Khilafat-e-Rashidah — Page 190
190 KHILAFAT-E-R A SHIDAH him a Khalifah. When the Khilafat of Muawiyah ra is not proved then how can that of his son be proved? As Muawiyah ra was a temporal king, we can admit Yazid to also be a temporal king. But neither Muawiyah was the Khalifah nor was his son. Moreover, when Muawiyah consulted his people about his son, he was the ruler of those people. In such a situation his consultation cannot be called an election, because freedom of expression is necessary in such matters. When there is no freedom of expression, and the king asks the subject to take the Bai‘at of his son, how can the subjects be at liberty to give advice, or even to disobey his order? To give an example, if the king of Afghanistan were to ask his subjects to accept him as Khalifah, and upon their acceptance were to say that the people have elected him to rule; this would not be an election, nor can such type of counselling be called consultation. Real consultation only takes place when the people are free to express their opinions, and every one is at liberty to propose the name of his choice. Thus, firstly Muawiyah himself was not a Khalifah but a king. Secondly, he presented the matter of the Khilafat of his son to the people during his rule. This cannot be called consultation or election in any way.