the Holy Prophet: Will you not appoint me to public office? He patted me on the shoulder and said: Abu Dharr, you are weak and office is a trust and is a source of limitation and remorse on the Day of Judgment except for him who takes it up with a full sense of responsibility and duly discharges its obligations (Muslim). (Bani Isra'il 36)

Abu Hurairah relates that the Holy Prophet said: You will be greedy after public office, but remember that it will be a source of humiliation on the Day of Judgment (Bokhari). (Bani Isra'il 36, An-Nahl 93, Al-Ma'idah 3)

Abu Sa‘id Khudri and Abu Hurairah relate that the Holy Prophet said: Whenever Allah raises a Prophet or appoints a vicegerent he has two counsellors, one counsels him to good and incites him to it and the other counsels him to evil and incites him to it. He alone escapes evil who is safeguarded by Allah (Bokhari). (Bani Isra'il 36, An-Nahl 93, Al-Ma'idah 3)