Kindly provide an explanatory translation of the following part of the Hadith wherein Sayyiduna ‘Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhu) delivered a khutbah and said:
فالخلافة شورى بين هؤلاء الستة، الذين توفي رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم وهو عنهم راض، وإني قد علمت أن أقواما يطعنون في هذا الأمر، أنا ضربتهم بيدي هذه على الإسلام، فإن فعلوا ذلك فأولئك أعداء الله، الكفرة الضلال
Answer
Imam Muslim (rahimahullah) has recorded this Hadith. The explanatory translation is as follows:
“‘Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhu) once delivered a khutbah on Friday. He mentioned Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and Abu Bakr (radiyallahu ‘anhu). He then said, ‘I saw as though a rooster pecked me thrice, I am sure that this refers to the time of my death being close.’ Some people have asked me to appoint a successor. [If I do so, it will be good and if I choose not to appoint a successor then this too is fine, for Nabi sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam also did not explicitly appoint a successor]. [If I choose not to appoint a successor], Allah Ta’ala will not destroy his Din, nor the khilafah nor will He destroy what He had sent his Nabi with. If my death comes suddenly, then the successor will be decided from the six whom Nabi (sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) passed away in the condition that he was pleased with them, [i.e. Sayyiduna ‘Uthman, Sayyiduna ‘Ali, Sayyiduna Talhah, Sayyiduna Zubayr, Sayyiduna Sa’d ibn Abi Waqqas and Sayyiduna ‘Abdur Rahman ibn ‘Awf radiyallahu ‘anhum]. I know very well that some people will [refuse to accept the khilafah, i.e. appointing a Khalif], if they do this [and regard it to be permissible] then they are the enemies of Allah and misguided disbelievers. [If they do not regard it permissible, but they refuse to accept the khilafah then their action resembles the actions of the disbelievers]…”
(Sahih Muslim, Hadith: 567. Refer: Al Minhaj of ‘Allamah Nawawi, Hadith: 1258 and Fathul Mulhim, Hadith: 1230)
And Allah Ta’ala Knows best.
Answered by: Moulana Suhail Motala
Approved by: Moulana Muhammad Abasoomar
Checked by: Moulana Haroon Abasoomar