صرف اسی آلہ پر محفوظ ہے؛ کہیں کچھ نہیں بھیجا جاتا۔
وِلاية العهد
وِلاية العهد
The designation of a successor (wilayat al-'ahd) in the technical sense is the imam's appointment, during his life, of one person to be imam of the Muslims after him. It is one of the ways in which the imamate is established. It is done by the imam naming a person and saying 'I have entrusted him to you' ('ahidtu ilayhi'), as Abu Bakr named 'Umar in a letter. 12
Its conditions: the imam must have the qualities of the imamate; the designated person must accept during the imam's life; acceptance must be later than the designation; and the imam must seek the most suitable person. 2
The succession may pass to more than one, in order. If the first dies during the imam's life, the second succeeds; if the imam dies while three are living and the first has taken the office, he may designate someone other than the last two. If the imam designates no one, the electors may not choose anyone but the second. Consent of the people who bind and loose is not required. If the imam makes the matter a consultation among a group, as 'Umar did among six Companions, the effect is like designation; the consultative group may not name a successor before the imam dies unless he permits it. 23
The imam may bequeath the succession to one he sees as suitable, and if the designee asks to be excused after accepting, he is not removed until he is excused and another is found. The designation of an absent person is valid if his life is known. The imam may change the designated successor, since the office has come to him, but the successor may not transfer it to another, nor remove himself except by agreement with the imam. 34
