until the ultimate judgment rests with Allah.

He was asked about these governors—men who insist on their right to be heard and obeyed, who call for help in jihad and in the affairs for which they need assistance—yet they withhold the rights that are due from them: they do not give people what belongs to them, they wrong them, and they keep everything for themselves. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, turned away from the questioner, as though he disliked such inquiries and did not wish to open that door, but the man repeated his question.

The Prophet then commanded that we give the rulers the rights that are theirs, while what has been laid upon them remains upon them and what has been laid upon us remains upon us. Our charge is to listen and obey; their charge is to rule us with justice, to wrong no one, to uphold the limits set by Allah for His servants, to establish the law of Allah in His land, and to fight the enemies of Allah. That is what is required of them. If they fulfill it, that is what is sought. If they fail to fulfill it, we may not say, “You have not given us our due, so we will not give you yours.” That is forbidden. We must still discharge the duty that is ours: we listen and obey, we march with them in jihad, we pray behind them in the Friday and ʿEid congregations and the like, and we ask Allah for the rights that are ours.

What this hadith establishes and what the author—may Allah have mercy on him—has affirmed is the doctrine of Ahl al-Sunnah wa-l-Jamāʿah, the way of the righteous forebears: to listen to and obey the rulers, not to rebel against them in matters where obedience is obligatory, and not to stir up resentments or kindle hatred against them. This is the creed of Ahl al-Sunnah wa-l-Jamāʿah.