al-Mundhir stood up again and said: "Pay no heed to what this man says.

al-Mundhir stood up again and said: "Pay no heed to what this man says. They want to usurp your rights and to deny you your claims. Take the reins of power into your own hands and banish your opponents for you are the most worthy to rule. If anyone opposes my proposal I will rub his nose in the dirt with my sword." Thereupon 'Umar began to tussle with him and kicked him hard in the stomach.' ( 5 ) Bashir b. Sa'd the cousin of Sa'd b. 'Ubadah rose to support what 'Umar had said.

Addressing the Helpers he proclaimed: "It is true that our record of fighting in God's way and spreading Islam is superior. However we never had any aim other than God's pleasure and the satisfaction of His ( 86 ) Messenger peace and blessings be upon him and his family and it is therefore unfitting that we should boast of precedence over others for we have no worldly goal. The Prophet was from among the Quraysh and it is therefore appropriate that his heirs should also be from among them.

Fear God and do not oppose or argue with them." After a further series of discussions and arguments Abu Bakr addressed the people as follows: "Shun dispute and disunity. I desire nothing but your good and your welfare. It is best that you give your allegiance either to 'Umar or to Abu 'Ubaydah." To this however 'Umar countered: "You are more worthy of ruling than either of us for you preceded us all in following the Prophet peace and blessings be upon him and his family.

In addition to this your financial resources are greater than those of the rest of us. You were at the side of the Prophet in the cave of Thawr and you led the prayers in his stead. Given all this who could imagine himself more fitted than you to rule over us?" As for 'Abd al-Rahman b. 'Awf he expressed himself as follows: "O Helpers you have indeed many virtuous qualities which none can deny.

We must nonetheless admit that there is none among you comparable to Abu Bakr 'Umar and 'Ali." Mundhir b. al-Arqam supported his view: "No one can deny the virtues of those three and there is in particular one among them whom none will oppose if he assumes the leadership of the Islamic community." By this he meant 'Ali b.

Abi Talib peace be upon him and a group of the Helpers accordingly began exclaiming in unison: "We will give our allegiance (bay'ah) to none but 'Ali " ( 6 ) 'Umar recalls that this outcry caused him to fear the emergence of serious dissension.