Mwenye Kutunga Sheria (yaani Allah) amebainisha waziwazi majukumu ya jumla ya lazima aliyopewa mtawala, bila kuacha nafasi yoyote ya utata au mkanganyiko. Ameweka wazi majukumu ya mtawala kuhusiana na yale yanayompasa binafsi kama mtawala, pamoja na majukumu yake kuhusiana na uhusiano wake na raia (SWT).

The Legislator (i.e. Allah) fixed the obligatory general responsibilities upon the ruler explicitly without leaving any area for obscurity or confusion. He clarified the ruler’s responsibilities in relation to what is obligatory upon him in his personal capacity as a ruler, and his responsibilities in respect of his relationship with the citizens.

Kuhusu majukumu ya mtawala katika nafsi yake binafsi kama mtawala, yako wazi katika hadith ambazo Mtume ﷺ alifafanua baadhi ya sifa za mtawala. Zilizo dhahiri zaidi kati yake ni nguvu, uchaji wa Mwenyezi Mungu (taqwa) na upole, na kwamba asiwe mtu anayesababisha chuki. Mtume ﷺ alisema kwamba mtawala lazima awe na nguvu, na kwamba mtu dhaifu hafai kuwa mtawala. Muslim alipokea kutoka kwa Abu Dharr (ra) kwamba Mjumbe wa Mwenyezi Mungu ﷺ alisema:

As for the ruler’s responsibilities in his personal capacity as a ruler, they are clear in the ahadith in which the Messenger (saw) clarified some of the ruler’s attributes. The most apparent of them are strength, consciousness of Allah (taqwa) and kindness, and that he should not be one who causes aversion. The Messenger (saw) opined that the ruler must be strong, and that the weak person is not suitable to become a ruler. Muslim narrated from Abu Dharr (ra) that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

Imepokewa na Muslim pia kutoka kwa Abu Dharr aliyesema:

Muslim also narrated from Abu Dharr who said:

Maana ya nguvu hapa ni nguvu ya utu, yaani nguvu ya kiakili na kihisia. Ni lazima akili hii iwe akili inayotawala, ambayo kwayo anaelewa mambo na mahusiano, na kwamba hali yake ya kinafsi (nafsiyya) iwe ya mtawala anayefahamu kwamba yeye ni mtawala, hivyo basi anaelekeza mielekeo yake kwa amri ya Amiri. Kwa kuwa nguvu ya utu ina ndani yake uwezekano wa kutawala na mamlaka, kuna haja dhahiri kwamba mtawala awe na sifa inayomlinda na uovu wa mamlaka. Hivyo ni lazima awe na sifa ya taqwa ndani yake na katika kuwajali Ummah. Imepokewa na Muslim na Ahmad kutoka kwa Sulayman bin Buraydah, kutoka kwa baba yake:

The meaning of strength here is strength of personality i.e. intellectual and emotional strength. It is necessary that this intellect be the ruling intellect by which he understands matters and relationships, and that his emotional disposition (nafsiyya) be that of a ruler who understands that he is a ruler so he directs his inclinations with the command of an Amir. Since the strength of the personality has within it the potential of domination and authority, there is an obvious need that the ruler has an attribute which protects him from the evil of authority. So it is necessary that he has the attribute of taqwa within himself and in his taking care of the Ummah. Muslim and Ahmad from Sulayman bin Buraydah from his father:

Mtawala, ikiwa ana uchamungu kwa Allah (SWT) na anamwogopa, na anamhesabu Yeye ndani ya nafsi yake kwa siri na hadharani, basi hilo lingemzuia kuwafanya raia kuwa watumwa. Hata hivyo, uchamungu hautamzuia kuwa mkali na mwenye ukali, kwa kuwa katika kujihesabu mbele ya Allah atajizuia kwa amri Zake na makatazo Yake. Na kwa kuwa yeye ni mtawala, ni jambo la kawaida katika nafasi yake kuwa mkali na mgumu, na kwa sababu hii Mwenye kutunga Sheria (Ash-Shaari') ameamuru awe mpole na asiwe na uadui kwa raia. Kutoka kwa Aisha, aliyesema: Nilimsikia Mtume wa Allah ﷺ akisema katika nyumba yangu:

The ruler, if he is conscious of Allah (swt) and fears Him, and accounts Him in his own soul secretly and openly, then this would stop him from enslaving the citizens. However, the taqwa would not prevent him from harshness and severity since in his taking account of Allah he would restrict himself to His commands and prohibitions. And since he is a ruler, it is natural in his position to be severe and hard, and because of this the Legislator (Ash-Shari’) commanded him to be friendly and not to be hostile to the citizens. From Aisha who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) saying in his house of mine:

Pia aliamuru awe mtu wa kutoa habari njema, si mtu wa kuwafukuza watu. Imepokewa kutoka kwa Abu Musa, aliyesema: Mtume wa Allah ﷺ alipomtuma mmoja wa masahaba zake kwa baadhi ya mambo yake, alikuwa akimwambia:

He also commanded to be the one who gives glad tidings and not the one who repels people away. It has been narrated from Abu Musa who said: When the Messenger of Allah (saw) sent one of his companions in some of his affairs, he would say to him:

Hii inahusu kile kinachopaswa kuwa lazima kwa mtawala katika utu wake. Kuhusu uhusiano wake na raia, Mwenye Kutunga Sheria (Shaari') alimwamuru awazunguke raia kwa nasaha njema, akamkataza kugusa mali ya umma kwa namna yoyote, na akamlazimisha kushikamana na kutawala kwa Uislamu peke yake bila kuuhusisha na kitu kingine chochote. Hakika Allah (SWT) amemharamishia Pepo mtawala asiyewazunguka raia wake kwa nasaha njema, au ambaye huwasaliti katika jambo lolote. Kutoka kwa Mu'aqqil bin Yasar, aliyesema: Nilimsikia Mtume ﷺ akisema:

This is in relation to what is obligatory for the ruler to have within his personality. As for his relationship with the citizens, the Legislator commanded him to encompass the citizens with good advice, warned him not to touch the public wealth in any way, and compelled him to adhere to ruling by Islam alone without associating it with anything else. Verily Allah (swt) prohibited Paradise to the ruler who does not encompass his citizens with good advice or betrays them in anything. From Mu’aqqil bin Yasar who said: I hear the Prophet (saw) saying:

Yeye (Al-Bukhari) pia amesimulia kutoka kwa Mu’aqqil bin Yasar, aliyesema: Nilimsikia Mtume wa Allah ﷺ akisema:

He (Al-Bukhari) also narrated from Mu’aqqil bin yasar who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) saying:

Imepokewa na Muslim kutoka kwa Mu’aqqil aliyesema:

Muslim narrated from Mu’aqqil who said:

Nilimsikia Mjumbe wa Allah ﷺ akisema:

I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) saying:

Na imepokewa kutoka kwa Abu Said: Mtume wa Allah ﷺ alisema:

And it has been reported from Abu Said: The Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

Mjumbe wa Mwenyezi Mungu ﷺ amesisitiza kwa uwazi na kwa ukali juu ya kufanya juhudi kwa ajili ya raia na kuwazunguka kwa nasaha njema, jambo linalobainisha kiwango kikubwa cha wajibu wa mtawala juu yao. Kuhusu kugusa mali ya umma, alionya juu ya jambo hili na alikuwa mkali katika onyo hilo. Hivyo alipomwona hili kwa mmoja wa magavana wake, alimkemea kwa ukali na akazungumza na umma kuhusu jambo hili. Imepokewa kutoka kwa Abu Hamid As-Sa'idi kwamba Nabii ﷺ alimteua ibn Al-Luttaybah kusimamia sadaka za Banu Sulaym. Aliporudi kwa Mjumbe wa Mwenyezi Mungu ﷺ, ambaye alimhesabu, alisema: "Hii ni yako, na hii ni zawadi niliyopewa mimi." Basi Mjumbe wa Mwenyezi Mungu ﷺ akasema:

The Messenger has clearly & severely emphasised exerting effort on behalf of the citizens and encompassing them with good advice which clarifies the high level of responsibility (of the ruler) over them. As for touching public wealth, he warned about this and was severe in this warning. So when he saw this in one of his governors he was harsh with him and spoke to the public about this matter. It has been reported from Abu Hamid As-Sa’idi that the Prophet (saw) appointed ibn Al-Luttaybah over the sadaqat of Banu Sulaym. When he returned to the Messenger of Allah (saw) who accounted him, he said: This is what is for you and this is a gift given to me. So the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

Kisha Mjumbe wa Allah ﷺ alisimama na kuzungumza na watu. Alimshukuru Allah (SWT) na kumtukuza, kisha akasema:

Then the Messenger of Allah (saw) stood and spoke to the people. He praised Allah (swt) and extolled Him, then said:

Hii ni ishara kwa kauli ya Allah kwamba atamhesabu na kumwadhibu kwa tendo lake, na ni onyo kali kwa mtawala kwamba asiguse mali ya umma kwa namna yoyote ile, hata kwa kupitia tafsiri yoyote au fatwa yoyote.

This is an allusion to Allah’s accounting him and punishing him over his action, which is a severe warning to the ruler not to touch the public wealth in any way whatsoever including through any interpretation or fatwa.

Kuhusu kanuni ambazo mtawala analazimika kutawala kwazo, Mwenye Sheria amemzuia jambo hili na kumlazimisha atawale kwa Kitabu cha Allah na Sunnah ya Mtume Wake ﷺ. Pia amempa haki ya kufanya ijtihadi katika zote mbili, na amemkataza kutafuta kutoka kwa asiyekuwa Uislamu au kuchukua chochote kutoka kwa asiyekuwa Uislamu. Kuhusu kuzuia utawala uwe kwa Kitabu na Sunnah, hili liko wazi katika aya za Qur'ani. Allah (SWT) amesema:

In relation to the rules by which the ruler is obliged to rule with, the Legislator has restricted this and compelled him to rule by the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (saw). It gave him the right to perform ijtihad in both of them, and forbade him to seek from other than Islam or to ever adopt from other than Islam. As for restricting the rule to the Book and the Sunnah, this is explicit from the Qur’anic ayat. Allah (swt) said:

Na:

And:

Na:

And:

Hii inamaanisha kuweka kikomo utawala kwa kile alichofunua Allah, na kile alichofunulia Allah Mjumbe wake (saw), bwana wetu Muhammad (saw), ni Qur'ani Tukufu kwa maneno na maana, na Sunnah kwa maana si kwa maneno. Kwa hiyo mtawala amezuiliwa katika utawala wake ndani ya mipaka ya Kitabu na Sunnah. Mwenye Sheria (Ash-Shaari') aliruhusu afanye ijtihadi juu ya Kitabu na Sunnah, yaani kujitahidi kuelewa na kutoa hukumu kutoka kwa vyote viwili. Imepokewa kwamba Mjumbe wa Allah ﷺ alimtuma Mu'adh kwenda Yemen, akamwambia:

This means limiting the rule to what Allah revealed, and that which Allah revealed to His Messenger (saw), our master Muhammad (saw), is the Noble Qur’an in wording and meaning and the Sunnah in meaning not wording. Therefore the ruler is restricted in his rule within the limits of the Book and Sunnah. The Legislator permitted him to perform ijtihad upon the Book and Sunnah i.e. exerting effort to understand and deduce rules from both of them. It has been narrated that the Messenger (saw) sent Mu’adh to Yemen and said to him:

Alimpa zawadi mtawala pale anapokosea katika ijtihadi, na hivyo kumhimiza afanye ijtihadi na kumwepusha mbali na kushikilia kwa ukali maana ya dhahiri tu ya matini. Al-Bukhari alisimulia kutoka kwa Amr bin Al-‘Aas kwamba alimsikia Mjumbe wa Allah ﷺ akisema:

He gave the ruler a reward if he made a mistake in ijtihad, thereby encouraging him to perform ijtihad and keeping him far away from (sticking) rigidly to the merely apparent (meaning of the) texts. Al-Bukhari narrated from Amr bin Al-‘Aas that he heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) saying:

Sharia ilizidisha kwa ukali katika kuweka masharti ya kanuni ambazo mtawala anatawala kwazo, kwamba ziwe za Uislamu peke yake na si nyinginezo. Ingawa imempa mtawala haki ya kufanya ijtihadi hata akikosea, imekuwa kali katika kuzuia hukumu kuwa ya Uislamu, na imekataza hukumu yake kwa chochote kingine. Zaidi ya hayo, imemkataza hata kuuliza kuhusu hukumu kutoka kwa kisichokuwa Uislamu, au kuchanganya na Uislamu kitu kisichotokana nao. Allah (SWT) amesema akimwelekea Mtume ﷺ:

The Shar’a exaggerated in restricting the rules by which the ruler rules as being (from) Islam and nothing else. Despite giving the ruler the right to peform ijtihad even if he errs, it was strict in restricting the ruling by Islam and prohibited his ruling by anything else. Rather, it even prohibited him asking about the ruler from other than Islam or that he associates with Islam anything not from it. Allah (swt) said addressing the Messenger (saw):

Naye Yeye (SWT) akasema:

And He (swt) said:

Hotuba kwa Mtume (SWT) ni hotuba kwa Ummah wake, kwa hiyo hii ni hotuba kwa kila mtawala. Muslim amepokea kutoka kwa Aisha (RA) aliyesema: Mtume wa Allah ﷺ alisema:

The speech to the Messenger (swt) is the address to his Ummah so this is an address to every ruler. Muslim narrated from Aisha (ra) who said: The Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

Na katika riwaya nyingine

And in another narration

Na Al-Bukhari alisimulia kutoka kwa Ubaidullah bin Abdullah kwamba Ibn Abbas (ra) alisema:

And Al-Bukhari narrated from Ubaidullah bin Abdullah that ibn Abbas (ra) said:

Hii inaweka wazi kizuizi ambacho kwacho yeye (mtawala) analazimika kutawala; inazuia wajibu wake katika hukumu kubaki kwenye kutawala kwa kile ambacho Allah (SWT) amekiteremsha.

This hereby clarifies the restriction by which he (the ruler) is obliged to rule by; it restricted his responsibility in the rules to the rule by what Allah (swt) revealed.

Wajibu huu wa mtawala unaonyesha kwamba Mwenye Kutunga Sheria (Ash-Shaari') ameyabainisha wazi majukumu ya umma, na majukumu haya yanamwelemea mtawala kwa sababu tu ni mtawala, bila kujali kama yeye ni Khalifah au msaidizi wake, gavana (wali) au afisa (‘amil). Wote hao ni watawala, na wanafungwa na majukumu haya. Kwa hiyo, ikiwa haya ni majukumu ya magavana na viongozi, na wengine miongoni mwa watawala, basi ni majukumu ya Khalifah pia. Kwa kuwa ni wajibu kwa kiongozi, basi ni wajibu zaidi kwa yule anayebeba mzigo mkubwa zaidi. Aidha, zipo hadithi za jumla zinazowahusu kila mtu anayesimamia jambo la Waislamu, awe Khalifah au gavana. Kauli ya Mtume ﷺ:

These obligatory responsibilities upon the ruler show that the Legislator delineated the public responsibilities clearly and these responsibilities are upon the ruler as a ruler irrespective of his being a Khalifah or his assistant, governor (wali) or official (‘amil). All of them are rulers and they are bound by these responsibilities. Therefore if these are the responsibilities of the governors and leaders, and others among the rulers, then they are the Khalifah’s responsibilities. Since they are obligatory upon the leader therefore they are obligatory upon the one bearing the greater burden by greater reason. Moreover, there are general ahadith addressing whoever oversees an affairs among the Muslims’ affairs, whether a Khalifah or a governor. The Messenger’s statement:

Na kauli yake:

And his statement:

Na kauli ya Allah:

And Allah’s statement:

Haya yote yalikuja kwa maneno ya jumla yanayomhusu gavana na yanayomhusu Khalifah. Na kuelekezwa kwa Mtume ﷺ ni kuelekezwa kwa kila mtawala, awe Khalifah au gavana. Zaidi ya hayo, Mtume ﷺ alifafanua kwa maneno wajibu wa Khalifah kwa raia wake katika hadithi iliyofafanua majukumu ya jumla. Al-Bukhari ameeleza kutoka kwa Abdullah bin Umar (ra) kwamba Mtume ﷺ alisema:

All these came with general words covering the governor and covering the Khalifah. And the address to the Messenger (saw) is the address to every ruler, whether Khalifah or governor. Additionally, the Messenger (saw) clarified the Khalifah’s responsibility to his citizens textually in the hadith which clarified the general responsibilities. Al-Bukhari narrated from Abdullah bin Umar (ra) that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

Alimfanya Khalifa awajibike kwa wajibu wa jumla juu ya raia wake. Kwa hiyo, majukumu ya jumla yanawekwa juu ya Khalifa kama yalivyo kwa kiongozi.

He made the Khalifah responsible with a general responsibility over his citizens. Therefore the general responsibilities are imposed upon the Khalifah as they are concerning the leader.

Mtunga Sheria (Mwenye Kutoa Sheria) ameweka dhamana kamili ya utekelezaji wa majukumu ya viongozi kwa majukumu haya ya umma kupitia miongozo (tawjeeh) na sheria. Kuhusu miongozo (tawjeeh), alimwonya kiongozi juu ya adhabu ya Allah iwapo atapuuza na kushindwa kutekeleza majukumu yake. Alifafanua kwamba kuna aibu na majuto kwa mtu dhaifu asiyeweza kutekeleza yale aliyowekewa, ikiwa atakubali kuchukua madaraka hayo. Mjumbe wa Allah ﷺ aliomba kwa Allah (SWT) kwamba awe mkali kwa yule aliye mkali juu ya Umma wa Kiislamu, na Allah alikataza Pepo kwa yule ambaye hauzunguki Umma kwa ushauri mwema, miongoni mwa maonyo mengine yaliyomwonyesha kiongozi mwisho wake iwapo atashindwa kutekeleza majukumu yake, yaani adhabu ya Allah. Hata hivyo, Sharia haikuishia hapo tu, bali pia iliufanya Umma uwajibike kwa utekelezaji wa majukumu ya kiongozi; iliwalazimisha kumkemea iwapo atashindwa kutimiza majukumu yake au atatenda dhambi katika shughuli zake. Ilifikia hata kuamuru Umma kupigana naye kwa upanga iwapo atatawala kwa mambo yasiyo ya Uislamu, hadi ikawa ni kufuru dhahiri, na ikamfanya yule anayekufa katika kumkemea kiongozi kuwa bwana wa mashahidi. Alisema ﷺ:

The Legislator has completely guaranteed the ruler’s performance of burdens of these public responsibilities via guidelines (tawjeeh) and legislation. As for the guidelines (tawjeeh), He warned the ruler of Allah’s punishment if he neglected and failed to fulfill his burdens. He clarified that there is disgrace and regrets if the weak person who could not fulfill what is imposed upon him undertook it (the rule), the Messenger (saw) asked Allah that He (swt) be severe to the one who is severe upon the Islamic Ummah and Allah prohibited Paradise for who does not encompass the Ummah with good advice among other warnings which demonstrated to the ruler his end if he failed to fulfill his responsibilities i.e. the punishment of Allah. However, the Shar’a was not satisfied with this but also made the Ummah responsible for the ruler’s performance of his responsibilities; it compelled them to denounce him if he fell short of fulfilling his responsibilities or sinned in his transactions. And it even commanded the Ummah to fight him by the sword if he ruled by other than Islam so that it became open disbelief, and made the one who dies in the way of denouncing the ruler the prince of martyrs. He (saw) said:

Ilimfanya yule anayefurahia kupuuzwa kwa mtawala na kumfuata (katika hilo) awajibike mbele ya Allah (SWT) na asiwe salama dhidi ya adhabu Yake (SWT). Muslim alisimulia kutoka kwa Umm Salamah kwamba Mtume ﷺ alisema:

It made the one who is pleased with the ruler’s neglect and follows him (upon that) accountable before Allah (swt) and not safe from His (swt) punishment. Muslim narrated from Umm Salamah that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said:

Na katika riwaya nyingine:

And in another narration:

Hadithi hii inaeleza hadithi ya kwanza. Kuhusu kauli yake,

This narration explains the first narration. About his statement,

Yeyote anayejua munkari kwa namna ambayo si tata kwake, ameipata njia ya kujiepusha na dhambi yake na adhabu kwa kuibadilisha kwa mkono wake au ulimi wake; na, ikiwa ni dhaifu sana, basi kuichukia kwa moyo wake. Na kauli yake:

The one who knows the munkar such that it is not ambiguous to him has found a path to innocence from his sin and punishment by changing it by his hand or tongue; and, if he is too weak, then hating it by his heart.” And his statement:

Yaani, yule asiyeweza kuibadilisha kwa mkono wake na ulimi wake, na akaikataa kwa moyo wake, yuko salama kutokana na kushiriki nao katika dhambi hiyo.

I.e. the one who is unable to change it by his hand and tongue and rejects it by his heart is safe from associating with them in the sin

Yaani, yule anayefurahia kitendo chao na kuwafuata katika kukitenda, hana hatia wala hayuko salama. Katika hadithi hii Mjumbe wa Allah ﷺ aliamuru kukataa dhidi ya mtawala na akaifanya kuwa wajibu kwa njia yoyote inayowezekana, kwa mkono, kwa sharti kwamba isifikie mapigano, yaani kwa chini ya upanga, au kwa ulimi kwa namna yoyote ile, yaani kwa maneno, au kwa moyo ikiwa mtu ni dhaifu sana kutumia mkono au ulimi. Alimchukulia yule asiyekataa kuwa mshirika wa mtawala katika dhambi alipousema kwamba yule anayefurahia wanachokifanya na kuwafuata katika hilo hana hatia wala hayuko salama kutokana na dhambi. Hata hivyo, kukataa huku kunakuwepo tu pale wanapotenda makosa lakini bado wanatawala kwa Uislamu. Iwapo wataacha kutekeleza Uislamu na kutekeleza hukumu za kufuru, Shariah haridhiki kwa kukataa kwa mkono, ulimi na moyo pekee, bali imefanya njia ya kubadilisha wanachokifanya, au wao (watawala), kuwa ni upanga na mapigano. Katika hadithi ya Umm Salamah iliyosimuliwa na Muslim,

I.e. the one who is pleased by their action and follows them in acting upon it is neither guiltless nor safe. In this hadith the Messenger (saw) commanded rejecting against the ruler and obliged it through any means possible by the hand on condition that it does not reach fighting i.e. less than the sword or the tongue in any way whatsoever i.e. by words or by the heart if he is too weak to use the hand or tongue. He considered the one who does not reject a partner to the ruler in sin when he said that the one who is pleased by what they do and follows upon that is neither guiltless nor safe from sin. However this rejection is only when they act wrong but still rule by Islam. If they leave the implementation of Islam and implement the rules of kufr, the Shar’a is not satisfied with mere rejection by hand, tongue and heart but it rather made the method of changing what they do, or them (the rulers), the sword and fighting. In the hadith of Umm Salamah which was narrated by Muslim,

Na katika hadithi ya Awf bin Malik ambayo ilipokewa na Muslim,

And in the hadith of Awf bin Malik which was narrated by Muslim,

Na katika riwaya moja walisema:

And in a narration they said:

Na katika Al-Bukhari, kutoka kwa Ubadah bin As-Samit ambaye alisema

And in Al-Bukhari from Ubadah bin As-Samit who said

Maana ya hadith hii ni kwamba tunabishana na wenye mamlaka pale tunapoona kufru ya wazi, na kwamba tunapambana nao kwa upanga na kuwapiga vita iwapo hawatasimamisha Sala miongoni mwetu. Hili, kuhusiana na mtawala, ni usemi wa kinayah (wa kuashiria kwa kufumba) kwa kutawala kwa Uislamu, yaani mradi wanatawala kwa Uislamu, basi hakuna kupigana, kupinga wala kubishana nao. Iwapo wanatawala kwa kitu kisicho Uislamu, basi inawajibu wakati huo huo kupigana nao, kuwapinga na kubishana nao. Kwa njia hii, Uislamu umehakikisha kikamilifu utekelezaji wa majukumu ya umma.

The understanding of this hadith is that we dispute the authority with those who possess it if we see open disbelief, and that we dispute with them by the sword and fight them if they do not establish the prayer over us. This, in relation to the ruler, is a metaphoric expression (kinayah) for ruling by Islam i.e. as long as they rule by Islam then there is no fighting, opposition or dispute. If they rule with other than Islam, then it is obliged at that very time to fight, oppose and dispute with them. In this way, Islam has completely guaranteed the execution of the public responsibilities.