Do you like or dislike Abu Bakr and Umar?

Do you like or dislike Abu Bakr and Umar?’ ‘Ummro: ‘I adore them.’ ‘Imam -asws : ‘O Ummro! If you were to dislike them then it would be possible for you to go against their traditions. Instead, you like them but still go against them! Since Umar, without any consultation, nominated Abu Bakr and then took (an) oath of allegiance (to him). Later on, Abu Bakr, without any consultation, handed over the reigns of Caliphate to Umar.

However, (for the third caliph) Umar formed a ‘Shura’ of six people, in which he did not include anyone from the ‘Ansars’ [20] but only selected six people from the tribe of Quraysh and excluded all others. He (Umar) drafted a will about them (six people) which neither you nor your accomplice will approve.’ ‘Ummro: ‘What did Umar do?’ ’Imam -asws : ‘Suhaab was asked to lead people in Salat for three days in a row.

All of them (Muslims) should gather and offer Salat (behind him), excluding these six people along with a seventh one, the son of Umar. There should not be anyone with them and the seventh one should stay (in their company) but without giving any advice or involving in consultation. Umar then told all those present among the Immigrants and Ansars, if they (six of them) are unable to reach a consensus after three days, you should kill all six of them.

If after three days, four of them are in agreement but two of them are not, then remove the heads of those two.’ ‘Imam -asws : ‘ O Ummro! Would you and your companions agree to form a Shura, the way Umar formed (one) to select a Ruler for Muslims?’ ‘They all replied: ‘No we are not in favour (of Shura)!’ ‘Imam -asws : ‘O Ummro, let’s leave it (you will not form Shura as per your earlier intentions).

Now, let us suppose, you succeeded in selecting a ruler for Muslims and everyone agreed on this selection, not even two people disagreed among the whole Muslim nation. You went to non-believers, who neither accepted Islam nor agreed to offer ‘Jazia’ [21] .