Contoh Ijma' as-Sahabah ialah keutamaan yang mesti diberikan kepada pelantikan seorang Khalifah bagi kaum Muslimin. Sunnah Nabi ﷺ memberitahu kita bahawa jenazah mesti dikebumikan dengan segera, dan adalah diharamkan bagi mereka yang bertanggungjawab ke atas pengebumian untuk melambatkan pengebumian kerana perkara-perkara lain. Namun apabila Nabi ﷺ wafat, para Sahabat melambatkan pengebumian baginda ﷺ sehingga mereka memilih seorang Khalifah dalam kalangan mereka sendiri.

An example of Ijma‟ as-Sahabah is the priority, which must be given to the appointment of a Khaleefah for Muslims. The Sunnah of the Prophet (saw) informs us that the dead must be buried quickly and it is forbidden for those responsible for the burial to delay the burial on account of other things. Yet when the Prophet (saw) died, the Companions delayed his (saw) burial until they had selected a Khaleefah from among themselves.

Sebelum pengebumian selesai diuruskan, para Sahabah (ra) telah berkumpul di tempat Banu Sai'da dan meneruskan dengan memilih Khalifah. Selepas perbincangan mengenai perkara ini, semua bersetuju untuk memberikan Bay'ah (ikrar setia) kepada Abu Bakr (ra), dan selepas itu mereka mengebumikan Nabi ﷺ. Tiada seorang pun daripada mereka yang membantah penangguhan pengebumian itu. Persetujuan sebulat suara para Sahabah (ra) mengenai tindakan ini ialah dalil bagi kita tentang pentingnya melantik Khalifah bagi umat Islam, lebih penting daripada pengebumian Nabi ﷺ sendiri.

Before the burial arrangements were completed, the Sahabah (ra) had gathered in the place of Banu Sai‟da and proceeded to select the Khaleefah. After discussion of the matter, all agreed to give Bay‟ah (oath of allegiance) to Abu Bakr (ra), after which they buried the Prophet (saw). None of them objected to the delay of the burial. The unanimous agreement of the Sahabah (ra) regarding this action is a Daleel for us about the importance of appointing the Khaleefah for Muslims, even more vital than the burial of the Prophet (saw) himself.

Al-Haythami (m. 1405 M) berkata, "Diketahui bahawa para Sahabah (ra) bersepakat bahawa memilih Imam selepas berakhirnya zaman Kenabian adalah wajib. Malah mereka meletakkannya lebih penting daripada kewajipan-kewajipan lain, sedangkan mereka sibuk dengannya ketika urusan pengebumian Nabi ﷺ."8

Al-Haythami (d. 1405 CE) said, “It is known that the Sahabah (ra) consented that selecting the Imam after the end of the era of Prophethood was an obligation (Wajib). Indeed they made it (more) important than the (other) obligations whilst they were busy with it over the burial of the Prophet (saw).”8

Ulama yang termasyhur Al-Taftazani (wafat 1389 M) berkata, "Terdapat Ijma' (kesepakatan) bahawa melantik seorang Imam adalah wajib…Pendapat yang diterima (iaitu pendirian yang benar) ialah bahawa ia wajib ke atas hamba-hamba Allah berdasarkan dalil nas, kerana sabda Rasulullah ﷺ:

The reputed scholar Al-Taftazani (d. 1389 CE) said, “There is Ijma (consensus) that appointing an Imam is wajib (obligatory)…The adoption (i.e. correct position) is that it is obligatory upon the servants by textual evidence because of the saying of the Messenger (saw):

"Sesiapa yang mati tanpa mengenali Imam pada zamannya, maka dia mati dengan kematian zaman Jahiliyyah (Kejahilan)." Juga, umat telah sepakat bahawa ini adalah kewajipan yang paling penting selepas kewafatan Rasulullah ﷺ, begitu penting sehingga mereka menganggapnya lebih penting daripada perkara pengebumiannya; dan begitu juga selepas kewafatan setiap Imam. Mereka mesti melantik seseorang, kerana banyak kewajipan Syariah bergantung kepada kewajipan ini.9

"Whoever dies not having known the Imam of his time, dies the death of the days of Jahiliyyah (Ignorance)." Also, the Ummah agreed that this was the most important duty following the death of the Messenger (saw), so important in fact that they considered it more important than the matter of his burial, and so also has it been after the death of each Imam. And they must appoint someone, for so many Shari‟ah obligations depend on this duty.”9

Contoh lain Ijma' as-Sahabah ialah ketika Umar (ra) di ambang kematiannya menetapkan tempoh tiga hari untuk melantik Khalifah selepas beliau. Beliau bahkan memerintahkan agar mereka dalam majlis enam orang yang dilantiknya itu dibunuh sekiranya mereka berselisih. Kesemua Sahabat bersetuju dengan perkara ini. Enam orang yang Umar lantik dalam majlis itu ialah Sahabat-Sahabat senior yang telah dijanjikan syurga oleh Nabi ﷺ, iaitu Ali b. Abi Talib, Uthman b. Affan, Sa'ad b. Abi Waqqas, Abdur Rahman ibn Awf, Az-Zubayr b. Al Awwam, dan Talha b. Ubaydullah.

Another example of Ijma‟ as-Sahabah is when Umar (ra) on his deathbed specified a time limit of three days to appoint the next Khaleefah after him, he even ordered for those amongst the council of six he nominated to be killed if they disputed. All of the Sahabah consented to this. The six Umar appointed in the council were all senior Sahabah who had been promised paradise by the Prophet (saw), they included Ali b. Abi Talib, Uthman b. Affan, Sa‟ad b. Abi Waqqas, Abdur Rahman ibn Awf, Az- Zubayr b. Al Awwam, and Talha b. Ubaydullah.

Cendekiawan dan sejarawan terkenal Ibn Jarir al-Tabari (838–923 M), serta yang lain, telah meriwayatkan kisah tentang apa yang terjadi ketika Umar (ra) cedera. Umar (ra) berkata: "Wahai kumpulan kaum Muhajirin! Sesungguhnya Rasulullah ﷺ telah wafat, dan baginda ﷺ redha kepada kalian semua yang berenam. Maka, aku telah memutuskan untuk menjadikan (pemilihan Khalifah) ini sebagai perkara musyawarah di antara kalian, supaya kalian dapat memilih salah seorang daripada kalian sebagai Khalifah. Jika lima daripada kalian bersepakat atas seorang lelaki, dan ada seorang yang menentang kelima-lima itu, bunuhlah dia. Jika empat berada di satu pihak dan dua di pihak yang lain, bunuhlah dua orang itu. Dan jika tiga berada di satu pihak dan tiga di pihak yang lain, maka Abdur Rahman bin Auf akan mempunyai undi penentu, dan Khalifah akan dipilih daripada golongannya. Dalam keadaan itu, bunuhlah tiga orang di pihak yang menentang. Jika kalian mahu, kalian boleh menjemput sebahagian daripada pembesar kaum Ansar sebagai pemerhati, tetapi Khalifah mestilah salah seorang daripada kalian kaum Muhajirin, bukan daripada mereka. Mereka tidak mempunyai bahagian dalam Khilafah. Dan pemilihan Khalifah yang baharu mesti dibuat dalam tempoh tiga hari."10

The renowned scholar and historian Ibn Jarir al-Tabari (838–923 CE) as well as others have reported the narrations about what occurred when Umar (ra) was wounded, Umar (ra) said: “O group of Muhajireen! Verily, the Apostle of Allah died, and he was pleased with all six of you. I have, therefore, decided to make it (the selection of Khaleefah) a matter of consultation among you, so that you may select one of yourselves as Khaleefah. If five of you agree upon one man, and there is one who is opposed to the five, kill him. If four are one side and two on the other, kill the two. And if three are on one side and three on the other, then Abdur Rahman ibn Auf will have the casting vote, and the Khaleefah will be selected from his party. In that case, kill the three men on the opposing side. You may, if you wish, invite some of the chief men of the Ansar as observers but the Khaleefah must be one of you Muhajireen, and not any of them. They have no share in the Khilafah. And your selection of the new Khaleefah must be made within three days.”10