Sahih Muslim Book - 33, Hadith - 4804

حَدَّثَنَا إِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ الْحَنْظَلِىُّ أَخْبَرَنَا عِيسَى بْنُ يُونُسَ حَدَّثَنَا الأَوْزَاعِىُّ عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ يَزِيدَ بْنِ جَابِرٍ عَنْ رُزَيْقِ بْنِ حَيَّانَ عَنْ مُسْلِمِ بْنِ قَرَظَةَ عَنْ عَوْفِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ عَنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ -صلى الله عليه وسلم- قَالَ « خِيَارُ أَئِمَّتِكُمُ الَّذِينَ تُحِبُّونَهُمْ وَيُحِبُّونَكُمْ وَيُصَلُّونَ عَلَيْكُمْ وَتُصَلُّونَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَشِرَارُ أَئِمَّتِكُمُ الَّذِينَ تُبْغِضُونَهُمْ وَيُبْغِضُونَكُمْ وَتَلْعَنُونَهُمْ وَيَلْعَنُونَكُمْ ». قِيلَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَفَلاَ نُنَابِذُهُمْ بِالسَّيْفِ فَقَالَ « لاَ مَا أَقَامُوا فِيكُمُ الصَّلاَةَ وَإِذَا رَأَيْتُمْ مِنْ وُلاَتِكُمْ شَيْئًا تَكْرَهُونَهُ فَاكْرَهُوا عَمَلَهُ وَلاَ تَنْزِعُوا يَدًا مِنْ طَاعَةٍ ».

It was narrated from 'Awf bin Malik that the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w) said: "The best of your rulers are those whom you love and they love you, who invoke blessings upon you and you invoke blessings upon them. The worst of your rulers are those whom you hate and they hate you, and you invoke curses upon them and they invoke curses upon you." It was said: "O Messenger of Allah, should we not fight them with the sword?" He said: "No, not so long as they establish prayer among you. But if you see something in your rulers that you dislike, then hate their deeds, but do not withdraw your hand from obedience to them."