Shora (Council) in the Era of the Rightly Guided Caliphs (Khulafai Rashidun)
After Sayidina Abu Bakr Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him), Sayidina Umar Farooq (may Allah be pleased with him) worked similarly. Umar’s council members and advisors were composed of reciters. Farooq Azam (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “It is necessary for Muslims to have their affairs in consultation with each other and with those who have opinions.”
Umar Farooq (may Allah be pleased with him) attached great importance to the council and engaged in extensive and thorough consultation on important issues.
Taking into account the principle of Shora (council), Sayidina Umar Farooq (may Allah be pleased with him) consulted on sending an army to Persia, choosing its commander and the method of fighting, compiling an office for writing and compiling Hadiths, returning midway on a journey to Syria due to the outbreak of plague there, the limit of drinking alcohol, the duration of a woman’s tolerance for her husband’s absence, the issue of a woman’s aborted children due to a panic attack that had befallen her, the proposal by the people of Manbij to take tithe from their trade caravans, not dividing the conquered lands in Iraq, and ruling on the stoning of a black slave girl who had committed adultery. We will discuss some of these matters interpretively.
Formation of the Shora (Council) during the Caliphate of Hazrat Farooq (MAPH)
For every important issue, the Shora (Council) was convened immediately. No matter was approved and implemented except by the majority vote of the Sahabas. At that time, among all Muslims, two powerful groups—the Muhajirin and the Ansar—were the leaders of the Arab nation, recognized by all Arabs as their representatives. Therefore, the participation and inclusion of these two groups in the Council were necessary. The Ansar was also divided into two tribes (Aws and Khazraj), necessitating the presence of both groups in the Council.
A: Members of the Shora (Council) and its Formation
Although the names of all the members cannot be stated, it is evident that Uthman, Ali, Abdur Rahman bin Auf, Mu’adh bin Jabal, Ubayy bin Ka’b, and Zayd bin Thabit had to be present. The method of forming this council was as follows: a caller would announce, “الصلوة جامعة”; that is, all the people should gather to perform the congregational prayer. When the people gathered in the mosque, Hazrat Farooq would personally come to the mosque, perform two raka’ats of prayer with the congregation, then go to the pulpit to deliver a lecture and raise the issue in question.
B: The Shora (Council) Meeting
In daily and ordinary work, the votes and approval of the Council were sufficient, but in important matters, a general meeting of the Muhajirin and Ansar was immediately convened, and issues were resolved by consensus among the votes of the Council members. For example, after the conquest of Iraq and the Levant, some Sahabas insisted that an army should be stationed in all the conquered regions. A large council was convened for this purpose. In this council, in addition to the Muhajirin and Ansar, ten tribal elders were present in the consultation bodies—five from the Aws tribe and five from the Khazraj. This council continued its work for several consecutive days, and those present expressed their opinions without fear and with complete freedom. I will present some parts of the words that Hazrat Farooq delivered in this gathering for the readers to judge, illustrating the truth of the caliphate and the privilege of the caliph over others: “I have not troubled you except that you may share in the trust that has been entrusted to me regarding your affairs. I am one of you, and I do not want people to follow what is only my opinion and my whim.”
Shora (Council) in the Era of the Rightly Guided Caliphs
In the year 21 AH, the “Battle of Nahavand” took place, and the Iranians prepared for war with strong racial and national prejudice. The Muslims said that the Caliph himself should be present in the field as a commander for this important matter. In connection with this issue, a large council was convened where Uthman bin Affan, Talha bin Ubaidullah, Zubair bin Awwam, and Abdur Rahman bin Awf expressed their opinions one after the other. They all agreed that it was inappropriate for the Caliph to be present in the war. Hazrat Ali later expressed his opinion, confirming their statements. Ultimately, with the votes of many Sahabas, it was decided that the Caliph should not be present in the war. Similarly, the expenses of the army, the affairs of the Caliphate, trade with other tribes, and determining the amount of tax on commercial property were all addressed in the Council after consultation. The opinions expressed in the Council regarding such matters have been recorded in the history books. The formation of the Council and consultation with people of opinion were not merely for seeking blessings, rewards, and goodness; Hazrat Farooq explicitly stated on many occasions that caliphate without consultation is meaningless and impermissible. He said, “There is no caliphate except with consultation.”
The meetings of the heads of the Shora were mostly held at special and necessary times. In addition, there was another council that discussed daily order and discipline; this assembly was located in the Prophet’s Mosque, and its members were solely the Muhajirin. Hazrat Farooq would present the news from the surrounding areas and the regions conquered by the Caliphate daily in this assembly. If a matter required consultation, Hazrat Farooq would seek their opinions. For example, the issue of determining the tax on the Magians was initially raised in this assembly. The great historian Balazari describes the state and nature of this assembly succinctly: “The Muhajirin had a council in the mosque where Umar would sit and discuss issues regarding areas under Islamic control. One day, Umar said, ‘I don’t know what to do with the Magians.'”
In addition to the Council members, ordinary people also had the right to intervene and express their opinions on military and administrative matters, which they sometimes did. For example, when they intended to send individuals as agents to Kufa, Basra, and Syria, Hazrat Farooq would announce that the people should choose someone unique in religion, character, and ability and introduce that person to the Caliphate. Hence, Uthman ibn Farqad from Kufa, Hajjaj ibn Allat from Basra, and Ma’an ibn Yazid from Syria were selected for those areas, and Hazrat Farooq appointed these individuals to govern them. Qazi Abu Yusuf describes this incident as follows: “Umar wrote to the people of Kufa, Basra, and Sham to send their best and most righteous representatives to Dar al-Khilafah. From Kufa, Uthman bin Farqad; from Syria, Ma’an bin Yazid; and from Basra, Hajjaj bin Allat—all honorable men—were sent. Umar said, ‘Each of them will be appointed as the manager of the finances of his own region.'”
Sa’ad bin Abi Waqqas, a noble Sahaba and the conqueror of the capital of the Naushirwani state, was dismissed by Hazrat Farooq when the people of Kufa complained about him to the Caliphate. Umar Farooq granted everyone complete freedom to defend their rights and demands. During Hazrat Farooq’s reign, everyone enjoyed this freedom fully, and people openly claimed their rights. Each year, groups from the provinces under Islamic rule would come for the sole purpose of conveying the people’s complaints to the Caliphate and having them heard. Hazrat Farooq himself personally emphasized rights many times; he even delivered a lecture on this issue alone and mentioned it in a general assembly. Frequently during Hajj, he would gather the officials and advise them on realizing the rights of the people.
