Six-Member Council: Difference between revisions

Prior to that time, specifically after the Holy Prophet's (s) demise, some of the Prophet's [[companions]] gathered together in a place called [[Saqifa]] and selected [[Abu Bakr]] as the caliph of Muslims, disregarding the [[Event of Ghadir]] in which the [[Prophet (s)]] had introduced [[Imam Ali (a)]] to the Muslims as the caliph. The companions made people pledge allegiance ([[bay'a]]) 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.<ref>Ibn Saʿd, ''al-Ṭabaqāt al-kubrā'', vol. 3, p. 344.</ref> 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. 'Awf]].<ref>Suyūṭī, ''Tārīkh al-khulafāʾ'', p. 129.</ref>

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.<ref>Yaʿqūbī, ''Tārīkh al-Yaʿqūbī'', vol. 2, p. 160; Bilādhurī, ''Ansāb al-ashrāf'', vol. 2, p. 261.</ref> Fifty people from [[Ansar]] were responsible to monitor conformation to 'Umar's will.<ref>Suyūṭī, ''Tārīkh al-khulafāʾ'', p. 129-137.</ref>