It has been narrated by Abu Hurairah (RA) that the Holy Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) (may pceace be upon him) said: Banu Isra'il were ruled over by the Prophets. When one Prophet ( صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم ) died, another succeeded him; but after me there is no prophet and there will be caliphs and they will be quite large in number. His Companions said: What do you order us to do (in case we come to have more than one Caliph)? He said: The one to whom allegiance is sworn first has a supremacy over the others. Concede to them their due rights (i. e. obey them). God (Himself) will question them about the subjects whom He had entrusted to them.

The same tradition has been transmitted by a different chain of narrators.