And when rulers depart from this, they judge by other than what Allah has revealed, and strife breaks out among them. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:
“No people judge by other than what Allah has revealed without strife breaking out among them.”
This is among the greatest causes of changes in rule, as has happened time and again in our age and in earlier ages. Whoever Allah wills to grant happiness, He enables him to learn from what has befallen others, so that he follows the path of those whom Allah has supported and granted victory, and avoids the path of those whom Allah has forsaken and humiliated. For Allah says in His Book:
“Allah will surely support those who support Him. Indeed, Allah is Powerful and Almighty.”
“Those who, if We establish them in the land, establish prayer, give zakah, enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong. And to Allah belongs the outcome of all matters.”
Allah has thus promised to support those who support Him. Supporting Him means supporting His Book, His religion and His Messenger—not supporting those who judge by other than what Allah has revealed and speak without knowledge. For if a judge is devout but judges without knowledge, he is among the people of the Fire. If he is knowledgeable but judges contrary to the truth he knows, he is among the people of the Fire. If he judges with neither justice nor knowledge, he is all the more deserving of being among the people of the Fire. This applies when he judges a particular case concerning an individual.
But if he issues a general ruling concerning the Muslims’ religion, declaring truth to be falsehood and falsehood to be truth, the Sunnah to be innovation and innovation to be the Sunnah, right to be wrong and wrong to be right, forbidding what Allah and His Messenger have commanded and commanding what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden—then this is another matter entirely. Judgment in it belongs to the Lord of all worlds, the God of the messengers, the Master of the Day of Judgment, to whom
“belongs all praise in this world and the Hereafter. His is the judgment, and to Him you will be returned,”
“who sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to make it prevail over all religion. And sufficient is Allah as a Witness.”
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all worlds. May Allah bless Muhammad, his family and his Companions, and grant them peace.