Salama b. Yazid al-ju'afi asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: Prophet 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 ﷺ 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 b. Qais (finding that the Prophet 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.

سَأَلَ سَلَمَةُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ الْجُعْفِيُّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ يَا نَبِيَّ اللَّهِ أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ قَامَتْ عَلَيْنَا أُمَرَاءُ يَسْأَلُونَا حَقَّهُمْ وَيَمْنَعُونَا حَقَّنَا فَمَا تَأْمُرُنَا فَأَعْرَضَ عَنْهُ ثُمَّ سَأَلَهُ فَأَعْرَضَ عَنْهُ ثُمَّ سَأَلَهُ فِي الثَّانِيَةِ أَوْ فِي الثَّالِثَةِ فَجَذَبَهُ الأَشْعَثُ بْنُ قَيْسٍ وَقَالَ اسْمَعُوا وَأَطِيعُوا فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْهِمْ مَا حُمِّلُوا وَعَلَيْكُمْ مَا حُمِّلْتُمْ

"I heard the Messenger of Allah ﷺ while a man was asking him: 'What do you see that we should do if there are leaders over us who deny our rights, while they seek their rights?' So the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: 'Listen and obey, for only they are responsible for their burdens, and only you are responsible for your burdens."'

سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَرَجُلٌ سَأَلَهُ فَقَالَ أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ كَانَ عَلَيْنَا أُمَرَاءُ يَمْنَعُونَا حَقَّنَا وَيَسْأَلُونَا حَقَّهُمْ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ اسْمَعُوا وَأَطِيعُوا فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْهِمْ مَا حُمِّلُوا وَعَلَيْكُمْ مَا حُمِّلْتُمْ

[Machine] "O Messenger of Allah, what do you say if rulers come upon us and they demand their rights from us, while they deny us our rights? What do you command us to do?" He turned away from him, then he asked him again, but he turned away from him. Then he asked him a second or third time, and he said, "Listen and obey, for they will bear what they are burdened with, and you will bear what you are burdened with."

يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَرَأَيْتَ إِنْ قَامَتْ عَلَيْنَا أُمَرَاءُ يَسْأَلُونَا حَقَّهُمْ وَيَمْنَعُونَا حَقَّنَا؟ فَمَا تَأْمُرُنَا؟ فَأَعْرَضَ عَنْهُ ثُمَّ سَأَلَهُ فَأَعْرَضَ عَنْهُ ثُمَّ سَأَلَهُ الثَّانِيَةَ أَوِ الثَّالِثَةَ فَقَالَ «اسْمَعُوا وَأَطِيعُوا فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْهِمْ مَا حُمِّلُوا وَعَلَيْكُمْ مَا حُمِّلْتُمْ»