Islams Reformers

the ambassador so that he would talk to the enemy and make an
agreement. He was among the six persons whom Hadrat ’Umar
(radiy-Allâhu ’anh), when he was about to pass away, considered
worthy and capable of becoming Khalîfa after him. Our Prophet
(’alaihi ’s-salâm) stated, “Allâhu ta’âlâ has put the true word on
’Umar’s tongue.” ’Umar (radiy-Allâhu ’anh), who always spoke
correctly and appropriately as noted in the hadîth, recommended
him by saying, “ ’Uthmân is worthy and capable for caliphate.” But
Sayyid Qutb said, “No, he was not worthy of it. Islam’s progress
came to a standstill because of him.” His administrative, political
and military accomplishments when he was Khalîfa are portrayed
in detail in the Turkish book Hak Sözün Vesîkalar›, (translated
into English in 1992). [1]
Sayyid Qutb’s likening Islamic Khalîfas to the kings of
unbelievers and saying that they prohibited meritorius people who
were adherent to Islam from public property is another slander
against Islamic Khalîfas. I have given its answer detailedly in the
forty-fourth paragraph. Pages of reasonably written histories and
of the books of Islamic scholars are full with writings refuting these
slanders of his.
“With a comparison to Hadrat ’Umar’s disposal of prohibiting
al-muallafat al-qulûb from being given zakât, we can do some
similar disposals on the expenditures of zakât. We may, instead of
giving them in cash or in gold, establish factories and industrial
foundations for them. We can buy shares for them in some
foundations and institutions. Thus they will be provided with a
continual source of food and income far from the meaning of a
temporary gifting, which is incompatible with today’s civil
requirements and which is sacrificed in vain.” (Page 298)
All as-Sahâbat al-kirâm were profound scholars, mujtahids.
Especially the Four Khalîfas were Rasûlullah’s (sall-Allâhu ’alaihi
wa sallam) counsellors when he was alive and representatives after
his death. It is declared in a hadîth, “Hold fast to my path and,
after me, to the path led by the Four Khalîfas! Their path is the
right path.” We have to follow the unanimity of as-Sahâbat alkirâm.
Of the teachings which they communicated unanimously, a
person who disbelieves the ones that are widespread among
Muslims becomes a disbeliever.
Sayyid Qutb thinks he is a mujtahid like ’Umar (radiy-Allâhu
[1] Documents of the Right Word, 480 pp., available from Hakîkat
Kitâbevi, Fâtih, Istanbul, Turkey.
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