Caliphate and the Companions
When the Messenger of Allah fell ill, appointing Abu Bakr as his successor, meaning assigning him to his position as caliph, was the case. When Bilal would recite the adhan for each prayer time, the Messenger of Allah would say: «Tell Abu Bakr, let the people follow the imam». Bilal would then go to the mosque and call out for the people to follow Abu Bakr.
While the Messenger of Allah was still alive, he clearly and openly stated that Abu Bakr was worthy and suitable for the caliphate after him, and similarly, that Umar, Uthman, and Ali (may Allah be pleased with them) were also worthy and suitable for the caliphate in their respective times. When Ali said: «O Messenger of Allah, who will we obey after you?», the Messenger of Allah replied: «If you accept Abu Bakr as your leader, you will find him trustworthy, ascetic in this world, and desiring the hereafter. If you make Umar your leader, you will find him strong, trustworthy, and not afraid of the criticism of the critics. If you make Ali your leader, you will find him a guide and a leader».
After the death of the Messenger of Allah, there was a consensus on Abu Bakr’s caliphate. Another narration from Imam Abu Abdullah Ahmad ibn Hanbal states that Abu Bakr’s caliphate was established by clear text and by indication of the text. This is also the way of Hasan al-Basri and the hadith scholars (may Allah have mercy on them). The basis of this narration is the narration of Abu Huraira from the Messenger of Allah, who said: «On the night of the Miraj, when I was raised to the heavens, and I asked my Lord to make Ali ibn Abi Talib my successor, the angels said: O Muhammad, Allah the Most High will appoint whoever He wills as caliph, and after you, the caliph will be Abu Bakr».
In the noble hadith reported by Ibn Umar: «After me, the caliph will be Abu Bakr. After me, Abu Bakr will remain for a short time», the Messenger of Allah said.
Mucahid (may Allah have mercy on him) reported from Ali that, when I was not informed by the Messenger of Allah that after him Abu Bakr would be caliph, then Umar, then Uthman, and then Ali would be caliph, this world full of worries and sorrows was left behind by me.
Regarding the caliphate of Umar ibn al-Khattab, Abu Bakr appointed him as caliph. The Companions also wished to pledge allegiance to him, and they did so willingly. People called him «Amir al-Mu’minin». Abdullah ibn Abbas said to Abu Bakr: «On the Day of Judgment, when you stand before your Lord and speak, what will you say and what answer will you give, since you made Umar your caliph, although you know his severity?», and Abu Bakr replied: «I will say to my Lord: You appointed the most pious servant of Yours as caliph».
The caliphate of Uthman ibn Affan also took place with the gathering of the Companions and with a consensus of opinion. Hazret-i Ömer stated that he excluded his own son from the caliphate and declared that the caliphate should be decided by consultation among Talha, Zubayr, Sa’d ibn Abi Waqas, Uthman, Ali, and Abdurrahman ibn Awf.
Therefore, Hazret-i Abdurrahman said to Hazret-i Ali and Hazret-i Osman: «I will choose one of you as caliph for Allah, the Messenger, and all the believers». When he took Ali’s hand and said: «Ali, the covenant and the misk of Allah the Most High, and the responsibility of the Messenger, are upon you. For Allah, the Messenger, and the believers, you should advise them and follow the path of the Messenger of Allah, Abu Bakr, and Umar. I have pledged allegiance to you», Ali replied that he feared that his strength would not be sufficient for the matters and situations they had assigned to him, and he did not accept. Then, when Abdurrahman said to Uthman what he had said to Ali, Uthman accepted and pledged allegiance. Abdurrahman took Uthman’s hand and pledged allegiance. Ali also pledged allegiance. All the Companions pledged allegiance.
In this way, Uthman ibn Affan became the imam and caliph among the Companions with the consensus of all of them until his death. Nothing was found in him that would cause him to be criticized, blamed, or lead to his being harmed or killed. It is because of the people of wailing and destruction that they did not agree with our narration and claimed the opposite.
The caliphate of Imam Ali also took place with the unity of the community and the consensus of the Companions. Because, Abu Abdullah ibn Bata’ reported from Muhammad ibn Hanafiyya. Muhammad ibn Hanafiyya said: I was with Ali ibn Abi Talib. Hazret-i Ömer was besieged. At that time, someone came and said: «The Amir al-Mu’minin has been killed», and I clung to Ali out of fear for his condition. He said: «Let me go, there is no one here who can appoint you, to whom are you clinging? Let Osman be killed, and I will sit at home. Is this a matter of revâ?»
Thus, he arrived at the house of Hazret-i Osman and entered. He closed the door. People came and knocked on the door. Going to the side of Hazret-i Ali, they said: «Osman has been killed. A caliph is needed for the people, but we do not know anyone more suitable and qualified for the caliphate than you», when Ali replied to them: «Do not desire me to be your caliph. I am your good vizier by your command», and when they said: «By Allah, we do not know anyone more qualified for the caliphate than you», Ali said: «Whoever is hesitant to pledge allegiance to me, let him do so. My pledge will not be hasty. I will only go to the Mosque, and whoever wishes to pledge allegiance to me there, will pledge allegiance to me». He went to the Mosque. There, they pledged allegiance to him. Until he was martyred, he was the imam and caliph by right. May Allah destroy and annihilate those who say the opposite, claiming that Ali never became an imam. They denied his caliphate.
Imam Ahmed and other imams have the belief that it is necessary to remain silent regarding the battle of Imam Ali with Talha, Zubayr, Aisha, and Muawiya. Indeed, Allah the Almighty says in the 40th verse of Surah Al-Hijr: «We shall bring forth from the gardens of Paradise those who are in the front ranks. They will be brothers, sitting on thrones, facing one another.» It is said that Hazret-i Ali was right, and the others erred in their ijtihad, because they had reached consensus and agreement regarding the imamate and caliphate. The battle between Hazret-i Talha, Zubayr, and Muawiya with Hazret-i Ali was due to their desire for the blood of Hazret-i Osman, who was unjustly martyred, and because these killers were present in the army of Hazret-i Ali. Each of their interpretations was correct. Our best course of action in this matter is to remain silent, leave their affairs to Allah the Almighty, and instead focus on searching for our own faults, striving to purify ourselves and our surroundings from major sins and things that lead to destruction.
Muawiya ibn Abi Sufyan; upon the death of Hazret-i Ali, he supported Hazret-i Hasan, and after Hazret-i Hasan, for the sake of good opinion and general benefit, withdrew from the caliphate and handed it over to Hazret-i Muawiya. Thus, Hazret-i Muawiya’s caliphate is legitimate. This good action is due to the statement of the Messenger of Allah: «This is my son, the Sayyid. Allah the Almighty will bring about peace between two great armies and communities through him.» When Hazret-i Hasan accepted the imamate and caliphate of Hazret-i Muawiya, imamate became obligatory for Muawiya, and that year was called Âmül Cemâa (The Year of Reunification), because the disagreement had ended, and Muawiya’s caliphate is in accordance with the blessed words of the Messenger of Allah. Indeed, our Prophet is reported to have said in a noble hadith: «The wheel of Islam turns for thirty-five, thirty-six, or thirty-seven years.» The word «wheel of Islam» in the noble hadith refers to the strength in religion. The thirty-seven years include the five years that separated from the caliphate, and the nineteen years of Muawiya’s caliphate. Because, as mentioned above, thirty years were completed with the caliphate of Hazret-i Ali.
We have a good opinion about all of the wives of the Messenger of Allah. We believe that they are the mothers of the believers, and that Aisha Siddiqah is the most superior of all women in the world. We believe that Allah the Almighty has protected her from the words of the atheists with the verses of the Noble Qur’an until the Day of Judgment.
Similarly, we believe that the generosity of our Prophet indicates that Hazret-i Fatima is the most superior of all women in the world, that loving her father is obligatory, and that loving Hazret-i Fatima is also obligatory. Because the Messenger of Allah said: «Fatima is a part of me. Whoever doubts Fatima, doubts me.»
Until now, the Companions and the Community mentioned are the Muhajirun and the Ansar who migrated before the conquest of Makkah. Indeed, Allah the Almighty mentions them in the Noble Qur’an and praises them. Indeed, in the 10th verse of Surah Al-Hadid, it is said: «Those among you who spent before the conquest and those who fought before the conquest are not equal to those who spent after the conquest and those who fought after the conquest. They are higher in rank. Both groups will be in Paradise.»
Allah the Most High says at the end of the Surah of Conquest: «Muhammad (peace be upon him) is the Messenger of Allah. Those who believe with him are very fierce against the disbelievers, but very merciful and compassionate among themselves. You see them prostrating and bowing in prayer. They seek the favor and pleasure of Allah the Most High. You see the marks of prostration on their faces. Their characteristics are written in the Torah and the Gospel. They are like a plant, which first sprouts like a blade of grass, then grows strong and thick, and stands upright on its stalk, so that the farmers are amazed at its strength and beauty. Likewise, the believers at the beginning of Islam appeared weak, but gradually grew stronger, astonishing everyone. Allah the Most High gave this example to anger the disbelievers».
This noble verse refers to all the Companions, but specifically implies and points to the four great and chosen caliphs, and then six individuals from the later generation of the Ten Companions.
For this reason, according to the narration from the father of Ja’far ibn Muhammad, in his interpretation of this noble verse, the words «(those who are with him)» praise Abu Bakr. For he was with the Messenger of Allah in hardship and ease, and in the cave. The words «(they are very fierce against the disbelievers)» refer to the noble Omar. For he was very fierce against the disbelievers. The words «(they are very merciful among themselves)» refer to Uthman ibn Affan. For he was very merciful and had great modesty. The words «(you see them prostrating and bowing in prayer)» refer to Ali ibn Abi Talib. For every night, the voices of thousands of takbirs (Allahu Akbar) would reach the ears of the servants who were attending at his special room with its high door. The words «(they seek the favor and pleasure of Allah the Most High)» refer to Talha and Zubair, who were among the Ten Companions and were the companions of the Messenger of Allah. The words «(marks of prostration are seen on their faces)» refer to Sa’d, Sa’id, Abdurrahman ibn Awf, and Abu Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah, who were also among the Ten Companions. From the words «(they are like a plant…)» until the end, it is stated that the intention is the emergence of Muhammad Mustafa as a prophet, and then his strengthening through his four chosen caliphs, Abu Bakr, Omar, Uthman, and Ali (may Allah be pleased with them), and the honor and glory of the Islamic edifice shining light upon the entire world and astonishing the nations.
The people of the Sunnah have refrained from expressing disputes and debates among them, have avoided speaking about such matters regarding the great Islamic leaders, and have left their affairs to Allah the Most High. Indeed, Allah the Most High says in the tenth verse of Surah Hashr: «Those who come after the Muhajirun and the Ansar say: O our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who believed before us, and do not let any hatred for us exist in the hearts of those who have believed. O our Lord, You are Most Merciful and Most Compassionate.» And in the 234th and 241st verses of Surah Al-Baqarah: «What the former generations have earned is for them, and what you have earned is for you. You will not be held accountable for what they did.»
Our Prophet (peace be upon him) said:
«Keep your tongues silent when speaking about my Companions.»
«Avoid speaking about disputes and battles among my Companions. For even if one of you gives as charity the amount of gold equal to Mount Uhud, it would not be equivalent in reward to even a single mudd (half a mudd is a quarter of a sa’) of charity given by one of my Companions.»
«Good news, happiness, and sovereignty belong to whoever sees me, and whoever sees the one who sees me.»