O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. And if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you should believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is the best [way] and best in the result. (Qur’an 4:59)
Narrated ‘Abdullah:
The Prophet said, “A Muslim has to listen to and obey (the order of his ruler) whether he likes it or not, as long as his orders involve not one in disobedience (to Allah), but if an act of disobedience (to Allah) is imposed one should not listen to it or obey it.
Source: (Al Bukhari Volume 9, Book 89, Number 258 & Hadith No. 203, Vol. 4)
This is a critique of those who critique the companions who went against Ali’s decision for arbitration at Siffin. Their thinking is as follows: “Who are you to go against the Amir Ul Mumineen?”
Prima Qur’an Response:
Let us first of all be reminded of the devastating argument against the idea of an Imam being infallible or beyond reproach. We will appeal to the book of Allah (swt).
O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. And if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you should believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is the best [way] and best in the result. (Qur’an 4:59)
1) In this clear verse, we find that in matters of disagreement between those in authority and those under authority, we need to refer back to Allah and the Messenger.
Had it been that those in authority were infallible or divinely appointed then, Allah wouldn’t have given any scope to disagree with them.
The fact that there is disagreement proves that “those in authority aka the Ulil Amr”, are neither an absolute nor an infallible authority.
It means that Ali Ibn Abu Talib and Ibn Abbas can disagree with one another. Yet, if they have a disagreement they would refer the matter back to Allah (swt) and his Blessed Messenger.
2) If their authority was infallible Allah(swt) wouldn’t have put authority above them. (.i.e) Allah and His Prophet.
3) If “those in authority aka the Ulil Amr” were divinely appointed then, Allah would have asked the believers to refer them along with Allah and Prophet in matters of disagreement.
Now, those who differed with Ali on arbitration are none other than the companions of the Blessed Messenger (saw).
That is sufficient to address that objection. The argument that no one can object to his decision due to him being the Amir or supposedly infallible has been effectively neutralized.
The second objection: They want to make Ali’s decision at Siffin comparable to the decision of Allah (swt) for the Blessed Messenger (saw) at Hudabiyyah.
Prima Qur’an Response:
Can you imagine the audacity of a person to compare the ‘Amr, the command of Allah (swt), to the decision of a human being that did not act in accord with the Book of Allah (swt)!?
This is a meeting between the Non Muslims and the Muslims. The Non Muslims are not accepting that the Prophet (saw) is the Messenger of Allah (swt).
Muaviyah ibn Sufyan is a Muslim. He should follow the legal Caliphate, which was Imam Ali Ibn Abu Talib; however, he is coming to fight him.
Also, Imam ibn Abu Talib is not getting wahyu (revelation) from Allah (swt) to do what he did. Yet, when the Blessed Messenger (saw) did something he got wahy (revelation) from Allah (swt)
What is the result of Takheen (arbitration)? The result is the Khilafa is gone and Imam Ali Abu Talib was eventually killed. And a fracture developed in the Muslim ummah that has never healed.
What is the result of treaty between the Blessed Prophet (saw) and Suhayl ibn Amr? The result of the treaty of Hudabiyyah is the opening of Mecca. Allahu Akbar!
“Indeed, We have granted you a clear triumph.” (Qur’an 48:1)
May Allah (swt) raise up a generation of Muslims with clear headed thinking in regards to these matters. This is bizarre that Muslims could think the situation of Hudabiyyah and Siffin are the same.
Prima Quran 