It was the time when Walid had been assassinated and people...

It was the time when Walid had been assassinated and people of Sham were in disagreement on the selection of his successor. Discussions on this issue lasted for a very long time. Imam -asws said to them: You people have spoken a lot in front to me -asws ; why don’t you appoint one person among you who can convey your opinion to me so that we cut the lengthy discussion short.

They selected Ummro ibn Youbad, who spoke for a very long duration but basically said: The people of Sham have killed their ruler and some of them have overcome the others and are in serious disagreement regarding the appointment of a leader. Under these circumstances, we have selected a Leader who has good understanding of the religion, is a very wisely and is the most suitable to be the Caliph, he is Mohammed bin Abd Allah bin Al-Hassan.

We all intend to pledge our support to him, and invite others toward him so that they also take an oath of allegiance. Whoever is in agreement with us we will be friendly with him but whoever is against us we will oppose him, whoever will fight with us we will wage a war against him and will have enmity against him for his opposition to the just, until and unless we return the right to its inheritor (the caliph).

We have come to you -asws , since we are highly dependent on you -asws , due to your -asws elevated status and your -asws large number of supporters. When he finished his speech, Imam Jafar -asws addressed the gathering: Do you all agree with what Ummro ibn Youbad has said? They all replied: Yes, we do.

Imam -asws , then praised Allah -azwj and after reciting Salawat on Mohammed -saww and Aly-e-Mohammed -asws , said: Disobedience to Allah -azwj makes us -asws sad and obedience to Him -azwj pleases us -asws . Imam -asws said: O Ummro! Tell me, if all people would agree on you as an arbitrator without having to go through an anarchy and killing people. And if you were asked to select a ruler. How would you select a Wali [25] or Ruler? Ummro: I will form a Shura (a consulting body) from Muslims.

Imam -asws : From all Muslims? Ummro: Yes. Imam -asws : Shura will consist of the notables and Fuqqah from Muslim? Ummro: Yes. Imam -asws : Quraish and non-Quraish, including Arabs and non-Arabs? Ummro: Yes. Imam -asws : O Ummro! Do you like or dislike Abu Bakr and Umar? Ummro: I adore them. Imam -asws : O Ummro! If you were to dislike them then it would be possible for you to go against their traditions. Instead, you like them but still go against them!