“No kings in America!”
In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.
وَقَالَ لَهُمْ نَبِيُّهُمْ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ قَدْ بَعَثَ لَكُمْ طَالُوتَ مَلِكًا قَالُوٓا۟ أَنَّىٰ يَكُونُ لَهُ ٱلْمُلْكُ عَلَيْنَا وَنَحْنُ أَحَقُّ بِٱلْمُلْكِ مِنْهُ وَلَمْ يُؤْتَ سَعَةً مِّنَ ٱلْمَالِ قَالَ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ٱصْطَفَىٰهُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَزَادَهُۥ بَسْطَةً فِى ٱلْعِلْمِ وَٱلْجِسْمِ وَٱللَّهُ يُؤْتِى مُلْكَهُۥ مَن يَشَآءُ وَٱللَّهُ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ
And their Prophet (Samuel) said to them, “Indeed Allah has appointed Talut (Saul) as a king over you.” They said, “How can he be a king over us when we are better fitted than him for the kingdom, and he has not been given enough wealth.” He said: “Verily, Allah has chosen him above you and has increased him abundantly in knowledge and stature. And Allah grants His Kingdom to whom He wills. And Allah is All-Sufficient for His creatures’ needs, All-Knower.” [Surah Al-Baqarah 247]
Imam As-Sadi, may Allah have mercy upon him, said: He [i.e. Talut] was given deep insight and physical strength by way of which he was qualified for his position as king, because if he has deep insight and the ability to implement the right decision, he will be able to fulfil this role in the most perfect manner; but if he lacked one of the two, he would not be able to do his job properly. If he was physically strong but lacked deep insight, then a king would be unsuccessful in running the affairs of the kingdom, because his strength would not be utilised wisely. If he had deep insight but did not have the strength to implement any decisions, his insight would not benefit him because he would not be able to achieve anything. [1]
Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him and his father, said, “The Kings who ruled the eastern and western regions of the earth were two believers and two disbelievers: the two believers were Prophet Sulayman and Dhul Qarnayn, and the two disbelievers were Namrood and Bukhtanasar”. [2]
Hudhayfah reported that the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said: “The Prophethood will remain amongst you for as long as Allah wills it to be. Then Allaah will raise it when He wills to raise it. Then there will be the khilaafah upon the Prophetic methodology. And it will last for as long as Allaah wills it to last. Then Allaah will raise it when He wills to raise it. Then there will be biting kingship, and it will remain for as long as Allaah wills it to remain. Then Allaah will raise it when He wills to raise it. Then there will be tyrannical (forceful) kingship and it will remain for as long as Allaah wills it to remain. Then He will raise it when He wills to raise it. Then there will be a khilaafah upon the Prophetic methodology”. Then he (the Prophet) was silent.
Affirmation through the divinely revealed text that Mu’aawiyyah was the first king in Islaam, and that from his time, hereditary kingship was the mode of rule, and that Allaah gives the rule to whomever He pleases. And that after the Prophetic khilaafah a biting type of kingship appeared, one in which Islaam was not applied completely in all areas. It was in this midst that the innovations of the Qadariyyah and the Murji’ah also appeared. Shaykh ul-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah explains (Majmoo’ 10/354)
The Prophet (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) said: “The khilaafah after me is thirty years, then there will be biting kingship” and for this reason Mu’aawiyah said, “I am the first of the kings”, from the risaalah of Abi Zayd al-Qayrawaanee (1/96). What is the meaning of this hadeeth?
This hadeeth has been related by Imaam Ahmad in al-Musnad, al-Haakim in al-Mustadrak, Abu Ya’laa in al-Musnad, Ibn Hibbaan in his Saheeh and at-Tirmidhee in as-Sunan. And the meaning of the hadeeth has been explained by al-Haafidh (Ibn Hajar) in al-Fath, he said: “He meant by the khilaafah, the khilaafah of prophethood (i.e. the thirty years), and as for Mu’aawiyah and whoever came after him, then they were upon the way of the kings (i.e. kingship) even if they are named “khalifahs”. [3]
What Leadership Involves! Read below
In conclusion, concerning the individual who ascribes to Islam and asserts, “No kings in America”, we are not claiming that he entirely dismisses the concept of kingship unless we encounter a statement from him that suggests such a perspective. Instead, the purpose of this article is to inform our children that kingship is not prohibited, and what should be prioritised is a stable governance rooted in the infallible justice of the Qur’an and Sunnah, as interpreted and implemented by the companions, fair treatment of all individuals and dealing with such leader according to the Sunnah of the Messenger, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him. Read:
Believer’s Bahaviour Towards Muslim Rulers – [Supplicates For Them….]
[1] Tafseer As-Sadi
[2] Zaadul Maseer Fee Ilmit Tafseer (Tafsir Ayah 258 Surah Al-Baqarah) By Imaam Ibnul Jawzi
[3] https://www.aqidah.com/creed/articles/kyvik-the-khilaafah-lasted-for-30-years-then-there-was-kingship.cfm