صحيح مسلم
Muslim
كتاب الإمارةThe Book on Government
باب الْوَفَاءِ بِبَيْعَةِ الْخُلَفَاءِ الأَوَّلِ فَالأَوَّلِ:Chapter: The obligation of fulfilling oaths of allegiance is owed to the first of two Caliphs
Hadith 1844
حَدَّثَنَا زُهَيْرُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ ، وَإِسْحَاقُ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ ، قَالَ إِسْحَاقُ : أَخْبَرَنَا ، وقَالَ زُهَيْرٌ : حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ ، عَنْ الْأَعْمَشِ ، عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ وَهْبٍ ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَبْدِ رَبِّ الْكَعْبَةِ ، قَالَ : دَخَلْتُ الْمَسْجِدَ ، فَإِذَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَمْرِو بْنِ الْعَاصِ جَالِسٌ فِي ظِلِّ الْكَعْبَةِ ، وَالنَّاسُ مُجْتَمِعُونَ عَلَيْهِ ، فَأَتَيْتُهُمْ فَجَلَسْتُ إِلَيْهِ ، فَقَالَ : " كُنَّا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فِي سَفَرٍ ، فَنَزَلْنَا مَنْزِلًا فَمِنَّا مَنْ يُصْلِحُ خِبَاءَهُ ، وَمِنَّا مَنْ يَنْتَضِلُ ، وَمِنَّا مَنْ هُوَ فِي جَشَرِهِ إِذْ نَادَى مُنَادِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الصَّلَاةَ جَامِعَةً ، فَاجْتَمَعْنَا إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، فَقَالَ : إِنَّهُ لَمْ يَكُنْ نَبِيٌّ قَبْلِي إِلَّا كَانَ حَقًّا عَلَيْهِ أَنْ يَدُلَّ أُمَّتَهُ عَلَى خَيْرِ مَا يَعْلَمُهُ لَهُمْ ، وَيُنْذِرَهُمْ شَرَّ مَا يَعْلَمُهُ لَهُمْ ، وَإِنَّ أُمَّتَكُمْ هَذِهِ جُعِلَ عَافِيَتُهَا فِي أَوَّلِهَا ، وَسَيُصِيبُ آخِرَهَا بَلَاءٌ وَأُمُورٌ تُنْكِرُونَهَا ، وَتَجِيءُ فِتْنَةٌ فَيُرَقِّقُ بَعْضُهَا بَعْضًا ، وَتَجِيءُ الْفِتْنَةُ فَيَقُولُ الْمُؤْمِنُ هَذِهِ مُهْلِكَتِي ثُمَّ تَنْكَشِفُ ، وَتَجِيءُ الْفِتْنَةُ فَيَقُولُ الْمُؤْمِنُ هَذِهِ هَذِهِ فَمَنْ أَحَبَّ أَنْ يُزَحْزَحَ عَنِ النَّارِ ، وَيُدْخَلَ الْجَنَّةَ ، فَلْتَأْتِهِ مَنِيَّتُهُ وَهُوَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ ، وَلْيَأْتِ إِلَى النَّاسِ الَّذِي يُحِبُّ أَنْ يُؤْتَى إِلَيْهِ وَمَنْ بَايَعَ إِمَامًا فَأَعْطَاهُ صَفْقَةَ يَدِهِ وَثَمَرَةَ قَلْبِهِ ، فَلْيُطِعْهُ إِنِ اسْتَطَاعَ ، فَإِنْ جَاءَ آخَرُ يُنَازِعُهُ فَاضْرِبُوا عُنُقَ الْآخَرِ فَدَنَوْتُ مِنْهُ ، فَقُلْتُ لَهُ : أَنْشُدُكَ اللَّهَ آنْتَ سَمِعْتَ هَذَا مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ؟ ، فَأَهْوَى إِلَى أُذُنَيْهِ وَقَلْبِهِ بِيَدَيْهِ ، وَقَالَ : سَمِعَتْهُ أُذُنَايَ وَوَعَاهُ قَلْبِي ، فَقُلْتُ لَهُ : هَذَا ابْنُ عَمِّكَ مُعَاوِيَةُ يَأْمُرُنَا أَنْ نَأْكُلَ أَمْوَالَنَا بَيْنَنَا بِالْبَاطِلِ وَنَقْتُلَ أَنْفُسَنَا ، وَاللَّهُ يَقُولُ : يَأَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لا تَأْكُلُوا أَمْوَالَكُمْ بَيْنَكُمْ بِالْبَاطِلِ إِلا أَنْ تَكُونَ تِجَارَةً عَنْ تَرَاضٍ مِنْكُمْ وَلا تَقْتُلُوا أَنْفُسَكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِكُمْ رَحِيمًا سورة النساء آية 29 ، قَالَ : فَسَكَتَ سَاعَةً ، ثُمَّ قَالَ : أَطِعْهُ فِي طَاعَةِ اللَّهِ وَاعْصِهِ فِي مَعْصِيَةِ اللَّهِ " ،
It has been narrated on the authority of 'Abdul Rahman bin Abd Rabb al-Ka’bah who said: I entered the mosque when 'Abdullah bin 'Amr bin al-'As was sitting in the shade of the Ka’bah and the people had gathered around him. I betook myself to them and sat near him. (Now)'Abdullah said: I accompanied the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on a journey. We halted at a place. Some of us began to set right their tents, others began to compete with one another in shooting, and others began to graze their beasts, when an announcer of the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) announced that the people should gather together for prayer, so we gathered around the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) . He said: It was the duty of every Prophet (ﷺ) that has gone before me to guide his followers to what he knew was good for them and warn them against what he knew was bad for them; but this Umma of yours has its days of peace and (security) in the beginning of its career, and in the last phase of its existence it will be afflicted with trials and with things disagreeable to you. (In this phase of the Umma), there will be tremendous trials one after the other, each making the previous one dwindle into insignificance. When they would be afflicted with a trial, the believer would say: This is going to bring about my destruction. When at (the trial) is over, they would be afflicted with another trial, and the believer would say: This surely is going to be my end. Whoever wishes to be delivered from the fire and enter the garden should die with faith in Allah and the Last Day and should treat the people as he wishes to be treated by them. He who swears allegiance to a Caliph should give him the piedge of his hand and the sincerity of his heart (i. e. submit to him both outwardly as well as inwardly). He should obey him to the best of his capacity. It another man comes forward (as a claimant to Caliphate), disputing his authority, they (the Muslims) should behead the latter. The narrator says: I came close to him ('Abdullah bin 'Amr bin al-'As) and said to him: Can you say on oath that you heard it from the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) ? He pointed with his hands to his ears and his heart and said: My ears heard it and my mind retained it. I said to him: This cousin of yours, Mu'awiyah, orders us to unjustly consume our wealth among ourselves and to kill one another, while Allah says:" O ye who believe, do not consume your wealth among yourselves unjustly, unless it be trade based on mutual agreement, and do not kill yourselves. Verily, God is Merciful to you" (iv. 29). The narrator says that (hearing this)'Abdullah bin 'Amr bin al-As kept quiet for a while and then said: Obey him in so far as he is obedient to God; and diqobey him in matters involving disobedience to God.
• • •
وحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ أَبِي شَيْبَةَ ، وَابْنُ نُمَيْرٍ ، وَأَبُو سَعِيدٍ الْأَشَجُّ ، قَالُوا : حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ . ح وحَدَّثَنَا أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ كِلَاهُمَا ، عَنْ الْأَعْمَشِ بِهَذَا الْإِسْنَادِ نَحْوَهُ ،
This hadith has been narrated on the authority of A'mash with a different chain of transmitters.
• • •
وحَدَّثَنِي مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ رَافِعٍ ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْمُنْذِرِ إِسْمَاعِيلُ بْنُ عُمَرَ ، حَدَّثَنَا يُونُسُ بْنُ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ الْهَمْدَانِيُّ ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ أَبِي السَّفَرِ ، عَنْ عَامِرٍ ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَبْدِ رَبِّ الْكَعْبَةِ الصَّائِدِيِّ ، قَالَ : رَأَيْتُ جَمَاعَةً عِنْدَ الْكَعْبَةِ فَذَكَرَ نَحْوَ حَدِيثِ الأَعْمَشِ .
It has been narrated on the authority of 'Abd Rabb al-Ka’bah as-Sa'idl who said: I saw a group of people near the Ka’bah.... Then he narrated the tradition as narrated by A'mash.
• • •
Related hadith on this topic
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Maulana Abdul Aziz Alvi
Hadith Commentary:
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
(1)
يُصْلِحُ خِبَاءَهُ:
He began to repair his tent.
(2)
يَنْتَضِلُ:
He began to practice archery.
(3)
جَشَرِ:
This refers to those livestock that graze in the pasture and spend the night there.
(4)
الصَّلَاةَ جَامِعَةً:
When the Salaf (pious predecessors) needed to gather people for an important matter, they would call them with these words. However, this does not refer to the repetition (tathwib) between the morning adhan and iqamah, nor is it correct to use this as evidence for repeating "Hayya 'ala as-salah, hayya 'ala as-salah." Because tathwib for prayer is not established from the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam or the noble Companions, whereas gathering people for consultation in religious matters with "as-salatu jami'ah" is established. For those who are to come for prayer, the adhan is sufficient; for those who do not come, words of testimony or nowadays "as-salatu was-salamu 'alayka ya Rasul Allah" cannot bring them to the mosque, so these words are futile.
(5)
جُعِلَ عَافِيَتُهَا فِي أَوَّلِهَا:
According to your prophecy, the earliest generation of the ummah remained steadfast on the religion and nothing could prevent them from practicing it. This is the meaning that the safety and well-being of the ummah is in its first generation. That is why the first three generations have been declared the best of generations (khayr al-quroon), because overall they remained steadfast on the religion.
(6)
يُرَقِّقُ بَعْضُهَا بَعْضًا:
Compared to the later tribulation, the earlier tribulation seemed lighter and less harmful.
(7)
وَلْيَأْتِ إِلَى النَّاسِ الَّذِي يُحِبُّ أَنْ يُؤْتَى إِلَيْهِ:
One should adopt the attitude and behavior towards people that he likes for himself from them; that is, just as he desires sympathy, goodwill, and good conduct from others, he should adopt the same attitude of sympathy and goodwill towards them. If today we act upon this comprehensive advice, many of our problems will be solved automatically, and we will be freed from countless difficulties and calamities.
(8)
فَأَعْطَاهُ صَفْقَةَ يَدِهِ وَثَمَرَةَ قَلْبِهِ:
He placed his hand in his (the leader's) hand for allegiance (bay'ah) and accepted it from the depth of his heart.
(9)
فَاضْرِبُوا عُنُقَ الْآخَرِ:
Strike the neck of the other; kill him.
Benefits and Issues:
هَذَا ابْنُ عَمِّكَ مُعَاوِيَةُ:
That according to you, after the first caliph, the claimant to the caliphate is liable to be killed. Then, when Ali radi Allahu anhu has become caliph, why is Mu'awiyah fighting against Ali radi Allahu anhu? In this way, the wealth being spent on his army and supporters is being consumed unlawfully, and he is ordering the killing of one another. This is the claim of the questioner. However, Mu'awiyah did not claim the caliphate; rather, he requested that the killers of Uthman be handed over to him, and as a result of the conspiracies of the killers of Uthman, he had to fight in self-defense. Therefore, in light of his ijtihad (independent reasoning) and opinion, he considered this battle to be correct, and spending wealth for it cannot be considered unlawful consumption of wealth.
Ali radi Allahu anhu had a letter written and distributed throughout the regions of the country, in which he wrote: "There has been a confrontation between us and the people of Syria, and this is an open reality. Our Lord is one, our Prophet is one, our unity regarding Islam is the same. In believing in Allah and affirming His Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, we are not superior to them, nor are they superior to us. Our matter is the same, but regarding the blood of Uthman, there is a difference between us and them, and we are free from it."
(Nahj al-Balagha, vol. 2, p. 114, with the footnotes of Imam Abduh, referenced in Rahma Baynahum, vol. 4, p. 183. The same is found in Durrah Najafiyyah, Sharh Nahj al-Balagha, p. 344.)
Therefore, when the king of Rome wished to ally with Mu'awiyah radi Allahu anhu, because his power had become a threat to the Roman Empire and the Syrian armies had humiliated his forces, he came to a nearby region with a large army and offered cooperation to Mu'awiyah radi Allahu anhu. Mu'awiyah radi Allahu anhu wrote to him: "By Allah! If you do not desist, O accursed one, if you do not return to your country, then I and my cousin will unite and expel you from all your dominions."
(al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, vol. 8, p. 119)
And Abdullah ibn Amr radi Allahu anhuma ordered the questioner to obey Mu'awiyah because in 40 AH, Ali and Mu'awiyah radi Allahu anhuma had reconciled, both had withdrawn their armies from confrontation, and Ali radi Allahu anhu had handed over the region of Syria to Mu'awiyah.
(al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, vol. 7, p. 322; Tarikh al-Tabari, vol. 6, p. 81, year 40 AH)
Vocabulary of the Hadith:
(1)
يُصْلِحُ خِبَاءَهُ:
He began to repair his tent.
(2)
يَنْتَضِلُ:
He began to practice archery.
(3)
جَشَرِ:
This refers to those livestock that graze in the pasture and spend the night there.
(4)
الصَّلَاةَ جَامِعَةً:
When the Salaf (pious predecessors) needed to gather people for an important matter, they would call them with these words. However, this does not refer to the repetition (tathwib) between the morning adhan and iqamah, nor is it correct to use this as evidence for repeating "Hayya 'ala as-salah, hayya 'ala as-salah." Because tathwib for prayer is not established from the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam or the noble Companions, whereas gathering people for consultation in religious matters with "as-salatu jami'ah" is established. For those who are to come for prayer, the adhan is sufficient; for those who do not come, words of testimony or nowadays "as-salatu was-salamu 'alayka ya Rasul Allah" cannot bring them to the mosque, so these words are futile.
(5)
جُعِلَ عَافِيَتُهَا فِي أَوَّلِهَا:
According to your prophecy, the earliest generation of the ummah remained steadfast on the religion and nothing could prevent them from practicing it. This is the meaning that the safety and well-being of the ummah is in its first generation. That is why the first three generations have been declared the best of generations (khayr al-quroon), because overall they remained steadfast on the religion.
(6)
يُرَقِّقُ بَعْضُهَا بَعْضًا:
Compared to the later tribulation, the earlier tribulation seemed lighter and less harmful.
(7)
وَلْيَأْتِ إِلَى النَّاسِ الَّذِي يُحِبُّ أَنْ يُؤْتَى إِلَيْهِ:
One should adopt the attitude and behavior towards people that he likes for himself from them; that is, just as he desires sympathy, goodwill, and good conduct from others, he should adopt the same attitude of sympathy and goodwill towards them. If today we act upon this comprehensive advice, many of our problems will be solved automatically, and we will be freed from countless difficulties and calamities.
(8)
فَأَعْطَاهُ صَفْقَةَ يَدِهِ وَثَمَرَةَ قَلْبِهِ:
He placed his hand in his (the leader's) hand for allegiance (bay'ah) and accepted it from the depth of his heart.
(9)
فَاضْرِبُوا عُنُقَ الْآخَرِ:
Strike the neck of the other; kill him.
Benefits and Issues:
هَذَا ابْنُ عَمِّكَ مُعَاوِيَةُ:
That according to you, after the first caliph, the claimant to the caliphate is liable to be killed. Then, when Ali radi Allahu anhu has become caliph, why is Mu'awiyah fighting against Ali radi Allahu anhu? In this way, the wealth being spent on his army and supporters is being consumed unlawfully, and he is ordering the killing of one another. This is the claim of the questioner. However, Mu'awiyah did not claim the caliphate; rather, he requested that the killers of Uthman be handed over to him, and as a result of the conspiracies of the killers of Uthman, he had to fight in self-defense. Therefore, in light of his ijtihad (independent reasoning) and opinion, he considered this battle to be correct, and spending wealth for it cannot be considered unlawful consumption of wealth.
Ali radi Allahu anhu had a letter written and distributed throughout the regions of the country, in which he wrote: "There has been a confrontation between us and the people of Syria, and this is an open reality. Our Lord is one, our Prophet is one, our unity regarding Islam is the same. In believing in Allah and affirming His Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, we are not superior to them, nor are they superior to us. Our matter is the same, but regarding the blood of Uthman, there is a difference between us and them, and we are free from it."
(Nahj al-Balagha, vol. 2, p. 114, with the footnotes of Imam Abduh, referenced in Rahma Baynahum, vol. 4, p. 183. The same is found in Durrah Najafiyyah, Sharh Nahj al-Balagha, p. 344.)
Therefore, when the king of Rome wished to ally with Mu'awiyah radi Allahu anhu, because his power had become a threat to the Roman Empire and the Syrian armies had humiliated his forces, he came to a nearby region with a large army and offered cooperation to Mu'awiyah radi Allahu anhu. Mu'awiyah radi Allahu anhu wrote to him: "By Allah! If you do not desist, O accursed one, if you do not return to your country, then I and my cousin will unite and expel you from all your dominions."
(al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, vol. 8, p. 119)
And Abdullah ibn Amr radi Allahu anhuma ordered the questioner to obey Mu'awiyah because in 40 AH, Ali and Mu'awiyah radi Allahu anhuma had reconciled, both had withdrawn their armies from confrontation, and Ali radi Allahu anhu had handed over the region of Syria to Mu'awiyah.
(al-Bidayah wa al-Nihayah, vol. 7, p. 322; Tarikh al-Tabari, vol. 6, p. 81, year 40 AH)
Source: Tuhfat al-Muslim: Commentary on Sahih Muslim, Page: 4776
Hafiz Muhammad Ameen
(1) The relevance of the hadith to the chapter is as follows: When a person pledges allegiance (bay‘ah) to a rightful leader or imam and offers him all his sincerity and love, it becomes obligatory upon him to fulfill the demands of loyalty to the best of his ability and to fulfill the obedience due to the leader. If another person comes and tries to usurp the caliphate from the first leader, then he must join the first leader in fighting against the second.
(2) This blessed hadith also clarifies the duties that Allah Ta‘ala imposed upon the Prophets, namely, to sincerely warn people about good and evil, to guide them towards their worldly and hereafter benefits, and to warn and alert them about religious and worldly harms and losses.
(3) Remaining steadfast in faith in Allah and faith in the Hereafter until death, as well as treating people with good conduct, is a means of salvation from the Fire and entry into Paradise.
(4) Imam Nawawi rahimahullah states that this blessed hadith also shows that it is obligatory upon every person to treat others in the same manner as he wishes to be treated by them. The hadith is an explicit text on this matter. These words of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam are counted among his comprehensive statements (jawami‘ al-kalim). This is an important principle of the pure Shari‘ah. Every Muslim man and woman should pay special attention to it.
(5) “Among the earliest people”—it is understood that the Companions radi Allahu anhum were the best of the Ummah. Their religion was preserved. They were very rarely afflicted by worldly tribulations.
(6) “Will seem lighter”—that is, the later tribulation will be greater than the earlier one; therefore, the first tribulation will seem lighter in comparison to the second, even though in reality it will be very great, as is detailed in the hadith itself.
(7) “Strike his neck”—rebellion is a very grave crime in Islam. When people are united and content under one leader, the one who creates chaos against him and disrupts peace and security is a major criminal. His punishment is death. Thus, rebellion is tantamount to the crime of apostasy. Its details have already been explained in previous pages.
(2) This blessed hadith also clarifies the duties that Allah Ta‘ala imposed upon the Prophets, namely, to sincerely warn people about good and evil, to guide them towards their worldly and hereafter benefits, and to warn and alert them about religious and worldly harms and losses.
(3) Remaining steadfast in faith in Allah and faith in the Hereafter until death, as well as treating people with good conduct, is a means of salvation from the Fire and entry into Paradise.
(4) Imam Nawawi rahimahullah states that this blessed hadith also shows that it is obligatory upon every person to treat others in the same manner as he wishes to be treated by them. The hadith is an explicit text on this matter. These words of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam are counted among his comprehensive statements (jawami‘ al-kalim). This is an important principle of the pure Shari‘ah. Every Muslim man and woman should pay special attention to it.
(5) “Among the earliest people”—it is understood that the Companions radi Allahu anhum were the best of the Ummah. Their religion was preserved. They were very rarely afflicted by worldly tribulations.
(6) “Will seem lighter”—that is, the later tribulation will be greater than the earlier one; therefore, the first tribulation will seem lighter in comparison to the second, even though in reality it will be very great, as is detailed in the hadith itself.
(7) “Strike his neck”—rebellion is a very grave crime in Islam. When people are united and content under one leader, the one who creates chaos against him and disrupts peace and security is a major criminal. His punishment is death. Thus, rebellion is tantamount to the crime of apostasy. Its details have already been explained in previous pages.
Source: Sunan Nasa'i: Translation and Benefits by Shaykh Hafiz Muhammad Amin Hafizullah, Page: 4196
Maulana Ataullah Sajid
Benefits and Issues:
➊
The foundation of the Prophet’s (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) striving is sincerity and goodwill towards humanity.
Scholars should also exert themselves on this same basis.
➋
The Companions (radi Allahu anhum) and the Followers (tabi‘in) were sincere believers; those who differed with them were in error.
➌
A believer recognizes tribulations (fitan), and therefore does not accept them, even if he faces extreme difficulties.
➍
In times of tribulation, one must pay special attention to the protection of faith (iman).
➎
The criterion for right and wrong in dealings is that you treat others as you would like to be treated yourself. For example:
Just as a person likes to be given correct advice when he needs counsel, similarly, he should give correct advice to others.
Just as he does not want to be deceived, likewise, he should not deceive others.
➏
In an Islamic state, for someone to stand up and claim the right to the caliphate (khilafah) in the presence of an existing caliph causes discord and division among Muslims.
➐
After the first caliph, the people of authority and decision (ahl al-hall wa’l-‘aqd) among the Muslims will select the next caliph.
No one should stand up and claim the caliphate on his own accord.
➑
If the existing caliph makes a mistake, it is necessary to alert him to it, just as Imam Malik and Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (rahimahullah) and others strongly criticized the mistakes of rulers, but they never demanded that the government be handed over to them.
➊
The foundation of the Prophet’s (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) striving is sincerity and goodwill towards humanity.
Scholars should also exert themselves on this same basis.
➋
The Companions (radi Allahu anhum) and the Followers (tabi‘in) were sincere believers; those who differed with them were in error.
➌
A believer recognizes tribulations (fitan), and therefore does not accept them, even if he faces extreme difficulties.
➍
In times of tribulation, one must pay special attention to the protection of faith (iman).
➎
The criterion for right and wrong in dealings is that you treat others as you would like to be treated yourself. For example:
Just as a person likes to be given correct advice when he needs counsel, similarly, he should give correct advice to others.
Just as he does not want to be deceived, likewise, he should not deceive others.
➏
In an Islamic state, for someone to stand up and claim the right to the caliphate (khilafah) in the presence of an existing caliph causes discord and division among Muslims.
➐
After the first caliph, the people of authority and decision (ahl al-hall wa’l-‘aqd) among the Muslims will select the next caliph.
No one should stand up and claim the caliphate on his own accord.
➑
If the existing caliph makes a mistake, it is necessary to alert him to it, just as Imam Malik and Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal (rahimahullah) and others strongly criticized the mistakes of rulers, but they never demanded that the government be handed over to them.
Source: Commentary on Sunan Ibn Mājah by Mawlānā ‘Atā’ullāh Sājid, Page: 3956
