It has been narrated on the authority of Alqama bin Wai'l al-Hadrami who learnt the tradition from his father. The latter said: Salama bin Yazid al-ju'afi asked the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ): Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) of Allah, what do you think if we have rulers who rule over us and demand that we discharge our obligations towards them, but they (themselves) do not discharge their own responsibilities towards us? What do you order us to do? The Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) avoided giving any answer. Salama asked him again. He (again) avoided giving any answer. Then he asked again-it was the second time or the third time-when Ash'ath bin Qais (finding that the Holy Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) was unnecessarily being pressed for answer) pulled him aside and said: Listen to them and obey them, for on them shall he their burden and on you shall be your burden.

It has been narrated through a different chain of transmitters. on the authority of Simak who said: Ash'ath bin Qais pulled him (Salama bin Yazid) when the Messenger of Allah ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) said: Listen to them and obey them, for on them shall be the burden of what tney do and on you shall be the burden of what you do.