Who among you is there to match with Abu Bakr in stature and popularity?

Who among you is there to match with Abu Bakr in stature and popularity? Now, therefore, whoever will swear allegiance to another without consultation with other Muslims, he and the one whose allegiance is sworn, shall both stand to die.”[^12] When ‘Umar approached his end, he appointed an Elective council to decide the issue of succession.

Elucidating his principle enunciated above, he asserted that whoever attempted to impose himself as Amir (ruler) without the consultation of the Muslims deserved to die. He also barred his son from election[^13] lest the Caliph’s office should become a hereditary right, and constituted the Elective Council to comprise those six persons who in his opinion were the most influential and enjoyed the widest popularity.

This council in the end delegated its power of proposing a person for the Caliph’s office to one of its members, ‘Abd al-Rahman bin ‘Auf. ‘Abd al-Rahman moved among the people to find out as to who commanded their confidence most and left no stone unturned to ascertain the people’s verdict. Even the pilgrim parties returning home after the pilgrimage were consulted.

It was after this “plebiscite” that he concluded that the majority favoured ‘Uthman.[^14] When ‘Uthman was killed, a few people tried to install ‘Ali as Caliph. But he said, ‘You have no authority to do so. This is a matter for the Consultative Council (ahl al-shura) and those that fought at Badr (ahl al-Badr) . Whomsoever the Consultative Council and the people of Badr will choose, the Caliph will be Caliph.

Therefore we shall gather and deliberate.”[^15] In al-Tabari’s version, ‘Ali’s words were, “I cannot be elected secretly, and it must be with the consultation of the Muslims.”[^16] When ‘Ali lay dying it was asked of him, “Shall we offer allegiance to al-Hassan (your son)?” His replied, “I do not ask or forbid you to do so.

You can see for yourself.”[^17] When he was addressing his last words to his sons, a person interposed saying, “Oh Commander of the Faithful, why do you not nominate your successor?” His reply was, “I will leave the faithful in the condition in which the Prophet of God left them.”[^18] It is evident from these facts the early Caliphs and the of the Prophet regarded the Caliph’s office as an elective one, to be filled with mutual consultation and consent of the Muslim community.

They did not regard hereditary succession or one acquired by force of arms as anything valid.