The 4 Caliph Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu
The 4 Caliph
The First Caliph, Abu Bakr al-Siddeeq Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu [632-634 C.E]
The Second Caliph, Umar Ibn al-Khattab Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu (634-644 C.E]
The Third Caliph, Uthman Ibn Affan Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu [644-656 C.E]
The Fourth Caliph, Imam Ali,ibn Abi Talib, Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu [656-661 C.E]
The Fifth Caliph, Imam Hasan, ibn Ali Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu [661-661 C.E]
Introduction
Meaning of the Word 'Caliph'
The word 'Caliph' is the English form of the Arabic word 'Khalifa,' which is short for Khalifatu Rasulil-lah. The latter expression means Successor to the Messenger of God, the Beloved Prophet Muhammad Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam. The title 'Khalifatu Rasulil-lah'. was first used for Hadrat Abu Bakr Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu, who was elected head of the Muslim community after the death of the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam.
The Significance of the Caliphate
The mission of the Beloved Messenger of Allah Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, like that of the earlier Messengers of God, was to call people to the worship of and submission to the One True God (called Allah in Arabic). In practice, submission to God means to obey His injunctions as given in the Qur'an al-Kareem and as exemplified by Sunnah the practice of the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam. As successor to the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, the Caliph was the head of the Muslim community and his primary responsibility was to continue in the path of the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam. Since religion was perfected and the door of Divine revelation was closed at the death of the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, the Caliph was to make all laws in accordance with the Qur'an al-Kareem and the Sunnah. He was a ruler over Muslims but not their sovereign since sovereignty belongs to God alone. He was to be obeyed as long as he obeyed God. He was responsible for creating and maintaining conditions under which it would be easy for Muslims to live according to Islamic principles, and to see that justice was done to all. Hadrat Abu Bakr Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu, at the time he accepted the Caliphate, stated his position thus:
"The weak among you shall be strong with me until their rights have been vindicated; and the strong among you shall he weak with me until, if the Lord wills, I have taken what is due from them... Obey me as long as I obey God and His Beloved Messenger Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam. When I disobey Him and His Most Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, then obey me not."
The Rightly-Guided Caliphs (Al-Khulafa-ur-Rashidun)
Those Caliphs who truly followed in the Beloved Prophet's Salla Allahu ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam footsteps are called 'The Rightly-Guided Caliphs' (Al-Khulafa-ur Rashidun in Arabic). They are the first four Caliphs: Hadrat Abu Bakr, Hadrat 'Umar, Hadrat Uthman and Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu ta'ala anhum. All four were among the earliest and closest Companions of the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam. They lived simple and righteous lives and strove hard for the religion of God. During the 30 years of their rule, Islam made great progress. This period of Islamic rule is the golden period of justice and fair play. Their justice was impartial, their treatment of others was kind and merciful, and they were one with the people - the first among equals. After these four, Hadrat Imam Hasan ibn Ali abi Talib Radi Allahu ta'ala anhu was the 5th Rightly Guided Caliph but his reign was only a brief one. The later Caliphs assumed the manners of kings and emperors and the true spirit of equality of ruler and ruled diminished to a considerable extent in the political life of Muslims.
It should be clearly understood that the mission of the Beloved Prophet Muhammad Salla Allahu ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam, and hence that of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs, was not political, social or economic reform, although such reforms were a logical consequence of the success of this mission, nor the unity of a nation and the establishment of an empire, although the nation did unite and vast areas came under one administration, nor the spread of a civilization or culture, although many civilizations and cultures developed, but only to deliver the message of God to all the peoples of the world and to invite them to submit to Him, while being the foremost among those who submitted.
What about the Present ?
The primary responsibility of an Islamic government is still the same as it was in the days of the early Caliphs: to make all laws and legislation in accordance with the Qur'an al-Kareem and the Sunnah, to make positive efforts to create and maintain conditions under which it will be possible and easy for Muslims to live an Islamic life, to secure impartial and speedy justice for all, and to strive hard in the path of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala. Any government which is only committed to such a policy is truly following the message delivered by the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam.
Hadrat Abu Bakr Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu
The First Caliph, Sayyadina Abu Bakr (632-634 A.C.)
"If I were to take a friend other than my Lord, I would take Abu Bakr as a friend." (Hadith)
Election to the Caliphate
The Most Beloved Prophet's Salla Allahu Ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam closest Companion, Hadrat Abu Bakr Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu, was not present when the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam breathed his last in the apartment of his beloved wife of later years, Aisha Radi Allahu Ta'ala anha, Abu Bakr's Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu, daughter. When he came to know of the Beloved Prophet's Salla Allahu Ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam passing, Hadrat Abu Bakr Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu hurried to the house of sorrow.
"How blessed was your life and how beatific is your death,"
. . . he whispered as he kissed the cheek of his beloved friend and master who now was no more.
When Hadrat Abu Bakr Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu came out of the Beloved Prophet's Salla Allahu Ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam apartment and broke the news, disbelief and dismay gripped the community of Muslims in Madinah. Hadrat Muhammad Salla Allahu Ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam had been the leader, the guide and the bearer of Divine revelation through whom they had been brought from idolatry and barbarism into the way of God. How could he die? Even Hadrat Umar Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu, one of the bravest and strongest of the Beloved Prophet's Salla Allahu Ta'ala layhi wa Sallam Companions, lost his composure and drew his sword and threatened to kill anyone who said that the Most Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam was dead. Hadrat Abu Bakr Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu gently pushed him aside, ascended the steps of the lectern in the Mosque and addressed the people, saying;
"O people, verily whoever worshipped Beloved Muhammad, behold! Muhammad is indeed dead. But whoever worships Allah, behold! Allah is alive and will never die."
And then he concluded with a verse from the Qur'an al-Kareem:
"And the Beloved Muhammad is but a Messenger. Many Messengers have gone before him; if then he dies or is killed, will you turn back upon your heels?" [3:144]
On hearing these words, the people were consoled. Despondency gave place to confidence and tranquillity. This critical moment had passed. But the Muslim community was now faced with an extremely serious problem: that of choosing a leader. After some discussion among the Companions of the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala layhi wa Sallam who had assembled in order to select a leader, it became apparent that no one was better suited for this responsibility than Hadrat Abu Bakr Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu. A portion of the speech the First Caliph gave after his election has already been quoted in the introduction.
Hadrat Abu Bakr's Life
Abu Bakr ('The Owner of Camels') was not his real name. He acquired this name later in life because of his great interest in raising camels. His real name was Abdul Ka'aba ('Slave of Ka'aba'), which Muhammad Salla Allahu Ta'ala layhi wa Sallam later changed to Abdullah ('Slave of God'). The Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala layhi wa Sallam also gave him the title of 'Siddiq' - 'The Testifier to the Truth.'
Hadrat Abu Bakr Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu was a fairly wealthy merchant, and before he embraced Islam, was a respected citizen of Makkah. He was three years younger than Hadrat Muhammad Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam and some natural affinity drew them together from earliest childhood. He remained the closest Companion of the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam all through the Beloved Prophet's Salla Allahu Ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam life. When Hadrat Muhammad Salla Allahu Ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam first invited his closest friends and relatives to Islam, Hadrat Abu Bakr Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu was among the earliest to accept it. Also as a result of his efforts, some very promising and talented people accepted Islam most of whom were his friends – such as Uthman ibn Affan, Bilal and Abdur Rahman ibn Auf Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhum to name but a few.
In the early days of the Beloved Prophet's Salla Allahu Ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam mission, when the handful of Muslims were subjected to relentless persecution and torture, Hadrat Abu Bakr Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu bore his full share of hardship. Finally when Allah's permission came to emigrate from Makkah, he was the one chosen by the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam to accompany him on the dangerous journey to Madinah. His self-sacrificing friendship and his devotion to the cause of Islam was rewarded by his name being immortalised in the Qur’an al-kareem as;
“the second of the two” (9:40).
In the numerous battles which took place during the life of the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, Hadrat Abu Bakr Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu was always by his side. Once, he brought all his belongings to the Prophet, who was raising money for the defence of Madinah. The Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam asked "Abu Bakr Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu, what did you leave for your family?" The reply came: "Allah and His Beloved Prophet."
Even before Islam, Hadrat Abu Bakr Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu was known to be a man of upright character, amiable and with a compassionate nature. All through his life he was sensitive to human suffering and kind to the poor and helpless. Even though he was wealthy, he lived very simply and spent his money for charity, for freeing slaves and for the cause of Islam. He often spent part of the night in supplication and prayer. He shared with his family a cheerful and affectionate home life.
Hadrat Abu Bakr's Caliphate
Such, then, was the man upon whom the burden of leadership fell at the most sensitive period in the history of the Muslims.
Thanks to his simple but firm character, Hadrat Abu Bakr Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu was able to lead the young Muslim community through the most difficult times. As the news of the Beloved Prophet's Salla Allahu Ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam death spread, a number of tribes rebelled. Most of these tribes had embraced Islam after the conquest of Makkah in 8 Hijri, and had not had the opportunity to undergo any proper training by the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam. Being used to a free and easy life, they found such Islamic injunctions as Zakaat and Jihad more than that they could tolerate. They refused to pay Zakaat (poor-due), claiming that this was due only to the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam.
At the same time a number of impostors claimed that the prophethood had passed to them after Sayyadina Muhammad Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam and they raised the standard of revolt. To add to all this, two powerful empires, the Eastern Roman and the Persian, also threatened the new-born Islamic state at Madinah.
Under these circumstances, many Companions of the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam, including Hadrat Umar Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu, advised Hadrat Abu Bakr Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu to make concessions to the Zakaat evaders, at least for a time. The new Caliph disagreed. He insisted that the Divine Law cannot be divided, that there is no distinction between the obligations of Zakaat and Salaat (prayer), and that any compromise with the injunctions of Allah would eventually erode the foundations of Islam. Hadrat Umar Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu and others were quick to realise their error of judgment. The revolting tribes attacked Madinah but the Muslims were prepared. Hadrat Abu Bakr Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu himself led the charge, forcing them to retreat. He then made a relentless war on the false claimants to prophethood, most of whom submitted and again professed lslam.
The threat from the Roman Empire had actually arisen earlier, during the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam's lifetime. The Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam had organized an army under the command of Usama, the son of a freed slave. The army had not gone far when the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam had fallen ill so they stopped. After the death of the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam the question was raised whether the army should be sent again or should remain for the defence of Madinah. Again Hadrat Abu Bakr Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu showed a firm determination. He said,
"I shall send Usama's army on its way as ordered by the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam, even if I am left alone."
The final instructions he gave to Usama prescribed a code of conduct in war which remains unsurpassed to this day. Part of his instructions to the Muslim army were:
"Do not be deserters, nor be guilty of disobedience. Do not kill an old man, a woman or a child. Do not injure datepalms and do not cut down fruit trees. Do not slaughter any sheep or cows or camels except for food. You will encounter persons who spend their lives in monasteries. Leave them alone and do not molest them."
Khalid bin Waleed Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu had been chosen by the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam on several occasions to lead Muslim armies. A man of supreme courage and a born leader, his military genius came to full flower during the Caliphate of Hadrat Abu Bakr Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu. Throughout Hadrat Abu Bakr Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu's reign Khalid led his troops from one victory to another against the attacking Romans. Another contribution of Hadrat Abu Bakr Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu to the cause of Islam was the collection and compilation of the separate pieces of the verses of the Qur'an al-Kareem into one volume.
Hadrat Abu Bakr Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu passed away on the 21st of Jamadi-al Akhir, 13 H. (23 August 634 C.E), at the age of sixty-three, and was buried by the side of the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam. His caliphate had been of mere two years and three months duration. In this brief span, however, Abu Bakr Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu had managed, by the Grace of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, to strengthen and consolidate his community and the state, and to secure the Muslims against the perils which had threatened their existence. Despite all this, Hadrat Abu Bakr Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu had lived a very simple and modest life. He had neither servants nor bodyguards. He used to come early in the morning to the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam's Masjid to carry out the duties of the state and to perform congregational prayers. He even did routine chores at home, sweeping the floor, feeding and milking the goats, etc. Hadrat Abu Bakr Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu, the first adult male to accept the Prophet Muhammad Salla Allahu Ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam's call to Islam who lived and worked for Islam until his last breath.
Hadrat 'Umar Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu
The Second Caliph, Umar Ibn al-Khattab [634-644 C.E]
"God has placed truth upon Umar's tongue and heart." (Hadith)
Hadrat 'Umar's Life
During his last illness Hadrat Abu Bakr Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu had conferred with his people, particularly the more eminent among the Companions of the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam. After this meeting, Hadrat Abu Bakr Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu nominated Hadrat 'Umar Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu as his successor, and majority of the Companions accepted him without hesitation.
'Umar was born into a respected Quraish family thirteen years after the birth of Sayyadina Hadrat Muhammad Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam. Hadrat 'Umar's Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu family was known for its extensive knowledge of genealogy and family lineage. When he grew up, Hadrat 'Umar Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu was proficient in this branch of knowledge as well as in swordsmanship, wrestling and the art of speaking. He also learned to read and write while still a child, a very rare thing in Makkah at that time. Hadrat 'Umar Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu earned his living as a merchant. His trade took him to many foreign lands and he met all kinds of people. This experience gave him an insight into the affairs and problems of men. Hadrat 'Umar's Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu personality was dynamic, self-assertive, frank and straight forward. He always spoke whatever was in his mind even if it displeased others.
Hadrat 'Umar Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu was twenty-seven when the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam proclaimed his mission. The ideas Sayyadina Muhammad Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam was preaching enraged him as much as they did the other notables of Makkah. He was just as bitter against anyone accepting Islam as others among the Quraish. When his slave-girl accepted Islam he beat her until he himself was exhausted and told her, "I have stopped because I am tired, not out of pity for you." The story of his embracing Islam is an interesting one.
One day, full of anger against the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam, he drew his sword and set out to kill him. On his way he met someone he knew. When 'Umar told him what he planned to do, this person informed him that Hadrat 'Umar's Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu own sister, Fatima Radi Allahu Ta'ala anha, and her husband had also accepted Islam. On hearing this, Hadrat 'Umar Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu diverted his course and went straight to his sister's house where he found her reading from pages of the Qur'an al-kareem. He begun beating his brother-in-law, and Hadrat 'Umar Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu sister too got wounded in an attempt to protect her husband. Bruised and bleeding, she told her brother, 'Umar Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu, you can do what you like, but you cannot turn our hearts away from Islam." These words and the sight of blood on their faces produced a strange effect upon Hadrat 'Umar Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu. What was this faith that made even weak women so strong of heart? He asked his sister to show him what she had been reading; he was at once moved to the core by the words of the Qur'an al-kareem and immediately grasped their truth. He went straight to the house where the Most Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam was staying and vowed allegiance to him.
Hadrat 'Umar Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu made no secret of his acceptance of Islam. He gathered the Muslims and offered prayers at the Ka'aba. This boldness and devotion of an influential citizen of Makkah raised the morale of the small community of Muslims. Nonetheless Hadrat 'Umar Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu was also subjected to privations, and when permission for emigration to Madinah came, he also left Makkah. The soundness of 'Umar's Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu judgment, his devotion to the Most Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam, his outspokenness and uprightness won for him a trust and confidence from the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam which was second only to that given to Hadrat Abu Bakr Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu. The Most Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam gave him the title 'Farooq' which means the 'Separator of Truth from Falsehood.' During the Caliphate of Hadrat Abu Bakr Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu, 'Umar was his closest assistant and adviser. When Hadrat Abu Bakr Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu died, all the people of Madinah swore allegiance to 'Umar, and on 23 Jamadi-al-Akhir, 13 H., he was proclaimed Caliph.
Hadrat 'Umar's Caliphate
After taking charge of his office, Hadrat 'Umar Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu spoke to the Muslims of Madinah:
"...O people, you have some rights on me which you can always claim. One of your rights is that if anyone of you comes to me with a claim, he should leave satisfied. Another of your rights is that you can demand that I take nothing unjustly from the revenues of the State. You can also demand that... I fortify your frontiers and do not put you into danger. It is also your right that if you go to battle I should look after your families as a father would while you are away. "O people, remain conscious of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, forgive me my faults and help me in my task. Assist me in enforcing what is good and forbidding what is evil. Advise me regarding the obligations that have been imposed upon me by Allah..."
The most notable feature of Hadrat 'Umar's Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu caliphate was the vast expansion of Islam. Apart from Arabia, Egypt, Iraq, Palestine and Iran also came under the protection of the Islamic government. But the greatness of 'Umar himself lies in the quality of his rule. He gave a practical meaning to the Qur'anic injunction:
"O you who believe, stand out firmly for justice as witnesses to God, even as against yourselves, or your parents, or your kin, and whether it concerns rich or poor, for God can best protect both." [4:135]
Once a woman brought a claim against the Caliph Hadrat 'Umar Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu. When Umar Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu appeared on trial before the judge, the judge stood up as a sign of respect toward him. Hadrat 'Umar Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu reprimanded him, saying,
"This is the first act of injustice you did to this woman!"
He insisted that his appointed governors live simple lives, keep no guard at their doors and be accessible to the people at all times, and he himself set the example for them. Many times foreign envoys and messengers sent to him by his generals found him resting under a palm tree or praying in the mosque among the people, and it was difficult for them to distinguish which man was the Caliph. He spent many a watchful night going about the streets of Madinah to see whether anyone needed help or assistance. The general social and moral tone of the Muslim society at that time is well-illustrated by the words of an Egyptian who was sent to spy on the Muslims during their Egyptian campaign. He reported:
"I have seen a people, every one of whom loves death more than he loves life. They cultivate humility rather than pride. None is given in to material ambitions. Their mode of living is simple... Their commander is their equal. They make no distinction between superior and inferior, between master and slave. When the time of prayer approaches, none remains behind..."
Hadrat 'Umar Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu gave his government an administrative structure. Departments of treasury, army and public revenues were established. Regular salaries were set up for soldiers. A popuation census was held. Elaborate land surveys were conducted to assess equitable taxes. New cities were founded. The areas which came under his rule were divided into provinces and governors were appointed. New roads were laid, canals were lug and wayside hotels were built. Provision was made for the support of the poor and the needy from public funds.
At the time when the Christian ruler Sophronius was to surrender Jerusalem, he set a condition – that he would only do so if Caliph ‘Umar Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu comes here in person and signs a treaty of peace. The Caliph therefore set out in 637 C.E for Jerusalem with one servant and a camel. Since there was only one camel, he and his servant rode the camel by turns. It happened that on the day they were to reach Jerusalem it was the turn of the servant. The servant insisted on giving his turn to him saying that it will look awkward that the servant is riding and the Caliph leading the camel. But Hadrat ‘Umar Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu thought it was not according to the spirit of justice so he refused to do so.
When the Palestinians saw the Caliph of a vast Islamic empire in rough, patched cloak, walking on foot with no grain of pride and haughtiness they threw their gates open to welcome him into the Sacred City. ‘Umar Ibn Al-Khattab Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu defined, by precept and by example, the rights and privileges of non-Muslims, an example of which is the following contract with the Christians of Jerusalem:
"This is the protection which the servant of Allah, Hadrat 'Umar Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu, the Amir-al-Mu’mineen has granted to the people of Eiliya [Jerusalem]. The protection is for their lives and properties, their churches and crosses, their sick and healthy and for all their co-religionists. Their churches shall not be used for habitation, nor shall they be demolished, nor shall any injury be done to them or to their compounds, or to their crosses, nor shall their properties be injured in any way. There shall be no compulsion for these people in the matter of religion, nor shall any of them suffer any injury on account of religion... Whatever is written herein is under the covenant of God and the responsibility of His Messenger Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam, of the Caliphs and of the believers, and shall hold good as long as they pay Jizya [the tax for their defence] imposed on them."
Those non-Muslims who took part in defence together with the Muslims were exempted from paying Jizya, and when the Muslims had to retreat from a city whose non-Muslim citizens had paid this tax for their defence, the tax was returned to the non-Muslims. The old, the poor and the disabled of Muslims and non-Muslims alike were provided for from the public treasury and from the Zakaat funds.
Hadrat 'Umar Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu adopted the title of 'Amir-al-Mu'mineen’ which means ‘Leader of the Believers’ rather than Khalifah Rasulil-lah as the previous Caliph, Hadrat Abu Bakr Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu was called. 'Umar also instituted the Hijrah which took place 622 C.E as the commencement of the Muslim Era. He founded military and knowledge centres like Basra, Kufa and Fustat, which later developed into great cities of Islam.
'Umar's Death
In 23 H., when Hadrat Umar Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu returned to Madinah from Hajj, he raised his hands and prayed, "O Allah! I am advanced in years, my bones are weary, my powers are declining, and the people for whom I am responsible have spread far and wide. Summon me back to Thyself, my Lord!" Some time later, when Hadrat 'Umar Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu went to the mosque to lead a prayer, a Magian named Abu Lulu Feroze, who had a grudge against Hadrat 'Umar Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu on a personal matter, attacked him with a dagger and stabbed him several times. Umar reeled and fell to the ground. When he learned that the assassin was a Magian, he said, "Thank Allah he is not a Muslim."
'Umar died in the first week of Muharram, 24 H., and was buried by the side of the Most Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam.
Hadrat Uthman Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu
The Third Caliph, Uthman Ibn Affan [644-656 C.E]
"Every Prophet has an assistant, and my assistant will be Uthman."(Hadith)
Hadrat Uthman's Election
When Hadrat 'Umar Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu fell under the assassin's dagger, before he died the people asked him to nominate his successor. 'Umar Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu appointed a committee consisting of six of the ten companions of the Most Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam about whom the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam had said,
"They are the people of Heaven"
- Ali, Uthman, Abd'al Rahman, Sa'ad, Al-Zubayr and Talha Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhum - to select the next Caliph from among themselves. He also outlined the procedure to be followed if any differences of opinion should arise. Abd'al Rahman Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu withdrew his name. He was then authorized by the committee to nominate the Caliph. After two days of discussion among the candidates and after the opinions of the Muslims in Madinah had been ascertained, the choice was finally limited to Uthman and Ali Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhum. Abd'al Rahman Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu came to the Mosque together with other Muslims, and after a brief speech and questioning of the two men, swore allegiance to Uthman Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu. All those present did the same, and Hadrat Uthman Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu became the third Caliph of Islam in the month of Muharram, 24 H.
Hadrat Uthman's Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu Life
Hadrat Uthman bin Affan Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu was born seven years after the Most Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam. He belonged to the Umayyad branch of the Quraish tribe. He learned to read and write at an early age, and as a young man became a successful merchant. Even before Islam, Hadrat Uthman Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu had been noted for his truthfulness and integrity. He and Abu Bakr Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu were close friends, and it was Hadrat Abu Bakr Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu who brought him to Islam when he was thirty-four years of age. Some years later he married the Beloved Prophet's Salla Allahu Ta'ala 'alayhi wa Sallam second daughter, Ruqayya Radi Allahu Ta'ala anha. In spite of his wealth and position, his relatives subjected him to torture because he had embraced Islam, and he was forced to emigrate to Abyssinia. Some time later he returned to Makkah but soon migrated to Madinah with the other Muslims. In Madinah his business again began to flourish and he regained his former prosperity. Hadrat Uthman's Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu generosity had no limits. On various occasions he spent a great portion of his wealth for the welfare of the Muslims, for charity and for equipping the Muslim armies. Because of his wealth he came to be known as 'Al-Ghani' meaning the ‘The Rich'.
Hadrat Uthman's Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu wife, Ruqayya Radi Allahu Ta'ala anha was seriously ill just before the Battle of Badr and he was excused by the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam from participating in the battle. The illness Ruqayya Radi Allahu Ta'ala anha proved fatal, leaving Uthman Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu deeply grieved. The Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam was moved and offered Hadrat Uthman Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu the hand of another of his daughters, Kulthum Radi Allahu Ta'ala anha . Because he had the high privilege of having two daughters of the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam as wives Uthman Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu was known as 'The Possessor of the Two Lights.'
Hadrat Uthman Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu participated in the Battles of Uhud and the Trench. After the encounter of the Trench, the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam determined to perform Hajj and sent Uthman Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu as his emissary to the Quraish in Makkah, who detained him. The episode ended in a treaty with the Makkans known as the 'Treaty of Hudaibiya'.
The portrait we have of Hadrat Uthman Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu is of an unassuming, honest, mild, generous and very kindly man, noted especially for his modesty and his piety. He often spent part of the night in prayer, fasted every second or third day, performed Hajj every year, and looked after the needy of the whole community. In spite of his wealth, he lived very simply and slept on bare sand in the courtyard of the Beloved Prophet's Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam Mosque. Hadrat Uthman Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu knew the entire Qur'an al-kareem from memory and had an intimate knowledge of the context and circumstances relating to each verse.
Hadrat Uthman's Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu Caliphate
During Uthman's Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu rule the characteristics of Hadrat Abu Bakr's and Hadrat Umar's Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhum caliphates - impartial justice for all, mild and humane policies, striving in the path of Allah Subhanahu wa Ta'ala, and the expansion of Islam - continued. Hadrat Uthman's Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu realm extended in the west to Morocco, in the east to Afghanistan, and in the north to Armenia and Azerbaijan. During his caliphate a navy was organized, administrative divisions of the state were revised, and many public projects were expanded and completed. Hadrat Uthman Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu sent prominent Companions of the Most Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam as his personal deputies to various provinces to scrutinise the conduct of officials and the condition of the people.
Hadrat Uthman's Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu most notable contribution to the religion of Allah was the compilation of a complete and authoritative text of the Qur'an al-kareem. A large number of copies of this text were made and distributed all over the Muslim world. Hadrat Uthman Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu ruled for twelve years. The first six years were marked by internal peace and tranquillity, but during the second half of his caliphate a rebellion arose. The Jews and the Magians, taking advantage of dissatisfaction among the people, began conspiring against Hadrat Uthman Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu, and by publicly airing their complaints and grievances, gained so much sympathy that it became difficult to distinguish friend from foe.
It may seem surprising that a ruler of such vast territories, whose armies were matchless, was unable to deal with these rebels. If Hadrat Uthman Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu had wished, the rebellion could have been crushed at the very moment it began. But he was reluctant to be the first to shed the blood of Muslims, however rebellious they might be. He preferred to reason with them, to persuade them with kindness and generosity. He well remembered hearing the Most Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam say, "Once the sword is unsheathed among my followers, it will not be sheathed until the Last Day."
The rebels demanded that he step down and some of the Companions advised him to do so. He would gladly have followed this course of action, but again he was bound by a solemn pledge he had given to the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam . "Perhaps Allah will clothe you with a shirt, Uthman Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu " the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam had told him once, "and if the people want you to take it off, do not take it off for them."
Hadrat Uthman's death
Hadrat Uthman Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu said to a well-wisher on a day when his house was surrounded by the rebels,
"Allah's Beloved Messenger Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam made a covenant with me and I shall show endurance in adhering to it."
After a long siege, the rebels broke into Hadrat Uthman's Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu house and murdered him. When the first assassin's sword struck Hadrat Uthman Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu, he was reciting the verse,
"Verily, Allah will suffice you against them; He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing". (2:137)
Hadrat Uthman Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu breathed his last on the afternoon of Friday, 17 Dhul Hijjah, 35 H. [June, 656 C.E.]. He was eighty-four years old. The power of the rebels was so great that Hadrat Uthman's Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu body lay unburied until Saturday night when he was buried in his blood-stained clothes, the shroud which befits all martyrs in the cause of Allah Subhanhu wa Ta'ala.
Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu
The Fourth Caliph, Ali ibn Abi Talib Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu [656-661 C.E]
"You [Ali] are my brother in this world and the next." (Hadith)
Hadrat Ali's Election
After Hadrat Uthman's Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu martyrdom, the office of the caliphate remained unfilled for two or three days. Many people insisted that Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu should take up the office, but he was embarrassed by the fact that the people who pressed him hardest were the rebels, and he therefore declined at first. When the notable Companions of the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam urged him, however, he finally agreed.
Hadrat Ali's Life
Hadrat Ali bin Abi Talib Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu was a first cousin of the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam . More than that, he had grown up in the Most Beloved Prophet's Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam own household, later married his youngest daughter, Fatima Radi Allahu Ta'ala anha, and remained in closest association with him for nearly thirty years.
Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu was ten years old when the Divine Message came to Sayyadina Hadrat Muhammad Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam. One night he saw the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam and his wife Khadijah Radi Allahu Ta'ala anha bowing and prostrating. He asked the Most Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam about the meaning of their actions. The Most Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam told him that they were praying to God Most High and that Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu too should accept Islam. Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu said that he would first like to ask his father about it. He spent a sleepless night, and in the morning he went to the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam and said, "When God created me He did not consult my father, so why should I consult my father in order to serve God?" and he accepted the truth of Sayyadina Hadrat Muhammad's Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam message.
When the Divine command came,
"And warn your nearest relatives" (26:214),
Sayyadina Hadrat Muhammad Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam invited his relatives for a meal. After it was finished, he addressed them and asked, "Who will join me in the cause of God?" There was utter silence for a while, and then Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu stood up. "I am the youngest of all present here," he said, "My eyes trouble me because they are sore and my legs are thin and weak, but I shall join you and help you in whatever way I can." The assembly broke up in derisive laughter. But during the difficult wars in Makkah, Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu stood by these words and faced all the hardships to which the Muslims were subjected. He slept in the bed of the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam when the Quraish planned to murder Sayyadina Hadrat Muhammad Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam. It was he to whom the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam entrusted, when he left Makkah, the valuables which had been given to him for safekeeping, to be returned to their owners.
Apart from the expedition of Tabuk, Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu fought in all the early battles of Islam with great distinction, particularly in the expedition of Khaybar. It is said that in the Battle of Uhud he received more than sixteen wounds. The Most Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam loved Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu dearly and called him by many fond names. Once the Most Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam found him sleeping in the dust. He brushed off Hadrat Ali's Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu clothes and said fondly, "Wake up, Abu Turab (Father of Dust)." The Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam also gave him the title of 'Asadullah' ('Lion of Allah').
Hadrat Ali's Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu humility, austerity, piety, deep knowledge of the Qur'an al-Kareem and his sagacity gave him great distinction among the Beloved Prophet's Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam Companions. Hadrat Abu Bakr, Hadrat 'Umar and Hadrat Uthman Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhum consulted him frequently during their caliphates. Many times Hadrat 'Umar Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu had made him his vice-regent at Madinah when he was away. Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu was also a great scholar of Arabic literature and pioneered in the field of grammar and rhetoric. His speeches, sermons and letters served for generations afterward as models of literary expression. Many of his wise and epigrammatic sayings have been preserved. Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu thus had a rich and versatile personality. In spite of these attainments he remained a modest and humble man. Once during his caliphate when he was going about the marketplace, a man stood up in respect and followed him. "Do not do it," said Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu. "Such manners are a temptation for a ruler and a disgrace for the ruled."
Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu and his household lived extremely simple and austere lives. Sometimes they even went hungry themselves because of Hadrat Ali's Radi Allahu Taala anhu great generosity, and none who asked for help was ever turned away from his door. His plain, simple style of living did not change even when he was ruler over a vast domain.
Hadrat Ali's Caliphate
As mentioned previously, Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu accepted the caliphate very reluctantly. Hadrat Uthman's Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu murder and the events surrounding it were a symptom, and also became a cause, of civil strife on a large scale. Hadrat Ali felt that the tragic situation was mainly due to inept governors. He therefore dismissed all the governors who had been appointed by Hadrat Uthman Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu and appointed new ones. All the governors besides Muawiya, the governor of Syria, submitted to his orders. Muawiya declined to obey until Hadrat Uthman's Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu blood was avenged. The Beloved Prophet's Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam widow Aisha Radi Allahu Ta'ala anha also took the position that Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu should first bring the murderers to trial. Due to the chaotic conditions during the last days of Hadrat Uthman Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu it was very difficult to establish the identity of the murderers, and Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu refused to punish anyone whose guilt was not lawfully proved. Thus a battle between the army of Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu and the supporters of Aisha Radi Allahu Ta'ala anha took place. Aisha Radi Allahu Ta'ala anha later realised her error of judgment and never forgave herself for it.
The situation in Hijaz (the part of Arabia in which Makkah and Madinah are located) became so troubled that Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu moved his capital to Iraq. Hadrat Muawiya Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu now openly rebelled against Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu and a fierce battle was fought between their armies. This battle was inconclusive, and Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu had to accept the de facto government of Hadrat Muawiya Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu in Syria.
However, even though the era of Hadrat Ali's Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu caliphate was marred by civil strife, he nevertheless introduced a number of reforms, particularly in the levying and collecting of revenues.
It was the 40th year of Hijra. A fanatical group called Khawaarij, consisting of people who formed a sect and had broken away from Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu due to his compromise with Hadrat Mua'wiya Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu, claimed that neither Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu the Caliph, nor Hadrat Mua'wiya Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu the ruler of Syria, nor Amr bin al-Aas the ruler of Egypt, were worthy of rule. In fact, they went so far as to say that the true caliphate came to an end with Hadrat Umar Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu and that Muslims should live without any ruler over them except God. They vowed to kill all three rulers, and assassins were dispatched in three directions.
The assassins who were deputed to kill Hadrat Mua'wiya Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu and Amr bin al-Aas did not succeed and were captured and executed, but Ibn-e-Muljim, the assassin who was commissioned to kill Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu, accomplished his task. One morning when Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu was absorbed in prayer in a Mosque, Ibn-e-Muljim stabbed him with a poisoned sword. On the 20th of Ramadan, 40h. Hadrat Imam Ali Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu passed away, and his son Hadrat Imam Hasan Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu briefly became the 5th Rightly Guided Caliph after the first four main Caliphs of Islam.
May Allah the Most High be pleased with the Rightly-Guided Caliphs and grant to them His eternal reward.
Conclusion
With the passing away of Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu, the first and most notable phase in the history of Muslim peoples came to an end. All through this period it had been the Book of God and the practices of His Most Beloved Messenger Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam - that is, the Qur'an al-Kareem and the Sunnah - which had guided the leaders and the led, set the standards of their moral conduct and inspired their actions. It was the time when the ruler and the ruled, the rich and the poor, the powerful and the weak, were uniformly subject to the Divine Law. It was an epoch of freedom and equality, of God -consciousness and humility, of social justice which recognized no privileges, and of an impartial law which accepted no pressure groups or vested interests.
After Hadrat Ali Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu, Hadrat Imam Hasan Ali Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu the grandson of the Beloved Prophet Salla Allahu Ta'ala alayhi wa Sallam, and the son of Hadrat Imam Ali Radi Allahu Ta'ala anhu assumed the caliphate for a short period of time.
