The Present Rulers and Islam

A great deal of confusion has arisen, either by accident or by design, in the course of discussions about the rulers of the Muslim world and their regimes. When is obedience to them required? When is it forbidden? When is patience enjoined and when is revolt obligatory? A large section of those who claim to be knowlegeable have inclined towards the rulers of our times, concealing what they know of the truth and distorting discussion out of a desire for this fleeting world and its wretched ephemeracy.

We shall embark then, by the Grace of Allah and His pleasure, upon a crystalisation of the truth and a clarification of the right path through these difficult matters, bearing thereby the responsibilty which Allah has placed upon the shoulders of the Ulema.

We have divided our research in two sections: In the first we will discuss types of rulers.These we have considered as belonging to four categories:

- the just Muslim
- the oppressive Muslim
- the heretical Muslim
- the non-Muslim

Each of these has his characteristic type of rule which we will discuss separately. Then we will examine the relevant hadith pertaining to each of them as well as the comments and judgements (fatawa)* of the Ulema finally summarising their positions. In this fashion we will attempt to clarify and to distinguish between each of these four categories.

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