The Ahle Tasannun are vociferous and voluble in insisting that the Holy Prophet (peace be on him and his progeny) did not appoint anyone as his successor and left the world intestate. He (peace be on him and his progeny) left this most important issue in the hands of the people! This belief is not only against intellect and the verses of the Holy Quran and Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him and his progeny) but also against the practice of the so-called Caliphs (i.e. those who usurped the right of Ameerul Momineen Ali Ibn Abi Talib (peace be on them both)). For example, it is common knowledge that Umar was appointed by Abu Bakr. Not only did he not take the opinion of the people – forget the majority – he even overlooked the objection of some prominent personalities at this appointment.
Ibn Abi Shaibah – the teacher of Bukhari – narrates the incident as follows:
Zaid Ibn Haarith reports: When Abu Bakr’s death was near; he called Umar to appoint him for the caliphate. The people objected saying, “You are appointing someone as caliph upon us who is discourteous and rude. If he becomes the caliph, he will become even more impolite and insolent. If you appoint Umar as the caliph, what will you answer Allah?
(Al-Musannaf, vol. 7, p. 434, H. 37045, Chapter of what has come concerning the caliphate of Umar Ibn al-Khattaab)
Did not Abu Bakr break the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him and his progeny) by appointing a successor?
Why Abu Bakr did not pay heed to the objection of the people?
If somebody blatantly violates the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (peace be on him and his progeny), does he have the right to call himself his Caliph?