Since I just posted about shari'a teaches that democracy is illegal, the question must be addressed, what then is the correct way of choosing a successor (that's what caliph means) for the Prophet?
The first way is silly: be chosen by the "decision makers". And who decides who makes decisions?
The second way is simple: the Caliph chooses his successor. This is what led to the various inherited caliphates that popped up quite often throughout history.
And here is the third way, which is quite fascinating. One can become the caliph by force, sorta:
By means of force and prevailing over others. When a man becomes caliph by prevailing over the people by the sword, and he establishes his authority and takes full control, then it becomes obligatory to obey him and he becomes the leader of the Muslims. Examples of that include some of the Umayyad and ‘Abbasid caliphs, and those who came after them. This method is contrary to sharee’ah, because it is seized by force. But because great interests are served by having a ruler who rules the ummah, and because a great deal of mischief may result from chaos and loss of security in the land, the one who seizes authority by means of the sword should be obeyed if he seizes power by force but he rules in accordance with the laws of Allaah.
Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
If a man rebels and seizes power, the people must obey him, even if he seizes power by force and without their consent, because he has seized power.
The reason for that is that if his rule is contested, it will lead to a great deal of evil, and this is what happened during the Umayyad period when some of them seized power by means of force and gained the title of caliph, and people obeyed them in obedience to the command of Allaah.
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