Khilafat-e-Rashidah — Page 235
KHILAFAT-E-R A SHIDAH 235 otherwise we’ll set you right. ” Instead, when he rejected the advice of all of them and said, I cannot stop the army of Usama ra , they withdrew their suggestion. Similarly when the Companions ra requested him to be lenient with the rebels, he rejected their request and said, “I’ll treat them similarly to those others who have turned their backs. ” Even on this occasion the Companions ra did not say, “If you do not accept our word we’ll set you right,” but they admitted their fault and yielded before the verdict of Hadrat Abu Bakr ra. Similarly, whenever he had to face the people he always affirmed that he was right, and they were wrong. It is not seen anywhere that the people have ever set him right, or he told the people, “O Muslims, I have become crooked, so set me right. ” Therefore, the only meanings that can be taken from his words are those which corroborate with the commands of God and His Messenger sa ; and correspond to his own acts, and not with those of his opponents. Crookedness only means Open Infidelity It should be remembered that his crookedness means open infidelity, mentioned in A ha d i th. What Hadrat Abu Bakr ra told them was: “As long as I practice Islam, it is obligatory upon you to obey me, and if I abandon Islam and commit open infidelity, then it is obligatory upon you to check me”.