It is narrated from Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) sent out an expedition and appointed an Ansari as their leader, and instructed the people to obey him and follow his commands. The leader became angry with the army over some matter, and ordered them to gather firewood. They collected firewood for him. He then ordered them to light a fire, and they lit it. He asked them, "Were you not commanded to listen to me and obey me?" They replied, "Of course." The leader then ordered, "Then enter the fire." The narrator says that some of them looked at each other and said, "Indeed, we should flee from the fire to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)." The narrator says that while they were in this state, the leader's anger subsided and the fire was extinguished. He says that when we returned to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), we mentioned this incident to him. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "If you had entered that fire, you would never have come out of it. Obedience to the leader is only in goodness."

It is narrated from Hazrat Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: The obedience of a Muslim is in that which he likes and dislikes, as long as he is not commanded to commit a sin, and if he is commanded to commit a sin, then there is no obedience in it.

Hazrat Abu Saeed Al-Khudri (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) sent Hazrat Alqamah (may Allah be pleased with him) as the commander of a military expedition, and I was also part of that army. When we reached the way, a group from the army sought permission from him, and he granted them permission and appointed Hazrat Abdullah bin Hudhafah Al-Sahmi (may Allah be pleased with him) as their commander. I was also among those who fought with them. While on the way, the people lit a fire to cook food. Hazrat Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) had a habit of joking. He said: "Is it not obligatory upon you to obey me?" The people replied, "Why not!" He (may Allah be pleased with him) said, "If I command you to do something, will you carry it out?" The people said, "Yes." He then said, "I have decided regarding you that you should jump into this fire." All the people stood up and got ready to jump in. When he was certain that they would jump into it, he said, "Hold yourselves back, I was joking with you." Then, when we returned and this was mentioned before the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), he said: "Do not obey anyone in matters of sin."

It is narrated from Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: There is no obedience to the creation (human beings) in disobedience to Allah.

It is also narrated in a similar manner from Hazrat Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him).

Hazrat Suwaid bin Ghaflah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that Hazrat Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said to me: O Abu Umayyah (may Allah be pleased with him), I do not know whether I will meet you again after this year or not. Obey your leader, even if a mutilated (ear-cut) Abyssinian slave becomes your leader. If he beats you, be patient, and if he deprives you of something, be patient. And if he intends to do something that harms your religion, then say to him: Listening and obeying is due, my blood is a sacrifice for my religion, and do not separate from the congregation.

Hazrat Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Quraysh are the leaders of the Arabs, every person has a right, so keep giving each person his right until one of you is given the choice between Islam and death. And if one of you is given the choice between Islam and having his neck struck, then offer your neck; may his mother lose him, for after Islam he has neither this world nor the Hereafter.

Hazrat Atris bin Arqoob (may Allah be pleased with him) says: I do not care whether I obey someone in disobedience to Allah or prostrate to this tree.

Hazrat Ammarah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that Hazrat Mu’addad stopped near a tree and said: I do not care whether I obey anyone in disobedience to Allah or prostrate to this tree besides Allah.

It is narrated from Hazrat Imran bin Husain (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Obedience to the creation is not permissible in disobedience to Allah.