Translator: Zahra. Kalaa
Source: www.rasekhoon.net


 

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 and he left caliphate to him.
Ahmad Ben Hanbel narrated the story in book ''Mosnad'' from Abd Al-Rahman Ben Uf in this way
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.
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
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 .
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 .
He narrated that Ayeshe bade
انْقَطَعَتِ الْهِجْرَةُ مُنْذُ فَتَحَ اللَّهُ عَلَى نَبِيِّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَكَّةَ.
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 .
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
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 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).
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) wrote a letter to the Egyptian people
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.
He also bade in sermon 74
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.
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''
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.
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) objected to the choice of Usman severely:
6. He objected to the caliphate of Usman and tolerated as much as Abd Al-Rahman Ben Uf threatened him to murder
قال عبد الرحمن بن عوف : فلا تجعل يا علي سبيلاً إلى نفسك ، فإنّه السيف لا غير .
Umar really moaned and shouted from the story of six person council:
فَيَا لَلَّهِ وَ لِلشُّورَى مَتَى اعْتَرَضَ الرَّيْبُ فِيَّ مَعَ الْأَوَّلِ مِنْهُمْ حَتَّى صِرْتُ أُقْرَنُ إِلَى هَذِهِ النَّظَائِرِ لَكِنِّي أَسْفَفْتُ إِذْ أَسَفُّوا وَ طِرْتُ إِذْ طَارُوا فَصَغَا رَجُلٌ مِنْهُمْ لِضِغْنِهِ وَ مَالَ الآخَرُ لِصِهْرِهِ مَعَ هَنٍ وَ هَنٍ إِلَى أَنْ قَامَ ثَالِثُ الْقَوْمِ نَافِجاً حِضْنَيْهِ بَيْنَ نَثِيلِهِ وَ مُعْتَلَفِهِ وَ قَامَ مَعَهُ بَنُو أَبِيهِ يَخْضَمُونَ مَالَ اللَّهِ خِضْمَةَ الْإِبِلِ نِبْتَةَ الرَّبِيعِ إِلَى أَنِ انْتَكَثَ عَلَيْهِ فَتْلُهُ وَ أَجْهَزَ عَلَيْهِ عَمَلُهُ وَ كَبَتْ بِهِ بِطْنَتُهُ
Rest on God from this council Have I ever been equal with members of the council which I am considered equal with them? I had to regress and to get along with them. One of them that had animosity with me turned me away and the other one prioritized his brother-in-law ( his daughter's husband) and it is right to mention two other persons( Talhe and Zobeir).
When the third person became caliph, he ate a lot and he was always between kitchen and rest room. His paternal relatives from Bani Umaye ate and wasted the properties of Beit Al-Mal. As a hungry camel eats all of plants of spring, he overindulged as much as his actions provoked people and because he was so glutton, he was disintegrated.
Nahaj Al-Balaghe, Sermon 3
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) considered Abu Bakr and Umar betrayer and cheater.
7. Amir Momenan (peace be upon him) Abu Bakr and Umar liar, sinner, cheater and betrayer.
Umar said to Abbas and Ali in the book '' Sahih Mosalam'' that one of the most valid book after the Quran from the point of view of Sunni scientists
فلمّا توفّي رسول اللّه صلى اللّه عليه وآله، قال أبو بكر: أنا ولي رسول اللّه... فرأيتماه كاذباً آثماً غادراً خائناً... ثمّ توفّي أبو بكر فقلت : أنا وليّ رسول اللّه صلى اللّه عليه وآله، ولي أبي بكر، فرأيتماني كاذباً آثماً غادراً خائناً ! واللّه يعلم أنّي لصادق، بارّ، تابع للحقّ! .
After the prophet (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants) claimed the caliphate of Hazrat Muhammad. Both of you (Ali and Abbas) considered Abu Bakr liar, sinner, cheater and betrayer and after Abu Bakr deceased, I claimed the caliphate of the prophet and Abu Bakr, you considered me liar, sinner, cheater and betrayer.
Imam Ali (peace be upon him) considered last caliphs the usurper of caliphate:
8. Imam Ali (peace be upon him) did not consider any legitimacy for last caliphs and he considered them as usurpers of his right for caliphate as he wrote in his letter to Aghil
فَجَزَتْ قُرَيْشاً عَنِّي الْجَوَازِي فَقَدْ قَطَعُوا رَحِمِي وَ سَلَبُونِي سُلْطَانَ ابْنِ أُمِّي.
Nahaj Al-Balaghe, Ketab no 36
God may torture Ghoreish tribe for their inappropriate deeds because they disconnected my relationship with my relatives and they robbed the government of my mother's child, the prophet (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants) from me.
It has been said in the narration of Ebn Abi Al-Hadid that Hazrat Ali bade
وغصبوني حقي ، وأجمعوا على منازعتي أمرا كنت أولى به.
The Ghoreish tribe usurped my right and they stood against me for caliphate that I was the most deserved person.
Sharh Nahaj Al-Balaghe Le Ibn Abi Al-Hadid, v 4 p 104, v 9 p 306
According to the remark of Ebn Ghatibe, when Abu Bakr sent Ghanfaz to the presence of Hazrat Ali, he said to him
يدعوكم خليفة رسول الله (ص)
O' Caliph! The prophet has summoned you.
Hazrat Ali (peace be upon him) answered
لسريع ما كذبتم على رسول الله (ص)
How soon they lied to the prophet (peace of Allah be upon him and his descendants) and they addressed themselves his caliph.

/J