Election of Ali

In this dilemma several of the principal men of Medina approached Ali and desired him to accede to their request. In reply he assured them that he had no wish for temporal power and would willingly accept the authority of any other person elected by them. They, however, insisted that there was no one so well qualified as he. Not withstanding their persistence, Ali was resolute in his refusal and said that he would rather like to serve as an adviser than take the reins of government in his hands. The insurgents, who had themselves been responsible for the prevailing disturbed condition at Medina, were anxious to put the city back to its normal state and were much annoyed at the difficulty in the choice of a Caliph and insisted that before they quitted Medina, the citizens, in exercise of their right, must elect a Caliph within one day, as they were the proper persons to determine the controversy. If the choice was not made within the time allowed by them, they would put to the sword the leading men of Medina. Upon this the populance again came to Ali in the evening and explaining to him the situation, earnestly entreated him to reconsider their position and the danger to the religion. Overcome at length by their pathetic expostulations, Ali consented with reluctance saying:

"If you excuse me and elect another, whomsoever you may think fit to choose, I shall most submissively yield obedience to him. If I am compelled to comply to accept the offer, I must say frankly at the outset that I shall conduct the administration quite independently, and I shall deal with all of you according to the Holy Book of the Lord and to the best of my knowledge and judgment. They unhesitatingly assented and proffered to give him their hand in token of doing fealty to him; but he refused to do anything unless it was done in public, so that no one might have cause to grumble. "Ali was apprehensive of the intrigues of Ayesha, Talha and Zubeir and the whole house of Umayyah (of which Moawiya, Osman's lieutenant in Syria, was chief), who, he knew, would avail themselves of every opportunity to oppose arid disturb his government". Ockley's History of the Saracens p. 289.

Inauguration of Ali as Caliph.

Next morning (on the fourth day after Osman's murder), the people assembled in large numbers in the great mosque. Here Ali made his appearance clad in a simple cotton gown and a coarse turban wound round his head and carrying a bow in his right hand and in the left hand his slippers which he had taken off in reverence for the place. Talha and Zubeir not being present, he caused them to be sent for. When they came, they offered him their hands in approbation of his election as Caliph. But Ali paused and said to them that if they were sincere in their hearts they might do him fealty in good earnest assuring them at the same time that if either of them would accept the Caliphate, he was quite willing to swear fealty with perfect sincerity and would be glad rather to serve as an adviser than to take the government upon himself. This, however, both of them declined, and expressing their perfect satisfaction, stretched forth their hands to pay homage to Ali. Talha's right arm was maimed as a result of a wound he had received in the battle of Ohad, and therefore could stretch it forth with difficulty. As he was the first to begin with the ceremony, the audience took it as an evil omen and a by-stander remarked: It is likely to be a lame business that is begun with a lame hand.' The presage proved only too true as subsequent events showed. The assemblage then swore allegiance to Ali and their example was followed by the general public. None of the Umayyads and the immediate adherents of Osman came in, nor did Ali press any one to come and do fealty to him. There were also some prominent men in Medina who kept themselves aloof, being disinclined to pay homage to Ali. These were according to Mas'udi, Sa'd b. Abi Waqqas, Maslama b. Khalid. Mogbira b. Shoba, Qidama b. Matzun, Wahban b. Saifi, Abdallah b. Salam, Hassan b. Thabit, Kab. b. Malik, Abu Sa'id Khudri, Mohammed b. Maslama, and Abdallalh (1) b. Omar, Fidzala b. Abeed, Kab b. Ajza; Habib-al-Siyar adds: Zaid b. Thabit, Osama b. Zaid, Abu Musa Ashari, Z,aid b. Rafe, Salma b. Salama, Sohaib b. Sinan, Noman b. Bashir; Tabari adds: Rafe b. Khadij. These people were named Mo'tazilities.

Notes:  1. Mas'udi assails the character of Abdalla'h b. Omar by his keeping himself from paying homage to Caliph Ali and later on swearing allegiance to Yazid b. Moawiya as Caliph, and again to Abd al Malik b. Marwan.

Source - Ali The Magnificent, compiled by Yousef N. Lalljee.