<![CDATA[This study examines hadiths prohibiting the solicitation of positions of authority (al-imarah) to construct an integrative interpretation with implications for contemporary Islamic leadership ethics. A systematic thematic (mawdu’i) approach was employed, integrating isnad criticism, matn evaluation, and contextual reconstruction. Using the Hadith Soft application, a targeted search for the keyword al-imarah retrieved thirty-seven narrations from five canonical collections (Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan al-Tirmidhi, Sunan Abu Dawud, and Sunan al-Nasa’i). Fourteen narrations representing independent transmission chains with distinct isnad configurations were analyzed in depth; the remaining narrations served as textual variants. Rijal criticism and matn evaluation were conducted using al-Khatib al-Baghdadi’s and al-Adabi's canonical criteria. The primary transmission chains are classified as Sahih and marfu’, with all key transmitters rated thiqah. Matn analysis reveals consistency with Quranic principles; the apparent contradiction with Q. Yusuf (12):55 is resolved through harmonization (al-jam’), establishing that the prohibition targets those lacking competence and integrity, while permitting or obligating position-seeking for the qualified. Contextual reconstruction yields a tripartite typology: requesting office is prohibited (haram) when lacking qualifications, recommended (sunnah) when possessing superior qualifications, and obligatory (wajib) when necessary to prevent institutional harm. The findings challenge partial textual readings and provide actionable frameworks for merit-based leadership selection in contemporary Muslim institutions. The study is limited by its dependence on classical rijal assessments and the absence of empirical data on actual institutional practice; future research should address these gaps through field-based or comparative institutional studies. This study contributes an integrative framework that bridges classical hadith methodology with contemporary Islamic leadership ethics discourse, addressing a notable gap in scholarship on Islamic governance and offering scholars and practitioners a methodologically grounded typology for evaluating the ethics of position-seeking.]]>
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