Umar formulated the Non-Appointment Theory

THE THEORY OF NON - APPOINTMENT AND WHY IT WAS INVENTED

Very soon after the arrival of the Prophet at Medina, it became evident to all that a Muslim state was in the making. With this knowledge, the idea naturally entered every mind as to who the next ruler of this state after the Prophet would be. As time went on and the state expanded, this idea took deeper root and different shapes in the minds of different persons. It was all too plain that the Prophet (P) had selected Imam Ali to be his successor. But this was not to the liking of many people, and their sullen mood was fed and fostered for their own ends by those who thought themselves to be in a position to make a bid for the prize. They set about canvassing and inviting people to their way of thinking, with the result that a party comprising this ambitious and refractory element was soon formed. By the time the question of the succession arose, this opposition party had gained considerable strength and momentum of its own. The gradual acquisition of power and the cause that led to their ultimate success, form the subject matter of the following pages. But a formidable difficulty faced the opposition from the outset. According to the tenets of Islam and the behests of the Qur’an, they had to yield unquestioning submission to the will of the Prophet and were to carry out his orders without demur, nay without feeling even the slightest disinclination in their hearts. They were to take these orders with a joyful acceptance springing from their firm conviction in the infallibility of the Prophet and the honesty of his purpose. In fact this was the main condition of their being accepted into the fold of Islam. Without this unquestioning submission and unhesitating obedience, they could not be Muslims(1) .

(1)The Qur ‘an: Sura 4, vs 59, 60.

Now the dilemma before them was this: if they unquestioningly accepted and obeyed the orders of the Prophet designating Imam Ali as his successor, they would have to give up the long cherished desire of their hearts and lose the Caliphate for ever; yet if they were to declare themselves openly in opposition to the wishes of the Prophet, they would be stigmatized as Kafirin (unbelievers) and so lose all influence with the people, which would be tantamount to losing the Caliphate anyway as no opponent of the Prophet could be his successor. It was certainly a mastermind of politics who devised the means to steer clear of this rock. The device was this: instead of openly disobeying the orders of the Prophet, they feigned not to believe that the Prophet (P) had designated Imam Ali, or anyone else for that matter, as his successor. This is the raison d'etre of the Non-appointment Theory.

The person who formulated this Theory was definitely 'Umar, and it has become an accepted article of faith with one of the two " factions of the Muslim nation into which it has since been divided on the question of the Caliphate, as we have learnt before. On his death-bed, when asked to nominate' his successor, 'Umar said that if he did so he would be following the example of one who was better than himself, namely Abu Bakr, and that if he did not designate anyone as his successor, he would be following the example of one who was also better than himself, that is, the Prophet(1)". 

It has been an article of faith with this faction ever since(2). They have proclaimed it as an established fact that the Prophet (P) did not designate anyone as his successor, whether Imam Ali or Abu Bakr.

Not only this; they maintain that the Prophet did not give any direction as to how the succession should be regulated. At the Saqifa, where Abu Bakr was selected as Caliph, no definite direction of the Prophet was cited and none was followed (3).

The so-called election at the Saqifa, the arguments that were advanced there, and the conduct of 'Umar and Abu Bakr in abruptly leaving the dead body of the Prophet and 'hastening to the Saqlfa to get Abu Bakr selected as the Caliph can have a meaning only on the assumption that the Prophet did not nominate his own successor.

All the Muslim writers whose works on Islamic History have been acknowledged as authentic have been -Sunnis, that is, belonging to the majority party who formulated the Non-appointment Theory, and they believe as an article of their faith that Abu Bakr was rightfully elected by the Umma as Caliph (4).

This explains why they are unanimous in saying that the Prophet did not nominate his successor. But as a piece of historical evidence, this unanimity is of no value.

1) Muslim: "Sahih", Vol. 6, pp, 4, 5; Al-Bukhari: "Kitab al-Ahkarn", "Bab al-Istikhlaf", at-Tabari: Vol. 5, p. 34; Ibn al-Athir: "Tankh al-Karnil", Vol. 3, p. 25.
(2) Imam Al-Ghazali: "Ehya' al-'Uliim", Vol. l , Rukn 4, p. 86; Ibn Hijr AI-Asqalani: "Fath al-Bari'" Vol. 13, p. 177; Ibn :Hijr al-Makki: "as-Sawa'iq". Chptr l. Fas1 4. Pg 15.
(3) Al-Bukhari: "Kitab al-Ahkam", "Bab al-Istikhalaf"; Muslim: "Bab al- Istikhlaf Tarakah, Vol. 6, pp, 4, 5; at-Tabarl: Vol. 5, p. 14; Ibn Al-Athir: "al-Kamil", VoL 3, p. 25; Husain Deyar Bakri: "Tarikh al-Khamis", Vol. 2, p. 26; Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal: "Musnad", Vol 1, pp. 43,46,47; Vol. 6, p. 63; Ali ibn Burhan Ed-Dine "as-Slra al-Halabiyya", Vol. 3, p. 310.
(4) Shibli: "Al-Ma'rnun", Part 1, p. 61.