The Outset of Dissension in Islam — Page 75
75 Upon this, these people requested him to lead them in prayer but he refused saying, “No, this will never happen. ” 66 OBEDIENCE TO THE RULER OF THE TIME IS NECESSARY He went on to state: “I shall not become your Im a m until you affirm complete obedience to Hadrat ‘Uthm a n ra and declare that you will accept his orders. ” Upon this, the people promised that they would show complete obedience to him in the future and accept his orders. It was only then that Ab u M u s a Al-Ash‘ar i ra led them in prayer. Similarly, Hadrat Ab u M u s a ra told them: “Hearken! I have heard the Holy Prophet sa say, ‘At a time when people are under an Im a m, anyone who rises up to create disaccord among them and to scatter their community, should be executed, whoever he may be. 67 The Holy Prophet sa has not stipulated the condition of the Im a m being equitable. In other words, you cannot say that Hadrat ‘ Uthm a n is not just; for even if this is accepted as being true, your action is still unwarranted because the Holy Prophet sa has not stipulated the condition of justice. 66. T a r i khu t-T abar i , vol. 5, p. 142, Dhikrul-Khabari ‘ An Ijtim a ‘ ihim Li- Dh a lika Wa Khabarul-Jur ‘ ati, Published by D a rul-Fikr, Beirut, 2002 edition [Publishers] 67. * S a hih Muslim, Kit a bul-Im a rah, B a bu H ukmi Man Farraqa Amral- Muslim i na Wa Huwa Mujtami ‘ un, H ad i th No. 4796 * T a r i khu t-T abar i , vol. 5, p. 144, Dhikrul-Khabari ‘ An Ijtim a ‘ ihim Li-Dh a lika Wa Khabarul-Jur ‘ ati, Published by D a rul-Fikr, Beirut, 2002 edition [Publishers]