Distancing Oneself from the All-Merciful

Abu Hurairah (radi Allahu anhu) said that Allah’s Messenger (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said, “Whoever approaches the ruler’s gates becomes afflicted. Whenever a slave draws closer to the ruler, he only gains distance from Allah.” [Imam Ahmad. Al-Albani authenticated it in “Sahih at-Targheeb wat-Tarheeb”, #2241]

Each Muslim needs to seriously consider what he/she is doing. One of the biggest disasters of materialism is “networking” – the desire to know anyone who could be of worldly benefit to you. In this craze to be connected with people in power, Muslims feel no shame in hanging out with sinful people.

Rulers are a class materialistic people love to know. When an ordinary Muslim visits rulers, whatever Islam he possesses is jeopardized by his desire to be liked or gain favours. The one who visits the ruler and praises him risks losing his Islam altogether. But the one who visits him and does not adulate him but advises him and enjoins him to do good and forbids him from doing evil, then his visiting the ruler becomes the greatest Jihad. One should be aware of how the ulema of the Salaf as-Saliheen abhorred closeness with rulers and be warned against putting ourselves through Fitnah.

Ibn Masud (radi Allahu anhu) said, “A man enters upon the ruler, carrying his religion with him, then exits without anything with him.” [Collected by al-Bukhari in his “Tareekh” and Ibn Sa’d in “at-Tabaqat”]