Q: I have heard that Hazrat Mu'aawiyah (Radhiyallahu Anhu) is the fifth khalifa. I thought there are only four khalifas viz. Hazrat Abu Bakr, Hazrat Umar, Hazrat Uthmaan and Hazrat Ali (Radhiyallahu Anhum). Can you please give me the correct answer and was Hazrat Mu'aawiyah's (Radhiyallahu Anhu) status similar to the status of the four khalifas?
A: There were only four Khulafaa who were known as the Khulafaa-e-Raashideen. These four Khulafaa were Hazrat Abu Bakr (Radhiyallahu Anhu), Hazrat Umar (Radhiyallahu Anhu), Hazrat Uthmaan (Radhiyallahu Anhu) and Hazrat Ali (Radhiyallahu Anhu).
In the Mubaarak Hadith, Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) instructed the ummah to follow the way of the Khulafaa-e-Raashideen. The entire ummah, from the time of the Sahaabah (Radhiyallahu Anhum) until this day, is unanimous upon these four Khulafaa being the Khulafaa-e-Raashideen.
Though Hazrat Mu'aawiyah (Radhiyallahu Anhu) was the fifth Khalifah and he was far greater than all the Khulafaa that came after him, he did not reach the position of the Khulafaa-e-Rashideen. Their position was extremely high and exalted and none of the other Sahaabah (Radhiyallahu Anhum) had reached their position.
On one occasion, a person asked Hazrat Abdullah bin Mubaarak (Rahimahullah) regarding Hazrat Mu'aawiyah (Radhiyallahu Anhu) to which he replied, “What can I say regarding a person who stood behind Nabi (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) and said ‘Rabbana walakal hamd’ when Nabi (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) said ‘Samiallahuliman Hamidah’. He was then asked, “Who is superior? Hazrat Mu‘aawiyah (Radhiyallahu Anhu) or Hazrat Umar bin Abdul Azeez (Rahimahullah)?” He replied, “The dust in the nostrils of Hazrat Mu‘aawiyah (Radhiyallahu ‘anhu) when he was with Nabi (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) is greater and far superior to Hazrat Umar bin Abdul Azeez (Rahimahullah).”
And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
سئل ابن المبارك عن معاوية رضي الله عنه فقيل له : فقال : ما أقول في رجل قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم: سمع الله لمن حمده ، فقال خلفه : ربنا ولك الحمد ؟! فقيل له : أيهما أفضل ؟ هو أم عمر بن عبد العزيز ؟ فقال: لتراب في منخرَي معاوية رضي الله عنه مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم خير وأفضل من عمر بن عبد العزيز . (البداية والنهاية 8/314)
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