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Describe the elections of the Caliphs

      

Describe the elections of the Caliphs

  

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Francis
- Following the death of the prophet (P.B.U.H), there sparked off divisions with the Muslim camps
- It was mainly due to the question of who would succeed the prophet (P.B.U.H).
- On his deathbed, the prophet did not name his successor
- There was four contesting parties for the succession
- They included the Ansars, Muhajiroons, the Umayyads and the legitimists
- Each group had reasons as to why it contested for the succession
- The ansars claimed that they were the best suited to provide the successor of the prophet (P.B.U.H) since they had saved the prophet`s life and had given him shelter in Madinah
- They also said that it was as a result of the shelter they gave to prophet that Islam spread in Madina and Arabia in general
- On the other had the Muhajiroons argued that they were the ones to produce the successor of the prophet (P.B.U.H) since they suffered right from the beginning of the prophet`s mission.
- They continued to say that they were forced to migrate from their homeland for the sake of Islam hence being the number one protectors of Islam.
- Within the Muhajroons, there were two sections.
- The first one was that which preferred Ali to be the immediate successor of the prophet (P.B.U.H) on grounds that he grew up in the prophets house and was related to him by blood
- This group was called the legitimists
- The second group within the Muhajroons was that of the Umayyads led Abu Sufyan.
- They contended that before the advent of the prophet (P.B.U.H) they were the leaders in Mecca.
- Now that the prophet (P.B.U.H) was dead it was his right to succeed him they argued.
- Meanwhile the Ansars gathered in the Saqifah Sa-ada to discuss and settle the succession dispute
- Sensing that the Ansars had already started discussion of the selection amongst themselves, Abu Bakr, Umar and Abu Ubaida hurried and went to attend the meeting.
- While the meeting was going on, Abu Bakr asked the audience to let him speak.
- On being allowed to speak, he said that the earliest prophet`s companions had remained faithful to him amidst all persecutions.
- He thought such people were the ones more suited to take up succession.
- Similarly he praised the Ansars for all the assistance they gave to the prophet (P.B.U.H)
- Abubakar further said that the election of the caliph could not be done without consulting everyone.
- Before he stood down, he proposed Umar or Abu Ubaida as caliphs
- But these two stood down in his favor
- There upon, the entire ansars group offered support to Abubakar as the new Muslim leader.
- On assuming the office of caliph, Abubakar said the following to the people in his address.
“Oh you people ! I swear by Allah that I never desired this leadership either by day or night .... I have been elected your leader although I am no better than you. Help me if I am in the right and correct me if I am in the wrong....... ”
francis1897 answered the question on March 2, 2023 at 08:36


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