Sufyaan's attitude towards the rulers of his time was clear, completely unambiguous, and revolved around two points: First, he knew that it was not permissible to rebel against the Muslim rulers, and second, he felt that it was the duty of scholars to reproach and censure rulers for their evil deeds and oppressive policies. He refused to silently abide their trangressions, and he demanded no less of them than that they should live up to the standards that were set by the rightly-guided Khaleefahs. The one Khaleefah of his era that lived up to the highest of standards was Umar ibn AbdulAziz (may Allah have Mercy on him), and he would remind the rulers who came after Umar ibn AbdulAziz of his just system of rule. Umar ibn AbdulAziz (may Allah have mercy on him) had few helpers, and he ruled for approximately two years only; nonetheless, with the help of Allah he was able to establish justice throughout the Muslim lands. Sufyaan Ath-Thawri said: "Umar ibn AbdulAziz said to his freed slave Muzaahim: 'Verily, the rulers (who came before me) sent out spies to watch over the common masses of citizens. But I will make you a spy over me: If you hear a word from me that arouses your doubt, or if you see me doing something that you do not like, then admonish me and point out my mistake to me.'"

The other rulers of that era were, if not corrupt, then at least not as fair and just as they should have been. For this reason, Imam Sufyaan (may Allah have Mercy on him) refused to go near them, despite the fact that they tried many times to win over his support. But as unjust as some of the rulers of his era were, he refused to proclaim that their eternal destination was the Hellfire; after all, as bad as some of them were, they still professed to believe in Islamic Monotheism. Abu Usamah reported that a man said to Sufyaan: "I bear witness that Al-Hajjaj and Abu Muslim (two tyrannical rulers) are in the Hellfire." Sufyaan responded: "No, not as long as they believed in Islamic Monotheism."

True, Imam Sufyaan felt that it was the duty of wise and knowledgable people to reproach and criticize and admonish rulers for their evil deeds and unjust policies, but he did not think that everyone had the right to do so. The average citizen did not have the wisdom and patience to admonish a ruler, some citizens, becoming angry as a result of unjust policies, would have hurled insults and curses at rulers, and the doors to a state-wide rebellion would have opened, and chaos and instability throughout the lands would have been the end result. For these reasons, Sufyaan believed that the job of admonishing rulers was restricted to wise and knowledgeable people. Al-Waleed ibn Muslim related that Sufyaan said: "None should advise the ruler to do what is right save a man who knows what he is commanding him to do and knows what he is forbidding him from; who is gentle when he commands, and gentle when he forbids; who is just regarding that which he commands, and just regarding that which he forbids." And Abdur-Rahman ibn Mahdee said: "Even though Sufyaan was stern with rulers, I never once heard him curse a ruler."

The rulers of Sufyaan's era were not all the same. Some were better than others; some were relatively good, while others were relatively not so good. But with the exception of Umar ibn AbdulAziz (may Allah have mercy on him), they were a far cry from the rightly-guided Khaleefahs. Therefore, Sufyaan stayed away from them, and ordered others to stay away from them, fearing that, in their presence, one would see an evil deed being perpetrated but would not be able to prevent it from occurring. One of Sufyaan's companions wanted to mix in the company of rulers and governors, hoping thereby to gain an endowment of money from them. Imam Sufyaan reproached him, warning him neither to curry favour with them nor to socialize with them. The man said: "O Abu Abdullah, I have dependants (to feed)." Sufyaan said: "For you to place a feed bag around your neck and go door to door in order to beg (for food) is better than for you to mix in the compnay of (today's) rulers."

One of the rulers who tried to gain the support of Imam Sufyaan was the governor of Makkah. he tried in many ways to get close to Sufyaan, offering him wealth and status, but Sufyaan always refused his advances. The name of that ruler was Muhammad ibn Ibrahim Al-Haashimee. Sufyaan ibn Uyainah reported that, while he was governor of Makkah, Muhammad ibn Ibrahim sent two hundred dinars to Sufyaan Ath-Thawri. When Sufyaan refused to accept the money, Sufyaan ibn Uyainah said to him: "O Abu Abdullah, it is as if you don't consider that money to be Halal?" Sufyaan Ath-Thawri responded: "No, it is not that: it is only that I despise being subjected to humiliation."

The governor of Yemen also tried to establish good relations with Sufyaan. His name was Ma'an ibn Zaaidah, and he sent three hundred dinars to Imam Sufyaan. When Ma'an's messenger tried to give Sufyaan the money, Sufyaan pointed to the two thirds of a dinar that he had with him, and he said: "I have had this money for three months now, and I still haven't figured out how I should spend it. That being the case, of what use could your dinars be to me?"

Yousef ibn Asbaat reported that Sufyaan once said: "If these kings invite you to visit them, send them this message: 'Say (O Muhammad Salalahu Alayhi wa Salam): He is Allah, (the) One (i.e. the first Verse of "Chapter Purity" of the Noble Quran)." But do not go to them, for being in close proximity to them corrupts the heart."

In those times, it was the ruler who delivered Friday sermons, apparently in imitation of the rightly-guided Khaleefahs. But there was a vast difference between the rightly guided Khaleefahs and rulers who came after them. The people of the former category were the most knowledgeable people of their time (may Allah be pleased with them). The people of the latter category would have done well had they appointed some of the eminent scholars and preachers of their time to deliver the Friday sermon. Some rulers were more evil than they were good, and Sufyaan was particularly averse to hearing their sermons. One Friday, Sufyaan saw a man who, while the ruler was delivering the Friday sermon, was trying to get as close as possible to the pulpit. Sufyaan later said to the man: "You disturbed me when you tried to get closer to the pulpit. Were you not afraid that you would hear some strange remark from the ruler and that it would then become obligatory upon you to refute him?" The man said: "Was it not said: 'Come closer and listen attentively (to the sermon)?" Sufyaan said: "That command applied to Abu Bakr radiallahu anhu, Umar radiallahu anhu, and the (other rightly guided) Khaleefahs. As for the rulers, stay as far away as you can from them, so that you do not hear their speech or see their faces."