Through This, the Condition of the Ruler and the Ruled Is Rectified
A complete Arabic-to-English translation of Ibn Taymiyyah’s words on reform, sincerity, reliance upon Allah, prayer, benefiting creation, and patience.
[بِهذا يصلحُ حالُ الرَّاعي والرَّعيَّةِ في دِينِهم ودُنياهم]
قال شيخُ الإسلام ابن تيمية رحمه الله:
«وَمَتَى اهْتَمَّتْ الْوُلَاةُ بِإِصْلَاحِ دِينِ النَّاسِ:
صَلُحَ لِلطَّائِفَتَيْنِ دِينُهُمْ وَدُنْيَاهُمْ؛
وَإِلَّا اضْطَرَبَتْ الأمورُ عليهم.
ومِلاكُ ذلكَ كُلِّه:
حُسْنُ النِّيَّةِ لِلرَّعِيَّةِ،
وَإِخْلَاصُ الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ لِلَّهِ،
وَالتَّوَكُّلُ عَلَيْهِ.
فَإِنَّ الْإِخْلَاصَ وَالتَّوَكُّلَ جِمَاعُ صَلَاحِ الْخَاصَّةِ وَالْعَامَّةِ».
ثم قال:
«وَأَعْظَمُ عَوْنٍ لِوَلِيِّ الْأَمْرِ خَاصَّةً وَلِغَيْرِهِ عَامَّةً ثَلَاثَةُ أُمُورٍ:
أَحَدُهَا: الْإِخْلَاصُ لِلَّهِ، وَالتَّوَكُّلُ عَلَيْهِ بِالدُّعَاءِ وَغَيْرِهِ، وَأَصْلُ ذَلِكَ الْمُحَافَظَةُ عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ بِالْقَلْبِ وَالْبَدَنِ.
الثَّانِي: الْإِحْسَانُ إلَى الْخَلْقِ بِالنَّفْعِ وَالْمَالِ الَّذِي هُوَ الزَّكَاةُ.
الثَّالِثُ: الصَّبْرُ عَلَى أَذَى الْخَلْقِ وَغَيْرِهِ مِنْ النَّوَائِبِ».
Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله said:
“Whenever the rulers [those entrusted with authority and public leadership] concern themselves with rectifying the religion of the people,
the religion and worldly affairs of both groups [the rulers and the subjects] become sound and upright.
Otherwise, affairs become disturbed, unsettled, and disordered for them.
And the foundation [central principle and controlling matter] of all of that is:
sincere goodwill toward the subjects,
making the entire religion sincerely and purely for Allah,
and relying upon Him.
For indeed, sincerity and reliance upon Allah are the comprehensive foundation of the rectification of both the elite and the common people.”
Then he said:
“The greatest aid for the ruler in particular, and for others in general, consists of three matters:
The first: sincerity to Allah, and reliance upon Him through supplication and other than it. The foundation of that is preserving the prayers with the heart and the body.
The second: doing good to creation through benefit and wealth, which is zakāh.
The third: patience upon the harm of creation and other calamities [hardships, afflictions, and difficult occurrences].”
al-Siyāsah al-Sharʿiyyah fī Iṣlāḥ al-Rāʿī wa al-Raʿiyyah, p. 170
By Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله
“إصلاح دين الناس”
“Rectifying the religion of the people.”
This means preserving sound belief, worship, justice, obedience to Allah, and protecting people from corruption, misguidance, doubts, desires, and neglect of religious duties.
“الولاة”
“The rulers / those in authority.”
This includes those entrusted with leadership, governance, judgment, public responsibility, and care over people’s affairs.
“الطائفتين”
“The two groups.”
The intended meaning is the rulers and the ruled. When religion is rectified, both leadership and society benefit in their religion and worldly affairs.
“اضطربت الأمور عليهم”
“Their affairs become disturbed.”
Meaning: matters become unstable, disordered, confused, and difficult when religion is neglected as the foundation of reform.
“ملاك ذلك كله”
“The foundation and controlling principle of all of that.”
The word milāk refers to the central matter upon which everything depends.
“حسن النية للرعية”
“Sincere goodwill toward the subjects.”
This means mercy, justice, sincere concern, protection, guidance, and desiring good for the people — not exploitation, arrogance, oppression, or personal gain.
“إخلاص الدين كله لله”
“Making the entire religion sincerely for Allah.”
Every act of worship, leadership, judgment, service, reform, and responsibility should be for Allah alone — not for fame, praise, power, wealth, or status.
“التوكل عليه”
“Reliance upon Him.”
Tawakkul means trusting Allah, depending upon Him, seeking His aid, and using lawful means without relying upon oneself independently of Allah.
“جماع صلاح الخاصة والعامة”
“The comprehensive foundation of rectifying the elite and common people.”
Sincerity and reliance upon Allah gather the roots of reform for every level of society: rulers, scholars, leaders, families, and common people.
Prayer with Heart and Body
Preserving prayer with the body means guarding its time, pillars, obligations, and outward correctness.
Preserving it with the heart means sincerity, humility, attentiveness, reverence, and presence before Allah.
“الإحسان إلى الخلق”
“Doing good to creation.”
This includes benefiting people through knowledge, service, justice, charity, advice, removing harm, helping the weak, and fulfilling zakāh.
“الصبر على أذى الخلق”
“Patience upon the harm of creation.”
No reform succeeds without patience upon criticism, insults, opposition, hardship, delay, misunderstanding, and the burdens of responsibility.
Benefits Derived
- True public reform begins with rectifying religion.
- Leadership is a trust, not a path of self-glorification.
- The ruler must have sincere concern for the people.
- Sincerity and reliance upon Allah are foundations of success.
- Prayer is central to personal and public rectification.
- Serving creation through benefit and wealth is part of reform.
- Patience is necessary for rulers, callers, teachers, parents, and all who carry responsibility.
- Worldly order without religious rectification remains fragile.
Brief Reflection
This passage shows that Islamic reform is not built merely upon administration, wealth, force, or political cleverness. Its roots are sincerity to Allah, reliance upon Him, prayer, mercy toward creation, and patience.
Regarding the meaning of sincere reform, this is supported by the explanation of Shaykh ʿAbd al-Raḥmān al-Saʿdī رحمه الله in his tafsīr of the statement of Prophet Shuʿayb عليه السلام: “I desire nothing but reform as much as I am able, and my success is only through Allah” [Hūd 11:88]. This indicates that true reform is joined with sincerity, seeking Allah’s aid, and sincere concern for the people.
Likewise, Shaykh Muḥammad ibn Ṣāliḥ al-ʿUthaymīn رحمه الله advised that a person should give attention to rectifying himself before rectifying others, and that when one combines personal uprightness with calling others to Allah, he becomes truly upon the guidance of the Salaf.
Thus, this statement of Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله is not only about rulers; it is also a principle for every person entrusted with responsibility: the parent, teacher, employer, caller, community leader, and every believer seeking rectification.
And Allah knows best.
Note: The references to al-Saʿdī and Ibn ʿUthaymīn above are presented as derived meanings and supporting scholarly principles, not as verbatim quotations.