This is the extreme effort of one, who has endeavored to show Caliph’s
knowledge about Sunnah and extent of his awareness.
If we compare what is narrated by the caliph – including authentic and
fabricated, on the subject of exegesis and Islamic laws totaling 104 or 142
traditions – to what is narrated about the holy Sunnah of Prophet (s.a.w.a.), we
would find it not even like a drop in the ocean, from which no base in Islam can
be established and no pillar is fixed for religion and thirst of no thirsty one is
quenched and it does not untie the knot of any difficulty.
These are Abu Huraira, Anas bin Malik, Abdullah bin Umar, Abdullah Ibne
Abbas, Abdullah bin Amr Aas, Abdullah bin Masud and so on… who have
narrated thousands of traditions from the Sunnah of Prophet.
Taqi bin Mukhallad in his Musnad, has only mentioned 5300 odd traditions
from Abu Huraira.1 And it is while Abu Huraira remained with the Prophet for
only three years and this is Ahmad bin Furat, who has written 1050000 traditions
and has selected from them 300000 traditional reports on exegesis, Islamic laws
and conclusions.2
And this is Hurmula bin Yahya Abu Hafas Misri, associate of Shafei, who
has only narrated 100000 traditions from the channel of Ibne Wahab, Khulasa
Tahzib.3
And this is Hafiz Muslim, author of Sahih, who has presented 30000
traditions that he heard.4
And this is Hafiz Ibne Uqdah, who replies with 300000 traditions from Ahle
Bayt (a.s.) and Bani Hashim, and Darqutni has narrated from him.5
And this Hafiz Abu Dawood Sajistani, who has narrated 500000 traditions
from the Prophet.6
And this is Abdullah, son of Ahmad, leader of the Hanbalis, who has
narrated 100000 odd traditions from his father.7
And this is Ahmad, the leader of Hanbalis, before whom there were more
than 750000 traditions.8
Thus, come with me, so that we may see the Islam, which has the capacity to
include all sciences and arts and is of such magnitude and a prophet, whose
traditions and Sunnah is as such and these are his trusts, which reform the
Ummah and this glory of the elders and trustees of knowledge and religion and
these biographies and manners of scholars of this holy Sunnah, how the caliph of
this Prophet should be proficient in the knowledge of Quran and Sunnah?!
And how he should bear the knowledge and sciences of one, who has
appointed him as his caliph?! And whose heir he is? Should be content only with
104 traditions?
What is the relation between shortcoming of Umar after the Prophet and lack
of traditional reports from Umar, because during the period of Prophet the
narrators did not have any kind of restriction and they were not banned from
narrating traditions. And those, who have narrated traditional reports in excess,
they have not restricted the narration of traditions to the period after the passing
away of Prophet. Thus, the reason for this paucity is lack of knowledge and
inability for retention.
Then how is it lawful for the Caliph that the burden of Caliphate should be
heavy on his shoulder and difficult problems made him weary? And he utters
statements like: “Which sky would shade me…” or “I am expressing my view”;
that he should made such statements as shield.
Or that after a short period passed in his Caliphate and he faced difficulties
in various circumstances, he said:
“I want someone else to help me in preserving the Sunnah as I don’t have
the capacity for it. Because Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) was secure from Shaitan and divine revelation descended on him from heavens.”9
Or he says: “By God, I am not the best among you and I detest this position
and I want that someone from you should relieve me of this. Or do you think that
I would act among you according to Sunnah of Prophet? In that case, I can’t
establish it, because Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) was protected through divine
revelation and an angel was present at his side; and I have a Satan, who deceives
me, thus when I am angry, keep away from me, lest I tear up your hair and skin.
Indeed, beware of me; thus if I am on the right path, help me and if I deviate,
remove my deviation.”10
Due to meager share from knowledge of Book and Sunnah, the Caliph
opened the path of personal opinion, after Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) had
closed this door for his Ummah; but the Caliph had no option other than that.
Ibne Saad in Tabaqat,11 Abu Umar in Kitabul Ilm12 and Ibne Qayyim in
Elamul Mauqeen13 have written that:
“During the period of Abu Bakr, a situation arose, on which they could not
find a solution from Book of Allah or Sunnah of Prophet. So he expressed his
personal view saying: This is my personal view; if it is correct it is from
Almighty Allah and if it is a mistake it is from me and I seek forgiveness.”
Other judgments, in addition to what we said, occurred from Abu Bakr; that
inspite of his tenure being short, are sufficient to understand his knowledge; some
of them are as follows: