“There will be Prophethood for as long as Allah wills it to be, then He will remove it when He wills, then there will be Khilafah on the Prophetic method and it will be for as long as Allah wills, then He will remove it when He wills, then there will be biting Kingship for as long as Allah Wills, then He will remove it when He wills, then there will be oppressive kingship for as long as Allah wills, then he will remove it when He wills, and then there will be Khilafah upon the Prophetic method” and then he remained silent.
Prophecy of the return of the Khilafah upon the Prophetic example
تَكُونُ النُّبُوَّةُ فِيكُمْ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ أَنْ تَكُونَ ثُمَّ يَرْفَعُهَا إِذَا شَاءَ أَنْ يَرْفَعَهَا ثُمَّ تَكُونُ خِلَافَةٌ عَلَى مِنْهَاجِ النُّبُوَّةِ فَتَكُونُ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ أَنْ تَكُونَ ثُمَّ يَرْفَعُهَا إِذَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَرْفَعَهَا ثُمَّ تَكُونُ مُلْكًا عَاضًّا فَيَكُونُ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ أَنْ يَكُونَ ثُمَّ يَرْفَعُهَا إِذَا شَاءَ أَنْ يَرْفَعَهَا ثُمَّ تَكُونُ مُلْكًا جَبْرِيَّةً فَتَكُونُ مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ أَنْ تَكُونَ ثُمَّ يَرْفَعُهَا إِذَا شَاءَ أَنْ يَرْفَعَهَا ثُمَّ تَكُونُ خِلَافَةً عَلَى مِنْهَاجِ النُّبُوَّةِ ثُمَّ سَكَتَ
“There will be Prophethood for as long as Allah wills it to be, then He will remove it when He wills, then there will be Khilafah on the Prophetic method and it will be for as long as Allah wills, then He will remove it when He wills, then there will be biting Kingship for as long as Allah Wills, then He will remove it when He wills, then there will be oppressive kingship for as long as Allah wills, then he will remove it when He wills, and then there will be Khilafah upon the Prophetic method” and then he remained silent.
(Ahmed)
Commentary
a. The hadith indicates that there will be no difference in the rule after the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, in the sense that the Khilafah after him will be based upon his methodology, and follow his example. So there is unity between the Prophetic methodology and the methodology of the successors in applying the rule of Islam, with the only difference being the end of the revelation which was completed before the passing of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم.
b. The “biting Kingship” refers to the misapplication of the taking of the pledge of allegiance, which was taken by force and then subsequently handed down by hereditary rule rather than by consent as exemplified to us by the example of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and the first four Khulafaa.
c. The “oppressive Kingship” is the period of time when the Muslims were ruled by those whose rule was based upon Islam but were oppressive upon the people, as indicated by the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم in other narrations that the Muslims should obey their leader even if he whips their backs as long as he does not order them to commit sin.
d. The last part of the hadith is a glad tiding for the Muslim Ummah, a prophecy that there will again be Khilafah established, with the Will of Allah سبحانه وتعالى, based upon the Prophetic methodology.