Halabi has written in his Seeratun Nabawiyyah:1
“Abu Bakr believed that an inferior person can become the guardian of one,
who was superior to him. And this same principle is correct according to Ahle
Sunnat, because how often his power in establishing exigencies of religion is
more and he was more aware what was for the welfare of subjects.”
Halabi has issued this statement in reply to the question why Abu Bakr
preferred Umar bin Khattab and Abu Ubaidah Jarrah over himself in Caliphate
and declared: “Pay allegiance to any of these two.”
Baqilani in Tamheed, in reply to the question that why Abu Bakr said: I have
become your guardian, but I am not the best among you, has written:2
“It is possible that he believed that there was someone in the Ummah, who
was superior to him, but the Ummah has reached consensus on his Caliphate and Ummah was reformed through his view (and he said): “So that the Ummah may
be explained that the Imamate of the inferior due to the presence of an
obstruction in appointing the superior, is lawful. And that is why he said to the
Ansar and others: I approve one of these two to rule over you and you may pay
allegiance to anyone of then: one is Umar bin Khattab and the other is Abu
Ubaidah Jarrah. And Abu Bakr knew that Abu Ubaidah, from the aspect of
excellence, was lower to him, Uthman and Ali. But he believed that people would
unite on his appointment and mischief shall be stopped. And these are instances
for which they do not have any reply.”
Allamah Amini says: Our view regarding Caliphate is that Caliphate is
divine guardianship, like prophethood; although divine revelation is only
restricted for prophet. The Caliph has a few functions: Propagation and
explanation; fighting battles on interpretation3 -just as Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.)
fought on the basis of revelation and the expression of what the Prophet was
unable to explain to the people, due to the fact that its time was not ripe or that
people did not have the capacity to digest it; or some other reason.
Thus, each appointment of the Prophet and Caliph is a divine grace and this
grace, which is in the meaning of making the people proximate to obedience and
removing them from disobedience is obligatory on Him, and for this He has
created them and called them for His worship and obedience and taught them
what they did not know, and did not leave the human beings like quadrupeds to
graze and enjoy life and that they may be busy in their desires.
On the contrary, He created them so that they may recognize Him, gave
them the capacity to achieve His pleasure and made the path easy for them by
sending prophets and revealing scriptures and sending divine revelations in
different periods.
Since the age of every prophet is limited and he is not destined to live
forever, and Shariats have a long span; thus when a prophet passes away, his
Shariat is having one of the two tenures and in each of them there are lives, which
not yet completed. There are laws, which are not announced to the public,
although they are framed, or laws, whose time has not arrived to be acted upon;
and there are new laws, whose time is delayed.
In that case it is not logical that the Ummah should be left in such conditions
(without a guardian), because all are bestowed divine grace, the grace which is
obligatory on God; they are all equal.
That is why it is obligatory on Allah, the Mighty and Sublime to appoint
someone on them to complete the religion for them and doubts of disbelievers
may be removed and by recognition of darknesses of ignorance and through
warding off attacks of enemies of religion through the sword.
Since Allah, the Mighty and Sublime is graceful on the people, and He
considers it necessary to have mercy on them, and for them select nothing but
well being and goodness, then it is necessary that He should chose someone for
their leadership, who may bear this heavy responsibility and in all duties he
should act like the prophet, whose successor he is and that Caliph should be
clearly announced through that prophet and it is not allowed that he should leave
them in a lurch.
Do you not see that Abdullah said to his father, Umar: “People say that you
have not appointed anyone as a Caliph; if you had been a shepherd, and had left
them to their devices, it will be said that you were careless and deficient
regarding them – and the issue of leadership of people is more serious than
welfare of cattle, what will you reply to Allah, the Mighty and Sublime if you
meet him without having appointed anyone as your Caliph?”4
And Ayesha said to Ibne Umar: “Dear son! Convey my greetings and tell
him not leave the Ummah of Muhammad without a guardian. Appoint a Caliph
on them and do not leave them after you as I fear mischief on them…”5
And this is Muawiyah bin Abu Sufyan, who said regarding the appointment
of Yazid as Caliph that he perfectly relied on this logical rule and said:
“I fear leaving the Ummah of Muhammad after me like a herd of sheep,
without a shepherd.”6
Alas, if I only knew, why the Ummah has accused His Eminence (s.a.w.a.)
for having overlooked the appointment of Caliph, whereas everyone else was so
concerned about this?
Entrusting this issue (appointment of Caliph) to members of the public or
persons, who have a say (intellectuals), is not allowed, because perfect reason
regards some conditions necessary in the Imam. Some of them are unseen
qualities and only one, who is omniscient is aware of them.7
Like infallibility and spiritual purity, so that he may be restrained from
following his carnal desires; and like knowledge, that he may not be misguided
from laws; and other qualities, which are presented to the self and soul and
externally, only a part of them becomes apparent, which goes on to prove its
whole.