The Prophet (peace be upon him)

Q: The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: The Caliphate will extend to thirty years after me, then it will be an oppressing reign. Therefore, after the passing of the thirty years, Mu‘awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “I am the first king!” Quoted from (Risalit Abu Zayd Al-Qairawany, v. 1, p. 96). What is the meaning of this Hadith?

A: This Hadith is related by Imam Ahmad in his Musnad, Al-Hakim in his Mustadrak, Abu Ya‘la in his Musnad, Ibn Hibban in his Sahih and Al-Tirmidhy in his Sunan. The meaning of this Hadith is explained by Al-Hafizh in his book Fath Al-Bary who said that the caliphate meant by the Prophet (peace be upon him) is the caliphate on the way of Prophethood. As to Mu‘awiyah and those who came after him, they were on the way of kings, even if they were called caliphs.May Allah grant us success. May peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and Companions.