The tradition is that the Holy Prophet (S) said...

The tradition is that the Holy Prophet (S) said, “Whosoever dies without recognizing the Imam of his time, dies the death of ignorance (i.e. he dies an infidel).” The importance of this tradition shall become clearer when you come to know that when the second caliph’s son, Abdullah bin Umar learnt in Medina at night that Abdul Malik has become the caliph, he immediately got up and went to the door of his tyrant governor, Hajjaj and sought his permission to enter.

When Hajjaj asked the reason, he conveyed to him that he had come to pay allegiance for Abdul Malik. Hajjaj sent the message that he was not free and told him to come the next day. Abdullah bin Umar became much perturbed and said, “If I die tonight, I would die without paying allegiance to the Imam of the time. And according to the saying of the Prophet (S), one who dies without recognizing the Imam of his time dies the death of ignorance.

Hence you anyhow take allegiance from me now.” Hajjaj called him inside and said, “I am very busy and my hands are not free. You can pay allegiance at my feet.” Thus, the poor man had to pay allegiance of Abdul Malik at the feet of Hajjaj, after which he returned happily.[^2] It is surprising that the same Abdullah bin Umar did not pay allegiance to Amirul Momineen Ali (as) during his apparent caliphate. He sat comfortably at his house and remained without an Imam for full four and a half years.

Did he not fear dying the death of ignorance then? In any case, this tradition, which is a complete guideline for the matter of caliphate, clearly proves that the existence of an Imam is necessary in every age, whose recognition is incumbent upon all the creatures.

However, those, whose caliphs were appointed by followers and whose caliphate was annihilated by a single stroke of the pen of Mustafa Kamal Pasha should not only see their own consequences in the light of this tradition, but also know that a caliphate, which could be destroyed before the Day of Judgment, cannot be a Divine caliphate.

The destruction of a system of caliphate is itself a complete proof that both the leader and followers of this system were astray from the beginning till the end, they were in misguidance and deviated from the right path. “…that is a manifest loss.” [^3] Now justifications are offered to erase their shame and it is said that ‘the Imam of the time’ implies the Holy Quran.