Allah's Apostle sent a letter to Khosrau and told his messenger to give it first to the ruler of Bahrain, and tell him to deliver it to Khosrau. When Khosrau had read it, he tore it into pieces. (Az-Zuhri said: I think Ibn Al-Musaiyab said, "Allah's Apostle invoked Allah to tear them (Khosrau and his followers) into pieces."

[Al-Bukhari].

The Prophet said, "O `Abdur-Rahman! Do not seek to be a ruler, for if you are given authority on your demand then you will be held responsible for it, but if you are given it without asking (for it), then you will be helped (by Allah) in it. If you ever take an oath to do something and later on you find that something else is better, then you should expiate your oath and do what is better."

Allah's Apostle said, "Everyone of you is a guardian and is responsible for his charges. The ruler who has authority over people, is a guardian and is responsible for them, a man is a guardian of his family and is responsible for them; a woman is a guardian of her husband's house and children and is responsible for them; a slave ('Abu) is a guardian of his master's property and is responsible for it; so all of you are guardians and are responsible for your charges."

During the days (of the battle) of Al-Jamal, Allah benefited me with a word I had heard from Allah's Apostle after I had been about to join the Companions of Al-Jamal (i.e. the camel) and fight along with them. When Allah's Apostle was informed that the Persians had crowned the daughter of Khosrau as their ruler, he said, "Such people as ruled by a lady will never be successful."

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said: When Allah has a good purpose for a ruler, He appoints for him a sincere minister who reminds him if he forgets and helps him if he remembers; but when Allah has a different purpose from that for him. He appoints for him an evil minister who does not remind him if he forgets and does not help him if he remembers.

The Prophet said, "O `Abdur-Rahman bin Samura! Do not seek to be a ruler, because if you are given authority for it, then you will be held responsible for it, but if you are given it without asking for it, then you will be helped in it (by Allah): and whenever you take an oath to do something and later you find that something else is better than the first, then do the better one and make expiation for your oath."

Allah's Apostle said, "O `Abdur-Rahman bin Samura! Do not seek to be a ruler, for if you are given authority on your demand, you will be held responsible for it, but if you are given it without asking for it, then you will be helped (by Allah) in it. If you ever take an oath to do something and later on you find that something else is better, then do what is better and make expiation for your oath."

Allah's Apostle said, "Surely! Everyone of you is a guardian and is responsible for his charges: The Imam (ruler) of the people is a guardian and is responsible for his subjects; a man is the guardian of his family (household) and is responsible for his subjects; a woman is the guardian of her husband's home and of his children and is responsible for them; and the slave of a man is a guardian of his master's property and is responsible for it. Surely, everyone of you is a guardian and responsible for his charges."

We gave the oath of allegiance to Allah's Apostle that we would listen to and obey him both at the time when we were active and at the time when we were tired and that we would not fight against the ruler or disobey him, and would stand firm for the truth or say the truth wherever we might be, and in the Way of Allah we would not be afraid of the blame of the blamers. (See Hadith No. 178 and 320)

Allah's Apostle said, "(O `Abdur-Rahman!) Do not seek to be a ruler, for, if you are given the authority of ruling without your asking for it, then Allah will help you; but if you are given it by your asking, then you will be held responsible for it (i.e. Allah will not help you ) . And if you take an oath to do something and later on find another thing, better than that, then do what is better and make expiation for (the dissolution of) your oath."

I heard Allah's Apostle saying, "All of you are guardians and responsible for your charges: the Ruler (i.e. Imam) is a guardian and responsible for his subjects; and a man is a guardian of his family and is responsible for his charges; and a lady is a guardian in the house of her husband and is responsible for her charge; and a servant is a guardian of the property of his master and is responsible for his charge." I think he also said, "And a man is a guardian of the property of his father."

Allah's Apostle said, "If somebody is ordered (by the ruler or the judge) to take an oath, and he takes a false oath in order to grab the property of a Muslim, then he will incur Allah's Wrath when he will meet Him." And Allah revealed in its confirmation: 'Verily! Those who purchase a small gain at the cost of Allah's covenants and their own oaths.' (3.77) (The sub-narrator added:) Al-Ash'ath bin Qais entered, saying, "What did Abu `Abdur-Rahman narrate to you?" They said, "So-and-so," Al-Ash'ath said, "This verse was revealed in my connection. I had a well on the land of my cousin (and we had a dispute about it). I reported him to Allah 's Apostle who said (to me). "You should give evidence (i.e. witness) otherwise the oath of your opponent will render your claim invalid." I said, "Then he (my opponent) will take the oath, O Allah's Apostle." Allah's Apostle said, "Whoever is ordered (by the ruler or the judge) to give an oath, and he takes a false oath in order to grab the property of a Muslim, then he will incur Allah's Wrath when he meets Him on the Day of Resurrection."

Al-Mughirah (ibn Shu'bah) said: Umar ibn AbdulAziz gathered the family of Marwan when he was made caliph, and he said: Fadak belonged to the Messenger of Allah (saws), and he made contributions from it, showing repeated kindness to the poor of the Banu Hashim from it, and supplying from it the cost of marriage for those who were unmarried. Fatimah asked him to give it to her, but he refused. That is how matters stood during the lifetime of the Messenger of Allah (saws) till he passed on (i.e. died).

When AbuBakr was made ruler he administered it as the Prophet (saws) had done in his lifetime till he passed on. Then when Umar ibn al-Khattab was made ruler he administered it as they had done till he passed on. Then it was given to Marwan as a fief, and it afterwards came to Umar ibn AbdulAziz.

Umar ibn AbdulAziz said: I consider I have no right to something which the Messenger of Allah (saws) refused to Fatimah, and I call you to witness that I have restored it to its former condition; meaning in the time of the Messenger of Allah (saws).

Abu Dawud said: When 'Umar b. 'Abd al-'Aziz was made caliph its revenue was forty thousand dinars, and when he died its revenue was four hundred dinars. Had he remained alive, it would have been less than it.

The Prophet (saws) said: Three things are the roots of faith: to refrain from (killing) a person who utters, "There is no god but Allah" and not to declare him unbeliever whatever sin he commits, and not to excommunicate him from Islam for his any action; and jihad will be performed continuously since the day Allah sent me as a prophet until the day the last member of my community will fight with the Dajjal (Antichrist). The tyranny of any tyrant and the justice of any just (ruler) will not invalidate it. One must have faith in Divine decree.

Allah's Apostle appointed a man as the ruler of Khaibar who later brought some Janib (i.e. dates of good quality) to the Prophet. On that, Allah's Apostle said (to him). "Are all the dates of Khaibar like this?" He said, "No, by Allah, O Allah's Apostle! But we take one Sa of these (dates of good quality) for two or three Sa's of other dates (of inferior quality)." On that, Allah's Apostle said, "Do not do so, but first sell the inferior quality dates for money and then with that money, buy Janib."

I heard Allah's Apostle saying, "Everyone of you is a guardian, and responsible for what is in his custody. The ruler is a guardian of his subjects and responsible for them; a husband is a guardian of his family and is responsible for it; a lady is a guardian of her husband's house and is responsible for it, and a servant is a guardian of his master's property and is responsible for it." I heard that from Allah's Apostle and I think that the Prophet also said, "A man is a guardian of is father's property and is responsible for it, so all of you are guardians and responsible for your wards and things under your care."

Allah's Apostle (in his fatal illness) came out wrapped in a sheet covering his shoulders and his head was tied with an oily tape of cloth till he sat on the pulpit, and after praising and glorifying Allah, he said, "Then-after, O people! The people will go on increasing, but the Ansar will go on decreasing till they become just like salt in a meal. So whoever amongst you will be the ruler and have the power to harm or benefit others, should accept the good of the good-doers amongst them and excuse the wrongdoers amongst them."

After me you will come under rulers who will be detained from saying prayer at its proper time by (their) works until its time has run out, so offer prayer at its proper time. A man asked him: Messenger of Allah, may I offer prayer with them? He replied: Yes, if you wish (to do so).

Sufyan (another narrator through a different chain)said: May I offer prayer with them if I get it with them? He said: Yes, if you wish to do so.

That he heard Allah's Apostle saying, "Everyone of you is a guardian and is responsible for his charge; the ruler is a guardian and is responsible for his subjects; the man is a guardian in his family and responsible for his charges; a woman is a guardian of her husband's house and responsible for her charges; and the servant is a guardian of his master's property and is responsible for his charge." I definitely heard the above from the Prophet and think that the Prophet also said, "A man is a guardian of his father's property and responsible for his charges; so everyone of you is a guardian and responsible for his charges."

The Prophet said, "The Hour will not be established till you fight a nation wearing hairy shoes, and till you fight the Turks, who will have small eyes, red faces and flat noses; and their faces will be like flat shields. And you will find that the best people are those who hate responsibility of ruling most of all till they are chosen to be the rulers. And the people are of different natures: The best in the pre-lslamic period are the best in Islam. A time will come when any of you will love to see me rather than to have his family and property doubled."

The people used to ask Allah's Apostle about the good but I used to ask him about the evil lest I should be overtaken by them. So I said, "O Allah's Apostle! We were living in ignorance and in an (extremely) worst atmosphere, then Allah brought to us this good (i.e., Islam); will there be any evil after this good?" He said, "Yes." I said, 'Will there be any good after that evil?" He replied, "Yes, but it will be tainted (not pure.)'' I asked, "What will be its taint?" He replied, "(There will be) some people who will guide others not according to my tradition? You will approve of some of their deeds and disapprove of some others." I asked, "Will there be any evil after that good?" He replied, "Yes, (there will be) some people calling at the gates of the (Hell) Fire, and whoever will respond to their call, will be thrown by them into the (Hell) Fire." I said, "O Allah s Apostle! Will you describe them to us?" He said, "They will be from our own people and will speak our language." I said, "What do you order me to do if such a state should take place in my life?" He said, "Stick to the group of Muslims and their Imam (ruler)." I said, "If there is neither a group of Muslims nor an Imam (ruler)?" He said, "Then turn away from all those sects even if you were to bite (eat) the roots of a tree till death overtakes you while you are in that state."

Abu Dawud said: It has been transmitted by Yunus and Shu’aib, but they did not mention ‘Amr b. Aban.

When Khalid al-Qasri was made ruler (of Hijaz and Kufah), he doubled the measure of sa'. The sa' then measured sixteen rotls.

Abu Dawud said: Muhammad b. Muhammad b. Khattab was slain by Negroes in confinement. He said while signing with his hand: "in this way". Abu Dawud extended his hand and turned his palms towards earth and said: I saw him in the dream and asked him: How did Allah deal with you ? He replied: He admitted to Paradise. I said: Your detention did not harm you.

Abu Jamra said, "I was an interpreter between Ibn 'Abbas and the people." Some people said, "A ruler should have two interpreters."

Once the Prophet ascended the pulpit and it was the last gathering in which he took part. He was covering his shoulder with a big cloak and binding his head with an oily bandage. He glorified and praised Allah and said, "O people! Come to me." So the people came and gathered around him and he then said, "Amma ba'du." "From now onward the Ansar will decrease and other people will increase. So anybody who becomes a ruler of the followers of Muhammad and has the power to harm or benefit people then he should accept the good from the benevolent amongst them (Ansar) and overlook the faults of their wrong-doers."

AbulJuwayriyyah al-Jarmi said: I found a red pitcher containing dinars in Byzantine territory during the reign of Mu'awiyah. A man from the Companions of the Prophet (saws) belonging to Banu Sulaym was our ruler. He was called Ma'an ibn Yazid. I brought it to him. He apportioned it among the Muslims. He gave me the same portion which he gave to one of them. He then said: Had I not heard the Messenger of Allah (saws) say: There is no reward except after taking the fifth (from the booty), I would have given you (the reward). He then presented his own share to me, but I refused.

`Abdullah bin Az-Zubair said that a group of riders belonging to Banu Tamim came to the Prophet, Abu Bakr said (to the Prophet ), "Appoint Al-Qa'qa bin Mabad bin Zurara as (their) ruler." `Umar said (to the Prophet). "No! But appoint Al-Aqra bin H`Abis." Thereupon Abu Bakr said (to `Umar). "You just wanted to oppose me." `Umar replied. "I did not want to oppose you." So both of them argued so much that their voices became louder, and then the following Divine Verses were revealed in that connection:-- "O you who believe ! Do not be forward in the presence of Allah and His Apostle..." (till the end of Verse)...(49.1)

Abu Dawud said: Malis said: This refers to a man gives his evidence, but he does not know for whom it is meant. Al-Hamdani said: "He should inform the authorities. Ibn al-Sarh said: "He should give it to the ruler. The work ikhbar (inform) occurs in the version of al-Hamdani." Ibn al-Sarh said: "Ibn Abi 'Amrah and not 'Abd al-Rahman."

I heard `Urwa bin Az-Zubair talking to `Umar bin `Abdul `Aziz during the latter's Governorship (at Medina), he said, "Al-Mughira bin Shu`ba delayed the `Asr prayer when he was the ruler of Al-Kufa. On that, Abu Mas`ud. `Uqba bin `Amr Al-Ansari, the grand-father of Zaid bin Hasan, who was one of the Badr warriors, came in and said, (to Al-Mughira), 'You know that Gabriel came down and offered the prayer and Allah's Apostle prayed five prescribed prayers, and Gabriel said (to the Prophet ), "I have been ordered to do so (i.e. offer these five prayers at these fixed stated hours of the day).

He came to him and said: I have not come to you to visit you. But you and I heard a tradition from the Messenger of Allah (saws). I hope you may have some knowledge of it.

He asked: What is it? He replied: So and so. He said: Why do I see you dishevelled when you are the ruler of this land?

He said: The Messenger of Allah (saws) has forbidden us to indulge much in luxury.

He said: Why do I see you unshod? He replied: The Prophet (saws) used to command us to go barefoot at times.

Ibn `Umar used to give the Zakat of Ramadan (Zakat-al-Fitr) according to the Mudd of the Prophet, the first Mudd, and he also used to give things for expiation for oaths according to the Mudd of the Prophet. Abu Qutaiba said, "Malik said to us, 'Our Mudd (i.e., of Medina) is better than yours and we do not see any superiority except in the Mudd of the Prophet!' Malik further said, to me, 'If a ruler came to you and fixed a Mudd smaller than the one of the Prophet, by what Mudd would you measure what you give (for expiation or Zakat-al-Fitr?' I replied, 'We would give it according to the Mudd of the Prophet' On that, Malik said, 'Then, don't you see that we have to revert to the Mudd of the Prophet ultimately?'"

The Prophet said, "Seven (people) will be shaded by Allah by His Shade on the Day of Resurrection when there will be no shade except His Shade. (They will be), a just ruler, a young man who has been brought up in the worship of Allah, a man who remembers Allah in seclusion and his eyes are then flooded with tears, a man whose heart is attached to mosques (offers his compulsory congregational prayers in the mosque), two men who love each other for Allah's Sake, a man who is called by a charming lady of noble birth to commit illegal sexual intercourse with her, and he says, 'I am afraid of Allah,' and (finally), a man who gives in charity so secretly that his left hand does not know what his right hand has given."

Allah's Apostle said, "By Him in Whose Hands my soul is, surely (Jesus,) the son of Mary will soon descend amongst you and will judge mankind justly (as a Just Ruler); he will break the Cross and kill the pigs and there will be no Jizya (i.e. taxation taken from non Muslims). Money will be in abundance so that nobody will accept it, and a single prostration to Allah (in prayer) will be better than the whole world and whatever is in it." Abu Huraira added "If you wish, you can recite (this verse of the Holy Book): -- 'And there is none Of the people of the Scriptures (Jews and Christians) But must believe in him (i.e Jesus as an Apostle of Allah and a human being) Before his death. And on the Day of Judgment He will be a witness Against them." (4.159) (See Fath-ul-Bari, Page 302 Vol 7)

Al-`Aqib and Saiyid, the rulers of Najran, came to Allah's Apostle with the intention of doing Lian one of them said to the other, "Do not do (this Lian) for, by Allah, if he is a Prophet and we do this Lian, neither we, nor our offspring after us will be successful." Then both of them said (to the Prophet ), "We will give what you should ask but you should send a trustworthy man with us, and do not send any person with us but an honest one." The Prophet said, "I will send an honest man who Is really trustworthy." Then every one of the companions of Allah's Apostle wished to be that one. Then the Prophet said, "Get up, O Abu 'Ubaida bin Al-Jarrah." When he got up, Allah's Apostle said, "This is the Trustworthy man of this (Muslim) nation."

that Yahya bin Sa`id bin Al-`As divorced the daughter of `Abdur-Rahman bin Al-Hakarn. `Abdur- Rahman took her to his house. On that `Aisha sent a message to Marwan bin Al-Hakam who was the ruler of Medina, saying, "Fear Allah, and urge your brother) to return her to her house." Marwan (in Sulaiman's version) said, "Abdur-Rahman bin Al-Hakam did not obey me (or had a convincing argument)." (In Al-Qasim's versions Marwan said, "Have you not heard of the case of Fatima bint Qais?" Aisha said, "The case of Fatima bint Qais is not in your favor.' Marwan bin Al-Hakam said to `Aisha, "The reason that made Fatima bint Qais go to her father's house is just applicable to the daughter of `Abdur-Rahman."

Allah's Apostle said, "There will be three types of people whom Allah will neither speak to them on the Day of Resurrection nor will purify them from sins, and they will have a painful punishment: They are, (1) a man possessed superfluous water (more than he needs) on a way and he withholds it from the travelers. (2) a man who gives a pledge of allegiance to an Imam (ruler) and gives it only for worldly benefits, if the Imam gives him what he wants, he abides by his pledge, otherwise he does not fulfill his pledge; (3) and a man who sells something to another man after the `Asr prayer and swears by Allah (a false oath) that he has been offered so much for it whereupon the buyer believes him and buys it although in fact, the seller has not been offered such a price." (See Hadith No. 838, Vol. 3)