Does giving the pledge of allegiance entail supplicating to Allah for those in authority?


Question:

Does giving the pledge of allegiance entail supplicating to Allah for those in authority?

Answer:

One of the entailments of giving the pledge of allegiance is to advise the ruler. It is a part of this advice to supplicate to Allah for the ruler that they may be granted success, guidance, righteous intentions and actions, and an upright retinue. Because one of the means by which the ruler is granted success by Allah is to have truthful ministers who help him do good, remind him when he forgets, and support him when he remembers; this is a means to have Allah’s Support.

It is obligatory upon the subjects and the elite to cooperate with those in authority in reformation, eliminating evil and establishing good, by using good words and manners and wise directions that are hoped to result in good, not evil. Any act resulting in more evil than benefit is not permissible, because the aim of rulership is to realize the Shar‘i (Islamic) interests and ward off corruption. Consequently, any deed that is done intending good that results in more evil than that which was intended to be eliminated, is not permissible.

Shaykh-ul-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah be merciful to him) clarified this meaning perfectly in his book “Al-Hisbah (Regulation of Economic, Commercial, and Public Matters)”. Please refer to this book for its great benefit.