Ibn al-Qayyim on Open Rejection of the Rulers 
and Kings and Making Khurooj

Source: I’laam ul-Muwaqqi’een an Rabbil-Aalameen

Ibn al-Qayyim - may Allaah have mercy upon him - said: 
“This is a great topic, containing much benefit and due to ignorance of this topic a great mistake has fallen upon the Sharee’ah…”

Up until he said, after mentioning that the basis of the Sharee’ah is built upon the welfare and benefits of the servants:

“…The Prophet (sallAllaahu ‘alaihi-wasallam) legislated for his Ummah, the obligation of rejecting the evil so that by its rejection, the goodness that Allaah and His Messenger love is obtained. And when rejecting the evil leads to what is more evil and more hated by Allaah and His Messenger then it is not allowed to reject it - even if Allaah hates it and detests those who perform it (the evil). And this is like rejection [inkaar] against the kings, and the ones in authority by coming out against them [with arms etc. to fight them] - for verily, that is the basis and foundation of every evil (sharr) and every tribulation (fitnah) till the end of time. And the Companions asked permission from the Messenger of Allaah (sallAllaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) for killing the leaders [Umaraa’] who delay the prayer from its proper time, saying: “Shall we not kill them.” So he said: “No, so long as they establish the prayer”, and he also said: “Whoever sees something from his leader [Ameer] something that he dislikes then let him be patient and let him not raise his hand [away] from the leader’s obedience.” And whoever reflects upon the greatest and smallest trials that have befallen Islaam, then he will see that they are due to the negligence and wastage of this principle and the lack of patience upon [witnessing] evil. So he seeks bring about its end and as a result of this, a greater evil is brought about. And the Messenger (sallAllaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam) saw the greatest of evils in Makkah and he was not able to change them. In fact even when Allaah opened up for the Muslims Makkah [i.e. gave the Muslims victory over it] and when it became daar ul-Islaam he was resolved to changing the Ka’abah and returning it to the foundations that Ibraaheem (alaihis-salaam) had built it upon - but even though he had the capacity to do that, he was prevented from it by the fear that something greater would occur due to the lack of tolerance of the Quraish, since they were new to Islaam and had recently left disbelief - and for this reason he did not grant permission for rejecting against the leaders [Umaraa’] with the use of one’s hand [i.e. with force] due to the greatness of what results afterwards on account of it…” Ibn al-Qayyim in ‘I’laam ul-Muwaqqi’een an Rabbil-Aalameen.’