72 — Abū Ja‘far Ahmad ibn Khālid al-Barda‘ī narrated to us in the Sacred Mosque ⦗383⦘ in the year 279 AH, saying: ‘Alī ibn Sahl al-Ramlī narrated to us, saying: al-Walīd ibn Muslim narrated to us, from Ibn Jābir, who said: Ruzayq, the client of Banū Fazāra, narrated to me, saying: I heard Muslim ibn Qaraza al-Ashja‘ī say: I heard my uncle, ‘Awf ibn Mālik al-Ashja‘ī, say: I heard the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—say:

“The best of your rulers are those whom you love and who love you, for whom you pray and who pray for you. The worst of your rulers ⦗384⦘ are those whom you hate and who hate you, whom you curse and who curse you.”

We asked, “O Messenger of Allah, should we not rise against them on that account?” He replied, “No, not so long as they establish prayer among you. No, not so long as they establish prayer among you. Take heed: whoever has one of them appointed over him and sees him committing an act of disobedience to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, must condemn the disobedience to Allah that he commits, but must never withdraw his hand from obedience to Allah, Mighty and Majestic.”

I said to Ruzayq, “I adjure you by Allah, Abū al-Miqdām: did you truly hear Muslim ibn Qaraza say that he heard his uncle, ‘Awf ibn Mālik, say that he heard the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—say what I had been told on his authority?”

Ibn Jābir said: Ruzayq then knelt, faced the qibla, and swore to what I had asked him to swear. Ibn Jābir said: I did not place him under oath because I suspected him, but rather to obtain confirmation.