MAKING CONCESSIONS AS THE SITUATION REQUIRES
In Dhul Hijjah 9 A.H., the Prophet of Islam performed the Hajj, which is generally known as the Farewell Pilgrimage. More than one hundred thousand Muslims had gathered to perform the Hajj with the Prophet. Of the many observations made by the Prophet in his sermon, there was one very significant one, which amounts to a declaration of human equality. On this occasion the Prophet uttered these historic words: that no Arab had any superiority over a non-Arab; no white enjoyed any superiority over a black, for superiority is related solely to one’s religiosity and God-consciousness (taqwa).
About two and a half months after delivering this sermon, the Prophet passed away. The problem that arose after his death concerned the choice of his successor. According to the declaration made in the sermon, what should have been done was to decide upon a successor to the caliphate on the basis of piety and God-consciousness (taqwa), rather than on the basis of family and tribe. But this did not happen.
After his death Muslims gathered at a meeting place in Madinah known as Thaqifa bani Saida. The majority were of the opinion that Saad ibn Ubada, who belonged to a Madinan tribe, should be selected as the successor to the Prophet. On this occasion Abu Bakr conveyed the Prophet’s dictum:
“The leaders will be from the Quraysh.” (Kitab al-Riddah by Al-Waqidi, Vol. 1, p. 41)
That is, the Caliph or Imam—the head of the Muslim state—should be selected from the tribe of the Quraysh. This meant that Saad ibn abi Ubadah, not being a member of that tribe, could not be chosen as caliph. After some deliberation, this issue was finally resolved by deciding that only a member of the Quraysh tribe should be appointed as the Prophet’s successor. Accordingly, Abu Bakr, who belonged to the Quraysh tribe, was appointed as first caliph.
There was an apparent contradiction in this. Why should the Prophet ever have made such an observation? There was, however, great wisdom behind it. That is, the caliph, or the ruler, having to impose commands on a vast society, required of necessity, that people should be willing to submit to or obey him. Without such obedience, the Caliphate could not have functioned effectively in that particular historical context.
In ancient Arabia over the centuries, the Quraysh had come to acquire the position of leadership, so that the public readily accepted the leadership of a person who belonged to this tribe. That was why the Prophet indicated his preference for a member of the Quraysh as his successor. This was not a command of an eternal nature. This meant only that in any community or nation it should be a member of a group, which enjoyed a political status such as that of the Quraysh, who should be appointed as its ruler.
This shows that pragmatism was also one of the sunnah of the Prophet. In individual matters, one should always keep before one what is ideal, but at the same time bear in mind that in social matters sometimes the ideal is not practicable. It is necessary, therefore, that in such matters the ideal be abandoned in favour of practical solutions. If this principle were not observed, the smooth functioning of any given system would not at times be possible.
