Islamic Sharia policy has diligently clarified the rights and duties of both the ruler and the ruled, ensuring their fulfillment to achieve the welfare of the people. Among the rights of the people upon their ruler are the following:
1. Safeguarding Religion and Governing the World Through It
This entails establishing religious practices, facilitating their proper observance, and implementing Allah's commands in all aspects of life. Allah says: “[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” (Al-Hajj: 41).
Jurists have emphasized that leadership is established to succeed prophethood in safeguarding religion and governing worldly affairs through it. (1)
2. Upholding Justice and Truth
Islam obligates rulers to uphold justice and truth among people, regardless of their wealth, status, or relationship. Allah says: “O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm for Allah, witnesses in justice, and do not let the hatred of a people prevent you from being just. Be just; that is nearer to righteousness. And fear Allah; indeed, Allah is Acquainted with what you do” (Al-Ma’idah: 8).
The first Caliph, Abu Bakr As-Siddiq, exemplified this when he declared in his inaugural address: "O people, I have been appointed over you, though I am not the best among you. If I do good, help me; and if I act wrongly, correct me. The weak among you is strong before me until I return to them their rights, Allah willing. And the strong among you is weak before me until I take from them what is due, Allah willing. Obey me as long as I obey Allah and His Messenger, but if I disobey Allah and His Messenger, then I have no right to your obedience." (2)
Rulers are expected to legislate just laws and implement fair judgments between disputing parties.
3. Ensuring the Welfare of the People
The ruler is responsible for the well-being of their subjects, striving to elevate them and provide a decent life for them, for Allah will hold them accountable. The Prophet ﷺ said: "All of you are guardians and are responsible for your wards. The ruler is a guardian and responsible for his subjects; the man is a guardian and responsible for his family; the woman is a guardian and is responsible for her husbands house and his offspring; and so all of you are guardians and are responsible for your wards." (Bukhari and Muslim).
The second Caliph, Umar ibn Al-Khattab, said: "If a lamb were to perish on the banks of the Euphrates, I would fear that Allah would hold me accountable for it." (3)
4. Defending the Country
The ruler must prepare to protect the citizens and defend the state and religion by equipping armies and fortifying borders. Allah says: “And prepare against them whatever you are able of power and of steeds of war by which you may terrify the enemy of Allah and your enemy” (Al-Anfal: 60).
While military power ensures security, the ruler is also responsible for developing other forces, such as knowledge, industry, and commerce, which contribute to the nation's strength.
5. Avoiding Betrayal of Trust
Responsibility is a trust that requires fulfilling Allah's commands. Abu Dhar asked the Prophet ﷺ “Why do you not appoint me to an (official) position?” The Prophet ﷺ patted him on the shoulder with his hand and said, "O Abu Dharr, you are a weak man and it is a trust and it will be a cause of disgrace and remorse on the Day of Resurrection except for the one who takes it up with a full sense of responsibility and fulfills what is entrusted to him (discharges its obligations efficiently)." (Muslim).
If a ruler neglects their duties or favors some over others unjustly, they betray this trust. The Prophet ﷺ warned: "Any governor in charge of Muslim subjects who dies while acting dishonestly towards them will be excluded by Allah from Paradise " (Bukhari and Muslim).
6. Caring for the People's Rights Personally
The leader is obligated to look after the affairs of the people, oversee their needs, inquire about their welfare, and either attend to their needs personally or entrust this responsibility to trustworthy and competent individuals. The leader must also provide accessible means for people to convey their suggestions or grievances. In a hadith, Amr bin Murrah al-Juhani reported that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "No Imam closes his door on one in need, dire straits and poverty, except that Allah closes the gates of the Heavens from his dire straits, his needs, and his poverty." (4) (Sunan Abi Dawood, 2858)
7. Kindness Towards the People
Islam emphasizes kindness towards the people. Imam Muslim narrates from Aisha, the Mother of the Believers, that the Prophet ﷺ said: "O God, cause distress to him who has any charge over my people and causes them distress, and be gentle to him who has any charge over my people and is gentle to them."
In another narration from Muslim, it is reported that the Companion Aaidh ibn Amr (may Allah be pleased with him), who was among the Companions of the Messenger of Allah, visited Ubaydullah ibn Ziyad. He addressed him, saying: " Dear son, I heard Messenger of Allah ﷺ saying: "The worst of rulers are those who treat their subjects harshly. Beware, lest you should be one of them."
This was a gentle yet firm reminder to warn the leader against tyranny and encourage kindness and wisdom in governance.
8. Declaring the Policies
A leader should not hide his methods or system of governance. Instead, he should openly declare them, informing the people of their obligations and his commitments to them. The Prophet ﷺ set a clear example. In Sahih al-Bukhari, Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) narrated the story of the Quraysh being concerned about the punishment for a noblewoman who had committed theft. They asked Usamah bin Zaid to intercede with the Prophet ﷺ, but he responded: "Are you interceding regarding one of the punishments prescribed by Allah?" He then got up and delivered an address in which he said, "Indeed what destroyed the people before you was just that when a person of high rank among them committed a theft, they spared him; but if the same crime was done by a poor person they inflicted the prescribed punishment on him. I swear by Allah that if Fatimah daughter of Muhammad should steal, I would have her hand cut off."
Similarly, Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) delivered a powerful address upon assuming the caliphate, stating: "O people, I have been appointed over you, though I am not the best among you. If I do well, help me; if I do wrong, correct me. The weak among you are strong to me until I return their rights to them, Allah willing. The strong among you are weak to me until I take the rights from them, Allah willing. Obey me as long as I obey Allah and His Messenger; but if I disobey Allah and His Messenger, you owe me no obedience." (5)
9. Managing Financial Affairs
The financial policies of the state, which encompass its resources and expenditures, are a trust that must be fulfilled appropriately. Allah says: "Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts to whom they are due." (An-Nisa: 4:58)
The leader must meticulously organize financial matters, ensuring that everyone's rights are fulfilled. Likewise, the citizens must fulfill their financial obligations to the state, cooperating in this regard. Allah says: "And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression." (Al-Ma'idah: 2)
The Prophet ﷺ urged people to fulfill their financial duties. In Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim, Abu Hurairah narrated that the Prophet ﷺ said: "Give them their due rights, for Allah will question them about what He asked them to guard." In Sahih al-Bukhari and Muslim, it is also narrated from Abdullah ibn Mas'ud that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "Soon others will be preferred to you, and there will be things which you will not like." They asked, "O Allah's Messenger ﷺ! What do you order us to do (in this case)?" He said: "(I order you) to give the rights that are on you and to ask your rights from Allah."
The leader is also responsible for being honest in financial distributions, closely monitoring and following up with his administrators, as Allah will hold him accountable. In Sahih al-Bukhari, the Prophet ﷺ said: "What I give you and do not withhold from you I am just distributing, putting it where I have been commanded."
10. Choosing the Right Officials
Appointing government officials is a significant trust. The leader must select competent and righteous individuals. If a leader finds such people, it is a sign of Allah’s favor upon him. In Sahih Ibn Hibban, Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) reported that the Prophet ﷺ said: "When God has a good purpose for a ruler He appoints for him a sincere minister who reminds him if he forgets and helps him if he remembers; but when God has a different purpose from that for him He appoints for him an evil minister who does not remind him if he forgets and does not help him if he remembers."
In Hilyat al-Awliya’, it is narrated that Umar ibn Abdul Aziz said: "If you see me deviating from the truth, grab me by the collar and shake me, and say, 'What are you doing, Umar?'” (6)
This highlights the importance of choosing trustworthy and righteous officials to assist in governance and ensure the proper management of public affairs.
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- Al-Ahkam al-Sultaniyyah wa al-Wilayat al-Diniyyah by Al-Mawardi, p. 5.
- Al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah by Ibn Kathir, vol. 8, p. 89.
- Musannaf Ibn Abi Shaybah, with a sound chain of narration (37205).
- Narrated by Abu Dawood (2948), Al-Tirmidhi (1332), and Ahmad (18033).
- Al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah by Ibn Kathir, vol. 8, p. 89.
- Hilyat al-Awliya’ wa Tabaqat al-Asfiya’ by Abu Nu`aym al-Asbahani, vol. 5, p. 292.
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