It is snot possible to prevent unpleasant happenings unless...

It is snot possible to prevent unpleasant happenings unless a leader is appointed (by the Prophet) so that no one after the Prophet's death could say that the Caliph should be one of them. These social considerations lead us to confirm that the idea of the Prophet's appointing the leader to succeed him was correct.

Textual Evidence on the Prophets Clear Expression It was because of this social background and other considerations that the holy Prophet, may God bless him and his descendants, now and then set forth the issue of successorship from the very first days of his Prophetic mission to the last days of his noble life.

He appointed his successor both at the beginning of his mission - in an assembly he had formed of his relatives to reveal his Prophecy to them - and towards the end of his life at Ghadir Khum when he was returning from the farewell pilgrimage, as well as other instances throughout his life. Three examples of the supporting texts as well as the source books of the Islamic scholars and the traditionists concerning the matter have been mentioned in chapter two of the present book.

With view of the afore-mentioned social conditions in the early days of Islam, and considering the Prophetic texts in regard to introducing and appointing `Ali (a.s), the Commander of the Faithful, as his successor, it becomes evident that the issue of appointing the Caliph by the Prophet is necessary and unavoidable. Back Index Next Previous…