obedience to them. He writes: “...Whoever issues a legal opinion to such people that contradicts the oath they have sworn—that is, the obligation to obey and give sincere counsel to the rulers—and thereby encourages them to break their vows, is inventing lies about Allah and delivering a verdict that has nothing to do with the religion of Islam...”.

This epistle was previously published within his collected Fatwas (35/5–17). I considered it appropriate to release it as a standalone work so that its benefit might spread and its value increase. In the present edition I have corrected a few minor typographical errors that appeared in the original, referenced the Qur’anic verses, provided concise documentation for the hadiths, and added brief annotations where necessary. I have also placed before the text an introduction containing several quotations that clarify the methodology of Ahl al-Sunnah wa-l-Jamaʿah toward their leaders.

I ask Allah, the Most Generous, to bless this effort, to make it purely for His sake, and to render it in accordance with the Sunnah of His Prophet ﷺ. He is indeed All-Hearing, Responsive, and Near.

Written by: ʿAbd al-Razzāq al-Badr