1.7.4. Freedom of opinion
Islam fully guarantees the individual the freedom of opinion, and this right was guaranteed and protected during the time of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs. 'Umar used to leave the people to express their opinions and he gave the opportunity to reach their own conclusions in matters concerning which there was no text.
It was narrated that 'Umar met a man and said: "What did you do?' He said, " 'Ali and Zayd passed such and such a judgement." He said, "If it were me, I would have ruled in such and such a manner. " He said, "What kept you from doing that when you are the ruler?" He said, "If there was clear evidence concerning your issue in the Book of Allah or in the Sunnah of His Prophet (saaw), I Would have overridden their judgement, but my judgement is based on my personal opinion, and everyone has the right to express his own opinion."
Similarly, 'Umar let the Sahabah express their own opinions concerning matters that are subject to ijtihad, and he did not prevent them from reaching their own conclusions or force them to follow a specific view. Criticizing and advising the ruler, at the time of 'Umar and the Rightly-Guided Caliphs, was something that was open to all.
'Umar stood up and delivered a speech in which he said: "O' people, whoever among you sees any crookedness in me, let him straighten it." A man stood up and said: "By Allah, if we see any crookedness in you, we will straighten it with our swords." 'Umar said: "Praise be to Allah Who has put in this ummah people who will straighten the crookedness of 'Umar with their swords."
It is narrated that 'Umar said, in the speech he gave when he assumed the position of caliph: "Help me against (the evil of) myself by enjoining what is good and forbidding what is evil, and by offering me advice."
'Umar regarded the practice of constructive political freedom (sincere advice) as obligatory upon the people, and as a right to which the ruler was entitled, as he said: "O' people, we have rights over you: sincerity towards us in our absence and help in doing good."
And he believed that any individual member of the ummah had the right to watch him and straighten any crookedness, even if it that was done by the sword, if he deviated from the right path. He said: "O' people, whoever among you sees any crookedness in me,let him straighten it" And he used to say: "The most beloved of people to me is the one who points out my faults."
And he said: "I fear that I may make a mistake and no one among you will correct me out of respect for me."
One day a man came to him and said to him — in the presence of witnesses — "Fear Allah, O' 'Umar!" Some of those present became aagry and wanted to silence him, but 'Umar said to them: "There is no goodness in you if you do not say it and there is no goodness in us if we do not listen."
One day he stood and addressed the people, and hardly had he said: "O' people, listen and obey," but one of them interrupted him and said, "We will not listen and obey, O' 'Umar." 'Umar calmly asked, "Why not, O' slave of Allah?" He said,"Because each one of us has been given a single shirt from the fabric to cover his 'awrah." 'Umar said to him, "Wait a minute." Then he called his son'Abdullah ibn 'Umar, and 'Abdullah explained to him that he had given his father his own share of the fabric to make his garment complete, and the Sahabah were convinced by that. A man said, with humility and respect: "Now we will listen and obey, O' Ameer al-Mu'mineen."
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