The bottom-line is...

The bottom-line is: it is impossible to fit Abu Bakr, ‘Umar and ‘Uthman, especially, into the descriptions of the true khalifahs mentioned in the Qur’an and the authentic Sunnah. Undoubtedly, they were rulers. But, certainly, they were neither khalifahs nor Imams. The difference between political or military rule and khilafah is highlighted in the story of Harun, ‘alaihi al-salam.

His blessed brother appointed him as his khalifah over his Ummah during the former’s absence from them: وقال موسى لأخيه هارون اخلفني في قومي Musa said to his brother, Harun: “Be my khalifah over my people.” [^2] Meanwhile, al-Samiri overthrew Harun and installed himself, with the help of the masses, as the ruler of Israel: قال فإنا قد فتنا قومك من بعدك وأضلهم السامري He (Allah) said: “Verily!

We have tried your people in your absence, and al-Samiri has led them astray.” [^3] We also read: قال ابن أم إن القوم استضعفوني وكادوا يقتلونني He (Harun) said, “O son of my mother! Indeed the people judged me weak, and were about to murder me.” [^4] Yet, Harun remained the true khalifah of Israel, even though al-Samiri had seized power. This is how things work in Islam. What confers legitimacy is not power, but divine appointment.

The Prophet appointed the Book of Allah and his offspring as his joint khalifahs till the Day of al-Qiyamah. Imagine if all Muslims the world over rejected the authority of the Qur’an, would that cancel out its khilafah? Of course, its khilafah continues over the Ummah, whether they recognize it or not! It is the same with the .

They are the joint khalifahs over humanity along with the Kitab – and remain so till the Hour – whether anyone obeys them or none does: وانهما لن يفترقا حتى يردا على الحوض Verily, both shall NEVER separate from each other until they meet me at the Lake-Fount. Another error of our dear Shaykh is his confusion of these two sentences: • Islam is strong. • The Ummah is strong.

This is why he declares: وهذا تصديق ما أخبر به النبي صلى الله عليه و سلم حيث قال لا يزال هذا الدين عزيزا ما تولى اثنا عشر خليفة كلهم من قريش وهؤلاء الاثنا عشر خليفة هم المذكورون في التوراة حيث قال في بشارته بإسماعيل وسيلد اثنى عشر عظيما ومن طن أن هؤلاء الاثنى عشر هم الذين تعتقد الرافضة إمامتهم فهو في غاية الجهل فإن هؤلاء ليس فيهم من كان له سيف إلا علي بن أبي طالب This is a confirmation of what the Prophet, peace be upon him, had prophesied when he said: “This religion will never cease to be strong as long as twelve khalifahs rule, all of them from Quraysh”.