(80) Chapter: Obligation of Obedience to the Ruler in what is Lawful and Prohibition of Obeying them in what is Unlawful

Anas (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "Hear and obey even if an Abyssinian slave whose head is like a raisin is placed in authority over you." [Al- Bukhari]. Commentary: Nobody pays respect to a slave, with a black complexion and small head at that. But the Hadith brings such a man in focus to emphasize that obedience to a ruler is inescapable. The only condition is that his governance should be confined to the Shari`ah framework without reference to his geographical, tribal and ethnic background.