FatwaFederal TerritoriesQuran & Hadith
IRSYAD AL-HADITH SIRI KE-281: PEMERINTAH ADALAH BAYANGAN ALLAH
Is there a hadith stating that the ruler is the shadow of Allah on earth, and what is its status?
Short answer
Several narrations describe the ruler as the shadow of Allah on earth, but they are not free from criticism by scholars, even though some graded them sahih or hasan.
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Irsyad al-Hadith
- Topic
- Quran & Hadith
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
Several narrations describe the ruler as the shadow of Allah on earth, but they are not free from criticism by scholars, even though some graded them sahih or hasan. After reviewing scholarly views, the author inclines to grade the narration as weak (dhaif). The phrase is understood as a figure of speech (majaz): the ruler is like a place of shelter when ruling justly, and it also conveys honour and authority, indicating the ruler's special standing over the people.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Kesimpulannya, hadith yang menyatakan bahawa pemerintah adalah bayangan Allah adalah dhaif dan makna hadith ini menunjukkan bahawa pemerintah mempunyai kedudukan yang istimewa berbanding rakyat yang berada di bawahnya.
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “IRSYAD AL-HADITH SIRI KE-281: PEMERINTAH ADALAH BAYANGAN ALLAH”, 2 August 2018. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/irsyad-al-hadith/2537-irsyad-al-hadith-siri-ke-281-pemerintah-adalah-bayangan-allah. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/hadith-ruler-shadow-of-allah-on-earth/