The acceptance of caliphate by Imam Ali

Ahmad Ben Hanbel narrated the story in book ''Mosnad'' from Abd Al-Rahman Ben Uf in this way
عن أبي وائل قال قلت لعبد الرحمن بن عوف كيف بايعتم عثمان وتركتم عليا رضي الله عنه قال ما ذنبي قد بدأت بعلي فقلت أبايعك على كتاب الله وسنة رسوله وسيرة أبي بكر وعمر رضي الله عنهما قال فقال فيما استطعت قال ثم عرضتها على عثمان رضي الله عنه فقبلها .
Mosnad Ahmad, Al-Emam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, v 1 p 75, Majma Al-Zavaed, Al-Heithami, v 5 p 185, Tarikh Medina Damascus, Ibn Asaker, v 39 p 202, Asad Al-Ghabat, Ibn Al-Athir, v 4 p 32,... .
Abi Vael said that he said to Abd Al-Rahman Ben Uf '' why did you swear allegiance with Usman and leave Ali?'' Abd Al-Rahman said '' I am not sinner and I told Imam Ali ( peace be upon him) '' I swear allegiance with you provided that you act according to the book of God( Quran), the tradition of the messenger of God and the way of Abu Bakr and Umar. Imam Ali (peace be upon him). Imam Ali (peace be upon him) bade '' I cannot''. I suggested it to Usman and he accepted it.
The meaning of the remark of Imam Ali (peace be upon him) is that there is no problem with the book of God and the tradition of the messenger of God so that it can need to add the habit and the way of someone else. In other words, I do not consider their way legitimate and it is impossible to bring something into the Islam that is not considered as Islam and it is not legitimate in the Islam.
Abd Al-Rahman Ben Uf was completely aware of this matter, Imam Ali (peace be upon him) would not accept such condition and he would never accept it. Hence, he suggested it in order to make caliphate away from Imam Ali (peace be upon him) practically and to leave it to someone that was already appointed for it.
If Amir Momenan (peace be upon him) had considered the caliphate and the way of Abu Bakr and Umar legitimate, he would not have rejected the suggestion of Abd Al-Rahman Ben Uf in the critical situation so that he did have to stay at home over twelve years.
Even in the time of his government, when Rabie Ben Abi Shedad Khasami suggested Hazart Ali (peace be upon him) '' I will swear allegiance with you provided you act according to the tradition of Abu Bakr and Umar. Hazrat Ali
(Peace be upon him) never accepted and bad
ويلك لو أن أبا بكر وعمر عملا بغير كتاب الله وسنة رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم لم يكونا على شئ من الحق فبايعه ... .
Woe you! If Abu Bakr and Umar had acted according to
The book of God (Quran) and the tradition of the prophet (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants), what worth could it have had?
Tarikh Al-Tabari, Al-Tabari, v 4 p 56
*Did Imam Ali (peace be upon him) believe in the council caliphate?
Hazrat Ali (peace be upon him) bade
وَ إِنَّمَا الشُّورَى لِلْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَ الْأَنْصَارِ فَإِنِ اجْتَمَعُوا عَلَى رَجُلٍ وَ سَمَّوْهُ إِمَاماً كَانَ ذَلِكَ لِلَّهِ رِضًا
Although some persons have reasoned to the remark of Hazrat Ali (peace be upon him) in order to give legitimacy to caliphate made from the council of the migrants and the supporters, it is completely wrong and false.
*Moavie was neither supporter nor migrant:
1. The addressee of Hazart Ali (peace be upon him) was Moavie that wanted to deny the allegiance of Hazrat Ali (peace be upon him) with lack of his attendance. Hazrat Ali (peace be upon him) bade in this letter
وَ إِنَّمَا الشُّورَى لِلْمُهَاجِرِينَ وَ الْأَنْصَارِ
Suppose that the choice of caliph should be according the council, holding council is certain right of the supporters and the migrants, you are neither one of the supporters nor one of the migrants. On the face of it, you became Muslim under pressure of sword in the year of Mecca victory.
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said clearly in the story of Sefin War in relation to the companions of Moavie
فَوَ الَّذِي فَلَقَ الْحَبَّةَ وَ بَرَأَ النَّسَمَةَ مَا أَسْلَمُوا وَ لَكِنِ اسْتَسْلَمُوا وَ أَسَرُّوا الْكُفْرَ فَلَمَّا وَجَدُوا أَعْوَاناً عَلَيْهِ أَظْهَرُوهُ .
Khotbe 16
I swear God that cut seed and created creatures; they did not accept Islam, but they succumbed against Islam apparently and they hid their blasphemy. When they found some companions, they revealed it.
Amar Yaser, the loyal companion of Amir Momenan, followed Imam and said
واللّه ما أسلموا ، ولكن استسلموا وأأَسَرُّوا الْكُفْرَ فَلَمَّا رأوا عليه أَعْوَاناً عَلَيْهِ أَظْهَرُوهُ .
Majma Al-Zavaed: 1/ 113, Al-Tabarani
I swear God that they did not become Muslim, apparently, they succumbed and after they became powerful, they expressed their blasphemy.
The migration ended after the victory of Mecca. Bokhari narrated that the messenger of God (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants) bade
لاَ هِجْرَةَ بَعْدَ فَتْحِ مَكَّةَ .
Sahih Al-Bokhari: v 4 p 38 Hadith no 3079, Ketab Al-Jahad Al-Seir, chapter 194 La Hejrat Bad Al-Fath
He narrated that Ayeshe bade
انْقَطَعَتِ الْهِجْرَةُ مُنْذُ فَتَحَ اللَّهُ عَلَى نَبِيِّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَكَّةَ.
Sahih Al-Bokhari: v 4 p 38 Hadith no 3080, Ketab Al-Jahad Al-Seir, chapter 194 La Hejrat Bad Al-Fath
Since God surrounded for the prophet (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants), the migration ended any longer more.
*The caliphate of Abu Bakr was a haphazard event:
2. There was no council in relation to the caliphate of Abu Bakr, but Abu Bakr said clearly
إنّ بيعتي كانت فلتة وقى اللّه شرّها وخشيت الفتنة .
Ansab Al-Ashraf Lel Balazi, v 1 p 590, Sharh Nahaj Al-Balaghe Le Ibn Abi Al-Hadid, v 6 p 47, Researched by: Muhammad Abu Al-Fazl
My allegiance was done suddenly and it was only an event. However, God saved me from it and I accepted it in order to prevent from riot.
Umar said clearly
إنّ بيعة أبي بكر كانت فلتة وقى اللّه شرّها فمن عاد إلى مثلها فاقتلوه .
Sharh Nahaj Al-Balaghe Le Ibn Abi Al-Hadid, v 2 p 26, R. K : Shahih Al-Bokhari, v 8 p 26, Ketab Al-Maharebin, chapter Rajam Al-Habali Min Al-Zena; Mosnad Ahmad, v 1 p 55
My allegiance was done suddenly and it was only an event. However, God saved me from it and if a person wants to become a caliph with such allegiance, kill it.
*Imam Ali (peace be upon him) believed in appointed caliphate:
3. Imam Amir (peace be upon him) believed in appointed caliphate and he considered elected caliphate against the tradition and the Quran. Such a point can be seen all over Nahj Al-Balaghe. In the second sermon of Nahj Al-Balaghe , Imam Ali ( peace be upon him) considered caliphate for the descendants of the prophet ( peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants) and he considered the will of the prophet ( peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants) as a document for his claim:
Guardianship is the certain right of descendants of the prophet and they are successors and inheritors of the prophet (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants).
Nahaj Al-Balaghe Abdah, v 1 p 30, Nahaj Al-Balaghe ( Sabhi Al-Saleh), Sermon 2 p 47, Sharh Nahaj Al-Balaghe Ibn Abi Al-Hadid, v 1 p 139, Yanabi Al-Mavedat Ghanduzi Hanafi, v 3 p 449
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) wrote a letter to the Egyptian people
فو اللّه ماكان يُلْقَى في رُوعِي ولا يَخْطُرُ بِبالي أنّ العَرَب تُزْعِجُ هذا الأمْرَ من بعده صلى اللّه عليه وآله عن أهل بيته ، ولا أنّهم مُنَحُّوهُ عَنّي من بعده.
I swear God that I did not believe and I never thought that the Arabia nation ignored the recommendations of the prophet and they prevented caliphate from prophetic dynasty.
Nahj Al-Balaghe, Al-Ketab no 62, Ketab Ela Ahle Mesr Maa Malek Al-Ashtar Lamma Valahe Emarateha, Sharh Nahaj Al-Balaghe Ibn Abi Al-Hadid :6/ 95, 17/ 151, Al-Emamat Al-Siyasat : 1/ 133. Researched by: Doctor Taha Al-Zeini T, Al-Halabi Cairo Institute
He also bade in sermon 74
لَقَدْ عَلِمْتُمْ أَنِّي أَحَقُّ النَّاسِ بِهَا مِنْ غَيْرِي وَ وَ اللَّهِ لَأُسْلِمَنَّ مَا سَلِمَتْ أُمُورُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِيهَا جَوْرٌ إِلَّا عَلَيَّ خَاصَّةً الْتِمَاساً لِأَجْرِ ذَلِكَ وَ فَضْلِهِ وَ زُهْداً فِيمَا تَنَافَسْتُمُوهُ مِنْ زُخْرُفِهِ وَ زِبْرِجِهِ.
As you know, I am more qualified than others for caliphate. I swear God that I shoulder responsibility of whatever you have done so that the affairs of the Muslims should be alright and they do not disintegrate and no one can be tyrannized except me. I expect the reward of this selflessness, reticence and virtue from God and I ignore all of jewelry that you look for.
*Imam Ali (peace be upon him) considered the caliphate of Abu Bakr dictatorial government:
4. Hazrat Amir (peace be upon him) did not consider the caliphate of caliphs based on democracy, but he said clearly that they had government by force as Imam Ali (peace be upon him) said to Abu Bakr
ولكنّك استبددت علينا بالأمر وكنّا نرى لقرابتنا من رسول اللّه صلى اللّه عليه وسلم نصيباً حتّى فاضت عينا أبى بكر .
You tyrannized against me and caliphate was my right because I am considered as caliph after the prophet (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants). When Abu Bakr heard these remarks, drops of tears were flowing from his face.
Sahih Al-Bokhari :5/ 82, Ketab Al-Maghazi with Ghazvat Kheibar, Moslem, v 5 p 154, ( New Publication, p 729, Hadith 1758), Ketab Al-Jahad, chapter Ghole Al-Nabi La Nureth Tarkanaho Sadaght
*Imam Ali (peace be upon him) did not consider Umar qualified for caliphate:
When Imam Ali (peace be upon him) informed that Abu Bakr decided to choose Umar as caliph, he expressed his objection clearly as Ebn Sad has narrated in book '' Tabaghat''
عن عائشة قالت لما حضرت أبا بكر الوفاة استخلف عمر فدخل عليه علي وطلحة فقالا من استخلفت قال عمر قالا فماذا أنت قائل لربك قال بالله تعرفاني لأنا أعلم بالله وبعمر منكما أقول استخلفت عليهم خير أهلك.
Ayeshe narrated '' in the last moments of Umar's life, Imam Ali (peace be upon him) and Talhe came to him and they asked him '' who have you considered as caliph?
Abu Bakr answered '' Umar''.
He was said '' how will you answer God?''
Umar answered '' do you want to introduce God to me?'', but I know God and Umar better than you. If I visit God, I will say '' I have chosen your best person for caliphate.
Al-Tabaghat : 3/ 196, Tarikh Medina Damascus : 44/ 251, Omar Ibn Al-Khatab Lel Astaz Abd Al-Karim Al-Khatib, p 75