Two momentous matters were weighing on him.

Two momentous matters were weighing on him. On the one hand, his explicit designation as caliph ( khalifah ) and legatee ( wasiyy ) of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family was still ringing in his ears and impelling him to act.

On the other hand, the disturbances and rebellions that were arising on all sides served to warn him that the situation in the entire Arabian peninsula might collapse; the people might change their attitudes altogether, leading to the disappearance of Islam. He was in addition threatened by the existence of the Hypocrites in Medina who had grown in strength after the death of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him and his family.

The Muslims at that time were like a flock of sheep stranded by a flood on a dark winter’s night, surrounded by bloodthirsty wolves and predators. “Musaylamah al-Kadhdhab, Talhah b. Khuwaylid and Sijah the daughter of al-Harith, together with the rabble that had gathered around them, were exerting themselves to the utmost to destroy Islam and vanquish the Muslims.

“As if all this were not enough, the Persian and Byzantine emperors, as well as the other powerful rulers of the age, were waiting for a favourable opportunity to attack Islam. Many others too, in their hatred for the Prophet, peace, and blessings be upon him and his family, and his were ready to use any means in order to avenge themselves on Islam, and they saw in the death of the leader of Islam a favourable opportunity for causing sabotage and destruction.

“‘Ali thus found himself at a crossroads, and it was natural that one of his calibres should sacrifice his own right to the caliphate for the cause of Islam and the Muslims. However, even while sacrificing his right, he wished to adopt an appropriate stance to those who had usurped it, one that did not lead to disorder or disunity among the Muslims or create an opportunity for the enemies of Islam.

He, therefore, remained at home and did not swear allegiance to Abu Bakr until he was forced to leave his home and brought to the mosque. If he had gone of his own accord to swear allegiance, he would have effectively relinquished his claim to the caliphate and his partisans would have been left without any argument to make on his behalf. By choosing the path that he did, he accomplished two things: the preservation of Islam and the safeguarding of the legitimate form of the caliphate.