Qaida Mukhtasara fi Wujub Taat Allah wa Rasulihi wa Wulat al-Umur
- Author died
- 728 AH
- Editions
- Jihāz al-Irshād wa-al-Tawjīh bi-al-Ḥaras al-Waṭanī
Qaida Mukhtasara fi Wujub Taat Allah wa Rasulihi wa Wulat al-Umur (A Concise Principle on the Obligation of Obeying God, His Messenger, and Those in Authority) is a theological and legal epistle by Ibn Taymiyya (661–728 AH / 1263–1328 CE) addressing the duty of obedience to God, the Prophet, and Muslim rulers .
Subject Matter and Structure
In this short treatise, Ibn Taymiyya presents the creedal and political doctrine of Ahl al-Sunna wa-l-Jama'a regarding obedience, political authority, and sincere counsel to leaders . He begins by affirming that obeying God and His Messenger is an absolute obligation upon every individual in all circumstances, and that obeying legitimate rulers and advising them is part of what God and His Messenger commanded .
The author bases his arguments on Quranic passages, particularly the verses from Surat al-Nisa: إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَأْمُرُكُمْ أَنْ تُؤَدُّوا الأَمَانَاتِ إِلَى أَهْلِهَا وَإِذَا حَكَمْتُمْ بَيْنَ النَّاسِ أَنْ تَحْكُمُوا بِالْعَدْلِ ("Indeed, Allah commands you to render trusts to whom they are due and when you judge between people to judge with justice") and يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ فَإِنْ تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِي شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَالرَّسُولِ إِنْ كُنْتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ذَلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا ("O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. And if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you should believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is the best [way] and best in result") . He explains that returning disputed matters to God means referring to His Book, and returning them to the Messenger after his death means referring to his Sunna .
Key Themes and Arguments
Ibn Taymiyya argues that the obligation to obey and offer sincere counsel to rulers is binding on Muslims inherently by virtue of divine commandment, even if an individual has not formally sworn a covenant or taken an oath of allegiance to them, just as prayers, zakat, fasting, and the pilgrimage remain obligatory without prior oaths . When someone swears an oath of allegiance, that oath reinforces and confirms a duty already instituted by God and His Messenger .
He also includes a dedicated section refuting those who issue religious rulings (fatwas) advocating rebellion against rulers, withdrawing obedience, or breaking covenants of allegiance . He characterizes those who permit reneging on such oaths as fabricating falsehood against God and ruling contrary to the religion of Islam . Furthermore, he emphasizes that obedience must be performed for the sake of God; whoever obeys rulers merely for financial gain or positions of power—obeying when granted worldly benefits and disobeying when withheld—has no share of reward in the Hereafter .
Transmission and Publication
The treatise was originally preserved and transmitted within the compendium Majmu al-Fatawa (volume 35, pages 5–17) under the heading Qaida Mukhtasara fi Wujub Taat Allah wa Rasulihi fi Kulli Halin ala Kulli Ahad .
It was later extracted from the collection and edited as a standalone treatise by Abd al-Razzaq ibn Abd al-Muhsin al-Abbad al-Badr, who corrected typographical errors against the compilation, referenced the Quranic verses, and provided hadith verification and introductory commentary . Standalone editions include publications by the Center for Da'wah Affairs at the Islamic University of Madinah and by the Guidance and Orientation Directorate of the Saudi Arabian National Guard .
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