Therefore...

Therefore, whomever I was his MAWLA, more deserving in him than himself (and) does not dispute me, then Ali is MAWLA, more deserving in him than himself, he does not dispute him." Sunni references: Shamsul Akhbar, by al-Qurashi, Ali Ibn Hamid, p38 Salwat al-'Arifin, by al-Muwaffaq billah, al-Husain Ibn Isma'il al Jurjani. During the reign of Uthman, Ali protested by reminding people the following tradition.

Also, he reminded it again during the war of Siffin: When the Messenger of Allah spoke of (Tradition of Ghadir)..., Salman stood up and said: "O' Messenger of Allah! What does WALAA mean? and how?" Prophet replied: "The same way that I am your WALI (Wala-un ka wala'i).

Whomever (considered me) I was more deserving in him than himself, then Ali is more deserving in him than himself." Sunni reference: Fara'id al-Samtain, by Hamawaini (Abu Is'haq Ibrahim Ibn Sa'd al-Din Ibn al-Hamawiyia), section 58. Ali Ibn Abi Talib was asked about the saying of the Messenger of Allah "Whomever I am his MAWLA then Ali is his MAWLA". He said: "He erected me chief ['alaman].

To the time I am up there, whomever contradicts me then he is lost (misguided in religion)." Sunni reference: Zain al-Fata, by al-Hafiz al-'Asimi On the commentary of Verse: "And stop them, they are to be asked (Quran 37:24)", al-Daylami narrated that Abu Sa'id al-Khudri said: The Messenger of Allah (PBUH&HF) said: "And stop them, they will be asked of WILAYAH of Ali." Also, al-Hafiz al-Wahidi commented on the above verse saying: "This WILAYAH that the Prophet (PBUH) affirmed to Ali, will be asked about on the Day of Judgment.

It is said that WILAYAH is what Allah meant in the verse 37:24 of Quran where He said: "And stop them, they are to be asked [37:24]". This means that they will be asked about the WILAYAH of Ali (RA). The meaning is: They will be asked if they truly accepted him as their WALI as they were instructed by the Prophet (PBUH)? or did they loose and ignore it?" Sunni references: al-Sawa'iq al-Muhriqah, by Ibn Hajar al-Haythami, Ch.

11, subheading 1, p229 quoted from al-Wahidi; also quoted from al-Daylami on the authority of Abi Sa'id al-Khudri.