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The Precedence and Priority that obedience to Allaah has over the obedience to the creation

To reinforce the precedence and priority that obedience to Allaah (subhanahu wa ta’aala) has over the obedience to the creation, ponder upon the following ahadeeth of the Prophet (salallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam):

La ta’aata lil makhluk fi ma’seeyit al-Khaaliq (which means “there is no obedience to the creation in disobedience to The Creator.”)

“Inna ma ta’aa fil ma’roof.” (Obedience is only in the matters ordained by Allaah).

The righteous scholars have explained that the right of The Creator takes precedence over the rights of the creation.

So when any one from the creation enjoins on you to commit an act of disobedience, then obedience to them in that specific matter is actually disobedience to Allaah, whereas disobedience to them in that specific matter is obedience to Allaah. Allaah (subhanahu wa ta’aala) says: …Help you one another in Al-Birr and At-Taqwa (virtue, righteousness and piety); but do not help one another in sin and transgression… (Al-Ma`idah 5:2)

Regarding the parents, Allaah (subhanahu wa ta’aala) says:

And We have enjoined on man (to be dutiful and good) to his parents. His mother bore him in weakness and hardship upon weakness and hardship, and his weaning is in two years. Give thanks to Me and to your parents; unto Me is the final destination. (Luqman 31:14)

A man once asked the Prophet (salallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam):

“O Messenger of Allaah, who has the most right amongst people to my good companionship?” He (salallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) replied: “Your mother.” The man said: “Then who?” He replied: “Your mother.” The man said: “Then who?” He replied: “Your mother.” The man said: “Then who?” He replied: “Your father.”

[Al-Bukhaaree (no. 5971), Muslim (no. 201) and Ibn Maajah (no. 2706)]

The right of the parents upon their children is so great that Allaah often mentions obedience to parents immediately after worshipping Allaah alone. Yet even if your mother or father enjoins on you to commit an act of disobedience, then obedience to them in that specific matter is actually disobedience to Allaah, whereas disobedience to them in that specific matter is obedience to Allaah. So if your parents command you to worship other than Allaah, or to attend the gatherings of the people of bid’ah (Sufis, Shee’a, Tableeghis, Ikhwanul Muslimeen, Khawarij, Hizb Tahreer, etc…), or to sing anasheed, or to hand them a can of beer or a pack of cigarettes, then there is no obedience to them in these matters.

Allaah says: But if they strive with you to make you join in worship with Me others that of which you have no knowledge, then obey them not. (Luqman 31:15)

La ta’aata lil makhluk fi ma’seeyit al-Khaaliq (which means “there is no obedience to the creation in disobedience to The Creator.”)

This also includes the wife in relation to her husband. The husband’s right over his wife is so great that the Prophet (salallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) said,

“It is not right that any human being should prostrate to another being. And if it were right for a human being to prostrate to another human being, I would have ordered the woman to prostrate to her husband due to the greatness of his right upon her.”

Yet if the husband commands the wife to disobey Allaah, such as the husband’s command to his wife to break her obligatory fast in Ramadan to have sexual relations with him,* or to remove her hijaab, or to engage in haram acts or speech, then in these particular cases obedience to him is disobedience to Allaah, as the scholars have explained.

La ta’aata lil makhluk fi ma’seeyit al-Khaaliq (which means “there is no obedience to the creation in disobedience to The Creator.”)

If a “scholar” (or imam of your masjid) advises you to disobey Allaah and His Messenger (salallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) by telling you or giving you “permission” to call on other than Allaah, or say that Allaah in His Self is “everywhere,” or rebel/speak ill of the Muslim ruler, or celebrate the Prophet’s birthday, or engage in ribaa (interest, usury), then in these particular cases obedience to that “scholar” is disobedience to Allaah.

Allaah says: They (Jews and Christians) took their rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allaah… (At-Tawbah 9:31)

The Prophet (salallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) explained:

They (rabbis and monks) prohibited the allowed for them (Christians and Jews) and allowed the prohibited, and they (Christians and Jews) obeyed them. This is how they worshipped them.

[Calling on other than Allaah is Kufr, knowingly denying Allaah's 'Uluw is kufr, rebelling against/speaking ill of the Muslim ruler is the bid'ah of the Khawaarij and Ikhwanul Muslimeen and Hizb at-Tahreer, celebrating the Prophet's birthday is bid'ah that sometimes is accompanied by kufr as the 'ulamma have explained, and ribaa is from the seven destructive Kabaair, while declaring ribaa "halal" upon knowledge of its prohibition in the Qur`an and Sunnah is Kufr. Aoodhoobillaah!]

La ta’aata lil makhluk fi ma’seeyit al-Khaaliq (which means “there is no obedience to the creation in disobedience to The Creator.”)

Likewise, with the Muslim ruler, the only time you may not obey the Muslim ruler is if he orders disobedience. As we learned from Kitab at-Tawheed class – chapter of Ruling by other than Allaah – regarding Allaah’s ayah: O you who believe! Obey Allaah and obey the Messenger (Muhammad, salallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam), and those of you (Muslims) who are in authority… (An-Nisa 4:59) The word atee’u (obey) precedes “Allaah” and “the Messenger,” but not “those in authority”, because the Prophet (salallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) could not order to do haram, whereas it’s possible that a ruler could. So although it is obligatory to obey the Muslim ruler, you may not obey him in that particular matter in which he orders disobedience.

La ta’aata lil makhluk fi ma’seeyit al-Khaaliq (which means “there is no obedience to the creation in disobedience to The Creator.”)

May Allaah grant us akhlaaq pleasing to Him.

Note: *(as opposed to the optional fast, which scholars have said she should break if he asks)

Taken from: http://www.salafitalk.net/st/viewmessages.cfm?forum=8&topic=10613

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