Listen and obey, for they are only responsible for their duty, and you are responsible for your duty · Explained ḥadīths

عَنْ وَائِلٍ الْحَضْرَمِيِّ قَالَ: سَأَلَ سَلَمَةُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ الْجُعْفِيُّ رضي الله عنه رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، فَقَالَ: يَا نَبِيَّ اللهِ، أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ قَامَتْ عَلَيْنَا أُمَرَاءُ يَسْأَلُونَا حَقَّهُمْ وَيَمْنَعُونَا حَقَّنَا، فَمَا تَأْمُرُنَا؟ فَأَعْرَضَ عَنْهُ، ثُمَّ سَأَلَهُ، فَأَعْرَضَ عَنْهُ، ثُمَّ سَأَلَهُ فِي الثَّانِيَةِ أَوْ فِي الثَّالِثَةِ، فَجَذَبَهُ الْأَشْعَثُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ، وَقَالَ: «اسْمَعُوا وَأَطِيعُوا، فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْهِمْ مَا حُمِّلُوا، وَعَلَيْكُمْ مَا حُمِّلْتُمْ».

Wā’il al-Hadrami reported: Salamah ibn Yazīd al-Ju‘fi (may Allah be pleased with him) asked the Messenger of Allah (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him), saying: O Prophet of Allah, what if we are governed by rulers who seek their rights from us and deny us our rights, what do you command us to do? He turned away from him. Then he asked him, and he turned away from him. Then he asked him for the second or third time, so Al-Ash‘ath ibn Qays pulled him, and he said: "Listen and obey, for they are only responsible for their duty, and you are responsible for your duty."

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Explanation

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) was asked about the rulers who demand their right from people, i.e., to listen and obey and withhold the right that is due to them, namely fulfilling justice, giving the spoils of war, redressing and settling grievances. What do you command us to do with them? The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) turned away from him as if he disliked these kinds of questions. However, the questioner repeated his question for the second and third time; thereupon, Al-Ash‘ath ibn Qays (may Allah be pleased with him) pulled the questioner to silence him. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) answered by saying: Listen to what they say and obey their command, as they are only responsible for their duty and for what is entrusted to them of fulfilling justice and giving the subjects their rights, and you are responsible for your duty of obedience, fulfilling rights, and enduring misfortunes patiently.

Benefits

The command to listen to and obey the rulers in all cases when it comes to what pleases Allah Almighty, even if they do not fulfill the subjects' rights.
The rulers' negligence in carrying out their duty does not justify the people's negligence in fulfilling their duties in return, as everyone is responsible for his deeds and will be held accountable for his negligence.
Religion is not built on bartering; rather, it is built on the commitment to obligations, even if others in return prove negligent in meeting their duties, as mentioned in this Hadīth.

Reference

صحيح مسلم (3/ 1474) (1846). بهجة الناظرين شرح رياض الصالحين، لسليم الهلالي (1/ 719). شرح رياض الصالحين، لابن عثيمين (3/ 664). تطريز رياض الصالحين، لفيصل آل مبارك (ص432). نزهة المتقين شرح رياض الصالحين، لمجموعة من الباحثين (1/ 553).

This ḥadīth at HadeethEnc.com