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It is evident from Sahi Bukhari and Sahi Muslim, the Sunnis' most trusted Hadith collections, that after the demise of the Prophet there was a very hasty appointment of Caliphat.
This happened while Ali was taking care of the Prophet's funeral.
Later, when Ali learned of this, he was displeased with the desicion.
Abu Bakr argued that Quraish was the best people among Arabs.
That is something Ali later pointed to and said that if that was the criterium, he would have been a more suitable candidate for the Caliphate since according to Muslims and the Qur'an Ali was the closest male relative to the best man on earth, namely the Prophet Muhammed.
Ali did not give his oath of allegiance to Abu Bakr and according Sahi Bukhari, Umar said that Ali opposed them.
Another issue that added disagrement betwen Ali and Abu Bakr was Ali's wife, Fatimas disagrements with Abu Bakr]].
Due to Abu Bakrs disagreement with Fatima, and eventualy a speech that Fatimah gave, Abu Bakr was so disttresed that he said that he wanted to be released of the Califat, however, due to Umar actions, Abu Bakr changed his mind.
It further stated that Ali did not give his oath of allegiance until 6 months later, after the demise of the Fatima. However, other Sunni sources claim that Ali "gave" his oath of allegiance under heavy coersion. Yet other sources say that Ali did not give the oath of allegiance, but that Abu Bakr instead took Ali's back-bound hand and claimed to have gained it.
Quotes and Sources
Here are some quotes from Sahi Bukhari and Sahi Muslim and other sources on this issue:
Then Abu Bakr spoke and his speech was very eloquent. He said in his statement, "We are the
rulers and you (Ansars) are the ministers (i.e. advisers)," Hubab bin Al-Mundhir said, "No, by
Allah we won't accept this. But there must be a ruler from us and a ruler from you." Abu Bakr
said, "No, we will be the rulers and you will be the ministers, for they (i.e. Quarish) are
the best family amongst the 'Arabs and of best origin. So you should elect either 'Umar or
Abu 'Ubaida bin Al-Jarrah as your ruler." 'Umar said (to Abu Bakr), "No but we elect you, for
you are our chief and the best amongst us and the most beloved of all of us to Allah's
Apostle." So 'Umar took Abu Bakr's hand and gave the pledge of allegiance and the people too
gave the pledge of allegiance to Abu Bakr.
Source: Bukhari (http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/057.sbt.html#005.057.019)
Umar ibn al-Khatab said:
"And no doubt after the death of the Prophet we were informed that the Ansar disagreed with us
and gathered in the shed of Bani Sa'da. 'Ali and Zubair and whoever was
with them, opposed us, while the emigrants gathered with Abu Bakr."
Source: Sahi Bukhari (http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/082.sbt.html#008.082.817)
Ali said:
"but the matter (of the Caliphate) had been decided without taking us into confidence,
and this displeased us."
Source: Sahi Muslim (http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/muslim/019.smt.html#019.4352)
Umar said during one of his last speech:
"One should not deceive oneself by saying that the pledge of allegiance given to Abu Bakr was
given suddenly and it was regulated. No doubt, it was like that, but Allah saved (the
people) from its evil, and there is none among you who has the qualities of Abu Bakr."
Source: Sahi Bukhari (http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/082.sbt.html#008.082.817)
[note: in the link "regulated" has been misstranslated from Arabic to "successful"]
Aisha narrated:
"'Ali had not given the oath of allegiance during those months (i.e. the period between
the Prophet's death and Fatima's death)."
Source: Sahi Bukhari (http://www.usc.edu/dept/MSA/fundamentals/hadithsunnah/bukhari/059.sbt.html#005.059.546)
It is further reported that Abu Bakr said:
"May Allah - the Most High - save me from His anger and Fatimah's anger." Then he cried very
bitterly when she (Fatimah) said, "By Allah, I will curse you in every prayer that I do." He
came out crying and said, "I do not need your pledge of allegiance and discharge me from my
duties."
Source: Tarikh al Khulafa (http://www.al-islam.org/guided/19.html)
In Nahj al-Balagha we can read imam Ali saying a long speech on his position regarding the Caliphate:
"Beware! By Allah the son of Abu Quhafah (Abu Bakr) dressed himself with it (the Caliphate)
and he certainly knew that my position in relation to it was the same as the position of the
axis in relation to the hand-mill. The flood water flows down from me and the bird cannot fly
upto me. I put a curtain against the Caliphate and kept myself detached from it.
Then I began to think whether I should assault or endure calmly the blinding darkness of
tribulations wherein the grown up are made feeble and the young grow old and the true believer
acts under strain till he meets Allah (on his death). I found that endurance thereon was
wiser. So I adopted patience although there was pricking in the eye and suffocation (of
mortification) in the throat. I watched the plundering of my inheritance till the
first one (Abu Bakr) went his way but handed over the Caliphate to Ibn al-Khattab after himself.
(Then he quoted al-A`sha's verse).
My days are now passed on the camel's back (in difficulty) while there were days (of ease)
when I enjoyed the company of Jabir's brother Hayyan (During the days of the Prophet?).
It is strange that during his (Abu Bakr) lifetime he wished to be released from the caliphate
(Umar forbid him to do that) but he confirmed it for the other one (Umar) after his death. No
doubt these two shared its udders strictly among themselves. This one (Umar) put the Caliphate
in a tough enclosure where the utterance was haughty and the touch was rough.
Mistakes were in plenty and so also the excuses therefore. One in contact with it was like
the rider of an unruly camel. If he pulled up its rein the very nostril would be slit, but if
he let it loose he would be thrown. Consequently, by Allah
people got involved in recklessness, wickedness, unsteadiness and deviation.
Nevertheless, I remained patient despite length of period and stiffness of trial, till
when he went his way (of death) he put the matter (of Caliphate) in a group (of nominates
for the caliphat) and regarded me to be one of them. But good Heavens! what had I to do with
this "consultation"? Where was any doubt about me with regard to the first of them (Abu Bakr)
that I was now considered akin to these ones? But I remained low when they were low and flew
high when they flew high. One of them turned against me because of his hatred and the other
got inclined the other way due to his in-law relationship and this thing and that thing, till
the third man of these people stood up with heaving breasts between his dung and fodder. With
him (Uthman) his children of his grand-father, (Umayyah) also stood up swallowing up Allah's
wealth like a camel devouring the foliage of spring, till his rope broke down, [[his actions
finished him]] and his gluttony brought him down prostrate.
At that moment, nothing took me by surprise, but the crowd of people rushing to me. It
advanced towards me from every side like the mane of the hyena so much so that Hasan and
Husayn were getting crushed and both the ends of my shoulder garment were torn. They collected
around me like the herd of sheep and goats. When I took up the reins of government one party
broke away and another turned disobedient while the rest began acting wrongfully as if they
had not heard the word of Allah saying:
That abode in the hereafter, We assign it for those who intend not to exult themselves in the
earth, nor (to make) mischief (therein); and the end is (best) for the pious ones. (Qur'an, 28:83)
Yes, by Allah, they had heard it and understood it but the world appeared glittering in their
eyes and its embellishments seduced them. Behold, by Him who split the grain (to grow) and
created living beings (God), if people had not come to me and supporters had not exhausted the
argument and if there had been no pledge of Allah with the learned to the effect that they
should not acquiesce in the gluttony of the oppressor and the hunger of the oppressed (the
rebelion against the Caliphat of Uthmans) I would have cast the rope of Caliphate on its own
shoulders, and would have given the last one (Uthman) the same treatment as to the first one
(Abu Bakr). Then you would have seen that in my view this world of yours is no better than the
sneezing of a goat.
(It is said that when Amir al-mu'minin reached here in his sermon a man of Iraq stood up and
handed him over a writing. Amir al-mu'minin began looking at it, when Ibn `Abbas said, "O'
Amir al-mu'minin, I wish you resumed your Sermon from where you broke it." Thereupon he
replied, "O' Ibn `Abbas it was like the foam of a Camel which gushed out but subsided." Ibn
`Abbas says that he never grieved over any utterance as he did over this one because Amir al-
mu'minin could not finish it as he wished to.) "
Source: Nahj al-Balagha, and manny others (http://www.al-islam.org/nahj/default.asp?url=3.htm)
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