❖ Hazrat Ali and Hazrat Mu'awiyah (RA): Facts Regarding Their Caliphate ❖
During the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded the Companions to sacrifice their animals. Initially, the Companions did not comply with this command. The delay was due to the sorrow and distress caused by the conditions of the treaty, which apparently seemed unfavorable to the Muslims. However, once Allah declared this treaty as a "clear victory (فتح مبین)", their hearts were comforted, and they began to feel joy.
① The conduct of the Companions illustrates that a delay in executing a command of the Prophet ﷺ due to a valid excuse is not considered sinful in the sight of Allah.
② If such an excuse is acceptable in the context of the Prophet ﷺ, then non-compliance with the commands of the rightly guided caliphs due to valid reasons also cannot be considered a crime.
Note: Denial of the Prophet’s message or outright rejection of his command is an entirely different matter, whereas a delay based on a valid excuse is distinct.
Response:
This is incorrect. The Verse of Succession pertains to the removal of fear from the disbelievers, not to internal civil strife among Muslims.
① All four rightly guided caliphs – Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali (RA) – were fully encompassed by the promise of the Verse of Succession.
② Even during the caliphates of Hazrat Uthman (RA) and Hazrat Ali (RA), the fear from disbelievers had ended, making them rightful beneficiaries of the verse.
✔ The caliphate of Hazrat Ali (RA) was unanimously accepted and absolutely rightful, and no objection can be raised against it.
✔ Hazrat Mu'awiyah (RA) assumed the caliphate after the treaty with Hazrat Hasan (RA), and all Companions agreed upon his leadership.
✔ It is essential to avoid extremism or negligence regarding any of the rightly guided caliphs, as all four were included in the promises of Allah as per the Verse of Succession.
◈ Treaty of Hudaybiyyah and the Conduct of the Companions
During the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ commanded the Companions to sacrifice their animals. Initially, the Companions did not comply with this command. The delay was due to the sorrow and distress caused by the conditions of the treaty, which apparently seemed unfavorable to the Muslims. However, once Allah declared this treaty as a "clear victory (فتح مبین)", their hearts were comforted, and they began to feel joy.
✿ Key Lesson
① The conduct of the Companions illustrates that a delay in executing a command of the Prophet ﷺ due to a valid excuse is not considered sinful in the sight of Allah.
② If such an excuse is acceptable in the context of the Prophet ﷺ, then non-compliance with the commands of the rightly guided caliphs due to valid reasons also cannot be considered a crime.
Note: Denial of the Prophet’s message or outright rejection of his command is an entirely different matter, whereas a delay based on a valid excuse is distinct.
◈ Caliphate of Hazrat Ali and Hazrat Mu'awiyah (RA)
✔ Caliphate of Hazrat Ali (RA)
- The caliphate of Hazrat Ali (RA) was always unanimously accepted, and there was no doubt or disagreement regarding it.
- Some Companions delayed pledging allegiance to Hazrat Ali (RA) based on a valid excuse, as they considered the immediate retribution against the killers of Hazrat Uthman (RA) to be more important.
✔ Leadership of Hazrat Mu'awiyah (RA)
- Hazrat Mu'awiyah (RA) never claimed caliphate before making peace with Hazrat Hasan (RA). During that period, he merely held the position of a governor and ruler.
- Some books have mistakenly interpreted his leadership as caliphate, which is contrary to historical truth.
- Had he claimed caliphate at that time, he would have had to declare the caliphate of Hazrat Ali (RA) as illegitimate — but he never did so.
✔ After the Treaty
- After the peace agreement with Hazrat Hasan (RA), Hazrat Mu'awiyah’s (RA) caliphate and leadership were unified, and all the Companions agreed upon his caliphate.
- The Messenger of Allah ﷺ had prophesied about Hazrat Hasan (RA) that he would be a leader and would reconcile between two great factions of Muslims.
◈ Attitudes Regarding the Caliphate: Rafidah vs Ahl al-Haqq
✿ Approach of the Rafidah
- The Rafidah grievously erred by undermining the first three rightly guided caliphs (Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman – RA) and labeling them as oppressors and usurpers.
- They went to extremes regarding Hazrat Ali (RA) by declaring him as the immediate and sole rightful caliph.
✿ Reaction of Ahl al-Haqq
- In response to the extremism of the Rafidah, some among the Ahl al-Haqq unintentionally fell into a degree of negligence regarding Hazrat Ali (RA).
- They argue that during Hazrat Ali’s (RA) caliphate, the promise of security (أمن) mentioned in the Verse of Succession (Ayat al-Istikhlaf) was not fulfilled.
Response:
This is incorrect. The Verse of Succession pertains to the removal of fear from the disbelievers, not to internal civil strife among Muslims.
◈ The Truth About the Caliphate
① All four rightly guided caliphs – Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali (RA) – were fully encompassed by the promise of the Verse of Succession.
② Even during the caliphates of Hazrat Uthman (RA) and Hazrat Ali (RA), the fear from disbelievers had ended, making them rightful beneficiaries of the verse.
❖ Conclusion
✔ The caliphate of Hazrat Ali (RA) was unanimously accepted and absolutely rightful, and no objection can be raised against it.
✔ Hazrat Mu'awiyah (RA) assumed the caliphate after the treaty with Hazrat Hasan (RA), and all Companions agreed upon his leadership.
✔ It is essential to avoid extremism or negligence regarding any of the rightly guided caliphs, as all four were included in the promises of Allah as per the Verse of Succession.
