They are not from among the original Quraish family whose luxury of blood...

They are not from among the original Quraish family whose luxury of blood, family and class has given them station and position. They do not desire to have the slightest part of the Caliphate of the Prophet. These are people who are either strangers like Salman who was Iranian, or Abu Dharr who came from the desert, or Ammar whose mother was a black African slave and his father had come from Yemen or other unknown people without any prestige or any claim to being high class.

They are simple, deprived people like Meitham who sold dates. These people, in the eyes of the Prophet, were dear and beloved but now that he has gone, they have been ob­liged to return to a permanent state of humility. Values have…