sins by causing us to engage in backbiting, tale-telling, having bad opinions of others, hurting the feelings of Muslims.

But we must foil his plan and establish a mindset that every Muslim, who possesses the correct beliefs of Islam, is better than me. No matter who is appointed as our leader, we will obey him because old age and experience are not the only proof of being superiority. Rather, piety and righteousness are extremely important too. Whoever possesses piety, righteousness, the fear of Allah Almighty and the love of the Prophet, along with other good traits, he is superior to others and worthy of a greater position. The Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would appoint those individuals as leaders who were more pious and righteous than others. Here is a Hadith along with its commentary related to this.

Sayyiduna Abdullah Ibn Umar رَضِیَ اللهُ عَنْهُمَا reports that the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم dispatched an army and appointed Usamah bin Zayd (رَضِیَ اللهُ عَنْهُمَا) as their commander, but some people criticised his leadership. The Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: “If you are criticising his [i.e. Usama’s] leadership, then you would also criticise the leadership of his father too. By Allah, indeed he [i.e Zayd] deserved leadership and he was one of the most beloved people to me. Now he [i.e. his son Usama] is one of the most beloved people to me after him.”^[1]

Hakeem-ul-Ummah, Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ عَـلَيْه explains in the commentary of this Hadith: The Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم appointed Sayyiduna Usama bin Zayd رَضِیَ اللهُ عَنْهُمَا as the leader of an army on several occasions. Likewise, when the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم was close to leaving this world, he dispatched an army and Sayyiduna Usama bin Zayd رَضِیَ اللهُ عَنْهُمَا was its commander. The people either criticised his leadership when he was appointed as the leader for the first time or it