Kitāb al-Tawḥīd - Salih Al-Fawzan - (63)

Chapter Six: Ruling by Other Than What Allah Has Revealed

Part of the very essence of faith in Allah, exalted is He, and of worshipping Him, is to submit to His judgement, be content with His law, and return to His Book and the Sunnah of His Messenger whenever disputes arise—whether in matters of doctrine, points of law, lawsuits, cases involving life and property, or any other rights. For Allah alone is the Judge, and to Him belongs all judgement.

Accordingly, rulers are duty-bound to judge by what Allah has revealed, and the people are equally bound to seek judgement according to what Allah has laid down in His Book and in the Sunnah of His Messenger. The Almighty says, “Indeed, Allah commands you to return trusts to their owners, and when you judge between people, to judge with justice” (al-Nisāʾ 58). Concerning the subjects He says, “O you who believe, obey Allah, obey the Messenger, and those in authority among you. Should you disagree over anything, refer it back to Allah and the Messenger—if you truly believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is better and yields the best outcome” (al-Nisāʾ 59).

He then made it clear that genuine faith cannot coexist with seeking judgement from any source other than what Allah has revealed. The Most High said, “Have you not seen those who claim to believe in what was sent down to you and what was sent down before you, yet they wish to take their disputes for judgement to the ṭāghūt (false authority), even though they were commanded to reject it? Satan only desires to lead them far astray” (al-Nisāʾ 60).

[الفصل السادس الحكم بغير ما أنزل الله] الحكم بغير ما أنزل الله من مقتضى الإيمان بالله تعالى وعبادته الخضوع لحكمه والرضا بشرعه والرجوع إلى كتابه وسنة رسوله عند الاختلاف في الأقوال وفي الأصول وفي الخصومات وفي الدماء والأموال وسائر الحقوق. فإن الله هو الحكم وإليه الحكم. فيجب على الحكام أن يحكموا بما أنزل الله. ووجب على الرعية أن يتحاكموا إلى ما أنزل الله في كتابه وسنة رسوله قال تعالى: ﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تُؤَدُّوا الْأَمَانَاتِ إِلَى أَهْلِهَا وَإِذَا حَكَمْتُمْ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ أَنْ تَحْكُمُوا بِالْعَدْلِ﴾ [النساء: ٥٨] وقال في حق الرعية: ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ فَإِنْ تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا﴾ [النساء: ٥٩] ثم بين أنه لا يجتمع الإيمان مع التحاكم إلى غير ما أنزل الله، فقال تعالى: ﴿أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ يَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّهُمْ آمَنُوا بِمَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا أُنْزِلَ مِنْ قَبْلِكَ يُرِيدُونَ أَنْ يَتَحَاكَمُوا إِلَى الطَّاغُوتِ وَقَدْ أُمِرُوا أَنْ يَكْفُرُوا بِهِ وَيُرِيدُ الشَّيْطَانُ أَنْ يُضِلَّهُمْ ضَلَالًا بَعِيدًا﴾ [النساء: ٦٠]