Author: Ghulam Mustafa Zaheer Amani Puri
(النور: 24:55)
"Allah has promised those among you who believe and do righteous deeds that He will surely grant them succession to authority upon the earth just as He granted it to those before them and that He will surely establish for them [therein] their religion which He has preferred for them and that He will surely substitute for them, after their fear, security. They worship Me, not associating anything with Me. But whoever disbelieves after that - then those are the defiantly disobedient."
(An-Nur: 24:55)
Imam Abdul Rahman bin Abdul Hameed Al-Mahri (d. 291 AH) said:
"I see the Caliphate of Abu Bakr and Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) in the Book of Allah, the Exalted and Majestic. Allah says:
(An-Nur: 24:55)
'I see the Caliphate of Abu Bakr and Umar in the Holy Quran. Allah the Exalted says:
(Allah has promised those among you who believe and do righteous deeds that He will surely grant them succession to authority upon the earth...)"
(Tafsir Ibn Abi Hatim: 10/191, authentic chain)
Imam Ajurri (d. 360 AH) writes:
"May Allah have mercy on us! Know that the Caliphate of Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman (may Allah be pleased with them all) is mentioned in the Book of Allah, the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace be upon him), the sayings of the Companions, and the sayings of the Tabi'in. No Muslim endowed with intellect by Allah can doubt this. The Quranic evidence is the saying of Allah, the Exalted:
وَعَدَ اللَّـهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّلِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ الَّذِي ارْتَضَىٰ لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُم مِّن بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْنًا
(An-Nur: 24:55)
'Allah has promised those among you who believe and do righteous deeds that He will surely grant them succession to authority upon the earth just as He granted it to those before them...'
By Allah, He fulfilled His promise to them. After the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), He granted them the Caliphate and authority over territories. They achieved conquests, gained spoils of war, captured the children and women of the disbelievers, and many people embraced Islam during their Caliphate. They fought those who apostatized until they were exiled or some of them returned to Islam. This is what Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) did. His sword against the apostates will remain just until the Day of Judgment. Likewise, the fourth Caliph, Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him), his fight against the Kharijites will remain just until the Day of Judgment. Due to the Caliphate, Allah honored His religion, humiliated the enemies, and the command of Allah prevailed despite the disapproval of the polytheists. The Rightly Guided Caliphs left honorable examples for the Muslims, and they were a blessing upon the entire Ummah of Muhammad (peace be upon him), consisting of the Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah."
(Al-Shari'ah by Al-Ajurri: 564-565)
Imam Bayhaqi (d. 458 AH) said:
"The Book of Allah, the Exalted, indicates the Imamate of Abu Bakr and the Caliphs after him. Allah, the Exalted, says:
وَعَدَ اللَّـهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّلِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ
(An-Nur: 24:55)
'Allah has promised those among you who believe and do righteous deeds that He will surely grant them succession to authority upon the earth just as He granted it to those before them...'"
(Al-I'tiqad by Al-Bayhaqi: 483)
Count the Caliphate of Abu Bakr and the Caliphate of Umar, it was twelve years and six months, the Caliphate of Uthman was twelve years, then Ali completed the thirty years. I asked, 'And Muawiya?' He said, 'He was the first king.'"
(Musnad Al-Tayalisi: p. 151, Hadith: 1203; Musnad Imam Ahmad: 5/221; Sunan Al-Tirmidhi: 2226, and its chain is Hasan)
The corroboration of Harshaj bin Namata is found in Sunan Abi Dawood (2226) through Abdul Warith bin Saeed Al-Basri (trustworthy and reliable), and in Musnad Ahmad (5/220-221) through Hammad bin Salamah (trustworthy and reliable), and in Sunan Abi Dawood (4647) through Al-Awam bin Hawshab Al-Wasiti. Regarding Saeed bin Juhman, the majority of scholars have authenticated him.
Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (Al-Sunnah by Al-Khallal: p. 419), Imam Ibn Hibban (6657), Imam Ibn Abi Asim (Al-Sunnah: 1222), and Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (Majmu' Al-Fatawa: 35/18) authenticated this hadith, while Imam Hakim (Al-Mustadrak: 3/71) and Buseeri (Itihaf Al-Khayrah: 8/276) called its chain authentic. Imam Tirmidhi (Sunan Tirmidhi: 2426) and Hafiz Ibn Hajar (Muwafaqat Al-Khabar Al-Khabar: 1/141) rated this hadith as Hasan.
Furthermore, Hafiz Ibn Hajar said, "Saeed bin Juhman was a minor Tabi'i and a trustworthy narrator."
No trustworthy Muhaddith criticized this hadith. Rather, the Muhaddithin authenticated and accepted it. Therefore, Ibn Khaldun (Tareekh Ibn Khaldun: 2/458) and Ibn Al-Arabi Al-Maliki (Al-Awasim min Al-Qawasim p. 201) rejecting it without evidence is worthless.
He also said, "Regarding the Caliphate, we refer to the Hadith of Safina."
(Masa'il Imam Ahmad by Abdullah: 1833)
وَعَدَ اللَّـهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّلِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ الَّذِي ارْتَضَىٰ لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُم مِّن بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْنًا ۚ يَعْبُدُونَنِي لَا يُشْرِكُونَ بِي شَيْئًا ۚ وَمَن كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُولَـٰئِكَ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ
(النور: 24:55)
"Allah has promised those among you who believe and do righteous deeds that He will surely grant them succession to authority upon the earth just as He granted it to those before them and that He will surely establish for them [therein] their religion which He has preferred for them and that He will surely substitute for them, after their fear, security. They worship Me, not associating anything with Me. But whoever disbelieves after that - then those are the defiantly disobedient."
(An-Nur: 24:55)
Imam Abdul Rahman bin Abdul Hameed Al-Mahri (d. 291 AH) said:
"I see the Caliphate of Abu Bakr and Umar (may Allah be pleased with them) in the Book of Allah, the Exalted and Majestic. Allah says:
وَعَدَ اللَّـهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّلِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ
(An-Nur: 24:55)
'I see the Caliphate of Abu Bakr and Umar in the Holy Quran. Allah the Exalted says:
وَعَدَ اللَّـهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّلِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ
(Allah has promised those among you who believe and do righteous deeds that He will surely grant them succession to authority upon the earth...)"
(Tafsir Ibn Abi Hatim: 10/191, authentic chain)
Imam Ajurri (d. 360 AH) writes:
"May Allah have mercy on us! Know that the Caliphate of Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman (may Allah be pleased with them all) is mentioned in the Book of Allah, the Sunnah of the Messenger (peace be upon him), the sayings of the Companions, and the sayings of the Tabi'in. No Muslim endowed with intellect by Allah can doubt this. The Quranic evidence is the saying of Allah, the Exalted:
وَعَدَ اللَّـهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّلِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ الَّذِي ارْتَضَىٰ لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُم مِّن بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْنًا
(An-Nur: 24:55)
'Allah has promised those among you who believe and do righteous deeds that He will surely grant them succession to authority upon the earth just as He granted it to those before them...'
By Allah, He fulfilled His promise to them. After the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), He granted them the Caliphate and authority over territories. They achieved conquests, gained spoils of war, captured the children and women of the disbelievers, and many people embraced Islam during their Caliphate. They fought those who apostatized until they were exiled or some of them returned to Islam. This is what Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him) did. His sword against the apostates will remain just until the Day of Judgment. Likewise, the fourth Caliph, Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him), his fight against the Kharijites will remain just until the Day of Judgment. Due to the Caliphate, Allah honored His religion, humiliated the enemies, and the command of Allah prevailed despite the disapproval of the polytheists. The Rightly Guided Caliphs left honorable examples for the Muslims, and they were a blessing upon the entire Ummah of Muhammad (peace be upon him), consisting of the Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah."
(Al-Shari'ah by Al-Ajurri: 564-565)
Imam Bayhaqi (d. 458 AH) said:
"The Book of Allah, the Exalted, indicates the Imamate of Abu Bakr and the Caliphs after him. Allah, the Exalted, says:
وَعَدَ اللَّـهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّلِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ
(An-Nur: 24:55)
'Allah has promised those among you who believe and do righteous deeds that He will surely grant them succession to authority upon the earth just as He granted it to those before them...'"
(Al-I'tiqad by Al-Bayhaqi: 483)
Hadith-e-Safina
Imam Abu Dawood (Al-Tayalisi) narrates: Harshaj bin Namata said: Saeed bin Juhman said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) addressed us and said: "The Caliphate in my Ummah will last for thirty years, then there will be kingship." Then he (Saeed) said: Safina said:Count the Caliphate of Abu Bakr and the Caliphate of Umar, it was twelve years and six months, the Caliphate of Uthman was twelve years, then Ali completed the thirty years. I asked, 'And Muawiya?' He said, 'He was the first king.'"
(Musnad Al-Tayalisi: p. 151, Hadith: 1203; Musnad Imam Ahmad: 5/221; Sunan Al-Tirmidhi: 2226, and its chain is Hasan)
The corroboration of Harshaj bin Namata is found in Sunan Abi Dawood (2226) through Abdul Warith bin Saeed Al-Basri (trustworthy and reliable), and in Musnad Ahmad (5/220-221) through Hammad bin Salamah (trustworthy and reliable), and in Sunan Abi Dawood (4647) through Al-Awam bin Hawshab Al-Wasiti. Regarding Saeed bin Juhman, the majority of scholars have authenticated him.
- Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (Al-Sunnah by Al-Khallal: p. 419)
- Imam Yahya bin Ma'in (Tareekh Yahya bin Ma'in 3695)
- Imam Ibn Adi (Al-Kamil: 3/402 said: I hope there is no harm in him)
- Imam Yaqub bin Sufyan (Ma'rifah wal-Tarikh: 2/78)
- Imam Tirmidhi (Al-Sunan 2226 with Hasan rating)
- Imam Ibn Abi Asim (Al-Sunnah 1222 with an authentic rating)
- Imam Ibn Jarud (Al-Muntaqa: 976 with an authentic rating)
- Imam Ibn Hibban (Al-Thiqat: 4/268)
- Imam Hakim (Al-Mustadrak: 3/71 with an authentic chain rating)
- Hafiz Haythami (Majma' Al-Zawaid 9/366) and others have rated him as trustworthy. No trustworthy Imam has called him weak. The onus is on the claimant to prove otherwise.
Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal (Al-Sunnah by Al-Khallal: p. 419), Imam Ibn Hibban (6657), Imam Ibn Abi Asim (Al-Sunnah: 1222), and Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (Majmu' Al-Fatawa: 35/18) authenticated this hadith, while Imam Hakim (Al-Mustadrak: 3/71) and Buseeri (Itihaf Al-Khayrah: 8/276) called its chain authentic. Imam Tirmidhi (Sunan Tirmidhi: 2426) and Hafiz Ibn Hajar (Muwafaqat Al-Khabar Al-Khabar: 1/141) rated this hadith as Hasan.
Furthermore, Hafiz Ibn Hajar said, "Saeed bin Juhman was a minor Tabi'i and a trustworthy narrator."
No trustworthy Muhaddith criticized this hadith. Rather, the Muhaddithin authenticated and accepted it. Therefore, Ibn Khaldun (Tareekh Ibn Khaldun: 2/458) and Ibn Al-Arabi Al-Maliki (Al-Awasim min Al-Qawasim p. 201) rejecting it without evidence is worthless.
Interpretation of Hadith-e-Safina by the Muhaddithin
- Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal's View: Maimuni narrates that Imam Ahmad said, "The Caliphate, according to us, follows the Hadith of Safina." He was asked about his view on the Caliphate. He said, "Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali (may Allah be pleased with them) were the Caliphs." He was asked, "Do you refer to the Hadith of Safina?" He replied, "I refer to the Hadith of Safina and another point, that I saw Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) during the Caliphate of Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman was not called 'Amir al-Mu'minin' nor did he lead Jumu'ah, Jama'ah, and Hudud, but after Uthman's martyrdom, he did. This indicates that it was obligatory for him then, but not before."
He also said, "Regarding the Caliphate, we refer to the Hadith of Safina."
(Masa'il Imam Ahmad by Abdullah: 1833)
- Imam Abu Al-Hasan Al-Ash'ari: He stated, "This hadith indicates the Caliphate of the four Imams."
(Ibanah an Usul Al-Diyanah by Al-Ash'ari: 251) - Imam Ibn Hibban: (Sahih Ibn Hibban: 6657)
- Imam Ibn Jarir Al-Tabari: (Sarih Al-Sunnah: H7)
- Imam Al-Ajurri: (Al-Shari'ah: 564)
- Imam Bayhaqi: (Al-I'tiqad: 467)
All these scholars affirmed the Caliphate of the four Caliphs based on this hadith.