Notes on Righteous Caliphs & the Umayyad Dynasty
The Challenge of Rapid Change
Rapid societal changes overwhelmed the caliphs, leading to a focus on addressing immediate issues.
The term "unprecedented events" became common.
Problem Solving Procedures of the Righteous Caliphs
Caliphs generally practiced ijtihad (independent reasoning) to address new problems, which then became law.
Shura: The outcome of the shura, collective decision making. Is it which means informative or which means binding?
There was debate whether shura outcomes were binding or merely informative for the Khalifa.
Binding: Khalifa must follow the decision, even if against his own view.
Informative: Khalifa considers the advice, but retains the final decision-making power.
Arguments existed for both sides, recognizing the Khalifa's responsibility and access to information.
Collective mind: The caliphs relied on collective decision making.
Individual Sahaba Rulings (Fatwa)
Beyond the Khalifa's decisions, individual Sahaba (companions of the Prophet) issued rulings (fatwa) on day-to-day matters.
Khalifa appreciated the Sahaba's rulings.
Sahaba acknowledged that only Allah could be absolutely correct in a matter and expressed opinions cautiously.
Sahaba give fatwa with hesitation, and they would be trembling because what you're doing is you're just saying Allah's power that says so and so
Courses of Action followed by Sahaba
If informed of an authentic hadith (saying or action of the Prophet), they immediately accepted it, dropping any differing opinions.
Example: Dispute over the Prophet's burial place was resolved by Abu Bakr's hadith.
If no authentic proof or unanimity existed.
Sahaba generally respected each other's opinions and didn't force others to follow a single view.
Exception: Practices acceptable earlier in Islam but later prohibited were forbidden.
Temporary marriage: Umar forbade temporary marriage when he learned it was still practiced.
Difference of opinion
Sahaba sometimes objected to each other's opinions but didn't prevent the fatwa from being given.
Example: Aisha (RA) disputed a practice related to wudu (ablution) and hair.
Consideration was given to whose opinion was most worthy to follow when differences arose.
Absence of Factionalism
Differences in legal opinions rarely led to disunity, due to several factors:
Reluctance to make legal rulings/fatwas.
Redirecting questions to better-qualified Sahaba.
Infrequent quotation of hadith, confined to specific problems.
Fear of misquoting the Prophet (pbuh)
Concern that focusing on hadith would distract from studying the Quran.
Expansion of the Islamic State
During Abu Bakr's era, focus remained within the Arabian Peninsula.
Under Umar, the state expanded into Iran, parts of modern-day Turkey, Egypt, and Yemen.
Umar was a mastermind of the Islamic order.
Uthman's era saw prosperity due to wealth from conquests, leading to expansion and a more comfortable life but also new groups emerging (Ashiyah, Al Fawaj), division, and Abu Dhabi being exiled.
Realism in Fiqh
The fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) of the righteous caliphs was characterized by realism, based on actual problems.
Hypothetical scenarios and purely theoretical questions were generally avoided.
The Sahaba did not canonize or formalize specific rulings or create a distinct legal terminology distinguishing their view.
This open-mindedness reflected respect for freedom of opinion in matters not clearly defined by Sharia (Islamic Law).
Modification of Sharia Laws
Some Sharia laws were modified due to:
The disappearance of the reason for the law's existence.
Changes in social conditions.
Examples of the Following Changes
Umar's prohibition of cash gifts from the central treasury.
Changes in rulings regarding divorce (talaq) due to changes in societal understanding of marriage.
Successors' rulings took precedence of over those of their predecessors.
New Land Law (Al-Kharaj) in conquered territories of Iraq and Persia.
Farmers were allowed to keep the land and work on it in exchange for a share of the revenue to the state.
Before, the whole land was given to the warriors.
This ensured the farmers worked hard (more outcome = better share). Warriors were compensated separately.
Amman Abdullah, looked into the inside of it. So he's not about the letter of the law. He's about what?
Section Summary
The basis for the dirakar fiqh principles Ijmara and Qiyas, Ijtihad, was laid during the time of the righteous house.
The sudden addition of vast new territories brought Muslims into sudden contact with many different cultures, and this produced a host of new problems which were not specifically covered by the laws of Sharia.
Legal rulings became increasingly necessary, and the righteous caliphs gradually developed certain procedures for arriving at Ijtinad with a minimum of disagreement.
The Sahaba in general also followed decision making procedures which helped them to avoid hard and fast rulings.
The combined approval of the righteous caliphs and the sahaba in the matters of legal rulings tended to promote unity and to provide little or no occasion for fractionalism within the most Islamic nation.
Other Details
Abdullah ibn Abbas prayed full prayers behind Uthman despite disagreeing with him.
Concerned that not doing so would lead to evil.
Regarding shortening prayers (qasr) while traveling:
If you own a property in another location, you are considered a resident upon arrival.
Qasr only applies during the journey between locations.
The rise of madhabs not linked to the state until the end of the period
Changes Uthman did
Adding to the Adam to Surat al Juma.
Usman Abdulan, he declared that they will be having a public adhan in the marketplace.
That adhan of Jum'ah used to be in the marketplace, not in the Masjid.
Particular emphasis was placed on the study of the Quran by the masses while excessive quotation of hadith was discouraged.
Extending from the death of the last of the righteous caliphs, Ali ibn Abi Valid, in June, and the ascendancy of the founder fled to outlying areas to avoid conflict and confusion. So far as Islamic law and the evolution of madams are concerned, this period is noteworthy for three main trends. In the place, there was a notable increase in the number of ishtihads given by scholars since Ishmael became more and more difficult following the dispersible scholars' south line narratives of the caliphate. Secondly, the narrations of hadith became widespread, and there was an increasing tendency towards fabrication Hadith.
The Umayyad Period
The Umayyad dynasty's history is viewed differently by various sources - some negative views may be biased.
Mawiya felt that we have the right to fight for Hizman, in shambles. Because if Mahawiyah dies, Al Hasan should took over, but there's no one to take Al Hasan in that place.
Mawiya felt that we have the right to fight for Hizman, in shambles. Because if Mahawiyah dies, Al Hasan should took over, but there's no one to take Al Hasan in that place.
Mawiya to chose Yazid who wasn't the most righteous for the position of caliph in order to preserve the Islamic Empire
The Umayyads tried to legitimize their rule through scholars and ulama.
The Umayyads were unable to build a a stable state built Islamic archives in Arabic, did the the Islamic mint and the Islamic currency for the time as well. They even reached Al Andalus
One division of the Ummah
Some Muslims consider Abdullah bin Azubir, actually, the caliphate after Ma'am
The constant line of these contending elements for control of the government result in a general state of turmoil
The two factions, the Khawarij and the Shia, later evolved into religious sects, which developed their own particular systems of fiqh. Khawarij and Shia have been too extreme
Deviations of the Almaid caliph
Almaid caliphs introduced common practices through Byzantium, Persia, and India. Which contradict the fate of the earliest earlier period.
Music, dancing girls, magicians, and astrologers official has forms of amusement in the county. However, it wasn't the main thing that the Umayahs was doing
Scholars and ulama avoided sitting in from of ulama
Saladin just followed the sultan for the benefit and for themseleves.
Many opportunities existed during this period for fabricating hadith to gain political support and authenticate what they were learning.
Iraq was the science being crafted and perfected and purified and filtered to what we know today for the light of Barakawatara.