Discovering Islam

102 Discovering Islam
However, seventy days after the monumental event, Prophet
Muhammad left this world.
Disarray overtook some Muslims regarding who should succeed
the Prophet as leader of the Muslim community. There were two
main groups; one that consisted of the family of the Prophet
(Bani Hashim) and prominent companions, and the other being a
small group of companions of the Prophet.
The first group believed that the Muslim leadership had already
been established by Divine ordinance 89 which had been
reiterated by the Prophet time and time again. 90 This group later
became known as the “Shia 91 of Ali.”
The second group believed that the Prophet left the issue of
succession open to the Muslim community to decide the
leadership based on the concept of consultation (shura). Members
of the second group had suggested that Imam Ali was too young
(at the time of the death of the Prophet Muhammad, he was 33)
to assume leadership. In addition, in their opinion, prophethood
and succession (caliphate) should not be vested in one family.
In a hasty meeting at Saqifah Bani Sa’ida, Abu Bakr ibn Abi
Quhafah assumed leadership (11 AH - 13 AH / 632 CE – 634 CE ).
After Abu Bakr’s death, Umar ibn al-Khattab (13 AH – 23 AH / 634
CE - 644 CE) assumed leadership; followed by Uthman ibn Affan
(23 AH – 35 AH / 644 CE - 656 CE). Afterwards, Ali ibn Abi Talib (35
89
Quran 5:67, 26:214, 5:55, 4:59.
90
Sahih Bukhari, Book on Outstanding Traits, hadith #3430; Battles hadith
#4064; Sahih Muslim, Book of the Merits of the Companions, hadith #4418;
Al-Tirmidhi, Book on Outstanding Traits, #3664; ibn Majah, Book on the
Introduction, 112 and 118; Musnad Ahmad ibn Hanbal 1:173, 175, 177,
179, 182, 184, and 185.
91
The literal meaning of Shia is ‘followers’.