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IMAMAT AND KHILAFAT
"Remember the Day [of Judgment] when We will summon every people with their Imam [Leader]." The Holy Qur'an 17:71
It was after the death of the Holy Prophet that the Muslims were divided into two main sects, theSunnis and the Shias.The Shias are of the belief that after the death of the Holy Prophet, Ali is his immediate successor.Whereas the Sunnis are of the belief that Abu Bakr is the Holy Prophet’s successor.Some Muslims are of the belief that the Holy Prophet did not appoint his successor and that he left itto the Muslims to elect one. Some are of the belief that if the Holy Prophet did appoint Ali as hissuccessor then that was unacceptable.Imamat and Khilafat are the main issues that have divided the Muslim Ummah into seventy threesects, each claiming to be on the right path and others on the wrong path.All Muslims believe in One God, one Prophet, one Qur’an and one religion, yet they are so muchdivided on this matter.Let us try to examine and analyse to see if this matter can be resolved in any way.Before we analyse the issue of Imamat/Khilafat Shia point of view, let us see how did Abu Bakr come into power.Immediately after the death of the Holy Prophet, only a handful of Muslims gathered together in aplace called Saquifa, which was a place of ill-reputation, to elect the Holy Prophet’s successor.These people did not even care to participate in the Holy Prophet’s burial. Ali was the person whoarranged the Holy Prophet’s funeral.There can be only one of the following situation and you decide what could it be.1. The holy Prophet did not find any need to appoint his successor and he did not appoint anyone.If such was the case, then why did the handful of sahabas discarded the blessed body of the holyProphet and rushed to Saqifa to sort out the issue of Khilafat? Was it because they consideredthemselves smarter, more intelligent and cleverer than Allah and His Messenger to introducesomething that they did not think important or neccessary?At whose mercy was the Muslim ummah from the time the holy Prophet breathe his last to the timethe first Caliph was 'elected'? Is it not important for us Muslims to know this since the sahabasdiscarded the blessed body of the holy Prophet and thought that the khilafat was more important?The holy Prophet said, "One who dies without knowing the Imam of his time dies the death of  jahiliyyah (kufr)."2. It was extremely important for the holy Prophet to appoint someone as his successor and khalifabut the holy Prophet ignored/neglected/forgot or did not care. Bearing Allah as your witness, do youseriously think that the holy Prophet could have done anything like this?3. The holy Prophet left this matter in the hands of the Muslims. The example of this is like asfollows. There is a highly qualified medical doctor with many many years of experience. He is aboutto retire or move else where. He has got two options; one to find a suitable doctor like him to takeover and the other one is to get together all his patients and ask them to elect someone amongstthem to take his place. What does your commonsense tell you?If the holy Prophet would have left this matter in the hands of Muslim Ummah, then surely he musthave known and realised about people like Yazid and Hajjaj bin Yusuf coming into the power andthe havoc they would create. If nothing else, Allah Himself would have known the consequences of such a mistake. Would He himself not take due care to secure safety of His religion and its
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followers?The holy Prophet would have surely provided some kind of guidance regarding this matter.The first caliph and the so called successor of the holy Prophet, hazrat Abu Bakr was "elected".This episode raises a number of questions:Was the election so important that the body of the H. Prophet could be discarded until a Khalifa waselected?If it was a matter of electing a Khalifa for the Muslims, then why did not the entire Muslim populationof the time get an opportunity to take part in the election? Where were people like Ali, Abu Dhar,Salman Farsi, Ibn Abbas and Ammar Yasir?Why did the so called election take place in secret? Why not for example in the Prophet’s mosque?However, the result of the election was that Abu Bakr came into power. When hazrat Abu Bakr was on his death bed, he nominated hazrat Umar as his successor. Or shallwe say that he returned the favour done to him! There was no other election, instead there was anomination!When hazrat Umar was on his death bed, he appointed a committee of six people from amongstwhom hazrat Uthman was selected. This time there was niether election nor nomination!Is this not ironical that the so called successors of the holy Prophet and khalifatul Muslimeen wereso sensible and thoughtful that each one of them rightly or wrongly made some kind of provision for their successors but the holy Prophet himself had no time to sort this out and appoint anyone as hisown successors!!!One wonders what is the rule of the game? If we were to establish a Muslim khilafah today, whichof these would be applicable and on what grounds?It seems as though Islam was hijacked from the time the Holy Prophet closed his eyes.4.The holy Prophet did appoint and indicate who his successors are going to be.Shias believe that Imamat and Khilafat is not a matter of election, nomination or selection by thepeople. It is a post that is designated by Allah Himself for whomever He chooses.Let us see if the Holy Qur’an supports this concept.
2:30 “I am placing on the earth one that shall be MY deputy (KHALIFA) ” 2:124 “When his Lord put Ibrahim to the proof by enjoining on him certain commandments and Ibrahim fulfilled them, He said, “I have appointed you a leader (IMAM) of mankind.” “And what of my descendants?” asked Ibrahim.“My covenant,” said He, “does not apply to the evil doers.” 28:68 “And thy Lord creates what He wills and chooses; they have NO right to choose.” 33:36 “And it is not for a believing man or a believing woman to have any choice in their affair when Allah and His Messenger have decided a matter….” 
The above mentioned verses clearly indicate that the appointment of an Imam or a Khalifa is entirelyin Allah’s hands. Besides that the main quality of the true Imam is “ ISMAT,” which means purity,cleanliness and perfection.
33:33 “Allah desires only to keep away uncleanliness from you People of the House (Ahlul – Bayt)and make you pure as pure can be.” 
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All the Muslims are unanimous in accepting that this verse refers to the Holy Prophet himself, Ali,Fatimah, Hasan and Husain. Peace and blessings of Allah be upon them all.In the light of the above verse who can be more befitting to lead the Muslim Ummah as an Imam or a Khalifa after the death of the Holy Prophet, then Ali, the Prophet’s son - in - law?
4:59 “Obey Allah, His Prophet and those in authority.” 
Who are these who are referred as “those in authority”?Obedience of Allah and His Apostle is understandable. Does “those in authority” mean Presidents,Prime Ministers, Governors, Monarchs, etc.? If yes, then what about if they are unbelievers, unjust,tyrants, etc.?If it only means Muslim rulers, then what about Yezid or Saddam Hussein?Suppose the “one in authority’s” command contradicts the command of Allah or His Apostle, thenwho do you obey and on what grounds?Therefore, “those in authority” have to be pure, clean and perfect to deserve the same category of obedience as that of Allah and His Apostle. Who else can be more deserving than the Ahlul - Bayt?
3:7 “It is He Who has revealed the Book to you; some of it’s verses are precise in meaning - they are the foundation of the Book, and others are ambiguous. Those whose hearts are infected withdisbelief, follow the ambiguous part, so as to create dissension by seeking to explain it to mislead (through their own interpretation), but none knows it’s interpretation except Allah and those who arefirmly rooted in knowledge." 
How can one be sure that the one whom s/he is following as a guide, or as a leader, or as an Imam,is certainly rooted in knowledge or is there someone else? What if the person you follow happen tobe with an infected heart and therefore getting the wrong interpretation of the Book? Is there anylogic in Allah (s.w.t.) warning against such dangerous people and at the same time omitting preciseinterpreters of His Book?Allah tells us in the Holy Qur’an about Imams and Leaders who guide people on the right path :
“And We made them Leaders (Imams), guiding ( the people) by Our command……” 21:73“And of them We made Leaders (Imams) to guide (the people) by Our command as they weresteadfast (in the calamities) and of Our sign were quite certain." 32:24
Likewise, Allah also warns us against Imams and Leaders who invite people towards hell fire:
“And We made them Imams who invite them to the (hell) fire, and on the Day of Resurrection they shall not be helped. And We caused them to be followed in this world, by a curse; and on the Day of Resurrection they shall be of the loathed (ones).” 28:41 - 42.
If one follows the path of Ali, Fatimah, Hasan or Hussein, peace be upon them all, then we all knowthat their source of knowledge was the Holy Prophet himself. Theirs was the place where theArchangel Jibraeel came with divine revelations, salutations and blessings of Allah. These are thevery people upon whom we send blessings in all our ritual prayers, i.e. salaat or namaz.
“This day I have perfected your religion for you and completed My favour to you. I have chosenIslam to be your faith.” 5:3.
If Allah claims to have perfected the religion of Islam, then how is it possible for Him to have left outsuch an important issue of Khilafat or Imamat just like that? An issue which has divided Muslimsinto seventy three sects.
 “And surely this your religion is one religion, and I am your Lord, so keep your duty unto Me.”23:52.
Islam is a religion which has left no stone unturned to do with our everyday life. To such an extentthat it teaches us which foot to put first when going to the toilet. Is it possible that Islam could either ignore or neglect such a vital issue or leave it in the hands of Muslims to choose and pick whom
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