Some of them were mentioned before and all of them testify...

Some of them were mentioned before and all of them testify to the fact that ‘Ali was the most knowledgeable in the Islamic teachings among the followers of the Holy Prophet. It suffices to memion the hadith of Om Selemah wife of the Holy Prophet who said: "I heard the Messenger of God saying: ‘Ali is with the Qur'an and the Qur'an is with ‘Ali.

They do not part with each other until they meet me at the Basin (on the Day of Judgement)."[^2] Al-Hakim recorded that Anas Ibn Malik reported that the Holy Prophet said to ‘Ali: "You shall inform my nation about the truth and what they dispute about after me": He said this is an authentic hadith according to the stipulation of the two Sheikhs (Al-Bukhari and Muslim).[^3] Al-Tirmidhi in his authentic Sunan recorded that the Messenger of God said: "God have Thy mercy on ‘Ali.

God make the right and the truth with ‘Ali in all situations."[^4] Abu Na-eem recorded that Ibn Masud said: "The Holy Qur'an...

has outward and inward meanings and ‘Ali Ibn Abu Talib has the knowledge of both.[^5] Imam Ahmad reported that the Messenger said to his daughter Fatimah Al-Zahra: "Are you not satisfied that I have married you to the one who is the earliest in Islam among my followers their most knowledgeable and their greatest in widsom?"[^6] Al-Hakim recorded that Qais Ibn Abu Hazim reported that he heard Saad Ibn Abu Waqas saying to a man from Damascus who cursed ‘Ali: "Man why do you curse ‘Ali?

Was he not the first one who embraced Islam? Was he not the first one who prayed with the Messenger of God? Was he not the most knowledgeable among people? Then Saad said: God this man has cursed a man from the highest righteous among Thy servants. I ask Thee not to let this group leave this place until Thou show them Thy power.

The man from Damascus immediately fell from the mount of his horse on stones and his head was split and he died."[^7] Of course it could be said that these hadiths only indicate that ‘Ali was a leader in the Shari-ah (Islamic Law) the interpretation of the Book of God and the instructions of the Holy Prophet. But they do not indicate that he was the political leader of the nation and its appointed ruler. Thus it does not prove his immediate succession of the Holy Prophet.