Emigrants the same.’ He replied, ‘If you will not accept it, then remain patient until you meet me [at the Cistern] (1), for after I am gone you will indeed encounter favoritism.’” (2)

It is likewise authentically established in the Sahih that he said: “A Muslim must hear and obey in ease and hardship, whether willing or reluctant, and even when others are favored over him.” (3)

The Sahih also contains a report concerning the Prophet—peace and blessings of Allah be upon him—(4), narrated from Ubādah, who said: “We pledged allegiance to the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings of Allah be upon him—that we would hear and obey in hardship and ease, whether willing or reluctant, and even when others were favored over us; that we would not contest authority with those entrusted with it; and that we would speak or stand for the truth wherever we might be, fearing no critic’s reproach for Allah’s sake.” (5)

Thus, the Prophet—peace and blessings of Allah be upon him—commanded the Muslims to remain patient when others reserved privileges for themselves at their expense, to obey those in authority over [their affairs even if those rulers reserved privileges for themselves at their expense, and not to contest authority with them. Many of those who rebelled against those in] (6) authority—or indeed most of them—did so only to contest them because of the privileges they had reserved for themselves at their expense; they did not patiently endure (7) such favoritism. A ruler may then have other sins, and hatred of him for reserving privileges for himself causes those misdeeds to be magnified (8), and there remains