The Life & Character of the Seal of Prophets (sa) - Volume II — Page 545
XII - First Era of Life in Madīnah Comes to an End and the Islāmic System of Government 545 the Holy Prophet sa , was to renounce his right to Khilāfat for Amīr Mu‘āwiyyah. 1 In this manner, the prophecy was fulfilled in which the Holy Prophet sa foretold that, “God shall reconcile between two Muslim parties through this grandson of mine. ” 2 In other words, this action of Ḥaḍrat Imām Ḥasan ra has been looked upon as worthy of praise, because through his resignation, a prophecy of the Holy Prophet sa in which he alluded to a distinct quality of Imām Ḥusain ra was fulfilled; and the community of the Holy Prophet sa was once again united upon common ground. The conclusion which is derived from these two examples is that the question of resignation has been left open according to the circumstances at hand. In other words, if the system of Khilāfat has been firmly established as in the case of Ḥaḍrat ‘Uthmān ra , or if resignation is desired or demanded by the people then it is undesirable, rather, it is prohibited. However, prior to the establishment of Khilāfat , as in the case of Ḥaḍrat Imām Ḥasan ra , if a Khalīfah considers it appropriate to withdraw from his own right himself for a higher purpose, then there is no reason for prohibition. At this instance, it is incumbent to mention that the idea which we have presented here is no conclusive doctrine instituted by Islām; rather, it is merely a point of view, which we have presented in light of occurrences. 3 ُ وَاللّٰه ُ اَعْلَم The Question of Deposition and Election for a Fixed Term; as well as the Difference between Religious and Secular Rulers The question as to whether an Amīr or Khalīfah may be elected for a specific term in office or not and whether an individual may be dismissed 1 * Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābuṣ-Ṣulḥi, Bābu Qaulin-Nabiyyi sa Lil-Ḥasanibni ‘Aliyyin. . . . . Innabnai Hādhā Sayyidun, Ḥadīth No. 2704 * Tārīkhur-Rusuli Wal-Mulūk (Tārīkhuṭ-Ṭabarī), By Abū Ja‘far Muḥammad bin Jarīr Aṭ-Ṭabarī, Volume 6, pp. 71-72, Thumma Dakhalat Sanatu Arba‘īna / Dhikrul-Bai‘atil-Ḥasanibni ‘Aliyyin, Dārul-Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon, Second Edition (2002) * Al-Kāmilu Fit-Tārīkh (Tārīkhu Ibnil-Athīr), By ‘Izzuddīn Abul-Ḥasan ‘Alī bin Muḥammad Ibnul- Athīr, Volume 3, pp. 271-273, Thumma Dakhalat Sanatu Iḥdā Wa Arba‘īna (41), Dhikru Taslīmil- Ḥasanibni ‘Aliyyin Al-Khilāfata Ilā Mu‘āwiyata, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon (2006) 2 * Mishkātul-Maṣābīḥ, By Waliyyudīn Abū ‘Abdillāh Muḥammad bin ‘Abdillāh, Volume 2, p. 437, Kitābul-Manāqibi , Bābu Manāqibi Ahli Baitin-Nabiyyi sa Wa Raḍiyallāhu ‘Anhum, Al-Faṣlul-Awwalu, Ḥadīth No. 6077, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2003) * Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābu Faḍā’ili Aṣḥābin-Nabiyyi sa , Bābu Manāqibil-Ḥasani Wal-Ḥusaini. . . . . , Ḥadīth No. 3746 * Fatḥul-Bārī Sharḥu Ṣaḥīḥil-Bukhārī, By Al-Imām Aḥmad bin Ḥajar Al-‘Asqalānī, Volume 7, p. 118, Faḍā’ili Aṣḥābin-Nabiyyi sa , Bābu Manāqibil-Ḥasani Wal-Ḥusaini. . . . . , Under Ḥadīth No. 3746, Qadīmī Kutub Khānah, Ārām Bāgh, Karachi 3 And Allāh knows best [Publishers]