Does 'Umar's statement that if Abu 'Ubaydah were alive he would have appointed him as successor indicate that Abu 'Ubaydah is superior to 'Uthman?
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The questioner : May Allah reward you. 'Umar's statement that if Abu 'Ubaydah were alive he would have appointed him as successor—does this indicate that he is superior to 'Uthman?
The Shaykh : No, it is because there is a text stating that he is the trustworthy one. There is a text, and this specific excellence in a particular matter does not indicate absolute superiority.
The questioner : But 'Umar will appoint him.
The Shaykh : Yes, it does not contradict the fact that he is more deserving of the caliphate than him, because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) explicitly stated that he is the trustworthy one of this Ummah. And as we have passed over before, excellence in a specific matter does not indicate absolute superiority. So the fact that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)As-Sunan al-Kubra lil-Nasa'i 61:12 called for 'Ali, and they said he had an eye infection, so he came and he spat in his eye and it was cured, then he gave him the banner, we do not say that by this he is superior to Abu Bakr and 'Umar, because the rule is that specific excellence does not necessitate absolute superiority.
The questioner : But may Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : And this passed over us recently, where? In al-Nuniyyah. Yes.
The questioner : Correct, Shaykh, but 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to make him the caliph now, according to the methodology of the people of the Sunnah and the community.
The Shaykh : He wanted to make him the caliph because of his statement that he is the trustworthy one of this Ummah, not because he is the best, because the Messenger explicitly stated that he is the trustworthy one. And it is known that the caliphate requires that one be trustworthy; it requires trustworthiness. So trustworthiness is a specific attribute of authority, meaning that authority is among the most specific things requiring trustworthiness. So the fact that he is explicitly stated to be the trustworthy one of this Ummah necessitates that no one is like him in trustworthiness. If that is the case, it is a right of fitness, but it does not necessitate that he is the best. Just as some of the people of the Sunnah and the community hold that 'Imran (may Allah be pleased with him) is superior to 'Uthman, and yet they do not differ in the fact that the most deserving person for the caliphate after 'Umar is 'Uthman.
The Shaykh : No, it is because there is a text stating that he is the trustworthy one. There is a text, and this specific excellence in a particular matter does not indicate absolute superiority.
The questioner : But 'Umar will appoint him.
The Shaykh : Yes, it does not contradict the fact that he is more deserving of the caliphate than him, because the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) explicitly stated that he is the trustworthy one of this Ummah. And as we have passed over before, excellence in a specific matter does not indicate absolute superiority. So the fact that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him)
He said in the Battle of Khaybar: "I will give the banner tomorrow to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger,
قال في غزوة خيبر لأعطين الراية غدا رجلا يحب الله ورسوله،Then the people stood up trying to find out who he would give it to. When morning came,
ثم قام الناس يدركون أيهم أعطاها، فلما أصبحThe questioner : But may Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : And this passed over us recently, where? In al-Nuniyyah. Yes.
The questioner : Correct, Shaykh, but 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) wanted to make him the caliph now, according to the methodology of the people of the Sunnah and the community.
The Shaykh : He wanted to make him the caliph because of his statement that he is the trustworthy one of this Ummah, not because he is the best, because the Messenger explicitly stated that he is the trustworthy one. And it is known that the caliphate requires that one be trustworthy; it requires trustworthiness. So trustworthiness is a specific attribute of authority, meaning that authority is among the most specific things requiring trustworthiness. So the fact that he is explicitly stated to be the trustworthy one of this Ummah necessitates that no one is like him in trustworthiness. If that is the case, it is a right of fitness, but it does not necessitate that he is the best. Just as some of the people of the Sunnah and the community hold that 'Imran (may Allah be pleased with him) is superior to 'Uthman, and yet they do not differ in the fact that the most deserving person for the caliphate after 'Umar is 'Uthman.
Source
قناة «فضيلة الشيخ محمد بن صالح العثيمين»، 3646 - 4600 هل قول عمر لو كان أبو عبيدة حياً لاستخلفته يدل على فضل أبي عبيدة على عثمان؟ ابن عثيمين — youtube.com
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.