Hadith: The best of your leaders are those whom you love and who love you, and who invoke Allah's blessings upon you and you invoke His blessings upon them. And the worst of your leaders are those whom you hate and they hate you, and whom you curse and they curse you

عَن عَوْفِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ الْأَشْجَعِيَّ رضي الله عنه قَالَ: سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَقُولُ:

«خِيَارُ أَئِمَّتِكُمُ الَّذِينَ تُحِبُّونَهُمْ وَيُحِبُّونَكُمْ، وَتُصَلُّونَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَيُصَلُّونَ عَلَيْكُمْ، وَشِرَارُ أَئِمَّتِكُمُ الَّذِينَ تُبْغِضُونَهُمْ وَيُبْغِضُونَكُمْ، وَتَلْعَنُونَهُمْ وَيَلْعَنُونَكُمْ»، قَالُوا: قُلْنَا: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، أَفَلَا نُنَابِذُهُمْ عِنْدَ ذَلِكَ؟ قَالَ: «لَا، مَا أَقَامُوا فِيكُمُ الصَّلَاةَ، لَا، مَا أَقَامُوا فِيكُمُ الصَّلَاةَ، أَلَا مَنْ وَلِيَ عَلَيْهِ وَالٍ فَرَآهُ يَأْتِي شَيْئًا مِنْ مَعْصِيَةِ اللهِ فَلْيَكْرَهْ مَا يَأْتِي مِنْ مَعْصِيَةِ اللهِ، وَلَا يَنْزِعَنَّ يَدًا مِنْ طَاعَةٍ».
[صحيح] - [رواه مسلم] - [صحيح مسلم: 1855]

‘Awf ibn Mālik (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The best of your leaders are those whom you love and who love you, and who invoke Allah's blessings upon you and you invoke His blessings upon them. And the worst of your leaders are those whom you hate and they hate you, and whom you curse and they curse you." He was asked: "O Messenger of Allah, shouldn't we overthrow them?" He said: "No, as long as they establish prayer amongst you. No, as long as they establish prayer amongst you."
[Authentic hadith] - [Narrated by Muslim]

Explanation

This Hadīth indicates that Muslim leaders may be righteous and may be unrighteous and disobedient to Allah. However, it is not permissible to rebel against them as long as they uphold the rituals of Islam, the most important of which is the prayer. In other words, as long as they do not prevent (congregational) prayer.

Benefits from the Hadith