Sermon (40): When He Heard the Khawarij's Saying 'La Hukma Illa Lillah'
This statement is correct, but the meaning they take from it is wrong. Yes, indeed judgment belongs only to Allah. But these people want to say that governance also cannot belong to anyone other than Allah. However, it is necessary for people to have a ruler, whether he is good or bad. (If he is good) the believer can do good deeds under his rule, (if he is bad) the unbeliever will enjoy pleasures in his era. And Allah will bring everything in this system of governance to its final limits. Through this ruler, wealth (taxes and booty) is collected, the enemy is fought, roads remain secure, and the right of the weak is taken from the strong, until the good ruler finds rest (by death or removal), and the death or removal of the bad ruler brings rest to others. In another narration it is said that when he heard (their saying) regarding arbitration, he said: I am waiting for Allah's judgment regarding you. Then he said: If the governance is good, then the God-conscious and pious do good deeds in it, and if the governance is bad, then the wretched enjoy pleasures to their fill, until their time ends and death takes them.
