Ali Ibn Abi Talib - Volume 1 of 2

220 'Ali ibn Abi Trilib at the time of the Rightly Guided Caliphs
ponders what happened between Abu Bakr and 'Ali when
discussing differences and various points of view, which
highlighted their total agreement, will realise that they
acknowledged one another's virtues and their hearts were
filled with love and respect for one another. Even though
human nature may sometimes influence one's attitude,
religious commitment cancels that out, and Allah is the
source of strength."24
As for what was said about az-Znbayr ibn al-'Awwh (&)
delaying swearing allegiance to Abu Bakr (&), it was never
narrated by any sound chain of narration; rather there are reports that
denied this and prove that he did swear allegiance to him straight
away. This appears in the sound reports of Abu Sa'eed and others.z5
(c) Ibn Taymiyah said: There are so many reports that they
reached the level of mutawitir, and they state that Amir al-
Mu'mineen 'Ali ibn Abi Tilib (4) said: "The best of this
Ummah after its Prophet is Abu Bakr, then 'Umar." This
was narrated from him through many chains of narration;
it was said that there were eighty such chains. It was also
narrated from him that he said: "I will not be brought
anyone who gives me precedence over Abu Bakr and
'Umar, but that I will cany out the hadd punishment of the
fabricator on him."26 He also said: "No one ever said that
he was more entitled to this (meaning the caliphate) than
Abu Bala; and no specific person said that anyone was
more entitled to it than Abu Bakr, rather one who still had
a trace of Arabian or Persian jmyyah in him said that the
household of the Messenger (&) was more deserving of
leadership. This is because the Arabs used to give
precedence to the households of the rulers during their
j2hiliyyah; similarly, the Persians gave precedence to the