The Hadith of Unjust Rulers Delaying Prayer Explained
Some forgers try to use reports about future unjust rulers as if they are attacks on the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. This is a clumsy distortion. The Prophet ﷺ was informing the Muslim Ummah about trials that would occur after him, and teaching them the principle that obedience to rulers is conditional upon obedience to Allah.
The Hadith About Rulers Who Delay the Prayer
“After me, men will come to rule over you who will extinguish the Sunnah, introduce innovations, and delay the prayer from its appointed times.”
Ibn Masoud said:
“O Messenger of God, what will I be like when I live to see them?”
He said:
“There is no obedience, O son of Umm Abd, to one who disobeys God.”
He said it three times.
I heard the same from Muhammad ibn al-Sabah.
First Response: The Prophet ﷺ Was Guiding the Ummah About Future Trials
The Messenger ﷺ addresses the Muslim Ummah and informs them of what will happen until the Day of Judgment. This is not because he independently knows the unseen, but because Allah informed him of what Muslims would need guidance in when such events occurred.
He tells us that when this Ummah is ruled by unjust rulers who change the religion of Allah, extinguish the Sunnah, introduce innovations, and delay the prayer from its appointed time, then the principle is clear:
There is no obedience to any created being in disobedience to the Creator.
So the hadith is not a condemnation of the Companions. It is prophetic guidance for Muslims who would face corrupt rulers after him.
Second Response: The Address Is to the Ummah, Not an Accusation Against the Companions
When the Messenger ﷺ addresses his Companions about a matter that will come after him, he addresses them as representatives of the Muslim Ummah, not as the ones being accused.
Therefore, when he informs them that innovations will appear after him, this does not mean he is blaming the Companions themselves.
The position of the Companions is clear in the statement of Abdullah ibn Masoud, may Allah be pleased with him:
If I live to see them, how should I act?
Here comes the Prophet ﷺ confirming the superiority of the Companions. They were people of knowledge, obedience, and understanding. Ibn Masoud was not asking because he was inclined toward innovation or disobedience. He was asking for guidance on how to deal with rulers who would later corrupt religious practice.
Ibn Masoud and the Prophet’s Address to Him
The Prophet ﷺ said to him:
Are you asking me, O son of Umm Abd, how should I act?
The phrase “O son of Umm Abd” was used by the Prophet ﷺ out of kindness and mercy toward Ibn Masoud, may Allah be pleased with him. He called him by reference to his mother out of compassion for that learned scholar.
The Prophet ﷺ praised Ibn Masoud greatly.
“A man who is a servant of God is heavier on the scale than Uhud.”
Then the Prophet ﷺ advised him regarding the rulers: if they command obedience, they are obeyed, and if they command disobedience, they are opposed.
This is the balanced Sunni principle regarding rulers: obedience in what is lawful, and no obedience in sin.
Third Response: Where Is the Attack on the Companions?
What attack on the morals of the Companions of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, may Allah be pleased with them, has this forger presented?
None.
The hadith condemns unjust rulers who would appear after the Prophet ﷺ. It does not condemn the Companions. In fact, the narration shows the virtue of Ibn Masoud, his concern for obedience to Allah, and the Prophet’s ﷺ trust in his understanding.
The hadith of Musnad Ahmad 3601 is not an argument against the Companions. It is a prophetic warning to the Muslim Ummah about future unjust rulers who would extinguish the Sunnah, introduce innovations, and delay prayer. The Prophet ﷺ gave Ibn Masoud the governing principle: there is no obedience to anyone who disobeys Allah. The forger has not exposed a flaw in the Companions; he has only exposed his own inability to distinguish between prophecy, legal guidance, and accusation.