Ruling - the knot upon which Islam rests
Hadith 31, The knots of Islam will be undone one by one, each time a knot is undone the next one will be grasped, the first to be undone will be the Ruling and the last will be Prayer (Hakim/ Ahmed)
Commentary
A: It was the Prophet (SAW) who tied together the knots of Islam, including the uppermost knot of ruling after he established the Islamic state between the Ansar,the Muhajiroon, and the non-Muslims in and around Yathrib (Medina) after Hijra from his own people of Mecca.
B: As mentioned by Imam Mawardi the leadership has been proscribed as the succession of the Prophet (SAW) in protecting the deen and governing the societal affairs. In this respect - Imam Baidawi mentioned that the Imama/ Khalifah is the succession from the Prophet in the establishment of the laws of the Shari'ah and the protection of the territory. So without the Imam the laws lie unapplied and the territory is not protected effectively.
C: The hadith indicates that it is the uppermost knot that keeps the subsequent knots safe from being untied. This is since it is the ruler that is responsible to apply Islam in its entirity, to implement the limits proscribed by Allah (SWT) and to protect the society.
D: Imam Ahmed mentioned without an Imam (for the Muslims as their leader) there would be fitna , and the destruction of the symbols of Islam ending with the Prayer is a great fitna.
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