Can A Person Resign from Leadership? — Seal of the Prophets Vol. 2
Introduction
In this discourse from The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 2), Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra) details the historical events and scholarly insights surrounding Can A Person Resign from Leadership?.
Book Series: The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 2)
Author: Hazrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad (ra)
Section: XII – First Era of Life in Madinah Comes to an End and the Islamic System of Government
Pages: Book pp. 544–545 (PDF pp. 568–569)
Navigation: Book Table of Contents | « Previous: [Conditions for the Appointment of a Successor] | Next: [The Question of Deposition and Election for a Fixed Term; as well as the Difference between Religious and Secular Rulers] »
Historical Account
The question as to whether a Khalīfah or Amīr can resign from office on the basis of a certain wisdom after being officially elected or appointed is a question for which no specific directive has been given. However, it is obvious that in the case of worldly rulers, there can be no reason for prohibition, albeit, the question of religious Khulafā’ is worthy of contemplation. It is ascertained from history that in the era of Ḥaḍrat ‘Uthmānra, the third Khalīfah, when the rebels pressed him to resign from the office of Khilāfat, or suffer forceful dethronement or murder, Ḥaḍrat ‘Uthmānra responded, “I shall never take off the garment of honour which God has conferred upon me.” This was an indication towards a statement of the Holy Prophetsa addressed to Ḥaḍrat ‘Uthmānra that, “Allāh shall confer upon you a garment, and the people will struggle to snatch it from you, but you should not surrender it.” However, in contrast to this, the action of Ḥaḍrat Imām Ḥasanra, upon witnessing signs of dissension in the community of
[Tārīkhur-Rusuli Wal-Mulūk (Tārīkhuṭ-Ṭabarī), By Abū Ja‘far Muḥammad bin Jarīr Aṭ-Ṭabarī, Volume 5, pp. 167-168, Thumma Dakhalat Sanatu Khamsin Wa Thalāthīna / Dhikrul-Khabari ‘An Qatlihī Wa Kaifa Qutila, Dārul-Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon, Second Edition (2002) * Al-Kāmilu Fit-Tārīkh (Tārīkhu Ibnil-Athīr), By ‘Izzuddīn Abul-Ḥasan ‘Alī bin Muḥammad Ibnul- Athīr, Volume 3, pp. 60-61, Sanatu 35, Dhikru Maqtali ‘Uthmāna, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon (2006)]
[Mishkātul-Maṣābīḥ, By Waliyyudīn Abū ‘Abdillāh Muḥammad bin ‘Abdillāh, Volume 2, p. 425, Kitābul-Manāqibi, Bābu Manāqibi ‘Uthmāna Raḍiyallāhu ‘Anhu, Al-Faṣluth-Thānī, Ḥadīth No. 6077, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2003) * Sunanut-Tirmidhī, Kitābul-Manāqib, Wa Fī Manāqibi ‘Uthmānabni ‘Affān, Ḥadīth No. 3705]
the Holy Prophetsa, was to renounce his right to Khilāfat for Amīr Mu‘āwiyyah. In this manner, the prophecy was fulfilled in which the Holy Prophetsa foretold that, “God shall reconcile between two Muslim parties through this grandson of mine.” In other words, this action of Ḥaḍrat Imām Ḥasanra has been looked upon as worthy of praise, because through his resignation, a prophecy of the Holy Prophetsa in which he alluded to a distinct quality of Imām Ḥusainra was fulfilled; and the community of the Holy Prophetsa was once again united upon common ground. The conclusion which is derived from these two examples is that the question of resignation has been left open according to the circumstances at hand. In other words, if the system of Khilāfat has been firmly established as in the case of Ḥaḍrat ‘Uthmānra, or if resignation is desired or demanded by the people then it is undesirable, rather, it is prohibited. However, prior to the establishment of Khilāfat, as in the case of Ḥaḍrat Imām Ḥasanra, if a Khalīfah considers it appropriate to withdraw from his own right himself for a higher purpose, then there is no reason for prohibition. At this instance, it is incumbent to mention that the idea which we have presented here is no conclusive doctrine instituted by Islām; rather, it is merely a point of view, which we have presented in light of occurrences. 3 ُوَاللّٰهُ اَعْ لَم
[Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābuṣ-Ṣulḥi, Bābu Qaulin-Nabiyyisa Lil-Ḥasanibni ‘Aliyyin…..Innabnai Hādhā Sayyidun, Ḥadīth No. 2704 * Tārīkhur-Rusuli Wal-Mulūk (Tārīkhuṭ-Ṭabarī), By Abū Ja‘far Muḥammad bin Jarīr Aṭ-Ṭabarī, Volume 6, pp. 71-72, Thumma Dakhalat Sanatu Arba‘īna / Dhikrul-Bai‘atil-Ḥasanibni ‘Aliyyin, Dārul-Fikr, Beirut, Lebanon, Second Edition (2002) * Al-Kāmilu Fit-Tārīkh (Tārīkhu Ibnil-Athīr), By ‘Izzuddīn Abul-Ḥasan ‘Alī bin Muḥammad Ibnul- Athīr, Volume 3, pp. 271-273, Thumma Dakhalat Sanatu Iḥdā Wa Arba‘īna (41), Dhikru Taslīmil- Ḥasanibni ‘Aliyyin Al-Khilāfata Ilā Mu‘āwiyata, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon (2006)]
[Mishkātul-Maṣābīḥ, By Waliyyudīn Abū ‘Abdillāh Muḥammad bin ‘Abdillāh, Volume 2, p. 437, Kitābul-Manāqibi, Bābu Manāqibi Ahli Baitin-Nabiyyisa Wa Raḍiyallāhu ‘Anhum, Al-Faṣlul-Awwalu, Ḥadīth No. 6077, Dārul-Kutubil-‘Ilmiyyah, Beirut, Lebanon, First Edition (2003) * Ṣaḥīḥul-Bukhārī, Kitābu Faḍā’ili Aṣḥābin-Nabiyyisa, Bābu Manāqibil-Ḥasani Wal-Ḥusaini….., Ḥadīth No. 3746 * Fatḥul-Bārī Sharḥu Ṣaḥīḥil-Bukhārī, By Al-Imām Aḥmad bin Ḥajar Al-‘Asqalānī, Volume 7, p. 118, Faḍā’ili Aṣḥābin-Nabiyyisa , Bābu Manāqibil-Ḥasani Wal-Ḥusaini….., Under Ḥadīth No. 3746, Qadīmī Kutub Khānah, Ārām Bāgh, Karachi]
The Question of Deposition and Election for a Fixed Term; as
well as the Difference between Religious and Secular Rulers
The question as to whether an Amīr or Khalīfah may be elected for a specific term in office or not and whether an individual may be dismissed
Book Series: The Life & Character of the Seal of the Prophets (Volume 2)
Section: XII – First Era of Life in Madinah Comes to an End and the Islamic System of Government | Navigation: « Previous: [Conditions for the Appointment of a Successor] | Next: [The Question of Deposition and Election for a Fixed Term; as well as the Difference between Religious and Secular Rulers] »