[TL:DR]
1. There is a clear consensus of companions upon the necessity to appoint an Imam
2. Their consensus also shows that they considered appointing the Khalifa to be an utmost priority, which was prioritised over both the burial of the Prophet – peace be upon him – and the sanctity of life.
3. The companions differed over who should be the Khalifa – a point which does not detract from its obligation and rather shows that the appointment of Khalifa is by choice and that it is necessity
4. The ‘ijma of sahaba upon the obligation of appointing an Imam is considered a Qat`i – or definitive – proof
There are 2 separate events which demonstrate the consensus of the companions that the Khilafa was an obligation. The first event highlights its obligation and priority and the second event highlighting that the issue of appointing the Khalifa and maintaining unity was an issue that was more important that the sanctity of the life of a Muslim.
The first event was the death of the Prophet – peace be upon him – which left the Muslims without a leader who would arrange their affairs for them now that the Messenger was no longer with them. The companions met at saqeefa bani sa`ida to discuss the issue of who would succeed the Prophet in ruling. The fact that they delayed the death of the Prophet – peace be upon him – until after this decision was concluded indicated the utmost priority that was accorded to the issue.
Accordingly – Sh. Sa`ad al-Din Al-Taftazani lists this ‘ijma as the first and most important evidence for the obligation of appointing an Imam – stating that through their consensus it is shown to be the most important of obligations, and they engaged in appointing an Imam rather than first burying the Prophet (peace be upon him)
الأول وهو العمدة إجماع الصحابة حتى جعلوا ذلك أهم الواجبات واشتغلوا به عن دفن الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم
“Firstly – and this is the core evidence – the consensus of the companions, to the point that they considered it to be the most important obligation, and attended to it before attending to the burial of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him)”
This same phrase was also used by ibn Hajr al-Haytami, while he also adds the additional comment that the difference between the companions over who should be the Khalifa is not an evidence against the consensus of it being obligatory.
اعلمْ أنَّ الصحابة رضوان الله عليهم أجمعوا على أن نَصْب الإمام بعد انقراض زمن النبوة واجب، بل جعلوه أهم الواجبات حيث اشتغلوا به عن دفن رسول الله، واختلافهم في التعيين لا يقدح في الإجماع المذكور
“Know that the companions, May Allah be pleased with them, agreed that it was obligatory to appoint an Imam after the end of the era of the Messenger (peace be upon him). In fact – they made it into the most important of obligations, since it kept them busy from burying the Messenger of Allah. Their difference regarding who should be appointed has no relevance to the consensus (upon appointing a leader) mentioned.”
Imam al-Ejee said that the consensus of the Muslims upon the obligation that it was not permitted to be without an Imam for any time has been transmitted since the first era after the death of the Prophet peace be upon him. This is proven by the companions leaving the most important act of burying the Messenger of Allah.
انه تواتر إجماع المسلمين في الصدر الأول بعد وفاة النبي على امتناع خلو الوقت عن إمام، حتى قال أبو بكر في خطبته: ألا إن محمداً قد مات، ولا بدَّ لهذا الدين ممن يقوم به، فبادر الكل إلى قبوله، وتركوا له أهم الأشياء، وهو دفن رسول الله ، ولم يزل الناس على ذلك في كل عصر إلى زماننا هذا مِنْ نَصْب إمام متَّبَع في كل عصر
“The consensus of the first generation of Muslims upon the prohibition of allowing a period of time without having an appointed leader has been transmitted by tawatur (multiple transmissions such that it is beyond any doubt), to the point that Abu Bakr said in his address: Muhammad (peace be upon him) has died, and it is a necessity for someone to establish/ lead this din – and so everyone hurried to accept him as the leader, while not doing the most important issue of the time which was to bury the Messenger of Allah. And the people remained upon that view that an Imam must be appointed, in every era and up until this era”
The second event was at the death bed of Umar, with the appointment of six from the companions to consult over who should be the next Imam of the Muslims after his death. He also left the instruction that if after 3 days anyone who was involved in the consultation that disputed the decision to be killed – an instruction upon which the companions remained silent; meaning that they assented even though the blood of a Muslim is protected in origin. From this a consensus of the companions can be derived that the unity of the Muslims and appointment of an Imam over them is obligatory.
Sh. Muhammad ibn `Ashur in his rebuttal of the first contemporary denier of the obligation of the Khilafa who wore the garb of a scholar – Ali Abdul Raziq – wrote that the consensus of the companions was a qat`i (definitive) proof for its obligation.
فلما تطلبوا الادلة القطعية وجدها في الاجماع و المراد من الاجماع اعلي مراتبه و هو اجماع الامة من العصر الاول استنادا للادلة القاطعة القائمة مقام التواتر
“When they request definite proofs, it is found in the consensus, and what is intended by consensus here is its highest form, which is the consensus of the first generation of the Umma , based upon conclusive evidence which is tawatur (transmitted definitively/ without any doubt).
As for the (painful) argument that the short periods of time without an Imam between the death of the Prophet and the appointment of Abu Bakr, and the death of Umar and the appointment of Uthman are proof that the khilafa is not an obligation– as mentioned by Qadi ‘Iyad this is no proof at all, since that period of time was only being used in order to select the next ruler.
لا حجة للأمم فى بقاء الصحابة دون خليفة مدة التشاور فى يوم السقيفة وأيام الشورى بعد موت عمر إذ لم يتركوها كرهاً، وإنما كانوا فى النظر فى تعيين الخلافة لـ إقامتها تلك المدة
“The fact that the companions remanined without a Khalifa during the period of discussions in the days of the saqifa (after the death of the Prophet, peace be upon him), and the days of consultation after the death of Umar, since they did not do so out of choice. Rather, it was in order to select the Khalifa in order to establish it during that period.”
In summary, the consensus of the companions is a central and definitive proof of the obligation of appointing an Imam to rule the Muslims and call others to Islam, and the contention that such a consensus did not exist is definitively incorrect.
Dr. Reza Pankhurst is the author of The Inevitable Caliphate (Oxford University Press, 2012) and The Untold History of the Liberation Party (C Hurst & Co, 2016)