When the dust of the events of Saqifah settled upon the face of history, Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him), with a heart filled with grief over the loss of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), faced the reality of his prophecies. Standing in search of truth and seeking refuge in the right, he found himself at a difficult crossroads—a path in which remaining in the position of ruler was not for the sake of power or glory, but solely to preserve the flame of religion and remain faithful to the covenant of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), so as to prevent the collapse of Islam amid the storm of seditions.
Saqifah and the Test of Faith
In the midst of the grief and sorrow of the Prophet’s (peace be upon him and his family) passing and the rush of the Tulaqa’ toward power, Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him), with a resounding statement, reexamined the nature of events from a divine perspective.
Reciting verses from Surah al-Ankabut, he demonstrated that what was unfolding among the people was not a mere political incident, but a severe test to separate truth from falsehood.
When the matter of usurping the caliphate was settled for Abu Bakr and the people pledged allegiance to him, a man came to Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) while he was pouring soil onto the grave of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and holding a shovel in his hand.
The man said:
“The people have pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr; humiliation and disgrace have become apparent among the Ansar, and the Tulaqa’ (those whom the Prophet had freed at the conquest of Mecca) have hastened to pledge allegiance to Abu Bakr, fearing that this position might reach you!”
Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) drove the shovel into the ground, took hold of its handle, and recited these verses:
“In the Name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Alif, Lam, Mim. Do the people think that they will be left to say, ‘We believe,’ and they will not be tested? And We certainly tested those before them, so God will surely know those who are truthful, and He will surely know the liars. Or do those who commit evils think they can outrun Us? How evil is what they judge!” (Surah al-Ankabut, Verses 1-4) [1]
The First to Pledge Allegiance to Abu Bakr
Salman al-Farsi visited Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) and recounted the events of Saqifah to him. The Master of the Pious then informed him of the Prophet’s (peace be upon him and his family) prophecy regarding the events following Saqifah.
Sulaym ibn Qays al-Hilali, one of the companions and narrators of the Imams, in a detailed tradition, reported the conversation between Salman al-Farsi and Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) as follows:
“Salman came to the presence of Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) and said: ‘The people have pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr in Saqifah Bani Sa’idah; then Abu Bakr came and entered the mosque and ascended the pulpit, while the people were pledging allegiance to him.’ When Abu Bakr sat on the pulpit of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) to receive the pledge of allegiance, Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) asked Salman: ‘Do you know who was the first person to pledge allegiance to him at that moment?’
Salman replied: ‘I do not know; but I saw an elderly man leaning on a staff, with a dark mark of prostration on his forehead. He went to Abu Bakr weeping and said: “Praise be to God who did not take my life until I saw you in this position. Open your hand so that I may pledge allegiance to you.” So Abu Bakr opened his hand and the old man pledged allegiance to him; then he left the mosque.’
Then Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) said:
‘That old man was Iblis—may God curse him. The Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) had previously informed me that the people, after you (Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him)) challenge them regarding your right and the proof you possess, will pledge allegiance to Abu Bakr in the canopy of Bani Sa’idah. Then they will come to the mosque, and the first person to pledge allegiance to him on my pulpit will be the accursed Iblis, in the form of a joyful elderly man who will say such and such. Then the devils will gather around him, and he will say: “How do you see what I have done with them, when they abandoned the leader whom God and His Messenger had commanded them to obey?”‘ [2]
Losing the Source of Guidance
In the tumultuous days following the martyrdom of the Prophet of God (peace be upon him and his family), differing attachments and perspectives emerged among the companions. While some sought to manage affairs, a group of loyal companions remained devoted to the right of Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him), believing that the path of guidance could only pass through the Ahl al-Bayt.
Salman, Zubayr, and a number of the Ansar were inclined to pledge allegiance to Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) after the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family). Therefore, when the pledge of allegiance was given to Abu Bakr, Salman said to the companions: “You have attained what is good and righteous (the caliphate), but you have mistaken its source and its rightful place!”
In another tradition, it is narrated that Salman said: “You have chosen your elder and more senior one, but you have erred concerning the Ahl al-Bayt of the Prophets. Be aware that if you had placed that station of caliphate among them (the Ahl al-Bayt), not two of you would have ever differed, and you would have attained it with ease and tranquility.” [3]
A Thorn in the Eye and a Bone in the Throat
Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him), in a conversation with Ibn Abbas, described the bitterness of the era following the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) and the reasons for his silence and then his acceptance of the responsibility of governance.
Zurarah, a companion of the Ahl al-Bayt, narrated from Imam al-Baqir (peace be upon him) that Ibn Abbas said: “One day, I raised the matter of the caliphate in the presence of Amir al-Muminin Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him).
Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him), with a burning heart, spoke of days when he had donned bitter patience so that the legacy of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family) would not collapse amid the greed of men. The Master of the Pious said:
‘By God, the son of Abu Quhafah (Abu Bakr) donned the mantle of the caliphate, while he knew well that my position in governance was like the axis of the millstone. I, who stand like a towering mountain, was at that time caught between two difficult paths: either to rise with a broken hand (without supporters), or to bear patience in a dark and turbulent space where children grew old and adults perished. I saw it wise to be patient. So I endured—a thorn in the eye and a bone in the throat—witnessing the plundering of the Prophet’s (peace be upon him and his family) legacy.
Until he (Abu Bakr) passed away and entrusted the caliphate to Umar—how strange! Abu Bakr, during his lifetime, constantly wished to step down, but after his death, he gave it to another; as if these two were dividing the udders of a she-camel between themselves. By God, he led the affair down a rough path where movement caused slips, wounds, and constant apologies. The holder of authority is like a rider on a restive horse—if he pulls the rein tightly, the horse’s nostrils tear; if he releases it, the horse throws him to the ground. By God, the people in that era fell into rebellion, instability, and distance from the truth.
Then he (Umar) also passed away and placed the caliphate in a six-member council, thinking that I would be equal to the others! O God, I seek Your aid in this council! You know at what time I was doubted in comparison to those first two, and now I am to be placed alongside these? Nevertheless, I accompanied them until the bitterness of the days passed. Then one of them turned away due to the grudge he bore against me, and the other listened to his son-in-law, and other things [which I dislike to mention], until the turn came to the third—who, due to gluttony and love of the world, had become sluggish and heavy. He and his family consumed the public treasury like spring grass, until his deeds finally led to his death.'”
The Council and the Corruption of Successors
After years of patience and forbearance, the time came to face the turmoil resulting from their rise to power; where the Master of the Pious, between the divine injunction to the knowledgeable and the worthlessness of the world in comparison to the truth, stood at the edge of a blade.
Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) continued, addressing Zurarah:
“After that, the people swarmed over me like the mane of a hyena, insisting that I pledge allegiance to them, but I refused. Then they crowded so heavily that Hasan and Hussain (peace be upon them) were nearly trampled underfoot, and my cloak was torn from both sides. When I took hold of the reins of affairs, a group broke their pledge, a multitude defected from the religion, and a faction acted tyrannically. As if they had not heard the word of God, who said: ‘That abode of the Hereafter—We assign it to those who do not desire exaltation upon the earth nor corruption; and the outcome is for the righteous.’ (Surah al-Qasas, Verse 83). Why—by God—they had indeed heard it, but their worldly desires deceived them, seduced them, and captivated them with its gold and adornments.
By God, who split the seed and brought forth living beings, were it not for the presence of my companions and the completion of the argument, and were it not for the covenant God took from the knowledgeable—that they should not remain silent before the gluttony of oppressors and the hunger of the oppressed—I would have cast the reins of the she-camel of governance onto its hump and left it to itself. Then they would have seen that this fleeting world of theirs is, to me, more worthless than the sneeze of a young goat.”
Ibn Abbas said: “At this point, a letter from the people of Iraq reached the Imam, and his speech was interrupted. I deeply regretted not being able to hear the rest of his words. When the letter was finished, I said: ‘O Amir al-Muminin! If only you would continue your speech.’ He said: ‘Alas, O son of Abbas! This was an inner fire that flared up and then subsided.'” [4]
Acknowledgment of the Superiority of Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him)
Umar, in a frank conversation with Ibn Abbas, admitted that Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him) was the most deserving person for the caliphate, but two concerns led them to set him aside.
Ibn Abbas narrated: “One day, Umar said to me: ‘Know that—by God—after the martyrdom of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his family), no one among your companion, Amir al-Muminin (peace be upon him), was more deserving of the caliphate and leadership. But we feared two things about him.’
I said: ‘What were those two things?’
He said: ‘We feared his youth, and we feared his strong attachment and devotion to the Bani Abd al-Muttalib.'” [5]
Sources
[1] Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 24, p. 230
[2] Ithbat al-Hudah, Vol. 1, p. 354
[3] Al-Saqifah wa Fadak, p. 104
[4] Nahj al-Balagha, Sermon 3 (al-Shiqshiqiyyah); Amali al-Tusi, Vol. 1, p. 372
[5] Bihar al-Anwar, Vol. 28, p. 315
