Assalaamu alaikum

I have heard a lot said about the initial Caliphs in Islam, I was wondering if anyone here knows what the situation was like under the last Caliph to rule?

Did all the factions of Islam agree to his leadership?

Or were those factions choosing different Caliphs from the time splits first started to emerge? 

Thanks  

Hello Midway,

Quick answer; Shia never accepted anyone as Imam (Caliph) other than the 12. The first Imam (a.s.) was Ali ibn Abu Talib (a.s.), who was nominated by the Prophet (a.s.) himself. The rest were nominated by their predecesors. Shia do not accept that the leadership of the Muslim Umma can be decided by Shura (election), as the Prophet (a.s.) never endorsed this practice (as a means of deciding on this matter).

For more info on Shia beliefs regarding Imammate (Leadership), see:

http://al-islam.org/leadership/ - http://al-islam.org/leadership/  (General Concept of Islamic Leadership and Immate)

http://al-islam.org/imamate/ - http://al-islam.org/imamate/  (Difference between Shia and Sunni viewpoint on the issue of Caiphate/Imamate).

http://al-islam.org/mastership/ - http://al-islam.org/mastership/  (Grades and positions of Leadership (Wilayate) according to Quran and Hadith).

Assalaamu alaikum

Dear brother Ali Zaki,

I wanted to know if the factions within Islam agreed to all the Caliphs after Imam Ali {AS}, to the most recent Caliph?

Kind regards

nadir

Alakum Salam Midway,

That's an interesting question. My previous understading was that the majority of the Muslims (Sunni) did accept the authority of all of the Caliphs (even after the four) until the fall of the Ottoman Empire in WWI. My understading was that their belief was that as long as the Caliph "kept up prayer", and was a Muslim then his authority was recognized by the Sunni's.

I must say, however, that I have found that there is a wide degree of disagreement among individual Sunni's on this point. I had previously assumed that one would have to ignore the obvious injustices practiced by these rulers to obey them, however, I have found that many Sunni brothers do acknowledge that (many of them) were indeed unjust. However (as far as I know), the Shia were the only group that clearly and activily opposed the unjust Caliphs.

I have heard two justifications (by our Sunni brothers/sisters) for this recognition;

First, they interpret "those vested with authority among you (Ul al'Amr) in the Holy Quran (5:54-55) to mean any Muslim ruler that "believes, establishs prayers and pays zakat" (which is contrary to the Shia tafseer for this verse, as Shia believe based on Hadith that this verse applies to a single person (and those like this person), namely, Imam Ali (a.s.))

Secondly, they believe that submitting to a ruler (even an unjust one), as long as he "believes, prays and pays zakat" is better than Fitna and anarchy. They also base this on hadith.

As for the other, smaller sects (such as Sufi's), most agree with the Sunni position on this. There are other, even smaller sects (like Zayidi's, etc.) who agree with the Shia on this point.

Salam

Ali Zaki wrote: The first Imam (a.s.) was Ali ibn Abu Talib (a.s.), who was nominated by the Prophet (a.s.) himself.

dear Ali Zaki

could you please tell me that when, where and how prophet peace be upon him himself appointed Ali (ra) as the first caliph?

a well wisher

 Salam alakum Brother,

Here is the short answer. More can be given upon request.

The First Time

" When the verse: "And warn thy nearest relations (26:214), was revealed, the Prophet ordered 'Ali to prepare food and invite the sons of 'Abdu'l-Muttalib so that he could convey to them the words of Allah. After the feast, the Prophet intended to talk to them, but Abu Lahab interfered by saying:"Verily, your comrade has entranced you". Upon hearing this statement all of them dispersed.

The next day, the Messenger of Allah again called them for a feast. After they had finished with their food, the Prophet addressed them: "O sons of 'Abdul'l-Muttalib, I have brought for you the good of this world and the next, and I have been appointed by the Lord to call you unto Him. Therefore, who amongst you will administer this cause for me and be my brother, my successor and my caliph?" No one responded to the Prophet' s call except 'Ali who was the youngest of the congregation. The Prophet then patted 'Ali's neck and said: "O my people! This 'A1i is my brother, my successor and my caliph amongst you. Listen to him and obey him.''

Ibnu 'l-Athir: al-Kamil, [vol.5, pp. 62-3]; al Baghawi: at-Tafsir, [vol. 4, p.127]; al-Khazin: at-Tafsir, [vol. 4, p. 127]; al-Bayhaqi: Dala 'ilu 'n-nubuwwah [vol. I, pp.428-30]; as-Suyuti: ad-Durru 'l-manthur [vol.5, p.97]; al-Muttaqi al-Hindi: Kanzu 'l-'ummal [vol.15, pp .100,113,115-7]; Abu 'l -Fida': al -Mukhtasar, [vol. I, pp .116-7]; at -Tabari: at Tarikh, [vol. I pp .171-3]; Carlyle , T.: On Heroes, Hero Worship and the Heroic in History, [p.54]; Gibbon, E.: The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, [vol. 3, p. 94]; Davenport, J.: An Apology for Muhammed and the Koran [ p.21 ]; Irving, W.: Mahommet and His Successors [p.45]. (For further details, see al-Amini: al-Ghadir [ vol. 2, pp.278 89] . )

The Second Time

"Verily, your guardian (wali) is Allah, His messenger, and the believers - those who perform the prayers and give zakat (alms) while bowing down (in ruku')."(5:55)

" Abu Dharr al-Ghifari says that one day he was praying with the Prophet when a beggar came to the Prophet's mosque. No one responded to his pleas. The beggar raised his hands towards heavens and said, "Allah! be a witness that I came to Thy Prophet's mosque and no one gave me anything". 'Ali (as) was bowing in ruku' at that time. He pointed his little finger, on which was a ring, towards the beggar who came forward and took away the ring. This incident occurred in the Prophet's presence who raised his face towards heaven and prayed: "O Lord! my brother Musa had begged of Thee to open his breast and to make his work easy for him, to loose the knot of his tongue so that people might understand him, and to appoint from among his relations his brother, as his vizier, and to strengthen his back with Harun and to make Harun his partner in his work. O Allah! Thou said to Musa, 'We will strengthen thy arm with thy brother. No one will now have an access to either of you!' O Allah! I am Muhammad and Thou hast given me distinction. Open my breast for me, make my work easy for me, and from my family appoint my brother 'Ali as my vizier. Strengthen my back with him". The Prophet had not yet finished his prayers when Jibril brought the above quoted verse.  "

a. al-Hafiz Abu 'Isa at-Tirmidhi (d.279 A.H.) has said in his Sahih (one of the as-Sihah as-Sittah) that "This is a good (hasan) and correct (sahih) hadith.''[24]

b. al-Hafiz Abu Ja'far at-Tahawi (d. 321 A.H.) has said in his Mushkil u'l-athar that "This hadith is sahih according to the chains of narrators (asnad) and no one has said anything contrary to its narTators." [25]

c. Abu 'Abdillah al-Hakim an-Naysaburi (d. 405 A.H.) has narrated this hadith from several chains in his al-Mustadrak and has said that this hadith is sahih. [26]

1. Abu 'Abdillah al-Mahamili al-Baghdadi in his Amali; 2. Ibn 'Abdi 'l-Barr al-Qurtubi in al-Isti 'ab; 3. Ibnu 'l-Maghazili ash-shafi'i in al-Manaqib; 4. Abu Hamid Ghazzali in Sirru 'l-'alamayn; 5. Abu'l-Faraj ibn al-Jawzi in alManaqib; 6. Sibt ibn al-Jawzi in Tadhkirat khawaissi 'l-ummah; 7. Ibn Abi'l-Hadid al-Mu'tazili in his Sharh Nahji 'l-balaighah; 8. Abu 'Abdillah al Ganji ash-Shafi'i in Kifayatu 't-talib; 9. Abu 'l-Makarim 'Ala'ud-Din as-Simnani in al-'Urwatu'l-wuthqa; 10. Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalani in Tahdhibu'l-tahdhib; 11. Ibn Kathir ad-Dimashqi in his Tarikh; 12. Jalalu'd-Din as-Suyuti; 13. al-Qastalani in al-Mawahibu 'l-ladunniyyah; 14. Ibn Hajar al-Makki in as-Sawa'iqu 'l-muhriqah; 15. 'Abdu'l-Haqq ad Dihlawi in Sharhu 'l-mishkat; and many others. [28]

It should be noted that all the names mentioned above are of Sunni scholars; and in Sunni usage, a hadith is called ''sahih'' when it is uninterruptedly narrated by persons of approved probity ('adil) who have perfect memory, does not have any defect, and is not unusual (shadhdh). [29]

If the above virtues are found in the asnad of a hadith but the memory of one or more of its narrators is a degree less than that required for sahih, then it is called "hasan " [30]

So what about Ghadir? Let's hear the context for that speech (which has been transmitted through hundreds of chains of narration, both Sunni and Shia). Will you say that the prophets stopped (even Sunni's agree on this low number) over 10,000 people in the middle of the desert to tell them that "Ali is your friend"! when this fact had already been established and his "brotherhood with Ali (a.s.)" was already well  known.

How easily our Sunni brothers disregard the clear and direct words of the Messenger of Allah (s.w.a.).

"...my brother 'Ali as my vizier."

"O my people! This 'Ali is my brother, my successor and my caliph amongst you. Listen to him and obey him.''

'Ali, the son of Abu Talib, is my brother and my wasiyy (successor) and my caliph, and the Imam after me."

"Aliyyun wa shi'atuhu humu 'l-fa'izun.

"'Ali and his party (Shi `ah) will be the triumphant ones." [2]

" he is your master after me"

Are you reading what you are posting?

This hadith is NOT the third time, it is only part of it. I am still waiting for your attempt to discredit the famous even of Ghadir Khum (or do you deny that it happened all together).

By the way, Imam Ali (a.s.) on many, many occassions mentions his appointment by the Prophet at Ghadir, however, all of these occassions are conviently missing from the collections that our Sunni brothers read. It is curious that Imam Ali (a.s.) "never mentioned" his appointment at Ghadir, however, Abu Harirah seemed to have had a "better memory".