Ashrat al-Saah - al-Wabil - Yusuf al-Wabil - (178)

Ashrat al-Saah - al-WabilYusuf al-Wabil

their covenants and trusts; they will fall into disagreement and become like this”—and he interlaced his fingers (1).

The passing of the righteous will occur when sins become widespread and enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong are abandoned. For when the righteous see wrongdoing but do not change it, and corruption becomes widespread, the punishment, when it descends, will engulf them along with others. This is stated in the hadith in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was asked, “Will we be destroyed while there are righteous people among us?” He replied, “Yes, if wickedness becomes widespread.”

It was narrated by al-Bukhārī (2).

33—The Ascendancy of the Lowly

Among its signs is the elevation of the lowly over the best of people and their monopolization of public affairs to the exclusion of the latter. The affairs of the people will thus fall into the hands of their foolish and ignoble elements—those in whom there is no good. This is a reversal of the proper order and a transformation of circumstances. It is plainly observable in the present age: many of the people’s leaders and decision-makers are among the least righteous and knowledgeable of all people. Yet those distinguished by religion and piety ought to be given precedence over others in administering the people’s affairs, for the best and noblest of people are those of religion and piety. Allah Most High says: “Indeed, the most noble of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you” [al-Hujurāt 49:13].

Accordingly, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) entrusted positions of authority and the affairs of the people only to those who were

(1) *Musnad Ahmad* (12/12), with Ahmad Shākir’s commentary; he stated, “Its chain of transmission is authentic.” Also *al-Mustadrak* by al-Hākim (4/435); he stated, “This hadith has an authentic chain, but neither al-Bukhārī nor Muslim included it.” Al-Dhahabī concurred. (2) *Sahīh al-Bukhārī*, Book of Tribulations, chapter entitled “The Prophet’s Statement (peace and blessings be upon him): ‘Woe to the Arabs because of an evil that has drawn near’” (13/11, with *Fath al-Bārī*).

عهودهم وأماناتهم، واختلفوا، فكانوا هكذا (وشبك بين أصابعه) " (١). وذهاب الصالحين يكون عند كثرة المعاصي، وترك الأمر بالمعروف والنهي عن المنكرة فإن الصالحين إذا رأوا المنكر ولم يغيِّروه وكَثُر الفساد؛ عَمَّهُم العذاب مع غيرهم إذا نزل؛ كما جاء في الحديث لما قيل للنبي ﷺ: أنّهلك وفينا الصالحون؟ قال: "نعم؛ إذا كَثُرَ الخَبَثُ". رواه البخاريّ (٢). ٣٣ - ارتفاع الأسافل: ومن أشراطها ارتقاع أسافل النَّاس عن خيارهم، واستئثارهم بالأمور دونهم، فيكون أمر النَّاس بيد سفهائهم وأراذلهم ومَن لا خير فيهم، وهذا من انعكاس الحقائق، وتغيُّر الأحوال، وهذا أمرٌ مشاهَدٌ في هذا الزمن، فترى أن كثيرًا من رؤوس النَّاس وأهل العقد والحل هم أقلُّ النَّاس صلاحًا وعلمًا، مع أن الواجب أن يكون أهل الدين والتقى هم المقدَّمون على غيرهم في تولِّي أمور النَّاس؛ لأنّ أفضل النَّاس وأكرمهم هم أهل الدين والتقوى؛ كما قال تعالى: ﴿إِنَّ أَكْرَمَكُمْ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ أَتْقَاكُمْ﴾ [الحجرات: ١٣]. ولذلك لم يكن النّبيّ ﷺ يولي الولايات وأمور النَّاس إِلَّا مَنْ هم

(١) "مسند أحمد" (١٢/ ١٢ - شرح أحمد شاكر)، وقال: "إسناده صحيح". و"مستدرك الحاكم" (٤/ ٤٣٥)، وقال: "لهذا حديث صحيح الإِسناد، ولم يخرجاه"، ووافقه الذهبي. (٢) "صحيح البخاريّ"، كتاب الفتن، باب قول النّبيّ ﷺ: "ويل للعرب من شر قد اقترب" (١٣/ ١١ - مع الفتح).