Q. What are the qualifications  of the Khalifah? Who will be recognized as the legitimate Khalifah of an Islamic state? Is there any geographical condition?

Answer

The Khalifah should certainly be an uprighteous man of high Taqwa and profound Knowledge. However, the legitimacy of the Khalifah and his khilaafat is not reliant on Taqwa. Even a faasiq can be the legitimate Khalifah if he has managed to install himself in the seat of  power whether by hook or crook.

    Once a Muslim has installed himself as the Khalifah whether by Shura of the  senior Ulama, or by a hereditary process (monarchy), or by force of arms, or by an army coup, then he will be recognized by the Shariah as the legitimate Khalifah. And, as long as he rules the land in accordance  with the Shariah,  obedience to him will be Waajib. It will be haraam to rebel against him even if he is a faasiq-faajir.

   Thus, there are two imperative conditions for the legitimacy of the Khalifah:

1)  He has to have sufficient power to install himself – power to rule the land.

2)  He must govern the land according to the Shariah.

In the absence of any one of these conditions, his ‘khilaafat’ will be illegitimate.

There is no geographical  or any other requisite  for a legitimate Khilaafat.

KHALAAFAT

The Khilaafat of both Hadhrat Ali (Radhiyallahu anhu) and of Hadhrat Muaawiyah (Radhiyallahu anhu) was legitimate and recognized. There is unanimity of the Ummah in the recognition of the Khilaafat of Hadhrat Muaawiyah (Radhiyallahu anhu). Only the Shiah kuffaar slander him.

In the initial stage of  the  political conflict between these two senior Sahaabah stemming from the assassination of Hadhrat Uthmaan (Radhiyallahu anhu),  the Muslims of  Makkah and Madinah did not regard Hadhrat Muaawiyah (Radhiyallahu anhu) to be the Khalifah because at that juncture, Hadhrat Ali (Radhiyallahu anhu) was  the Khalifah. Despite this, the people of Shaam had accepted Hadhrat Muaawiyah (Radhiyallahu anhu) as the  Khalifah. He was the governor of Shaam at that time.

Furthermore,  during the Khilaafat of Hadhrat Ali (Radhiyallahu anhu), the khilaafat was not claimed by Hadhrat Muaawiyah (Radhiyallahu anhu). It was after Hadhrat Ali’s demise that he became the Khalifah.

THE ISLAAMIC RULER

Q. What are the qualifications  for an Islamic Ruler?

The conditions of qualification for an Islamic Ruler  are:

¨ He must be a Muslim

¨ Must have Taqwa

¨ Must have the necessary  expertise to rule

 While these are the essential requisites for a Khalifah/Ruler, the validity of his reign is not reliant on the aforementioned conditions. The validity of his rule relies solely on the Ruler enforcing the Law of the Shariah as explained to him by the Ulama. Thus, if today an army chief stages a coup and installs himself  as the Islamic Ruler, his reign  will be valid if he enforces the Shariah.

Regarding the shaitaan MBS, he is a Murtadd and it is Waajib on Muslims  who have the requisite military/political power to  eliminate him.

AL-HAQ BULLETIN 66