Hizo ni sharti za kimkataba zinazohitajika ili Khalifah ateuliwe. Sharti nyingine yoyote, mbali na zile saba zilizotajwa hapo juu, si sharti muhimu la awali la kuingia katika mkataba wa Khilafah. Sharti kama hizo, hata hivyo, ni sharti za upendeleo endapo maandiko yanayohusiana nazo yamethibitishwa, au endapo zimeorodheshwa chini ya kanuni iliyothibitishwa kwa maandiko Sahih (sahihi). Ili sharti liwe la kimkataba, linapaswa kuwa na ushahidi unaojumuisha amri ya kuamrisha kwa uthabiti (Talab Jazim) inayoonyesha kuwa ni wajibu. Ikiwa ushahidi hauna amri ya kuamrisha kwa uthabiti, basi sharti hilo linakuwa la upendeleo tu. Hakuna ushahidi wenye amri ya kuamrisha kwa uthabiti uliopatikana isipokuwa zile sharti saba; kwa hiyo hizo peke yake ndizo sharti za kimkataba. Kuhusu sharti nyingine, ambazo kanuni yake imethibitishwa kuwa sahihi, hizo ni sharti za upendeleo tu. Kwa hiyo, kuwekwa kwa sharti kwamba Khalifah lazima awe Mujtahid si sharti la kimkataba, kwa sababu hilo halijathibitishwa kwa maandishi yenye amri ya kuamrisha kwa uthabiti. Zaidi ya hayo, wajibu wa Khalifah ni kutawala, hivyo hahitaji kufanya Ijtihad yake mwenyewe, kwani anaweza kuuliza kuhusu hukumu au kufuata maoni ya Mujtahid na kuyapitisha kwa msingi wa kuiga (Taqlid). Hivyo si lazima kwake kuwa Mujtahid. Ni bora kwake awe hivyo, lakini asipokuwa, Khilafah yake bado itaingia kimkataba. Khalifah hahitaji kuwa jasiri, wala mwanasiasa mwerevu, wala mtaalamu wa kusimamia mambo ya watu, kwa sababu hakuna ushahidi unaounga mkono sharti hizi, wala hazimo chini ya hukumu ya kimungu inayozifanya kuwa sharti za kimkataba. Hata hivyo, ni bora kwa Khalifah awe jasiri mwenye maono na busara. Khalifah pia si lazima atoke katika kabila la Quraysh. Kuhusu yaliyopokelewa na Al-Bukhari kutoka kwa Mu'awiya kwamba alisema: Nilimsikia Mjumbe wa Allah ﷺ akisema:

The aforementioned are the contractual conditions necessary for the Khaleefah to be appointed. Any other condition, apart from the seven mentioned above, does not constitute a necessary prerequisite for contracting the Khilafah. Such conditions however, constitute conditions of preference if the texts relating to them are confirmed, or if they are listed under a rule that has been confirmed by a sound (Sahih) text. In order for the condition to be a contractual one it should have evidence that includes a decisive command (Talab Jazim) to indicate that it is obligatory. If the evidence does not include a decisive command then the condition becomes only one of preference. No evidence containing a decisive command has been found except for those seven conditions; therefore they alone constitute the contractual conditions. As for the other conditions, whereby a rule has been confirmed as sound, these would constitute conditions of preference only. Therefore, the stipulation that the Khaleefah must be a Mujtahid is not a contractual condition because this has not been confirmed by a text indicating a decisive command. Moreover, the duty of the Khaleefah is to rule, so He is not in need of his own Ijtihad, as He could ask about a verdict or follow the opinions of a Mujtahid and adopt opinions on the basis of his imitation (Taqlid), thus it is not necessary for him to be a Mujtahid. It is, however, preferable for him to be so, but if He is not his Khilafah would still be contracted. The Khaleefah does not have to be brave, nor a shrewd politician or an expert in managing the affairs of the people because there are no evidences to back these conditions, nor do they come under a divine rule that makes them contractual conditions. It is, however, preferable for the Khaleefah to be brave with vision and opinion . The Khaleefah does not also necessarily have to be from Quraysh. As for what has been reported by Al-Bukhari from Mu’awiya that He said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) say:

"Hakika jambo hili liko ndani ya Quraysh. Mradi wao wanatekeleza Dini, mtu yeyote atakayewafanyia uadui, Mwenyezi Mungu atamwangusha kifudifudi." Na yale aliyoyapokea Al-Bukhari kwa mapokezi ya Ibnu ‘Umar kwamba yeye alisema: Mjumbe wa Mwenyezi Mungu ﷺ alisema:

“Verily this matter is within Quraysh. As long as they implemented the Deen, if anyone were hostile to them, Allah would throw him on his face.” And what Al-Bukhari narrated on the authority of Ibnu ‘Umar that He said: The Messenger of Allah (pbuh) said:

"Jambo hili bado lingebaki ndani ya Quraysh hata kama wangebaki wawili tu." Hadithi hizi na nyingine, zilizothibitika kuwa sahihi na zinazohusishwa na Mtume wa Allah ﷺ, zinaonyesha kwamba mamlaka iko miongoni mwa watu wa Quraysh. Zimekuja kwa namna ya habari na si ya amri. Hakuna hata Hadithi moja inayobeba amri, ingawa zinabeba ombi. Lakini ombi kama hilo si amri ya lazima, kwa sababu hakuna ushahidi unaolifanya liwe hivyo. Hakuna Hadithi iliyounganishwa na kiashiria (Qareena) kinachoifanya kuwa amri ya lazima, jambo linaloonyesha kwamba ni Mandub (inayopendekezwa) na si ya wajibu. Kwa hiyo ni sharti la upendeleo na si sharti la mkataba. Kuhusu kauli ya Mtume wa Allah ﷺ:

“This matter would still be within Quraysh even if only two of them remained.” These and other Ahadith, proved sound and related to the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) that the authority is amongst the people of Quraysh, they have actually come in an informative form and not an imperative one. Not one Hadith actually carries a command even though they carry a request. Such a request, however, is not a conclusive command because there is no evidence to qualify them for this. No Hadith has been linked to any connotation (Qareena) that makes it a conclusive command, which indicates that it is Mandub (desirable) and not obligatory. It is, therefore a condition of preference and not a contractual condition. As for Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) saying:

"ikiwa mtu yeyote angewafanyia uadui, Allah angemtupa usoni mwake." Hii inaonyesha katazo la kuwafanyia uadui, na si kuthibitisha kauli yake:

“if anyone were hostile to them, Allah would throw him on his face.” This indicates prohibition of being hostile to them and not confirmation to his saying:

"Jambo hili liko ndani ya Quraysh." Hadith inasema kwamba jambo (uongozi) liko ndani yao, kisha inaendelea kukataza uadui dhidi yao. Zaidi ya hayo, neno Quraysh ni jina na si maelezo. Katika istilahi ya Shari'ah linajulikana kama lakabu. Na maana inayotokana na lakabu hiyo haizingatiwi kamwe, kwa kuwa lakabu halina maana yoyote (Mafhoom) kabisa. Kwa hiyo, kutajwa kwa Quraysh hakumaanishi kwamba nafasi ya utawala haiwezi kuwa ya watu wengine zaidi ya Quraysh. Hivyo basi, Mtume wa Allah ﷺ alipoyasema: "Hakika jambo hili liko ndani ya Quraysh..." na kauli yake:

“this matter is within Quraysh.” The Hadith says that the matter (ruling) is within them, and it then proceeds to forbid hostility to them. Besides, the word Quraysh is a name and not a description. In Shari’ah terminology it is known as a title. And the meaning derived from the title is never considered, because the title has no meaning (Mafhoom) at all. Therefore, the mention of Quraysh does not mean that the position of ruling cannot belong to other than Quraysh. So when Allah’s Messenger (pbuh) said: “Verily this matter is within Quraysh...” and his saying:

"Jambo hili bado lingekuwa ndani ya Quraysh..." Hakumaanisha kwamba si sahihi kwa (utawala) huo kuwa mikononi mwa watu wengine zaidi ya Quraysh. Alimaanisha kwamba uko ndani ya Quraysh na, vilevile, ni halali kuwa mikononi mwa wengine ambao si kutoka Quraysh. Kwa hiyo, kubainisha watu wa Quraysh kuwa watawala hakumaanishi kwamba wengine hawana uhalali wa kutawala. Kwa hiyo, ni sharti la upendeleo na si sharti la kimkataba.

“This matter would still be within Quraysh...” He (pbuh) did not mean that it is wrong for it (the ruling) to be in other than Quraysh. He (pbuh) meant that it is within Quraysh and, as well, it is valid to be in the hands of others who are not from Quraysh. Thus specifying the people of Quraysh as rulers does not necessarily mean that others are not valid to rule. Therefore, it is a condition of preference and not a contractual condition.

Hakika Mtume wa Allah ﷺ alimteua ‘Abdullah Ibn Ruwahah, Zayd Ibnu Harith na Usama Ibnu Zayd kushika nafasi za uongozi, na wote watatu hawakuwa kutoka kabila la Quraysh. Hivyo basi Mtume wa Allah ﷺ aliwateua watu wasiokuwa wa Quraysh kushika nafasi za kutawala. Katika kifungu hiki “jambo hili” (Amr) lina maana ya mamlaka, yaani mamlaka ya kutawala, na hili halihusu tu wadhifa wa Khilafah. Ukweli kwamba Mtume ﷺ aliwateua watu wasiokuwa wa Quraysh katika nafasi za mamlaka unaonyesha kwamba mamlaka hayakuwekwa kwa watu wa Quraysh peke yao, wala hayazuiwi kwa wengine. Kwa hiyo, Hadithi zimetaja baadhi ya watu wanaostahili wadhifa wa Khilafah, ili kuonyesha upendeleo wao, na hazionyeshi kwamba unawekwa kwao peke yao au kwamba umekatazwa kwa wasiokuwa wao.

Indeed the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) appointed ‘Abdullah Ibn Ruwahah, Zayd Ibnu Harith and Usama Ibnu Zayd to positions of authority and all three were not from Quraysh. Thus the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) did appoint people from other than Quraysh to positions of ruling. In this phrase “this matter” (Amr), means the authority, i.e. the authority to rule, and this does not only apply to the post of Khilafah. The fact that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) did appoint people from outside Quraysh in posts of authority indicates that authority is not exclusively confined to the people of Quraysh, and prevented from others. Therefore, the Ahadith have mentioned some of the people who are worthy of the Khilafah post, to indicate their preference and do not indicate that it is exclusively confined to them or prohibited for other than them.

Khalifa hahitaji pia kuwa Mhashemi au Mwalawi, kwa sababu Mjumbe wa Mwenyezi Mungu ﷺ aliwateua watu ambao hawakuwa wa Banu Hashim wala wa Banu ‘Ali kushika nyadhifa za mamlaka. Alipoenda Tabuk, aliweka Muhammad bin Maslama kuwa Wali wa Madina, naye hakuwa Mhashemi wala Mwalawi. Pia aliwateua Mu‘adh bin Jabal na ‘Amr bin al-‘Aas kuwa watawala wa Yemen, wala hawa hawakuwa wa Mhashemi wala wa Mwalawi. Kwa vyovyote vile, imethibitishwa kwa uhakika kwamba Waislamu walimpa Bay‘ah Abu Bakr, ‘Umar na ‘Uthman, na kwamba ‘Ali naye alitoa Bay‘ah kwa hao watatu, ingawa hawakuwa wa Banu Hashim. Masahaba hawakupinga kuwapa Bay‘ah, wala haikupokewa kwamba kuna yeyote aliyepinga kuwapa Bay‘ah kwa sababu hawakuwa Mhashemi wala Mwalawi. Hili linachukuliwa kuwa ijmaa‘ ya Masahaba, wakiwemo ‘Ali, Ibn ‘Abbas, na kaya nzima ya Banu Hashim, kwamba khalifa anaweza kuwa asiye Mhashemi wala Mwalawi. Kuhusu Hadith zinazoonyesha upendeleo wa ‘Ali na kaya ya Mjumbe wa Mwenyezi Mungu ﷺ, hizi hazionyeshi kwamba Ukhalifa hauwezi kufungwa isipokuwa kwao; zinaonyesha tu kwamba wao wanastahiki zaidi kwake.

The Khaleefah does not also have to be Hashemi or ‘Alawi because the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) appointed people who were not from Banu Hashim nor from Banu ‘Ali to positions of authority. When He (pbuh) went out to Tabuk, He appointed Muhammad Ibnu Maslama as Wali over Madina and He was neither a Hashemi nor ‘Alawi. He (pbuh) also appointed Mu’az Ibnu Jabal and ‘Amru Ibn al-‘A‘as over Yemen, neither were of the Hashemi or ‘Alawi. In any case, it has been definitely proven that the Muslims gave the Bay’ah to Abu Bakr, ‘Umar and ‘Uthman, and that ‘Ali gave the Bay’ah to the three of them despite the fact that they were not from Banu Hashim. The Sahabah did not object giving the Bay’ah to them, and it was not reported that anyone had actually objected giving Bay’ah to them, because they were not Hashemites or ‘Alawis. This is considered a consensus of the Sahabah, (Ijmaa’) including ‘Ali and Ibnu Abbas and Banu Hashim’s entire household, that the Khaleefah could be from other than a Hashemi or an ‘Alawi. As for the Ahadith expressing a preference of ‘Ali and the Messenger of Allah’s household, these do not indicate that the Khilafah can’t be contracted except to them, they rather indicate that they are more favourable to it.

Hapo juu inaonyesha wazi kwamba hakuna ushahidi wowote unaosema kuwa kuna sharti zingine za kimkataba mbali na zile saba zilizoelezwa awali. Sharti lolote jingine ni sharti la upendeleo na si la kimkataba, endapo maandishi yanayoeleza sharti hilo yamethibitika kuwa ya kweli, au sharti hilo limeingia chini ya hukumu (Hukm) inayotokana na maandishi sahihi. Kwa mujibu wa Shari'ah, kinachohitajika ni sharti la kimkataba ili Khilafah iwekwe kwa Khaleefah. Mbali na hilo, Waislamu wataelezwa kuhusu hilo wakati wagombea wanapowasilishwa kwao, ili waweze kumchagua yule wanayempendelea. Mtu yeyote ambaye Waislamu watamchagua atateuliwa kuwa Khaleefah endapo sharti za kimkataba zitatimizwa, bila kujali sharti nyingine.

The above clearly indicates that there is no evidence whatsoever stating that there are other contractual conditions apart from the seven previously outlined. Any other condition constitutes a condition of preference and not a contractual one if the text expressing such a condition has been proven genuine or such a condition has come under a rule (Hukm) derived from a sound text. Under Shari’ah law, what is required is the contractual condition for the Khilafah to be contracted to the Khaleefah. Apart from this, the Muslims will be told about it when the candidates are presented to them, so that they can elect the one whom they prefer. Any man whom the Muslims choose would be appointed Khaleefah if the contractual conditions were fulfilled regardless of the other conditions.