How can we apply the following hadith today: "A person who dies without paying allegiance to the imam of his time dies the death of Jahiliyyah"?

Dear Brother / Sister,

There are various hadith narrations regarding the issue. Some of them are as follows:

"One who withdraws his band from obedience (to the Amir) will find no argument (in his defense) when he stands before Allah on the Day of Judgment, and one who dies without having bound himself by an oath of allegiance (to an Amir) will die the death of one belonging to the days of Jahiliyya.” (Muslim, Imara, 58)

“One who found in his amir (leader) something which he disliked should hold his patience; for, one who separated from the authority of his amir even to the extent of a hand span and then died would die the death of one belonging to the days of Jahiliyya.” (Muslim, Imara, 56)  

"Whoever defects from obedience, separates from the main body of the Muslim and dies in that state dies the death of one belonging to the days of Jahiliyya.” (Muslim, Imara, 53)

Scholars understand the expression “will die the death of one belonging to the days of Jahiliyya" as follows:  “will die like the irregular people having no guide/leader belonging to the days of Jahiliyya.” (see Nawawi, the explanation of the relevant hadith)

The purpose of the usage of this style in the hadith is to keep Muslims away from rebelling against the authority and causing anarchy. Accordingly, it is necessary to understand it as follows: A person who dies without paying allegiance dies as a sinner, not as an unbeliever. (see Ibn Hajar, the explanation of the relevant hadith)

Acting upon those hadiths and similar ones, Islamic scholars advised people not to oppose the leaders of the state even if they are cruel, to obey them - as long they are not contrary to Allah - , and not to cause anarchy and mischief by bringing about authority gap. (Ibn Hajar, ibid)

The phrase “die the death of one belonging to the days of Jahiliyya” in the hadiths above is expressed as “hypocrisy” in different narrations. However, it is possible to understand both phrases in the same sense.

One of the hadiths regarding the issue is as follows: Hz. Abu Hurayra narrates: The Prophet (pbuh) said,

“One who died but did not fight in the way of Allah nor did he express any desire (or determination) for jihad died the death of a hypocrite.” (Muslim, Imara, 158; Abu Dawud, Jihad, 17; Nasai, Jihad, 2; Ahmad b. Hanbal, 2/374)

Abdullah b. Mubarak holds the view that this hadith pertained to the time of the Prophet (pbuh).

According to some other scholars, that hadith is always valid. Its meaning is as follows: A person who does not go to jihad and who does not have any intention to go to jihad has a quality of munafiqs (hypocrites) -who escape war, do not go to war and lag behind. (Nawawi, the explanation of the relevant hadith)

To have a quality of hypocrisy does not mean unbelief. It means a quality (an attribute) that does not fit a Muslim. For, it is not necessary for a believer to have all of his attributes to be Muslim attributes all the time –in order to be a real believer. For instance, telling lies is an attribute of unbelief. However, a believer does not become an unbeliever when he tells a lie. As a matter of fact, when an unbeliever acts honestly –which is an attribute of belief-, he does not become a believer. The reason why this style is preferred in the hadith is to encourage jihad and not to lag behind.

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