Abu Dharr
Another member of the council appointed by ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab to decide who would qualify to become the leader of the Muslims while avoiding a war with Makkah was Imam ‘Ali ibn Abi Talib. His relationship and qualifications are beyond anyone’s hesitations or uncertainties.
Imam Ali’s father, Abu Talib’s sympathy and compassion for the Prophet (ﷺ) are beyond dispute. His guardianship and protection of the Prophet (ﷺ) and Islam against the hostile forces of Qureish are a well-established fact.
Abu Talib took in the Prophet (ﷺ) when he was a young boy. He assumed responsibility for his upbringing and brought him up as one of his own. In a gesture of reciprocity, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) assumed responsibility for ‘Ali and brought him up as one of his own when Abu Talib’s family members grew in number and became a burden on him.
When the Prophet (ﷺ) was called upon to be Allah’s messenger, ‘Ali was a young boy growing up in the Prophet’s household. ‘Ali became a muslim when he was nine (or eleven) years old. ‘Ali continued to reside in the Prophet’s and umm al-Mu’mineen Khadijah’s family circle.
‘Ali never worshipped idols. He became a conscientious Muslim before society expected him to bow down to idols so he never did. Thus, ‘Ali’s formative years were exceptional and distinct from the pioneering forerunners of Islam early on in Makkah.
Different from the other primary Muslims, ‘Ali was nurtured in the Prophet’s home having immediate access to constant revelation coming to the Prophet (ﷺ). When the Prophet (ﷺ) was forced to dislocate from Makkah to al-Madinah, he entrusted ‘Ali with the “bonds and securities” that other people had entrusted to him so that ‘Ali could return them to their owners.
‘Ali stayed in Makkah for three days after the Prophet (ﷺ) departed and then left to join him in al-Madinah. On his way, he caught up with the Prophet (ﷺ) at Quba’.
Seerah books inform us that ‘Ali slept in the Prophet’s bed the night Quraish wanted to assassinate the Prophet (ﷺ) while he was asleep. When the Prophet (ﷺ) arrived in al-Madinah, he introduced a fraternization course of action in which a Muhajir was paired with an Ansari and integrated into the family of the latter. The Prophet (ﷺ) joined ‘Ali with Sahl ibn Hanif.
‘Ali was the Prophet’s cousin and adopted by him (ﷺ). Further, ‘Ali was the Prophet’s chosen brother post-Hijrah. The Prophet (ﷺ) betrothed his daughter Fatimah to ‘Ali and from that marriage the offspring spread.
‘Ali carried the Prophet’s banner in all the battles. He was known for his exceptional courage, bold spirit fearlessness and daring in all the battles he honorably attended alongside the Prophet (ﷺ).
When the Prophet (ﷺ) set out to engage the enemy in the battle of Tabuk, he tasked ‘Ali to stay behind and “take care of the family.” ‘Ali was not content with exemption from military service, and the “rumor mill” began to churn out propaganda against him. So the Prophet (ﷺ) said to ‘Ali:
أما ترضى أن تكون مني بمنزلة هارون من موسى؟ غير أنه لا نبي بعدي
Are you not satisfied to be to me what Harun was to Musa, except that there is no prophet to succeed me? [Muttafaq ‘aleyhi]
The Prophet (ﷺ) passed on to heavenly company without handing down an unequivocal and categorical legally binding statement about who his successor shall be.
He (ﷺ) is known to have complimented many individuals from the Muhajireen and Ansar. In the years after the Prophet (ﷺ) ascended to heavenly company, these complimentary statements were quoted to rationalize positions or even “score points” against another “argument” for legitimate Islamic leadership.
During his final hours, the Prophet (ﷺ) said: مروا أبا بكر فلْيُصَلِّ بالناس [All of you! Order Abu Bakr to lead the salat] (Al-Bukhari). In our common Islamic history those who favored Abu Bakr over others, quote this hadith and say: Well, if the Prophet (ﷺ) is satisfied with Abu Bakr leading us in our deen [religious affairs] why would we not be satisfied with him leading us in our dunya [worldly affairs]?
This became an unending sectarian contention for the better part of our common Islamic history. This writer does not wish to break down the hair-splitting details of over a millennium of claims and counterclaims, spats and squabbles accompanied by feuds turning into fights and hatred turning into hostilities.
Many of these tense arguments trace their origins to the khilafah or bay‘ah of Abu Bakr and ‘Umar. What has to be said and reiterated here is that Imam ‘Ali, in good conscience, sanctioned and supported these two khalifahs.
He openly and truthfully advised them. Every time they needed input on serious and weighty matters, ‘Ali was there to point them in the right direction.
The Muhajireen and Ansar without prejudice knew then, as we all without prejudice should know now, that ‘Ali was the closest person to the Prophet (ﷺ), ‘Ali was the Prophet’s adopted child, his first choice to tend family responsibilities and the Prophet (ﷺ) trusted him with valuables.
‘Ali was the Prophet’s post-Hijrah brotherhood associate, was the Prophet’s cousin and son-in-law, and the Prophet’s flag bearer. ‘Ali’s status with respect to the Prophet (ﷺ) is like Harun’s status with respect to Musa (عليه السلام) per the Prophet’s consensual hadith.
Had the committed muslims agreed to have ‘Ali as the first successor to the Prophet (ﷺ), they would have had more than enough grounds to do so but the threat of Makkah still loomed large in the way of thinking of the Muhajireen and Ansar.
It is said that al-‘Abbas, the Prophet’s uncle, extended his hand to ‘Ali to endorse him as the leader after the Prophet (ﷺ), in those crucial hours during the Prophet’s funeral arrangements. ‘Ali declined sensing that such a dissonant gesture will not enhance the togetherness of the Muhajireen and Ansar as well as the muslim public.
Be that as it may, matters were stabilized and soothed during the tenures of Abu Bakr and ‘Umar. During his parting days, ‘Umar included ‘Ali among those responsible for choosing a new leader. ‘Umar did not designate ‘Ali per se to be the new leader even though, in the best tradition of the Prophet (ﷺ), he recommended that when he said: لو وليها لحملهم على الجادة [If he (‘Ali) was to assume it (the leadership of the ummah) he would be able to set them straight.]
‘Umar may have been reluctant to appoint Imam ‘Ali as the new leader because he did not want to individually feel responsible for Islamic affairs after his death. He also did not want to appoint Imam ‘Ali because he knew well that the majority of Quraish was apprehensive about Bani Hashim dominating or even monopolizing leadership and thus Quraish will never have a chance to lead the Muslims!
This was the purposeful underlying rationale to have Bani Hashim omitted from assuming leadership roles automatically—just because they are Bani Hashim. In the eyes of unseasoned and untried Muslims who were the majority of people around hereditary leadership in non-participatory governance or in some minds, it is a monarchy.
‘Umar may also have felt reluctant to appoint ‘Uthman as the new leader because, once again, he did not want to feel responsible in death for such a decision. ‘Umar may also have had his worries about Bani Umayyah confiscating the office of leadership to the exclusion of the rest of the more qualified committed Muslims.
It is said that al-‘Abbas, the Prophet’s uncle, suggested to Imam ‘Ali that he should exclude himself from ‘Umar’s committee to select the leader of the Muslims, saying that this would cause people to rally around him. He declined such a suggestion and agreed to ‘Umar’s shura committee as did the rest of the Muhajireen, Ansar, and committed Muslims.
This writer has no reliable information that indicates Imam ‘Ali objected to ‘Umar’s shura committee. If anyone is looking strictly for the highest qualifications, they could only find them in Imam ‘Ali.
His blood relationship with the Prophet (ﷺ), his very early childhood induction into Islam, his honorary standing among the Muhajireen, Ansar, and committed Muslims, his sacrifices fi Sabeel Allah [on a course and for the cause of Allah], his praiseworthy and principled life story and his peerless discipline were matchless. His knowledge of Allah (سُبۡحَٰنَهُۥ وَتَعَٰلَىٰ), the Prophet (ﷺ), the Qur’an, and Islam and his capacity to gain an accurate and deep intuitive understanding of persons, situations, or complex problems were well-known.
But among people there is [also] a [kind of] person who would willingly exchange his own self for the gratification of Allah: and Allah is most sympathetic toward His attendants (Surat al-Baqarah, verse 207).
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