If they had responded to them...

If they had responded to them, the caliphate would not have reached other than them. However they, peace be on them, preferred Allah’s pleasure, followed the clear way, and were far from the crooked plans the religion did not accept. Their Viewpoint of the Caliphate Surely the caliphate with them was the shadow of Allah in the earth, so it was obligatory that, in its shadow, exclusive justice should be established, welfare should spread, and security should spread over all the citizens.

When authority was void of these goals, then they had neither ambitions nor aims in it. While Imam Ali, the Commander of the faithful (a.s) was mending his sandals at Dhi Qar, he asked Ibn Abbas about them: -O son of Abbas, how much do you value them (the shoes)? -They have no value. -By Allah, they are more beloved to me than these affairs of yours but for the fact that I must establish what is true and ward off what is false.

His shoes, which were made of coir, were more lovable to him than the authority through which what was true was not established and what was false was not warded off. For this reason he refrained from the oppressive authority that lost justice, gave life to tyranny, and deadened the truth. In some of his words, Imam Ali (a.s) has disclosed the secret for his turning away from pledging allegiance to Abu Bakr.

In this connection he has said: “O Allah, surely You know that that which issued from us was not for a competition for authority, nor was it for seeking anything of the remainder of the vanities, but that we may return the principle features of Your religion and show righteousness in Your earth, so the oppressed from among Your servants is safe, and the suspended one from among the punishments prescribed by You is put into effect.”[^1] For these firm reasons the Imam declared his displeasure with Abu Bakr and refrained from paying homage to him.

He put before him a shower of proofs for his being worthier of the caliphate than him (Abu Bakr). However he did not fight against him. He came to know that it was incumbent on the community to yield to him as Allah’s Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family had commanded. In respect of that Allah’s Apostle had ordered, saying to him: “O Ali, you are of the same rank with the Kaaba; people come to you, but you do not go to them.

So if these people came to you and handed it (the caliphate) over to you, then accept it from them.