—the matter of authority belongs to Allah alone, for the Almighty has said: “O you who believe, obey Allah, obey the Messenger, and those in authority among you” (al-Nisāʾ 4:59).

We have already clarified who “those in authority” are and stated that they are two groups: the scholars and the rulers. The scholars hold authority in knowledge and instruction, whereas the rulers hold authority in execution and governance.

He continues: We pledged to him to listen and obey, with the proviso that disobedience to Allah is excluded, for no one may pledge obedience in sin. “There is no obedience to any created being if it entails disobedience to the Creator.” For that reason Abū Bakr (d. 13 AH), when he assumed the caliphate, said, “Obey me so long as I obey Allah and His Messenger; but if I disobey Allah and His Messenger, then you owe me no obedience.” Accordingly, if the one in authority commands an act of disobedience, it is not permissible for anyone to heed or obey him. The King of kings is the Lord of all worlds; He cannot be disobeyed out of deference to someone who is himself owned and governed. Everything other than Allah is His possession—so how could a person give precedence to obeying them over obeying Allah? Thus, the words “to listen and obey” are qualified by the scriptural principle that there is no obedience to a created being when it conflicts with obedience to the Creator.

His phrase “in hardship and in ease” means whether we are financially strained or well-off; all of us—rich and poor alike—must obey our leaders and listen to them. The phrase “in eagerness and in reluctance” means whether we dislike what they have commanded because it opposes our inclinations, or whether we are enthusiastic because it agrees with our desires. The essential point is that we must listen and obey in every circumstance, except in the cases that have been excluded