Previously, we have presented convincing proof that the obligation of the Caliphate is a normative Islamic doctrine. Below, we show that this obligation is also agreed upon by Ijmā‘ (unanimous consensus).

According to al-Taftāzānī (died 792H), the first and foremost proof for the obligation of appointing an Imam is the unanimous consensus of the Companions (رضي الله عنهم):

الأول وهو العمدة إجماع الصحابة حتى جعلوا ذلك أهم الواجبات، واشتغلوا به عن دفن الرسول صلى الله عليه وسلم، وكذا عقيب موت كل إمام

“The foremost (evidence for the duty of appointing the Caliph) is the advocation by Ijmā‘ al-Ṣaḥābah (the unanimous concensus of the Companions), to the point that they made this the most important of obligations.  They even occupied themselves with it over burying the Messenger ﷺ, as was the case following the death of every Imam.”
[Sa‘d al-Dīn al-Taftāzānī, Sharḥ al-Maqāṣid, vol. 5, p. 236]

And elsewhere he says:

ثم الإجماع على أن نصب الإمام واجب

“There is unanimous consensus (Ijmā‘) on the appointment of an Imam being obligatory.”
[al-Taftāzānī, Sharḥ al-‘Aqā’id al-Nasafīyyah, p. 353]

And Imam al-Nawawī (d. 676H) said:

“وأجمعوا على أنه يجب على المسلمين نصب خليفة ووجوبه بالشرع لا بالعقل…”

“They (the scholars) unanimously agreed that it is an obligation upon the Muslims to appoint a Caliph, and that this obligation is by revelation, not reason”.
[Imam al-Nawawī, Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, vol. 12, p. 205]

Imam al-Māwardī (d. 450H) said:

“الإمامة موضوعة لخلافة النبوة في حراسة الدين وسياسة الدنيا، وعقدها لمن يقوم بها في الأمة واجب بالإجماع…”

“The word imāmah denotes the succession (khilāfah) of Prophethood in the protection of the dīn and the management of the worldly affairs, and its contracting to the one who fulfils it in the ummah is an obligation by Ijmā‘ (unanimous consensus)…”
[Abu’l Hasan al-Māwardī, al-Aḥkām al-Sulṭānīyyah, p. 56]

Ibn Khaldūn (d. 808H) states:

“إن نصب الإمام واجب قد عرف وجوبه في الشرع بإجماع الصحابة والتابعين، لأن أصحاب رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم

عند وفاته بادروا إلى بيعة أبي بكر رضي الله عنه وتسليم النظر إليه في أمورهم. وكذا في كل عصر من بعد ذلك. ولم تترك الناس فوضى في عصر من الأعصار. واستقر ذلك إجماع اً دالا على وجوب نصب الإمام.”

“Indeed the appointment of the Imam is an obligation, whose obligatory nature is known in the revelation by the unanimous consensus of the Saḥābah and the Tābi‘īn (Followers), because the Companions of the Messenger ﷺ rushed to the bay’ah (pledge of alllegiance) of Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنه) and to submit the management of their affairs to him upon his ﷺ death. Similarly in each age after that; the people were never left in anarchy in any era, and this persisted to be the case by a consensus indicative of the obligation of appointing an Imam.”
[Ibn Khaldūn, al-Muqaddimah, Chapter III, Section 26]

Imam al-Shahrastānī (d. 548H) said:

“ولما قربت وفاة أبي بكر فقال: تشاوروا في هذا الأمر. ثم وصف عمر بصفاته وعهد إليه واستقر الأمر عليه، وما دار في قلبه ولا في قلب أحد أنه يجوز خلو الأرض من إمام، ولما قربت وفاة عمر جعل الأمر شورى بين ستة، وكان الاتفاق على عثمان رضي الله عنه، وبعد ذلك الاتفاق على علي رضي الله عنه، فدل ذلك كله على أن الصحابة رضوان الله عليهم، وهم الصدر الأول كانوا على بكرة أبيهم متفقين على أنه لا بد من إمام…فلذلك الإجماع على هذا الوجه دليل قاطع على وجوب الإمامة.”

“When the death of Abu Bakr neared he said (to the Companions), “Consult amongst yourselves about this matter (of the Caliphate)”. He then described the attributes of ‘Umar (praising him) and chose him as successor. It did not occur to his heart, or that of anyone else, in the least, that it is permissible for there to be no Imam. When the death of ‘Umar neared he made the matter one of consultation between six, and they agreed upon ‘Uthman, and after that upon ‘Ali. All of this indicates that the Companions (رضي الله عنهم), the first and best of the Muslims, agreed that having an Imam was necessary…This type of Ijmā‘ (unanimous consensus) is a definite evidence (dalīl qāṭi‘) for the obligation of the Imamate.”

[Imam al-Shahrastānī, Nihāyat al-Iqdām fī ‘Ilm al-Kalām, vol. 1, p. 268]

Imam al-Ījī (d. 756H ) said:

“نصب الإمام عندنا واجب علينا سمعا…إنه تواتر إجماع المسلمين في الصدر الأول بعد وفاة النبي امتناع خلو الوقت عن إمام حتى قال أبو بكر رضي الله عنه في خطبته ألا إن محمدا قد مات ولا بد لهذا الدين ممن يقوم به فبادر الكل إلى قبوله

“Our position on appointing the Imam is that it is obligatory by text…the unanimous consensus (Ijmā‘) of the Muslims of the first generation after the passing of the Prophet ﷺ to avoid being in a state of not having an Imam has reached us by mass-transmission (tawātur). This was emphatic to the extent that Abu Bakr (رضي الله عنه) said in his sermon, “Behold, Muhammad ﷺ has passed away, and it is necessary for this dīn to have someone to lead and implement it,” so the Companions all moved swiftly to accept him…”
[Imam ‘Aḍud al-Dīn al-Ījī, al-Mawāqif fī ‘Ilm al-Kalām, vol. 3, p. 579]

Imam Ibn Ḥajar al-Haytamī (d. 974H) said:

“إعلم أيضًا أن الصحابة رضوان الله عليهم أجمعوا على أن نصب الإمام بعد انقراض زمن النبوة واجب، بل جعلوه أهم

الواجبات حيث اشتغلوا به عن دفن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم.“

“Know that the Companions (رضي الله عنهم) unanimously agreed that selecting the Imam after the end of the era of Prophethood was an obligation. Indeed they made it the most important of obligations as they were busy with it (giving it priority) over the burial of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.”
[Ibn Ḥajar al-Haytamī, al-Ṣawā‘iq al-Muḥriqah, vol. 1, p. 25]

And Imam al-Ramlī (d. 1004H) said:

“يجب على الناس نصب إمام يقوم بمصالحهم، كتنفيذ أحكامهم وإقامة حدودهم وسد ثغورهم وتجهيز جيوشهم وأخذ

صدقاتهم أن دفعوها وقهر المتغلبة والمتلصصة وقطاع الطريق وقطع المنازعات الواقعة بين الخصوم وقسمة الغنائم وغير ذلك، لإجماع الصحابة بعد وفاته صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم على نصبه حتى جعلوه أهم الواجبات، وقدموه على دفنه صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم ولم تزل الناس في كل عصر على ذلك “

“It is obligatory on the people to appoint an Imam who looks after their interests – such as implementing the Sharī ‘ah rules, executing the ḥudūd, defending the frontiers, preparing the armies, collecting the zakat to distribute it, subjugating rebels, thieves and brigands, resolving disputes that arise amongst people, dividing the spoils and the like – due to the unanimous consensus of the Companions after the death of the Prophet ﷺ on appointing him (i.e. the Caliph), to the extent that they considered it the most important of obligations and prioritised it over his ﷺ burial, and the Muslims have remained on this (appointing an Imam) in every age.”
[Imam Shams al-Dīn al-Ramlī, Ghāyat al-Bayān fī Sharḥ Zabd ibn Raslān, vol. 1, p. 15]

In part 5, we will examine the Sharī‘ah rules which require the existence of the Caliph. (For the previous articles in this series, see part 1, part 2 and part 3).