However, history is replete with tyrants and heartless people who got the chance to rule their people but oppressed them while making merry themselves from the resources which should have been spent on the welfare of their people. It is for such people that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ has warned them of such a punishment that will haunt them in the life of the Hereafter - however some even suffer in their worldly life too.
This Hadith is mentioned in Sahi al-Bukhārī (Book 93 Judgments (Ahkaam) / كتاب الأحكام / Chapter 8: The ruler not ruling in an honest manner / باب مَنِ اسْتُرْعِيَ رَعِيَّةً فَلَمْ يَنْصَحْ ) as Hadith 7150, given herein under:
Narrated by Ma'qil: I heard the Prophet (ﷺ) saying,
"Any man whom Allah has given the authority of ruling some people and he does not look after them in an honest manner, will never feel even the smell of Paradise."
Arabic Text:
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الأَشْهَبِ، عَنِ الْحَسَنِ، أَنَّ عُبَيْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ زِيَادٍ، عَادَ مَعْقِلَ بْنَ يَسَارٍ فِي مَرَضِهِ الَّذِي مَاتَ فِيهِ فَقَالَ لَهُ مَعْقِلٌ إِنِّي مُحَدِّثُكَ حَدِيثًا سَمِعْتُهُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ " مَا مِنْ عَبْدٍ اسْتَرْعَاهُ اللَّهُ رَعِيَّةً، فَلَمْ يَحُطْهَا بِنَصِيحَةٍ، إِلاَّ لَمْ يَجِدْ رَائِحَةَ الْجَنَّةِ
This hadith serves as a stern warning to those in positions of leadership or authority, emphasizing the heavy responsibility that comes with power. Leaders are entrusted by Allah with the well-being of their people, and failing to fulfill this trust through negligence, dishonesty, or oppression results in severe spiritual consequences.
Hereinunder are some of the factors that a ruler must bear in mind when entrusted with a position of authority:
- Accountability of Leaders: The hadith stresses that leadership is a form of trust (Amanah) from Allah. Leaders must act with justice, integrity, and sincerity, ensuring they look after the welfare of those under their authority.
"Will never even feel the smell of Paradise" signifies a profound loss and punishment for leaders who betray this trust, highlighting the gravity of neglecting responsibilities.
- Moral and Ethical Leadership: The Prophet (ﷺ) emphasized the importance of moral and ethical leadership, where rulers and those in authority must prioritize the well-being of the people over personal gain. Dishonesty, corruption, and oppression are seen as major violations of this trust.
Connection with the Quran
This hadith is deeply connected with Quranic teachings regarding justice, the responsibility of leadership, and the rights of people under authority. Several verses in the Quran outline the principles of just governance and emphasize the duty of leaders to act with integrity and fairness.
- Justice and Fairness:
- Quranic Reference:
- "Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts to whom they are due and when you judge between people to judge with justice. Excellent is that which Allah instructs you. Indeed, Allah is ever Hearing and Seeing." (Surah An-Nisa 4:58)
- Implication: Allah commands leaders and those in authority to fulfill their trusts (Amanah) and to judge with justice. This verse aligns directly with the hadith, emphasizing that leadership is a sacred trust from Allah, and it must be carried out with fairness and honesty.
- Accountability Before Allah:
- Quranic Reference: "Every soul is a pledge for what it has earned." (Surah Al-Muddathir 74:38)
- Implication: Every individual, including leaders, will be held accountable for their actions. Leaders are accountable not only for their personal deeds but also for how they manage the affairs of their people. The hadith highlights the severe consequences of failing in this responsibility, which is also implied in this Quranic verse.
- Avoiding Oppression:
- Quranic Reference: "O you who have believed, be persistently standing firm in justice, witnesses for Allah, even if it be against yourselves or parents and relatives. Whether one is rich or poor, Allah is more worthy of both..." (Surah An-Nisa 4:135)
- Implication: This verse calls for unwavering commitment to justice, even if it goes against personal interests. Leaders must govern with impartiality and fairness, irrespective of a person’s social or economic status. The hadith complements this by warning that leaders who act dishonestly or unjustly will face severe spiritual consequences.
- Serving the People:
- Quranic Reference: "And do not mix the truth with falsehood or conceal the truth while you know [it]." (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:42)
- Implication: Leaders are warned against concealing the truth or acting dishonestly. This applies not just to religious leaders but to all forms of leadership, where truthfulness and transparency are essential in serving the community.
Lessons and Reflections
- Leadership is a Trust: The hadith and Quran both emphasize that leadership is not a privilege to be abused but a trust from Allah. Leaders are custodians of the welfare, rights, and needs of the people under their authority, and failing to fulfill this trust has serious consequences in both this life and the Hereafter.
- Justice and Integrity: The essence of both the hadith and the Quran is that justice and integrity must be at the core of leadership. A leader’s role is to serve the people fairly and sincerely, without exploiting their position for personal gain or neglecting the needs of the people.
- Severe Consequences for Neglect and Corruption: The hadith specifically mentions the severe punishment of being deprived of even the "smell of Paradise" for those leaders who fail to act honestly. This highlights how grave the sin of corrupt or negligent leadership is in Islam. Such a person is warned of extreme loss in the Hereafter.
- Accountability on the Day of Judgment: Islam teaches that every leader, whether in a household, community, or nation, will be accountable for their actions. Allah will hold them responsible for how they managed their affairs, and there will be no escaping this accountability.
In light of this hadith and the Quran, leadership in Islam is regarded as a serious trust that comes with immense responsibility. Leaders are required to act with honesty, integrity, and justice, ensuring they serve their people with sincerity. The hadith’s stern warning about being deprived of Paradise for failing in this duty serves as a powerful reminder of the ethical and moral standards expected of leaders. The Hadith reinforces the Divine cautions as mentioned in Quran wherein many a verses repeatedly emphasize justice, accountability, and the fair treatment of all people, regardless of their status or circumstances.
These warnings are not only for leaders and people of position of authority, but even the ordinary people who can make life of others happier of miserable by their good or otherwise conduct. Let us be conscious of the grave consequences of hurting others and be on the lookout of our actions which may hurt someone and become a cause for our punishment.
May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door.
وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ
(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”
That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.
May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.
Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.
Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.
Please refer to our reference page: Collection of Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ about Warning and Cautions for more Hadiths on the subject
For more hadiths on varying subjects, refer to our reference page: Sunnah and Hadith of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to know more about Hadiths and Sunnah of Prophet of Allah. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.
Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references as given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors. If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.
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