The practice of the {sahabah} If it can be concluded from...

The practice of the {sahabah} If it can be concluded from the practice of some in following the illegitimate ruler of their time that any ruler, whether just or unjust, must be obeyed, this question is to be asked: Why did 'Abd Allah ibn 'Umar accept the caliphate of 'Uthman but deny the caliphates of Imam 'Ali and Imam al-Hasan ( 'a ); not assist Imam al-Husayn ( 'a ) but swear allegiance to Yazid, 'Ubayd Allah ibn Ziyad and Hajjaj ibn Yusuf?

Why did some not swear allegiance to Imam 'Ali ( 'a )? Therefore, the practice per se of the does not serve as proof { hujjah } and their being hujjah has some requisites and conditions. Merely being a Companion { sahabi } is not enough. Both the group of hypocrites { munafiqun } and those who later became apostates { murtaddin } were included in the rubric of “”, and the hadith s narrated by them are also unacceptable.

Unfortunately, since this mindset has taken root in the school of thought of some Sunnis, it had been subject to abuse. Ahmad ibn Hanbal says: There are two ways in determining the caliph. One way is that he shall be appointed by the preceding caliph just as the Prophet appointed Abu Bakr while Abu Bakr did the same to 'Umar, and 'Umar in turn appointed the six-man council.

The second way is that the person himself would resort to the show of force even if it be through violence and the sword, as what 'Ali ibn Abi Talib did. Following these two (means) is necessary and opposing them is unlawful { haram }. It is not necessary for the ruler to be an Arab, Qurayshi, or has some deviant behavior.

Only the fuqaha {jurists} should admonish them.[^10] Was Ahmad ibn Hanbal so uninformed of the early history of Islam that he did not know that 'Ali ibn Abi Talib acquired the position of caliphate through the people's allegiance and not at the point of sword? Meanwhile, the function of the fuqaha is described as merely admonishing the caliphs while a corrupt power cannot be guided to the right path merely through admonition.

In addition, most of Sunni fuqaha have been among the proponents and guardians of the corrupt ruling power. The Wahhabi 'ulama ' who claim to be followers of Ahmad ibn Hanbal and the Ahl as-Sunnah have so far neither admonished nor confronted the ruling establishment in Hijaz, but have been the well-wishers of the ruling apparatus and justifiers of its crimes.