Member of the Khilafat Electoral Committee

In 23 Hijri when Hazrat Umar (ra) was attacked with an attempt to take his life, people asked him to nominate someone for Khilafat [after him]. Upon this, Hazrat Umar (ra) appointed a board for the selection of Khilafat which included Hazrat Uthman (ra), Hazrat Ali (ra), Hazrat Abdur Rahman bin Auf (ra), Hazrat Sa‘d bin Abi Waqas (ra), Hazrat Zubair bin Awwam (ra) and Hazrat Talha bin Ubaidallah (ra). Hazrat Umar (ra) said that any one of these [companions] should be selected as the Holy Prophet (sa) had given them all the glad tidings of heaven.

Then he said, “If Khilafat is given to Sa‘d bin Abi Waqas, then he should be the Khalifa, otherwise whichever one of you becomes the Khalifa should continue to seek help from Sa‘d as I did not discharge him [from his duties] for being inept of doing work, nor due to any dishonesty.”

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Kitab Fazail al-Sahab al-Nabi, Hadith no. 3700) (Sahih al-Bukari, Kitab-ul-Janaiz, Hadith no. 1392)