As Imam Razi mentions...

As Imam Razi mentions, that it cannot denote the battles of Umar and Abu Bakr as the battles of the Holy Prophet (S) were the most difficult. The writer asks that of those battles had not been the most difficult, why the three Caliphs needed to flee from them? And only the sword of His Eminence, Ali (a.s.) used to display feats and only he used to be the swordsman in the war. Neither the three Caliphs hurt anyone, nor did they suffer any injury.

Thus, the saying of Thalabi that this verse is related to Ali (a.s.) is not contrary to any matter. Now, the people of justice may decide how the above verse proves the validity of the Caliphate of the three Caliphs? Verse 2 “Certainly Allah was well pleased with the believers when they swore allegiance to you under the tree, and He knew what was in their hearts, so He sent down tranquility on them and rewarded them with a near victory.

And many acquisitions which they will take…” [^6] Ahlul Sunnat prove the excellence of three Caliphs from this verse but it does not prove any excellence. It does even prove the validity of the Caliphate of the three Caliphs.

As a matter of fact, the Holy Prophet (S) had taken an oath from such people under the tree who were not trustworthy or who had recently accepted Islam and besides the three Caliphs were not present at that time, because the incident took place at the time of the Tabuk expedition.

If suppose the three Caliphs were present at the time of the allegiance of the tree, and Ahlul Sunnat say that the Holy Prophet (S) put his hand on Uthman’s hand and took allegiance, this matter is more wistful, that even after obtaining the allegiance of the tree, the three Caliphs fled from the battle of Hunayn leaving the Prophet among the enemies of Islam.

The flight of the three Caliphs from the battlefield of Hunayn is proved beyond any doubt, as the Prophet had addressed the people who were fleeing as the people of the tree in order to make them ashamed. Thus, how can such absconders be deserving of tranquility of Allah? This verse cannot concern the absconders of Uhud or Hunayn. But the descent of tranquility has a great concern with His Eminence, Ali (a.s.) and those who follow the path of bravery of His Eminence, Ali (a.s.).

Therefore, on the basis of descent of tranquility also, this verse is not concerned with the three Caliphs. So in this condition, the claim of Ahlul Sunnat is weak and baseless.