The allegiance of Imam Ali with caliphs

Hazrat Amir (peace be upon him) wrote in a letter to Moavie
إِنَّهُ بَایَعَنِی الْقَوْمُ الَّذِینَ بَایَعُوا أَبَا بَكْرٍ وَ عُمَرَ وَ عُثْمَانَ عَلَى مَا بَایَعُوهُمْ عَلَیْهِ فَلَمْ یَكُنْ لِلشَّاهِدِ أَنْ یَخْتَارَ وَ لا لِلْغَائِبِ أَنْ یَرُدَّ وَ إِنَّمَا الشُّورَى لِلْمُهَاجِرِینَ وَ الْأَنْصَارِ فَإِنِ اجْتَمَعُوا عَلَى رَجُلٍ وَ سَمَّوْهُ إِمَاماً كَانَ ذَلِكَ لِلَّهِ رِضًا فَإِنْ خَرَجَ عَنْ أَمْرِهِمْ خَارِجٌ بِطَعْنٍ أَوْ بِدْعَةٍ رَدُّوهُ إِلَى مَا خَرَجَ مِنْهُ فَإِنْ أَبَى قَاتَلُوهُ عَلَى اتِّبَاعِهِ غَیْرَ سَبِیلِ الْمُؤْمِنِینَ وَ وَلَّاهُ اللَّهُ مَا تَوَلَّى.
Nahaj Al-Balaghe ; Al-Ketab no 6
Persons that have sworn allegiance with me swore allegiance with Abu Bakr, Umar and Usman with same conditions. Hence, every one that attende allegiance could not select another caliph and everyone that was absent could not accept the allegiance of people. The council of the Muslims belongs to the migrants and the supporters; therefore, if they appoint someone as Imam and they address him Imam, God will be happy.
However, if someone criticizes their action or creates an innovation, they will have them come back the position of legal allegiance and if they refuse it, they will fight with them because they do not follow the way of the Muslims and God leaves them in their deviant path.
Some persons refer to this letter and they consider it the reason of legitimacy of the caliphate of Umar and Abu Bakr and say
In this letter, Imam says clearly that the common accord of the migrants and the supporters make the Imamate of someone legitimate. For example, he considers it as his own right and the satisfaction of God and curse to its protesters and it is pure to fight and kill them.
To answer it, we should say that few points are important in the letter of Hazrat Amir (peace be upon him) to Moavie.
*The reasoning of Imam Ali (peace be upon him) to Moavie if necessary:
1. It is clear that Imam Ali (peace be upon him) is not in the rank of a general rule of remark, but he is in the rank of reasoning with an enemy that believes in the legitimacy of the caliphate of the caliphs through swearing allegiance with the migrants and the supporters. In other words, his reason for animosity is through opinions, thoughts and behaviors and he has been interpreted as «وجادلهم بالتی هی أحسن»
In other words, Hazrat Amir (peace be upon him) addressed and bade to Moavie that was the Governor and ruler of Sham from Umar and Usman and he considered a legitimate caliph
If in your opinion, the norm of legitimacy of their caliphate is the common accord of the migrants and the supporters, there is such norm in my caliphate.
2. Since the purpose of the author of Nahj Al-Balaghe has been to narrate the clear parts of the remarks of Hazrat Ali (peace be upon him), he has not narrated a part of this letter, but some authors, such as: Nasr Ben Mozahem and Ebn Ghatibe Dinuri, have narrated this letter in detail and there are some points in their narration that are representative of the mentioned fact.
3. It has been said at the beginning of the letter of Hazrat Ali (peace be upon him)
فإنّ بیعتی بالمدینة لزمتك و أنت بالشام .
As swearing allegiance with Abu Bakr and Umar was supposed to be in Medina, but you did it in Sham, you should succumb against my allegiance.
Vaghaa Safein, Ibn Mozahem Al-Menghari, p 29, Researched by: Abd Al-Salam Muhammad Harun, Published by: Al-Arabiye Al-Hadith Al-Emamat Al-Siyasat, Ibn Ghatibe Al-Dinvari, Researched by: Shiri, v 1 p 113, and Researched by: Zeini, v 1 p 84, Al-Managheb Movafagh Al-Kharazmi (died in 568), p 202, Researched by: Sheikh Malek Mahmudi, Published by: Jameye Modaresin Qom , Javaher AL-Mataleb Ibn Dameshghi Al-Shafei, v 1 p 367, Researched by: Sheikh Mahmudi, Published by: Majma Ehya Al-Thaghafa Al-eslamiye, Tarikh Medina Damascus, Ibn Asaker, v 59 p 128, Researched by: Ali Shiri, Published by: Dar Al-fekr, Sharh Nahaj Al-Balaghe Ibn Abi Al-Hadid, v 3 p 75, v 14 p 35, 43
This is the remark of Hazrat Ali (peace be upon him) against the weak-minded reason of the caliph, he expressed that he did not succumb against Hazrat Ali (peace be upon him) because the people of Sham refused to swear allegiance with Hazrat Ali (peace be upon him):
وأما قولك أنّ بیعتی لم تصحّ لأنّ أهل الشام لم یدخلوا فیها كیف وإنّما هی بیعة واحدة ، تلزم الحاضر والغائب ، لا یثنى فیها النظر ، ولا یستانف فیها .
Sharh Nahaj Al-Balaghe, Ibn Abi Al-Hadid, v 14 p 43, Bahar Al-Anvar, Alame Majlesi, v 33 p 82, Al-Ghadir, Alame Amini, v 10 p 320, Nahaj Al-Saadat, Mahmudi, v 4 p 263
However, your remark, the people of Sham did not swear allegiance, does not deny my caliphate and it is a weak-minded remark and it has no basis because if a allegiance happens with the caliph of the Muslims in the centre of the Islamic government, all of people (whether present or absent) should respect it and no one will be permitted to change their change about it or to start a new allegiance.
4. At the end of the letter, Hazrat Ali (peace be upon him) admonished the story of breaking allegiance of Talhe and Zobeir and then he wanted Moavie to succumb against the government like other Muslims and not to put himself into trouble; otherwise, he will fight with him
وإن طلحة والزبیر بایعانى ثم نقضا بیعتى، وكان نقضهما كردّهما، فجاهدتهما . على ذلك حتى جاء الحق وظهر أمر اللّه وهم كارهون. فادخل فیما دخل فیه المسلمون، فإن أحب الأمور إلى فیك العافیة، إلا أن تتعرض للبلاء . فإن تعرضت له قاتلتك واستعنت اللّه علیك .
I swear God that if the condition of selecting a leader be attendance of all people, there will not be any way to prove it. People that are qualified to select leader or caliph is better is other Muslims. Therefore, people that attend to swear allegiance cannot change their opinion and people that do not attend in the elections will have no chance to select.
Vaghae Safein : p 20, 29/ Al-Emamat Al-Siyasat: v 1 p 113/ Al-Managheb Kharazmi: p 202/ Javaher Al-Mataleb: v 1 p 367/ Tarikh Medina Damascus, Ibn Asaker :v 59 p 128/ Sharhe Nahaj Al-Balaghe, Ibn Abi Al-Hadid : v 14 p 36
If Imam Ali (peace be upon him) had considered swearing allegiance with three caliphs the reason of their legitimacy, why would he have refused to swear allegiance with them?
The fact that Imam Ali (peace be upon him) did not swear allegiance with them is one of certainties of the history and the most valid books of Sunnite have confessed it.
Muhammad Ben Ismaeil Bokhari has written
وعاشت بعد النبی صلى الله علیه وسلم، ستة أشهر فلما توفیت دفنها زوجها على لیلا ولم یوءذن بها أبا بكر وصلى علیها وكان لعلى من الناس وجه حیاة فاطمة فلما توفیت استنكر على وجوه الناس فالتمس مصالحة أبى بكر ومبایعته ولم یكن یبایع تلك الأشهر .
Sahih Al-Bokhari, v 5 p 82
Hazrat Fateme Zahra remained alive after the prophet (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants) for six months. When Hazrat Fateme (peace be upon her) passed away, his husband buried her at night and he did not inform Abu Bakr and he prayed for her himself. As long as Hazrat Fateme (peace be upon her) was alive, Hazrat Ali (peace be upon him) had respect among people and when she passed away, people turned her away; therefore, he had to swear allegiance with Abu Bakr. Imam Ali (peace be upon him) did not swear allegiance with Abu Bakr during six months that Hazrat Fateme (peace be upon her) was alive.
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) did not swear allegiance with his will and choice, but he swore allegiance by force as Imam Ali (peace be upon him) bade in Nahj Al-Balaghe / letter 28
إنّی كنت أقاد كما یقاد الجمل المخشوش حتى أبایع
They took me to the mosque from my house as a camel is controlled and it does not have any choice and it cannot escape.
It is interesting that he says '' when Amir Momenin entered the mosque, they told him to swear allegiance with Abu Bakr. Hazrat Ali (peace be upon him) bade '' if I do not swear allegiance, what will happen?'' They said '' I swear God that has no companion will cut your head''. Hazrat Ali (peace be upon him) '' hence, you have killed the person of God and the brother of the prophet''. Abu Bakr became silent and he said nothing any longer more.
فقالوا له : بایع . فقال : إن أنا لم أفعل فمه ؟ ! قالوا : إذا والله الذی لا إله إلا هو نضرب عنقك ! قال : إذا تقتلون عبد الله وأخا رسوله . وأبو بكر ساكت لا یتكلم .
Al-Emamat Al-Siyasat, Researched by: Al-Shiri : 31, Chapter Kaifa Kanat Beiat Ali Ibn Abi Taleb
It is more interesting that it has been said in book '' proving the will of Al-Masudi'' '' they took Imam Ali by force toward Abu Bakr and said ''you should swear allegiance with him. The hand of Imam Ali (peace be upon him) was clos. All of them tried to open the fist of Hazrat Ali and put it in the hand of Abu Bakr, but they could not. Abu Bakr came toward Hazrat Ali (peace be upon him) and he put his hand on the closed hand of Hazrat Ali as allegiance.
فروی عن عدی بن حاتم أنه قال : والله ، ما رحمت أحدا قط رحمتی علی بن أبی طالب علیه السلام حین اتى به ملببا بثوبه یقودونه إلى أبی بكر وقالوا : بایع ، قال : فإن لم أفعل ؟ قالوا : نضرب الذی فیه عیناك ، قال : فرفع رأسه إلى السماء ، وقال : اللهم إنی اشهدك أنهم أتوا أن یقتلونی فإنى عبد الله وأخو رسول الله ، فقالوا له : مد یدك فبایع فأبى علیهم فمدوا یده كرها ، فقبض على أنامله فراموا بأجمعهم فتحها فلم یقدروا ، فمسح علیها أبو بكر وهی مضمومة ... .
Esbat Al-Vasiyat Lel Masudi :146, Al-Shafi :3/ 244, Elm Al-Yaghin : 2/ 386-388, Beit Al-Ahzan Lel Mohadeth Al-Ghomi: 118, Al-Asrar Al-Fatemiye Lel Sheikh Muhammad Fazel Al-Masudi: 122, Elm Al-Yaghin Lel Kashani: 686, Al-Maghsad AL-Thaleth Al-Hojum Ala Beit Fateme Le Abada Al-Zahra Mahdi :136, 343
*Imam Ali (peace be upon him) considered the biography of sheikhin *illegitimate
6. If Imam Ali ( peace be upon him) had considered their caliphate legitimate, when he was suggested three times that on the day of the six person council, he should behave according to the tradition of Abu Bakr and Umar on the day of the six person council in order to swear allegiance with him, why would Hazrat Ali ( peace be upon him) have rejected it firmly and announced that the norm and factor of his government were just the book of God( Quran) and the tradition of the prophet and in spite of both of them, there was no need to have another tradition.
Yaghubi, the Sunni famous historian, has narrated such story in this way
وخلا بعلی بن أبی طالب ، فقال : لنا الله علیك ، إن ولیت هذا الامر ، أن تسیر فینا بكتاب الله وسنة نبیه وسیرة أبی بكر وعمر . فقال : أسیر فیكم بكتاب الله وسنة نبیه ما استطعت . فخلا بعثمان فقال له : لنا الله علیك ، إن ولیت هذا الامر ، أن تسیر فینا بكتاب الله وسنة نبیه وسیرة أبی بكر وعمر . فقال : لكم أن أسیر فیكم بكتاب الله وسنة نبیه وسیرة أبی بكر وعمر ، ثم خلا بعلی فقال له مثل مقالته الأولى ، فأجابه مثل الجواب الأول ، ثم خلا بعثمان فقال له مثل المقالة الأولى ، فأجابه مثل ما كان أجابه ، ثم خلا بعلی فقال له مثل المقالة الأولى ، فقال : إن كتاب الله وسنة نبیه لا یحتاج معهما إلى إجیرى أحد . أنت مجتهد أن تزوی هذا الامر عنی . فخلا بعثمان فأعاد علیه القول ، فأجابه بذلك الجواب ، وصفق على یده .
Tarikh Al-Yaghubi, Al-Yaghubi, v 2 p 162
Abd Al-Rahman Ben Uf came to Ali Ben Abi Taleb ( peace be upon him) and said '' we swear allegiance with you provided that you act according to the book of God, the tradition of the prophet and the way of Abu Bakr and Umar when you achieve to the ruler of the government . Imam Ali (peace be upon him) bade '' I act according to the book of God (Quran) and the tradition of the prophet as much as I can.
Abd Al-Rahman Ben Uf came and said '' we swear allegiance with you provided that you act according to the book of God, the tradition of the prophet and the way of Abu Bakr and Umar when you achieve to the ruler of the government. Usman answered '' I will behave with you according to the book of God (Quran), the tradition of the prophet, the way of Abu Bakr and the way of Umar.
Abd Al-Rahman went to Imam Ali (peace be upon him) and he heard the first answer. He went to Usman and he said the remark that he had already said. He went to Ali Ben Abi Talebfor the third time and he said the same suggestion. Then Imam Ali (peace be upon him) bade
''When there are the book of God and the tradition of the prophet, there is no need to have the habit and the way of someone else. You are trying to get caliphate away from us''.
He went to Ali Ben Abi Talebfor the third time and he said the same suggestion. And Usman said the same answer. Abd Al-Rahman pressed the hand of Usman.