In the two Sahīh collections, Ibn Umar narrated that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said:

“A Muslim is obligated to hear and obey, whether he likes it or dislikes it, unless he is commanded to commit an act of disobedience. If he is commanded to commit an act of disobedience, then there is neither hearing nor obedience.” (1)

If he were to say, “By my statement that it is ‘the most important objective in religion and the noblest of the Muslims’ questions,’ I meant the matters over which the Ummah differed after the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—and this is the question of the Imamate,”

he would be told: “Then your wording is not eloquent, nor is your meaning sound. What you stated does not convey this meaning. Rather, the plain sense and import of your words are that it is, in absolute terms, the most important objective in religion and the noblest of the Muslims’ questions.

“Even assuming that this was what you intended, the meaning is still false. After the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—the Muslims differed over questions nobler than this one. Even assuming that this is the noblest question, what you have stated concerning it is the falsest of doctrines and the most corrupt of claims.

“This is because the dispute over the Imamate did not emerge until the caliphate of Ali—may Allah be pleased with him—(2). [As for] (3) the era of the three caliphs, no dispute arose except what occurred on the day of al-Saqīfa,”