I said: Now you are trapped.

I said: Now you are trapped. He said: How is that I am trapped? I said: Either you believe that Allah has elected the Four Rightly-guided Caliphs, leaving to people then free to choose whomever they like. Or you should believe that Allah has never given free will to choose to people, but He Himself elects all the caliphs after the demise of the Messenger till the Doomsday? He replied: I hold the second opinion, according to the verse: “Say (O Apostle Muhammad!) “O’ God!

Master of the Kingdom, Thou givest the kingdom unto whomsoever Thou likest and takest away the kingdom from whomsoever Thou likest...” I said: So (according to your belief), every deviation, corruption, and crime that occurred in Islam at the hands of the kings and emirs, all being from Allah (destined by Allah), as it is Him Who has made these people as rulers over the Muslims? He replied: “Yes, it is as you say, and so also concerning the righteous men.

Then he recited: “And when intend We to destroy a town, (first) send We Our commandment to its people,”…