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Who is the successor of the Prophet (PBUH&HF)?
Once a person told me that Abu Bakr is more knowledgeable than Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH) (Na'oozo Billah)! I asked him how come?! 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 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 Fahd, 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 he didn't take it serious? 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 Shari'ah (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 of the
burial of the holy prophet in Medina.
Is it our choice as to whom should be a Prophet or it is Allah's choice?
Can we select Prophet by Shura? The same goes for assigning the successor
of Prophet, 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 people's 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). ^^^^^^^^^^^^^
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(_S / (_S (_S (_) / / : (_S / (_| /
^^^^^^^^^^^^
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"
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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-Khasa'is, by al-Nisa'i, pp 15-16
(6) Mushkil al-Athar, by al-Tahawi, v2, p309
The Prophet (PBUH&HF) 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 of 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).
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