In the name of God, Most Merciful, Most Kind Who is the successor of Prophet Muhammad(pbuh)? Once a person told me that Abu Bakr is more knowledgeable than Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). I asked him how ?! He said because Abu Bakr understood that he should assign a person as his successor to keep the system and community working in order. As it is well-known Abu Bakr assigned Umar as his successor. But the Prophet failed to realize this important task that the Islamic community needs a qualified leader after him, or perhaps it was not important for the prophet that who is going to take over the power after him! When I heard that, I started asking the following question from myself: Is it possible that the Prophet of Islam (pbuh) who has tried hard to implement Islam, and tolerated a lot of problems, disasters, and paid big price to establish Islam in Arabian peninsula, leaves people without assigning any person to keep this religion alive after him?! The religion that is to be the last religion of God for this world; the religion that was supposed to be for every nation all over the world both inwardly and outwardly (political authority). What happened that we Muslims are in this miserable situation in the world for centuries? What happened that the chain of successors/rulers (Ulul-Amr) has reached to people like King Husain, Saddam Husain, Husni Mubarak, ...? Something is terribly wrong! Yes, The problem is leadership and Guardianship. Was this problem not so important for prophet or didnt he take it seriously? Of course, he did take it serious and he must have assigned a chain of successors (Caliphs) who where the most qualified as the head of Islamic state and as the guardian of Shariah (divine law). Another question that came out to my mind was that: Are Allah and His prophet more qualified to assign the Caliphs, or people? Is Islam on the basis of democracy (government of people over people) or on the basis of theocracy (Kingdom of Allah over the earth)? The history of Islam testifies that the government after the death of prophet was neither democratic nor theocratic. Just a few people gathered in Saqifah bani Saaedah and assigned Abu Bakr as Caliph while Imam Ali was busy with the burial of the holy prophet in Medina. Is it our choice as to whom should be a Prophet or it is Allahs choice? Can we select Prophet by Shura? The same goes for assigning the successor of Prophet (pbuh), for Allah knows best who is the most qualified for this position. It seems very strange that a deputy of a chief is assigned by any person other than him. Deputy of God (or prophet) is only assigned by God (or prophet), and it is not the peoples business! There are many examples in Quran where Allah states that He is the one who assigns a successor on the earth. Allah, Exalted He is, states in Quran: O David, we assigned you as Caliph (successor) on the earth ... (Quran 38:26) He also states: ... We have assigned you (Abraham) as Imam (leader) for people ... (Quran 2:124) As we see, Caliph/Imam for the mankind is assigned by Allah. See also 2:30 (about Adam). Even Prophet Moses, when he wanted to go to Miqaat, did not ask people to form a Shura to assign a Caliph for him. Quran tells us that: (Moses said: O Allah) assign me a vizier from my family, (that is) my brother Aaron (Haroon) ..., (Allah) said: We granted your requests, O Moses. (Quran 20:29-36). Allah, Exalted, also said: Surely We gave the book to Moses and assigned his brother Aaron as his vizier. (Quran 25:35). Allah also said: ... And Moses said unto his brother Aaron: Take my place among the people. (Quran 7:142). Notice that Ukhlufni and Khalifa (Caliph) are exactly from the same root. In this connection, let us take a look at the following interesting tradition in Sahih al-Bukhari: The Messenger of Allah said to Ali: Your position to me is like the position of Aaron (Haroon) to Moses, except that there shall be no Prophet after me 2 Sunni References: (1) Sahih al-Bukhari, Arabic-English version, Traditions 5.56, 5.700 (2) Sahih Muslim, Arabic, v4, pp 1870-71 (3) Sunan Ibn Majah, p12 (4) Musnad Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v1, p174 (5) al-Khasais, by al-Nisai, pp 15-16 (6) Mushkil al-Athar, by al-Tahawi, v2, p309 The Prophet (PBUH) thereby meant that as Moses had left behind Aaron to look after his people when he went to Miqaat (meeting Allah), in the same way he was leaving Ali behind to look after the affairs of Islam after he met Allah (i.e., his death). Let this reminder be food for thought for the possessors of pure heart and open mind. The above verses of Quran concerning Aaron show that even the prophet does not assign his deputy/successor, and it is rather Allah who does that. Prophet Moses prayed to Allah and requested that Aaron becomes his deputy, and Allah approved the suggestion/request of Prophet Moses (AS). The Prophet Announcing His Successor in His First Speach The following two traditions are written, one after the other, in the History of al-Tabari which is one of the important history book for the Sunnis. Besides al-Tabari, many other historians and traditionists and commentators of Quran from among Sunnis have recorded this tradition in their books. (see below for the list of references). The two traditions explicitly indicate that the Holy Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him and his family), with the order of Allah, has introduced Ali Ibn Abi Talib as his successor even in his first open speach to the people: Narrated Ibn Humayed, from Salamah, from Muhammad Ibn Ishaq, from Abd al- Ghaffar Ibn al-Qasim, from al-Minhal Ibn Amr, from abdallah Ibn al-Harith Ibn Nawfal Ibn al-Harith Ibn Abd al-Muttalib, from Abdallah Ibn Abbas, from Ali Ibn Abi Talib: When the verse And warn your close tribe (Quran 26:214) was revealed to the prophet, he called me and said to me, Ali, God has commanded me to warn my tribe of near kindred. I was troubled by this, since I knew that when I discuss the matter to them they would respond in a way which I would not like. I kept silent until Gabriel came to me and said If you do not do what you are commanded, your Lord will punish you. So prepare a measure of wheat for us, add a leg of lamb to it, fill a large bowl of milk for us, and then invite sons of Abd al- Muttalib for me so that I may speak to them what I have been commanded to tell them. I did what he had told me to do. At that time they numbered forty men more or less, including his uncles Abu Talib, Hamzah, al-Abbas, and Abu Lahab. When they had gathered together, he called me to bring the food which I had prepared. I brought it, and when I put it down theprophet took a piece of meat, broke it with his teeth and put it in the dish. Then he said, Take in the name of God. They ate until they could eat no more, and yet the food was as it had been. I swear by God, in whose hand Alis soul rests, that a single man could have eaten the amount of food which I prepared for them. Then he said Give them something to drink. So I brought them the bowl and they drank from it until they became full, and I swear by God that one man could have drunk that amount. When prophet wanted to speak to them, Abu Lahab interrupted him and said Your host has long since bewitched you. Then they dispersed without the prophet speaking to them. On the following day he said to me Ali, this man interrupted what I wanted to say so that people dispersed before I could speak to them. Prepare the same food for us as you did yesterday, and invite them here. I did this, and brought them food when he called me. He did as he had done the other day, and they ate until they could eat no more. Then he said, Bring the bowl, and they drank until they could drink no more. Then he spoke to them, saying, Banu Abd al-Muttalib, I dont know of any young man among Arabs who has brought for his people something better than what I have brought to you. I bring the best of this world and the world after, since God has commanded me to summon you to him. Which of you will aid me in this matter, so that he will be my brother, the executor of my will (Wasi), my successor (Caliph) among you? They all held back, and even though I was the youngest, I said I will be your helper, O prophet of God. He put his hand on the back of my neck and said This is my brother, the executor of my will (Wasi), my successor (Caliph) among you, so listen to him and obey him. They rose up laughing and saying to Abu Talib, He has commanded you to obey your son and to obey him! Sunni References: (1) History of al-Tabari, English version, v6, pp 88-91 (2) History of Ibn Athir, v2, p62 (3) History of Ibn Asakir, v1, p85 3 (4) Tafsir al-Durr al-Manthoor, by al-Hafidh Jalaluddin al-Suyuti, v5, p97 (5) Tafsir al-Khazin, by Alauddin al-Shafii, v3, p371 (6) Shawahid al-Tanzil, by al-Hasakani, v1, p371 (7) Kanz al-Ummal, by al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, v15, p15, pp 100-117 (8) al-Sirah al-Halabiyah, v1, p311 (9) Dalail al-Nabawiyyah, by al-Baihaqi, v1, pp 428-430 (10) al-Mukhtasar, by Abul Fida, v1, pp 116-117 (11) Life of the Muhammad, by Hasan Haykal, p104 (First Arabic Edition only. In the second edition the last sentence of the Prophet is deleted.) (12) Tahdhib al-Athar, v4, pp 62-63.
Posted on: Tue, 20 Jan 2015 02:45:13 +0000
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