On Military Coups and Revolts Against the Rulers


Al-Albaani: “And this shows how to attain salvation from the oppression of the rulers, those who are, ‘… from our own people, and speak our language,’—and it is by the Muslims repenting to their Lord and correcting their ʿaqīdah, and raising themselves and their families on the correct Islaam, implementing the Most High’s statement, ‘Indeed, Allaah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves,’ [13:11] and one of the present day callers alluded to that, saying, ‘Establish the state of Islaam in your hearts, it will be established for you in your lands.’

And the way to achieve this salvation [from them] is not through what some people imagine [to be the solution]—i.e., through uprisings against the rulers with weapons, using military coups to do so, for along with the fact that they are a present day innovation, they also go against the narrations in the Legislation which order one to change oneself. Thus the foundation must be corrected in order for it to be built upon, ‘Allaah will certainly help those who stand up for Him. Allaah is truly All-Powerful, Almighty.’ [22:40]
Qāmūs al-Bidʿah, p. 767.