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FOUR RIGHTLY-GUIDED CALIPHS OF
ISLAM
THE KHULAFAA -E- RASHIDUN
Introduction
Sayyiduna Abu Bakr,
Sayyiduna Umar Al Farouq, Sayyiduna 'Uthman Ghani and Sayyiduna Ali (radi
Allahu anhumul ajma'in) were the consecutive successors of Sayyiduna
Rasulullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam).
These four Khulafaa
(pl. for Caliph) are called the "Khulafaa-e-Rashidun" or the "Rightly
Guided Caliphs." Together, these four Khulafaa ruled the Islamic State for
about 29 years. They are called "Rightly Guided" because
they ruled the people of that time exactly according to the Holy Quran and the
commands of Sayyiduna Rasulullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam).
Quotation
Sayyiduna Abdullah
ibn Umar (radi Allahu anhu) has said:
"Those who are
desirous of following anyone, should follow the Sahaba who were the best of
community, whose hearts were pure, whose wisdom was profound and who did not
believe in the exhibition of outer life. They were a people whom Allah had
selected His Nabi (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) and who extended His religion
to the world. Therefore, try to imitate their ways and manners, for by Allah,
they were rightly guided people."
A
Hadith on the Status of the Four Khulafa
In the book, "Shawaa'idul-Haqq",
Sayyiduna Shaikh Abu Abdullah (radi Allahu anhu) narrates the following
incident.
Once I visited the
Holy City of Mecca and met a man who claimed that he never felt thirsty. When I
asked him the reason for this strange event, he replied, "There was a time when
I did not have any respect for the Sahaba of Muhammad (sallal laahu alaihi
wasallam). One night, I dreamt that it was the Day of Qiyamah and there were
many people in various queues looking very thirsty and ragged. I decided to
follow a queue. We arrived at the Fountain of Kauther and saw that it had four
corners. At each corner were the four Caliphs, Sayyiduna Abu Bakr, Sayyiduna
Umar, Sayyiduna Uthman and Sayyiduna Ali (radi Allahu anhum). I thought that
there was no need for me to approach the first three Caliphs as I only believed
in Sayyiduna Ali (radi Allahu anhu). Yet, when I approached him, he turned his
head away in displeasure. Feeling extremely alarmed, I approached the other
three Caliphs and they also behaved in the same manner. By now I was very
despondent.
"I noticed that Nabi
Muhammad (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) was also approaching the Fountain. I ran
towards him and explained to him the behaviour of the four Caliphs. He replied,
'Why should beloved Ali offer you a cool drink, when you bear hatred and scorn
for the Sahaba?' When I heard this, I asked Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal laahu
alaihi wasallam) whether I would be forgiven or not if I asked pardon for my
incorrect beliefs. He replied that I would be forgiven. I then recited the
Kalimah again and asked for forgiveness. I was then ordered to return to the
Fountain of Kauther and drink from it. After this, I awoke from my sleep. From
that night onwards, I have never felt thirsty. I then warned my family that I
would only accept those as my true family if they accepted my true beliefs. Some
of them did accept".
The presence of the
four Caliphs at the four Pillars of Kauther is also substantiated by a Hadith.
Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal laahu alaihi wasallam) said, "The
Fountain of Kauther possesses four Pillars: one commanded by Abu Bakr, the
second by Umar, the third by Uthman and the fourth by Ali (radi Allahu anhum)".
Again, explaining
the lofty status of these four Caliphs, Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (sallal laahu
alaihi wasallam) said, "He who speaks good about Abu Bakr, his religion
is well established; he who speaks good about Umar, his religious path has been
well grounded' he who speaks good about Uthman is enlightened with the Noor of
Almighty Allah' and he who speaks good about Ali holds on to a bond that never
breaks. They who speak well of my Sahaba (Companions) are truly Mu'mins". (Shawaa'idul
Haqq)
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