Six-Member Council: Difference between revisions
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'''The six-member council''' refers to the council [['Umar b. Khattab]] (d. 23/644) assigned for selecting the next caliph, which led to [['Uthman b. 'Affan]] being elected as the caliph of Muslims. 'Umar had obliged all the people to conform to the final agreement of the council and commanded to cut off any opponents' head. [[Imam 'Ali (a)]] had anticipated the council would select 'Uthman, since the appointed members all had the same bias. | '''The six-member council''' refers to the council [['Umar b. Khattab]] (d. 23/644) assigned for selecting the next caliph, which led to [['Uthman b. 'Affan]] being elected as the caliph of Muslims. 'Umar had obliged all the people to conform to the final agreement of the council and commanded to cut off any opponents' head. [[Imam 'Ali (a)]] had anticipated the council would select 'Uthman, since the appointed members all had the same bias. | ||
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|quote = [[Imam 'Ali (a)]]: | |||
فَيالَلّهِ وَ لِلشُّورى! مَتَى اعْتَرَضَ الرَّيْبُ فِىَّ مَعَ الاَْوَّلِ مِنْهُمْ حَتّى صِرْتُ اُقْرَنُ اِلى هذِهِ النَّظائِرِ؟! لكِنّى اَسْفَفْتُ اِذْ اَسَفُّوا، وَ طِرْتُ اِذْ طارُوا. فَصَغى رَجُلٌ مِنْهُمْ لِضِغْنِهِ، وَ مالَ الاْخَرُ لِصِهْرِهِ، مَعَ هَن وَ هَن. | |||
|source = [[Nahj al-balagha]], Shiqshqiyya sermon | |||
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== The Story of the Council == | == The Story of the Council == | ||
Revision as of 12:24, 24 February 2015
 | This article is under construction or in the process of or expansion. |
The six-member council refers to the council 'Umar b. Khattab (d. 23/644) assigned for selecting the next caliph, which led to 'Uthman b. 'Affan being elected as the caliph of Muslims. 'Umar had obliged all the people to conform to the final agreement of the council and commanded to cut off any opponents' head. Imam 'Ali (a) had anticipated the council would select 'Uthman, since the appointed members all had the same bias.
فَيالَلّهِ وَ لِلشُّورى! مَتَى اعْتَرَضَ الرَّيْبُ فِىَّ مَعَ الاَْوَّلِ مِنْهُمْ حَتّى صِرْتُ اُقْرَنُ اِلى هذِهِ النَّظائِرِ؟! لكِنّى اَسْفَفْتُ اِذْ اَسَفُّوا، وَ طِرْتُ اِذْ طارُوا. فَصَغى رَجُلٌ مِنْهُمْ لِضِغْنِهِ، وَ مالَ الاْخَرُ لِصِهْرِهِ، مَعَ هَن وَ هَن.
Nahj al-balagha, Shiqshqiyya sermon
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The Story of the Council
'Umar b. Khattab was injured in Dhu al-hajja 23th, 24/644 by someone by the name of Firuz or Abu Lu'lu', the slave of Mughayra b. Shu'ba(he passed away three days after his injury).[1] While he was in bed because of his injury, 'Umar b. Khattab began to think about his successor. He believed if Mu'adh b. Jabal, Abu 'Ubayda Jarrah, and Salim Mawla Hudhayfa had been alive, he would have handed the caliphate to them.[2] Yet none of the mentioned people were present at that time, therefore he devised a new plan for selecting the next caliph.
Establishment of the Council
Prior to that time, specifically after prophet's death, some of the prophet's companions gathered together in a place called Saqifa and selected Abu Bakr as the caliph of Muslims, disregarding Ghadir event in which the prophet (s) had introduced Imam 'Ali (a) to the Muslims as the caliph. The companions made people pledge allegiance (bay'ah) to Abu Bakr through different ways. They reasoned that the selection of the caliph must be assigned to people. It is people who choose their Imam. However, Abu Bakr reversed his opinion at the end of his lifetime by selecting 'Umar as his successor.
'Umar chose a new method, confessing that selecting Abu Bakr had not been Muslims' option. He declared Muslims must participate in choosing their own caliph from now on.[3] Consequently, he established a council comprising of six people who would select one of themselves as the caliph by consulting with each other. The followings are the members of the council: 'Ali b. Abi Talib (a), 'Uthman b. 'Affan, Talha b. 'Ubayd Allah, Zubayr b. 'Awam, Sa'd b. Abi Waqqas, and 'Abd al-Rahman b. 'Awaf.[4]
Based on 'Umar's opinion, more number of votes for a person results in his caliphate. If there was a disagreement between the two groups of three on a candidate, the opinion of 'Abd al-Rahman group is preferred. 'Umar also commanded to cut off the head of any member opposing the idea of the majority. If there was a dispute between the two groups, the group who were opposed to 'Abd al-Rahman's vote must be castigated by cutting off their heads. Another command of him was to cut the head of all the members if they were unable to select the caliphate after three days.[5] Fifty people from Ansar were responsible to monitor conformation to 'Umar's will.[6]
The Bias of Council
It was predictable that 'Uthman would be elected by the council. As Imam 'Ali (a) had anticipated, Sa'd would not disagree with his cousin 'Abd al-Rahman. On the other hand, 'Abd al-Rahman, who was 'Uthman's brother-in-law would vote for him. Concerning these factors, if Talha and Zubayr were Imam 'Ali (a)'s advocates, it would be useless; since 'Abd al-Rahman was supporter of 'Uthman.[7]
Sa'd stated he had the same vote with 'Abd al-Rahman, whatever he decides. Zubayr gave up nominating for caliphate in favor of Imam 'Ali (a). 'Abd al-Rahman announced he was not seeking caliphate. Talha, who was 'Abd al-Rahman's cousin and Imam 'Ali (a)'s opponent, gave up nominating in favor of 'Uthman. Therefore, the only candidates were Imam 'Ali (a) and 'Uthman,[8] meaning 'Abd al-Rahman's vote became very important and notable.
Abd al-Rahman's Decision
'Abd al-Rahman b. 'Awaf consulted with people especially with the elite and rulers. Ultimately, he declared his decision. He asked Imam 'Ali (a) if he could act according to the Qur'an, prophet's tradition (sunna), and Abu Bakr's and 'Umar's approach in caliphate. Imam 'Ali (a) responded: "I hope I will act according to Qur'an and prophet's tradition as much as my knowledge, my power, and my effort are" (means I will not go on the approach of previous caliphs). Then, 'Abd al-Rahman stated his conditions for 'Uthman and he immediately accepted. As the result, 'Abd al-Rahman b. Awaf pledged allegiance to 'Uthman.
Some references have stated that Imam 'Ali (a) believed 'Abd al-Rahman's condition (acting as the previous caliphs) was a deception. He told 'Abd al-Rahman: "You selected 'Uthman so that to regain caliphate. This is not the first time you get united against us (ahl al-bayt (a)) and deprive us of our right. This has become a custom against us"[9]
Nahj al-balaghah, Shaqshaqiyah sermon
But good Heavens! What had I to do with this "consultation"? Where was any doubt about me with regard to the first of them that I was now considered akin to these ones? But I remained low when they were low and flew high when they flew high. One of them turned against me because of his hatred and the other got inclined the other way due to his in-law relationship and this thing and that thing.
Notes
- ↑ Mas'udi, Muruj al-dhahab, vol.2 p.320-321
- ↑ Ibn Qutayba, al-Imama wa al-siyasa, vol.1 p.42
- ↑ Ibn Sa'd al-Hashimi, al-Tabaqat al-kubra, vol.3 p.344
- ↑ Suyuti, Tarikh al-khulafa, p.129
- ↑ Ibn Abi Ya'qub, Tarikh al-ya'qubi, vol.2 p.160
- ↑ Suyuti, Tarikh al-khulafa, p.129-137
- ↑ Ibn Abi al-Hadid, Sharh nahj al-balagha, vol.1 p.188
- ↑ Tabari, Tarikh al-'umam, vol.3 p.296; Ibn Abi al-Hadid, Sharh nahj al-balagha, vol.1 p.188
- ↑ Ibn Abi Ya'qub, Tarikh al-ya'qubi, vol.2 p.162; Tabari, Tarikh al-'umam, vol.3 p.296,302; Ibn Abi al-Hadid, Sharh nahj al-balagha, vol.1 p.194; Mas'udi, al-Tanbih, p.252-253
References
- Mas'udi, 'Ali b. al-Husyan al-. Muruj al-dhahab wa ma'adin al-jawhar. Qom: Dar al-Hijra, 1409
- Ibn Qutayba, 'Abd Allah b. Muslim. Al-Imama wa al-siyasa al-ma'ruf bi tarikh al-khulafa' . Bierut: Dar al-Adwa', 1410/1990
- Ibn Sa'd al-Hashimi, Muhammad. Al-Tabaqat al-kubra. Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-'Ilmiyya, 1410/1990
- Suyuti, Jalal al-Din al-. Tarikh al-khulafa. Halab: Dar al-Qalam al-'Arabi, 1413/1993
- Ibn Abi Ya'qub, Ahmad. Tarikh al-ya'qubi. Beirut: Dar Sadir
- Ibn Abi al-Hadid, Sharh nahj al-balagha. Egypt: Dar Ihya' al-Kutub al-'Arabiyya, 1382-1387
- Tabari, Muhammad b. Jarir al-. Tarikh al-'umam wa al-muluk. Beirut: Dar al-Turath, 1387/1967
- Mas'udi, 'Ali b. al-Husyan al-. al-Tanbih wa al-ishraf. Cairo: Dar al-Sawi
External Links
- The material for this article is mainly taken from شورای شش نفره in Farsi Wikishia.