Ummah ndiyo inayomteua Khalifah. Hata hivyo, haina haki ya kumwondoa mara baada ya bay'ah kukamilika kwa mujibu wa njia ya Shari'ah.

The Ummah is the one who appoints the Khalifah. However, it does not possess the right to remove him once the pledge of allegiance has been concluded according to the Shari’ah method.

Makala hii ina sehemu mbili: ya kwanza ni kwamba Ummah ndiyo yenye haki ya kumteua Khalifah; ya pili ni kwamba Ummah haina haki ya kumwondoa.

This article has two halves; the first that the Ummah is the one who holds the right to appoint the Khalifah; the second being that the Ummah does not possess the right to remove him.

Kwa upande wa nusu ya kwanza, ushahidi wake ni riwaya kuhusu bay'ah (kiapo cha utii). Hakuna yeyote mwenye haki ya kushika wadhifa wa Khilafah isipokuwa kwa bay'ah, kwa kuwa bay'ah ndiyo njia ya kumteua Khalifah. Hili limethibitishwa kutokana na bay'ah ya Waislamu kwa Mtume ﷺ, na kutokana na amri ya Mtume ﷺ kwetu kuhusu bay'ah, na kwamba Makhalifa waongofu walishika Khilafah kwa bay'ah pekee.

As for the first half, the proof for it is the narrations regarding the pledge of allegiance, since no one possesses the right to undertake the position of the Khilafah except through the pledge, because the pledge is the method to appoint the Khalifah. This is established from the pledge of the Muslims to the Messenger (pbuh) and from the command of the Messenger (pbuh) for us regarding the pledge, and that the righteous Khulafaa’ only undertook the Khilafah through the pledge of allegiance.

Ushahidi wa nusu ya pili ni amri ya kumtii Khalifah hata akifanya jambo lenye kulaumiwa, au akiwa dhalimu, mradi tu si kufuru iliyo wazi. Imepokewa na Muslim kutoka kwa Ibn ‘Abbas kwamba Mtume wa Allah ﷺ alisema:

With respect to the second half, its evidence is the order to obey the Khalifah even if he commits something reproachable, or is oppressive, as long as it is not a clear disbelief. It is narrated by Muslim from Ibn ‘Abbas that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said.

. مَنْ رَأَى مِنْ أَمِيرِهِ شَيْئًا يَكْرَهُهُ فَ لْيَصْبِرْ، فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ فَارَقَ الْجَمَاعَةَ شِبْ رًا فَمَاتَ « » فَمِيتَةٌ جَاهِلِيَّة .

. مَنْ رَأَى مِنْ أَمِيرِهِ شَيْئًا يَكْرَهُهُ فَ لْيَصْبِرْ، فَإِنَّهُ مَنْ فَارَقَ الْجَمَاعَةَ شِبْ رًا فَمَاتَ « » فَمِيتَةٌ جَاهِلِيَّة .

“Yeyote atakayeona kwa Amiri wake kitu asichokipenda, na asubiri kwa subira, kwa kuwa yeyote atakayejitenga na jamaa ya Waislamu hata kwa umbali wa shibri moja, kisha akafa, atakufa kifo cha watu wa zama za Jahiliyya.” Neno “Amiri wake” ni la jumla, na Khalifa anaingia humo kwa kuwa ndiye Amiri wa Waumini. Na katika riwaya ya Yazid bin Salamah Al-Ju’fi katika Tabarani, alisema: “Ee Nabii ﷺ wa Allah, unasemaje ikiwa tuna watawala wanaotutawala na kudai tutimize wajibu wetu kwao, lakini wao wenyewe hawatimizi wajibu wao kwetu? Unatuamuru tufanye nini?” Mtume ﷺ wa Allah hakutoa jibu. Salamah alimuuliza tena. Hakutoa jibu tena. Kisha akamuuliza tena – ilikuwa mara ya pili au ya tatu – ndipo Ash'ath bin Qais alipomvuta pembeni na kusema:

“One who found in his Amir something which he disliked should hold his patience, for one who separated from the main body of the Muslims even to the extent of a handspan and then he died would die the death of one belonging to the days of Jahiliyya.”, and the word “his Amir” is general, and the Khalifah falls under it since he is the Amir of the believers. And in the narration of Yazid b. Salamah Al-Ju’fi in Tabarani in which he said: “O Prophet (phuh) of Allah, what do you think if we have rulers who rule over us and demand that we discharge our obligations towards them, but they (themselves) do not discharge their own responsibilities towards us? What do you order us to do? The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) avoided giving any answer. Salama asked him again. He (again) avoided giving any answer. Then he asked again-it was the second time or the third time-when Ash'ath b. Qais pulled him aside and said:

. » اسْمَعُوا وَأَطِيعُوا فَإِ نَّمَا عَلَيْهِمْ مَا حُمِّلُوا وَعَلَيْكُمْ مَا حُمِّلْ تُمْ « . Listen to them and obey them, for on them shall he their burden and on you shall be your burden”.

. » اسْمَعُوا وَأَطِيعُوا فَإِ نَّمَا عَلَيْهِمْ مَا حُمِّلُوا وَعَلَيْكُمْ مَا حُمِّلْ تُمْ « . Listen to them and obey them, for on them shall he their burden and on you shall be your burden”.

Al-Bukhari na Muslim wameripoti (kwa maneno haya kutoka kwa Muslim) kupitia kwa ‘Ubadah b. Samit, aliyesema:

Al-Bukhari and Muslim reported (with the wording here from Muslim) through ‘Ubadah b. Samit who said:

. فَ بَايَ عْنَاهُ فَكَانَ فِيمَا أَخَذَ عَلَيْ نَا أَنْ بَايَ عَنَا عَلَى السَّمْعِ دَعَانَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ « وَالطَّاعَةِ فِي مَنْشَطِنَا وَمَكْرَهِنَا وَعُسْرِنَا وَيُسْرِنَا وَأَثَ رَةٍ عَلَيْ نَا وَأَنْ لاَ ن نَُازِعَ الأَمْرَ أَهْلَه قَالَ: » إِلاَّ أَنْ تَ رَوْا كُفْرًا بَ وَاحًا عِنْدَكُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ فِيهِ ب رُْهَانٌ .

. فَ بَايَ عْنَاهُ فَكَانَ فِيمَا أَخَذَ عَلَيْ نَا أَنْ بَايَ عَنَا عَلَى السَّمْعِ دَعَانَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ « وَالطَّاعَةِ فِي مَنْشَطِنَا وَمَكْرَهِنَا وَعُسْرِنَا وَيُسْرِنَا وَأَثَ رَةٍ عَلَيْ نَا وَأَنْ لاَ ن نَُازِعَ الأَمْرَ أَهْلَه قَالَ: » إِلاَّ أَنْ تَ رَوْا كُفْرًا بَ وَاحًا عِنْدَكُمْ مِنَ اللَّهِ فِيهِ ب رُْهَانٌ .

"Mtume (swalla Allahu 'alayhi wa sallam) alituita, nasi tukamwapia kiapo cha utii kwa Uislamu. Miongoni mwa masharti aliyotuchukulia kiapo hicho ni kwamba tutasikiliza na kutii (amri), iwe wakati tulipo na nguvu na wakati tumechoka, wakati wa shida na wakati wa raha, na kumtii mtawala na kumpa haki yake hata kama yeye hatatupa haki yetu, na kutopigana naye isipokuwa tukimwona amekufuru waziwazi, ambapo tutakuwa na ushahidi kutoka kwa Allah." Imepokelewa kutoka kwa Abu Dharr kwamba Mjumbe wa Allah ﷺ alisema: "Ee Abu Dharr, utafanyaje utakapokuwa chini ya watawala ambao watajichukulia mali hii ya fai (ya kheri) peke yao kwa kukuacha?" Akasema: "Naapa kwa yule aliyekutuma kwa haki, nitaweka upanga wangu begani mwangu na kupigana nao mpaka nikufikie." Akasema: "Je, nisikuonyeshe jambo lililo bora kwako kuliko hilo? Uvumilie mpaka utakaponikutana."

“The Prophet (phuh) called us and we gave him the Pledge of allegiance for Islam, and among the conditions on which he took the Pledge from us, was that we were to listen and obey (the orders) both at the time when we were active and at the time when we were tired, and at our difficult time and at our ease and to be obedient to the ruler and give him his right even if he did not give us our right, and not to fight against him unless we noticed him having open Kufr (disbelief) for which we would have a proof with us from Allah” And it is narrated from Abu Dharr that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said,. . يَا أَبَا ذَرٍّ، كَيْفَ أَنْتَ عِنْدَ وُلاَةٍ يَسْتَأْثِرُونَ عَلَيْكَ بِهَذَا الْفَيْءِ ؟ قَالَ: وَالَّذِي « بَ عَثَكَ بِالْحَقِّ، أَضَعُ سَيْفِي عَلَى عَاتِقِي فَأَضْرِبُ بِهِ حَتَّى أَلْحَقَكَ، قَالَ: أَفَلاَ أَدُلُّكَ عَلَى » خَيْرٍ لَكَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ ؟ تَصْبِرُ حَتَّى تَ لْقَانِي .

“Ee Abu Dharr, utafanya nini kwa watawala wale ambao wangejichukulia peke yao mali hii ya ghanima?” Akasema: “Kwa Yule aliyekutuma kwa Haki, ningeweka upanga wangu begani kisha ningepigana hadi nikutane nawe (nife).” Akasema: “Je, nisikuambie kilicho bora kuliko hilo? Subiri kwa subira mpaka utakaponikutana.” (Imepokewa na Ahmad na imethibitishwa na Al-Zain, na pia imepokewa na Abu Dawud.)

“O Abu Dharr, how would you act with those governors who would take sole possession of this booty?” He said “By the One who sent you with the Truth, I would place my sword over my shoulder and then fight until I meet with you (die)”. He said, “Should I not tell you what is better than that? Have patience until you meet me” (reported by Ahmed and authenticated by Al-Zain, and it is also reported by Abu Dawud).

Katika riwaya hizi zote, Khalifa alitenda kwa namna ambayo ingestahili kumwondoa madarakani, lakini licha ya hayo Mtume ﷺ aliamuru kumtii yeye na kuvumilia dhulma yake, jambo linaloonyesha kwamba Ummah hana haki ya kumwondoa Khalifa.

In all of these narrations the Khalifah acted in a way that would mandate his removal and despite that the Messenger (pbuh) ordered obedience to him and to be patient over his oppression, which indicates that the Ummah does not have the right to remove the Khalifah.

Zaidi, Mtume (ﷺ) alikataa kumruhusu Mbedui afute kiapo chake cha utii. Imepokewa kutoka kwa Jabir bin ‘Abd Allah kwamba Mbedui mmoja alitoa kiapo cha utii kwa Mtume wa Allah (ﷺ), kisha akaugua, na hivyo akasema, “Nifutie kiapo changu.” Mtume (ﷺ) akakataa. Kisha akarudi na kusema, “Nifutie kiapo changu,” naye akakataa tena. Hivyo yule mtu akaondoka. Mtume (ﷺ) akasema.

Additionally, the Messenger (pbuh) refused to allow the Bedouin to cancel his pledge of allegiance. It is narrated by Jabir Bin ‘Abd Allah that a Bedouin gave the pledge of allegiance to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) and then became ill and so said, “Cancel my pledge”, so he refused. Then he returned and said, “Cancel my pledge”, so he refused. So the man left. The Messenger (pbuh) said.

. » إِنَّمَا الْمَدِينَةُ كَالْكِيرِ تَ نْفِي خَبَثَ هَا وَيَ نْصَعُ طَيِّبُ هَا « .

. » إِنَّمَا الْمَدِينَةُ كَالْكِيرِ تَ نْفِي خَبَثَ هَا وَيَ نْصَعُ طَيِّبُ هَا « .

"Madina ni kama tanuru la mhunzi. Huondoa uchafu na kusafisha yaliyo mema." Hii inaonyesha kwamba ikiwa ahadi ya utii (bay'ah) imetolewa, basi inawafunga wale waliotoa, na kwamba hawana haki ya kumwondoa Khalifah kwa sababu hawana haki ya kufuta ahadi yao ya utii kwake. Haiwezi kusemwa kwamba Mbedui alitaka kuacha Uislamu na si tu utii kwa mtawala kwa kufuta ahadi ya utii. Hili haliwezi kuhalalishwa, kwa kuwa kama angefanya hivyo, kitendo chake kingekuwa cha kuritadi, na Mtume ﷺ angemuua, kwa sababu mwenye kuritadi huuawa. Pia, ahadi hii si ahadi ya Uislamu bali ni ahadi ya utii. Kwa hiyo alitaka kujiondoa kwenye utii, si kwenye Uislamu. Kwa hiyo, si sahihi kwa Waislamu kugeuka mbali na ahadi yao, na hivyo hawana haki ya kumwondoa Khalifah.

“Madina is like the blacksmith's furnace. It removes the impurities and purifies the good.” which indicates that if the pledge is given it is binding upon those who gave it and which means they do not have the right to remove the Khalifah since they do not have the right to cancel their pledge of allegiance to him. It cannot be argued that the Bedouin wanted to leave Islam and not just the obedience to the ruler through his cancellation of the pledge of allegiance. This cannot be justified since if he did that then his action would have been one of apostasy and the Messenger (pbuh) would have killed him, because the apostate is killed. Also, the pledge is not a pledge upon Islam but rather a pledge upon obedience. Accordingly he wanted to remove himself from the obedience and not from Islam. Consequently, it is not correct for the Muslims to turn away from their pledge and so they do not possess the right to remove the Khalifah.

Hata hivyo, Shari'ah inabainisha wakati ambapo Khalifah anajiondoa mwenyewe bila haja ya kuondolewa, na wakati anapostahili kuondolewa. Hakuna kati ya hayo linalomaanisha kwamba Ummah una haki ya kumwondoa. Badala yake, Ummah unamhesabu kuwa ni neno lenye nguvu la ukweli dhidi ya dhulma, na unapaswa kupigana naye iwapo atatangaza kufuru iliyo wazi. Mamlaka ya kumwondoa pale anapostahili yanashikiliwa na mahakama ya Madhalim.

However, the Shari’ah clarifies at what point the Khalifah removes oneself without a need to be removed, and when he deserves to be removed, and none of these mean that the Ummah has the right to remove him. Rather they account him with the powerful word of truth against oppression and fight against him if he announces clear disbelief. The power to remove him when he deserves it is held by the Madhalim court.