Reports on the caliphate of Ali bin Abi Talib (may Allah be pleased with him)

It is narrated from Abu Salih that a camel-driver was chanting for Sayyiduna Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him), saying: "Indeed, after Uthman the commander is Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), and in al-Zubayr there is a pleasing successor." The narrator said: Ka'b said: "Rather, it is the one with the grey mule, Mu'awiyah." It was said to Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah (may Allah be pleased with him): "Ka'b is joking at your expense, and he claims that you will take charge of this matter of the caliphate." The narrator said: Then Sayyiduna Mu'awiyah came to him and said: "O Abu Ishaq! How can you say this while Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him), al-Zubayr and the other Companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) are present?" Ka'b said: "You are the one who will hold this caliphate."

It is narrated from Ibrahim al-Taymi that when allegiance was given to Sayyiduna Abu Bakr (may Allah be pleased with him), the narrator said, Sayyiduna Salman (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "You have erred and you have (also) done right. If you had entrusted the caliphate to the family of your Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), you would have consumed it in great ease."

It is narrated from Abd al-Rahman bin Abi Bakrah that until he parted from us, Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) took from the public treasury only one cotton-padded robe and one woolen wrap from Darabjird.

It is narrated from Sa'd bin Ibrahim, who said: I heard Ubaydullah bin Abi Rafi' say: When the people crowded around Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) and made his foot bleed, I was watching him. Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "O Allah! Indeed, I dislike these people and they dislike me. So give me relief from them and give them relief from me."

It is narrated from al-Sha'bi that when Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) went out for the Fajr prayer, Abd al-Rahman bin Muljam and Shabib al-Ashja'i surrounded him. Shabib struck at him but missed, and his sword struck the wall. Then he was hemmed in towards the gates of Kindah, and the people began saying: "Seize the man with the sword!" When Shabib feared being caught, he threw down the sword and entered among the general crowd. As for Abd al-Rahman, he struck Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) on his blessed head with the sword. Then he too was hemmed in towards Bab al-Fil, and Arid or Uwayd al-Hadrami seized him. He caught him and brought him to Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him). Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "If I die, then if you wish kill him, or let him go; and if I survive, then there will be retaliation."

It is narrated from Abdullah bin Subay', who said: I heard Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) say: "This (beard) will certainly be dyed from this. What is the most wretched one waiting for?" The people said: "Tell us about him (the killer) and we will destroy his family." Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "By Allah, in that case you would kill someone other than my killer." The people asked: "Why do you not appoint a caliph?" Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "No; rather, I will leave you just as the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) left you." The people asked: "Then what will you say to your Lord when you meet Him?" Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I will say: 'O Allah! You left me among them (for a time), then You called me back to You while You Yourself remained among them. So if You wished, You would set them right, and if You wished, You would corrupt them.'"

It is narrated from Abu Hamzah, from his father, who said: I heard Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) say: "O blood! This will certainly be dyed from this," meaning his beard from the blood of his head.

It is narrated from Ubaydah that Sayyiduna Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) used to say: "What is keeping the most wretched of the Ummah from coming and killing me? O Allah! Indeed, I have grown weary of these people and they have grown weary of me. So grant me relief from them and grant them relief from me."