Muda uliowekwa kwa Waislamu kumteua Khalifah ni siku tatu pamoja na usiku zake. Ni haramu kwa Muislamu kulala zaidi ya usiku tatu bila kuwa na bay'ah shingoni mwake. Kuruhusu kiwango cha juu cha usiku tatu ni kwa sababu uteuzi wa Khalifah unakuwa wajibu tangu wakati Khalifah aliyepita anapokufa au kuondolewa. Hata hivyo, inaruhusiwa kuchelewesha uteuzi mradi Waislamu wamejishughulisha na jambo lililo mbele yao kwa siku tatu pamoja na usiku zake. Ikiwa muda unazidi usiku tatu na Khalifah hajateuliwa kufikia wakati huo, jambo hilo linapaswa kuchunguzwa: Ikiwa Waislamu walishiriki katika uteuzi wa Khalifah wakashindwa kufanya hivyo ndani ya usiku tatu kutokana na sababu za msingi zilizo nje ya uwezo na udhibiti wao, basi dhambi itaondoka shingoni mwao, kwa kuwa walikuwa wakijitahidi katika kazi yao ya kutekeleza wajibu huu na walilazimika kinyume na mapenzi yao kuchelewesha utekelezaji wa wajibu huo. Ibn Hibban na Ibn Majah wamepokea kutoka kwa Ibn Abbas, ambaye alisema kwamba Mtume wa Allah ﷺ alisema: .

The time limit allowed for the Muslims to appoint a Khalifah is three days including their nights. It is forbidden for a Muslim to spend more than three nights without having a bayah on his neck. As for allowing a maximum of three nights, this is because appointing of a Khalifah becomes compulsory from the very moment the former Khalifah dies or is removed. However, it is allowed to delay the appointment as long as the Muslims are involved with the task at hand for three days including their nights. If the limit exceeds three nights and a Khalifah is not appointed by that time the matter should be examined: If the Muslims were involved in the appointment of a Khalifah and failed to do so within three nights for compelling reasons beyond their control and ability, then the sin would fall from their necks, for they were endeavouring in their task to perform this duty and were compelled against their will to delay the implementation of that duty. Ibn Hibban and Ibn Majah narrated from Ibn Abbas who reported that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: .

"Mwenyezi Mungu amesamehe umma yangu kwa kosa, kusahau na lile walilolazimishwa nalo ﷺ." [al-Nawawi, al-Majmu’ Sharh al-Muhadhdab, juzuu ya 8, uk. 450]

"Allah had forgiven my Ummah for the mistake and forgetfulness and that which they were compelled of". [al-Nawawi, al-Majmu’ Sharh al-Muhadhdab, vol.8, p.450] .

Lakini kama wasingehusika katika jukumu hilo, wangekuwa wote wenye dhambi hadi pale Khalifah atakapoteuliwa, na ndipo dhambi hiyo ingeondoka shingoni mwao. Kuhusu dhambi walizozitenda kwa kupuuza wajibu wa kumteua Khalifah, hiyo haitaondoka kwao, bali inabaki, na Allah (S.W.T) angewaadhibu kama angemwadhibu Muislamu yeyote kwa dhambi aliyoitenda kwa kutotekeleza wajibu.

But if they were not involved in the task they would all be sinful until such time that a Khalifah was appointed, and only then would the sin fall from their necks. As for the sin they had committed by neglecting the duty of appointing a Khalifah, this would not fall from them, rather it remains, and Allah (S.W.T) would punish them as he would punish any sin committed by a Muslim for not performing a duty. .

Kuhusu wajibu wa kushiriki mara moja katika bay'ah ya Khalifah pindi nafasi ya Khilafah inapokuwa wazi, sababu yake ni kwamba Maswahaba walilijadili jambo hili katika ukumbi wa Bani Sai'dah baada ya kifo cha Mtume ﷺ, siku ile ile ya kufa kwake na kabla ya kuzikwa kwake. Bay'ah ya mkataba ya Abu Bakr ilikamilika siku ile ile ya kufa kwake. Siku ya pili, watu walikusanyika msikitini ili kutoa bay'ah ya utii kwa Abu Bakr.

As for the obligation of the immediate involvement in the bayah of the Khalifah once the Khilafah post becomes vacant, this is because the Sahabah addressed this matter in the hall of Bani Sai’dah after the death of the Messenger (PBUH) , on the same day of his death and before his burial. The contracting bayah of Abu Bakr was concluded on the same day of his death. On the second day, the people were gathered in the masjid to give the bayah of obedience to Abu Bakr. .

Kuhusu kwamba muda wa juu kabisa unaoruhusiwa kwa Waislamu kumteua Khalifah ni siku tatu pamoja na usiku zake, dalili yake ni kwamba 'Umar, alipohisi kuwa kifo chake kilikuwa karibu, aliwakabidhi watu wa Shura jukumu la kumteua Khalifah, akiwapa muda wa siku tatu na kuwaagiza kumuua yeyote atakayepingana na kundi hilo baada ya siku hizo tatu kupita. Alimkabidhi utekelezaji wa agizo hilo, yaani kumuua yule ambaye huenda akapingana, watu hamsini miongoni mwa Waislamu, licha ya ukweli kwamba kundi hilo lilikuwa la watu wa Shura na Masahaba wakuu. Hili lilifanyika mbele ya Masahaba, wala hakuna aliyepinga au kulaani agizo hilo. Hili likawa makubaliano ya jumla ya Masahaba yakisema kwamba ni haramu kwa Waislamu kubaki bila Khalifah kwa zaidi ya siku tatu pamoja na usiku zake, na makubaliano ya Masahaba ni dalili ya Sharia kama ilivyo Qur'an na Sunnah.

As for the fact that the maximum time limit allowed for the Muslims to appoint a Khalifah is three days including their nights, its evidence is that when ‘Umar felt that his death was imminent he delegated the people of the Shura to appoint a Khalifah giving them a time limit of three days and instructing them to kill anyone who disagreed with the group once the three days had lapsed. He assigned the execution of such instruction, i.e. killing the one who might disagree, to fifty people from the Muslims despite the fact that the group was formed of the Shura people and the senior Sahabah. This took place in the presence of the Sahabah and no one objected or condemned such instruction. This became a general consensus of the Sahabah stating that it is forbidden for Muslims to remain without a Khalifah for more than three days including their nights and the consensus of the Sahabah is Sharia evidence just like the Qur’an and the Sunnah. .

Al-Bukhari alisimulia kutoka kwa Al-Miswar bin Makhramah kwamba alisema: “Abd al-Rahman aligonga mlango wangu baada ya sehemu ya usiku kupita, hadi nikaamka. Alisema, ‘Ninaona umelala. Kwa Allah, sikufurahia usingizi mwingi katika usiku hizi tatu…’ (yaani zile usiku tatu).” [Bukhari, Sahih, #7207]. Mara watu walipomaliza kusali Alfajiri, bay‘ah ilifungwa kwa ‘Uthman.

Al-Bukhari reported from Al-Miswar ibn Makhramah that he said: “Abd al- Rahman knocked at my door after a part of the night passed till I woke up. He said, “I see you have been sleeping. By Allah, I did not enjoy much sleep in these three…” (I.e. the three nights).” [Bukhari, Sahih, #7207]. Once the people prayed fajr, the bayah was concluded to ‘Uthman. .

Kwa hiyo, ni wajibu kwa Waislamu, pindi cheo cha Khalifah kinapokuwa wazi, kushughulika na maandalizi ya bay'ah kwa Khalifah ajaye, na kuikamilisha ndani ya siku tatu. Lakini wakiwa hawakushughulika na bay'ah ya Khalifah, na Khilafah ikaondolewa, nao wakanyamaza kuhusu hilo, basi wana dhambi tangu wakati Khilafah ilipoondolewa na kwa muda wote waliokaa kimya kuhusu hilo. Hali hii ndiyo ilivyo leo, ambapo Waislamu wana dhambi kwa kuwa hawajasimamisha Khilafah tangu ilipoangamizwa tarehe 28 Rajab 1342 H hadi watakaposimamisha. Hakuna atakayejiepusha na dhambi hiyo isipokuwa wale waliokuwa wakishughulika katika kazi nzito ya kuisimamisha ndani ya kundi la kweli na la dhati. Katika hali hiyo atajiondoshea dhambi hiyo. Dhambi hii ni kubwa, kama ilivyofafanuliwa katika Hadith ya Mjumbe wa Allah ﷺ: .

So, it is obliged upon Muslims once the post of the Khalifah becomes vacant, to engage in preparing the bayah for the next Khalifah, and to complete it within three days. If they however did not engage in the bayah of the Khalifah, the Khilafah was removed and they remained silent about it, then they are sinful from the moment the Khilafah was removed and for the period they remained silent about it. This is the case today, where Muslims are sinful because they did not establish the Khilafah from the moment it was eliminated on 28 Rajab 1342 H until they establish it. No one would be free of that sin except those who were engaged in the serious work for establishing it within a sincere truthful group. In that case he would relieve himself of the sin. This sin is great as explained in the hadith of the Messenger of Allah ( PBUH) : .

"Yeyote atakayefariki bila kuwa na bay'ah shingoni mwake, atakuwa amekufa kifo cha ujahiliyya." [Bukhari, Sahih, #7054 na Muslim, Sahih, #4767] Hii inaonyesha ukubwa wa dhambi hiyo.

“Whoever passed away without having a bayah on his neck he would have died the death of jahiliyyah.” [Bukhari, Sahih, #7054 and Muslim, Sahih, #4767] This indicates the greatness of the sin. .