Can A Person Resign from Leadership?

The question as to whether a Khalīfah or Amīr can resign from office on the basis of a certain wisdom after being officially elected or appointed is a question for which no specific directive has been given. However, it is obvious that in the case of worldly rulers, there can be no reason for prohibition, albeit, the question of religious Khulafā’ is worthy of contemplation. It is ascertained from history that in the era of Ḥaḍrat ‘Uthmān(ra), the third Khalīfah, when the rebels pressed him to resign from the office of Khilāfat, or suffer forceful dethronement or murder, Ḥaḍrat ‘Uthmān(ra) responded, “I shall never take off the garment of honour which God has conferred upon me.”1 This was an indication towards a statement of the Holy Prophet(sa) addressed to Ḥaḍrat ‘Uthmān(ra) that, “Allāh shall confer upon you a garment, and the people will struggle to snatch it from you, but you should not surrender it.”2 However, in contrast to this, the action of Ḥaḍrat Imām Ḥasan(ra), upon witnessing signs of dissension in the community of the Holy Prophet(sa), was to renounce his right to Khilāfat for Amīr Mu‘āwiyyah.3 In this manner, the prophecy was fulfilled in which the Holy Prophet(sa) foretold that, “God shall reconcile between two Muslim parties through this grandson of mine.”4 In other words, this action of Ḥaḍrat Imām Ḥasan(ra) has been looked upon as worthy of praise, because through his resignation, a prophecy of the Holy Prophet(sa) in which he alluded to a distinct quality of Imām Ḥusain(ra) was fulfilled; and the community of the Holy Prophet(sa) was once again united upon common ground. The conclusion which is derived from these two examples is that the question of resignation has been left open according to the circumstances at hand. In other words, if the system of Khilāfat has been firmly established as in the case of Ḥaḍrat ‘Uthmān(ra), or if resignation is desired or demanded by the people then it is undesirable, rather, it is prohibited. However, prior to the establishment of Khilāfat, as in the case of Ḥaḍrat Imām Ḥasan(ra), if a Khalīfah considers it appropriate to withdraw from his own right himself for a higher purpose, then there is no reason for prohibition. At this instance, it is incumbent to mention that the idea which we have presented here is no conclusive doctrine instituted by Islām; rather, it is merely a point of view, which we have presented in light of occurrences. 5