He replied that he preferred to be out of the bay`ah .

He replied that he preferred to be out of the bay`ah . The man took out an arrow and shot him dead.”[1] The person who killed him is said to be Muhammad Ibn Maslamah or Mughirah Ibn Shu`bah but a rumor was spread that a Jinn had shot him with an arrow. During the First Caliphate, Sa`d ibn `Abadah was neither troubled nor was treated with cruelty.

But the operatives of the Caliphate immediately started efforts to obtain allegiance from `Ali (a.s) and did not abstain from any harsh method to obtain their objective. Therefore, he was spending the life of a recluse at home. A message inviting for the bay`ah came from the rulers. `Ali (a.s) and others who were at his house refused to abide by the invitation. `Umar, in a rage of anger came threatening to burn down the house of `Ali (a.s).

Buladhari writes: “Abū-Bakr sent a message to `Ali (a.s) seeking his bay`ah . But `Ali refused to comply, at which `Umar brought burning fire. Fatimah (a.s) saw `Umar and said, ‘O son of al-Khattab! Will you burn down the door along with me?’ `Umar replied, ‘Yes” ” [2] Al-Zubayr ibn al-`Awwam was present in the house of `Ali (a.s) at that time. Although he was Abū-Bakr’s son-in-law from the side of his mother Safiyyah bint `Abd al-Muttalib, he was related to the Banū-Hashim as well.

When he saw `Umar trying to burn down the house in a rage, he came out angrily with his sword unsheathed. But Salamah ibn Ashyam snatched away the sword from his hand and arrested him disarmed. The historian al-Tabari writes: “`Umar ibn al-Khattab came to the house of `Ali (a.s). At the house there were Talhah, al-Zubayr and a few Muhajirūn. `Umar called for them to come out for bay`ah .

He swore by [1] Al-`Iqd al-Farīd, Vol 3, Page 65 [2] Ansāb al-Ashrāf, Vol 1, Page 580 Allah that he would set fire to burn all of them down. Al-Zubayr took out his sword and came out to fight. But he stumbled, the sword fell off his hand, the men overwhelmed him and he was arrested.”[1] `Umar and his men somehow succeeded in taking `Ali (a.s) to Abū-Bakr for the bay`ah . Protesting against the demand, `Ali (a.s) said: “I am more entitled to caliphate than you!

I shall not do the bay`ah with you but you must owe allegiance to me! You snatched the caliphate from the Ansar with the plea that you were close relations of the Prophet (a.s). And now you are bent on snatching away the caliphate from the .