Khilafat-e-Rashidah — Page 130
130 KHILAFAT-E-R A SHIDAH holds radishes and carrots, everyone will judge the weight of the vegetables against the two kilos. No one will throw away the weight as defective if they feel that there is a shortage of five to seven radishes. Instead, he will consider the vegetables to be short in weight. Similarly, the Holy Prophet sa did not say that you should judge the steps of Khulaf a ’-e-R a shid i n and see whether they make sense to you; nor did he say that you should judge how they compare with the commands of God and His Messenger. Instead, it is said that if a doubt arises about your own self whether your steps correspond with the will of God and His Messenger, then see what the Khulaf a ’-e-R a shid i n have stated about them. If your steps correspond with their viewpoint then consider them correct, but if not, consider your steps to be incorrect. So the matters which are to be judged against the commands of God and His Messenger are those that I have mentioned before, namely the rulers with whom you differ. But judge what type of rulers they are, worldly rulers or the Khulaf a ’-e-R a shid i n? If they are worldly rulers then obey them as far as you can. However, if they issue an order against the clear command of God then it is your duty to warn them of their mistake. Try to bring them towards the right path, and tell them that they are on the wrong path. If they commit a clear infidelity—as for example if they prohibit the performance of prayers or the observance of fast—then you have the right to disobey their orders and to tell them that you will continue