Superior Example of Obedience

should get used to five daily Prayers, give up falsehood, give up arrogance, stop usurping the rights of others, and live together in love and affection. All this comes under the command of ‘obey in all good matters’. There are people that do not follow any of this, but instead go around saying that they swear they would do whatever is commanded to them. Similarly, there are different initiatives from Khulafa’ at different times for the spiritual growth such as about populating the mosques, proper upbringing of children, having more tolerance, courage, and calling people towards Allah, or about different financial sacrifices. These are the matters that one need to obey. In other words, these come under the classification of obedience in ‘good matters’. A Prophet or a Khalifah is not going to ask anything that is against the divine commandments or common sense; he is not going to command one to jump into fire or plunge into an ocean. Prophets or Khulafa’ are always going to lead one along the shari‘ah.

We find a great example of obedience with the Muslims of the early era when Hadrat ‘Umarra took the command away from Hadrat Khalidra Bin al-Walid and gave it to Hadrat Abu ‘Ubaidahra in the course of a battle. Thinking that Khalidra Bin al-Walid was performing well, Hadrat Abu ‘Ubaidahra did not take over the charge from him right away. When Hadrat Khalidra Bin al-Walid learnt that this command had come from Hadrat ‘Umarra, he went to Hadrat Abu ‘Ubaidahra and said, ‘Since it is the instruction from the Khalifah of the time,

you should implement it without any delay. I have no reservation in serving under your command, and I will continue to work as hard under you as I did when I was the commander.’ This is the high standard of obedience. Some foolish person can say that it was ‘not a good decision’ of Hadrat ‘Umarra . This is also a wrong notion. We do not know the circumstances as to why Hadrat ‘Umarra made that decision. He knew it better. There was nothing obvious in this decision that would be against the shari‘ah. Note that Allah the Almighty upheld the honour of this decision of Hadrat ‘Umarra and the battle was won. During the battle, some occasions were such that there were a hundred enemy soldiers against a single Muslim soldier, yet the battle was won.

The Promised Messiahas also received the distinction to be an arbitrator and a judge in the service of his Master—a service that is unparalleled. Therefore, in this age, the claim of obedience and love for the Holy Prophetsa and the claim for love for Allah can be justified by true obedience to the Promised Messiahas, just as Allah the Almighty says:95

Say, ‘If you love Allah, follow me: then will Allah love you and forgive you your faults. And Allah is most Forgiving, Merciful.’

95. (Al-e-‘Imran, 3:32)