The Institutions of State in the Khilafah by Hizb ut-Tahrir

The Khalifah is entitled, once he feels death is approaching him, and a short while before the Khilafah post becomes vacant, to appoint a provisional Amir for looking after the affairs of the Muslims during the period of the election of a new Khalifah. The provisional Khalifah exercises his duty after the death of the Khalifah. His main task is to carry out the appointment of the new Khalifah within three days. .

The provisional Khalifah is not entitled to adopt (new) laws. This is because this task is the mandatory power of the Khalifah that has the Bayah from the Ummah. He is not allowed to be from the nominees to the Khilafah post nor is it permitted for him to support any one of them. This is because ‘Umar (ra) appointed a provisional Amir who was not from those that he nominated for the post of Khalifah. .

The authority of such a provisional Amir would expire at the time that the new Khalifah is appointed, because his task is temporary and limited to this single objective. The evidence that Suhaib was a provisional Ameer appointed by ‘Umar (ra) is the saying of ‘Umar (ra) to the six nominees: “Let Suhaib lead you in the prayer during these three days in which you consult”. Then he said to Suhaib: “Lead the people in the prayer these three days,” and then he said, “If five (of the six) agreed and accepted one man, while one (of the six) man rejected him, then strike his head with the sword”. This indicates Suhaib was appointed as an Amir over them. He was appointed an Amir over prayer, where leadership over prayer indicated leadership over the people at that time. Moreover, he gave him the authority of executing the punishment (strike his head), where only the Amir can authorise such an action. .

This matter was conducted before a group of Sahabah, without anyone of them objecting to this. Therefore, this constitutes consensus (ijma’) that the Khalifah is entitled to appoint a provisional Amir that looks after the measures of appointing the new Khalifah. Based on this, the Khalifah is allowed during his life to adopt a clause in the constitution that stipulates that in the case the Khalifah passed away without appointing a provisional Amir, somebody must be appointed as a provisional Amir. Accordingly we adopt here that in the case that the Khalifah did not appoint a provisional Amir nearing the end of his term, then the eldest delegate assistant would become the provisional Amir, unless he was nominated. In that case the next eldest delegate assistant would become the Ameer. If all of the delegate assistants are nominated then this goes on, if necessary, until the eldest executive assistant is appointed as Amir, and so on and so forth. .

This appointment applies in the case that the Khalifah was removed from his post. The provisional Amir would be the eldest delegate assistant as long as he was not from those nominated. If he was from them, then the next eldest one would become the Amir, till the end of these assistants. After them the eldest executive assistant is appointed, and so on as before. If all of them were to nominate themselves then the youngest executive assistant would be obliged to be the provisional Amir. This also applies in the case that the Khalifah fell captive. In this case there should be some details regarding the mandatory powers of the provisional Amir when there is or there is not a chance of rescuing him. A bill will be issued in time regarding these mandatory powers. .

This provisional Amir is different to the one whom the Khalifah appoints as his deputy when he goes out for jihad or on travel. This is like what the Messenger of Allah (P.B.U.H) used to do when he went out for jihad or he went out on Hijjah al-Wada’ or the like. Such a deputy would have the mandatory powers assigned to him by the Khalifah regarding looking after the affairs required by such an appointment.