Ali Ibn Abi Talib - Volume 1 of 2

'Ali ibn Abi Trilib 267
when he left the matter in the hands of these six members of the
consultative committee, he differed from his predecessors, as the
R%fidi Shia claim, because differing is of two types: it may mean
being contrary or it may refer to a variation. What 'Umar (&) did
was of the second type.17' All the Companions approved of his
decision, and we have not heard of anyone who disagreed with it. I
have discussed in detail the new method invented by 'Umar(4)
for
selecting the caliph who was to succeed him in my book Fa81 al-
Khigib j? Seerat Ameer al-Mu'mineen 'Umar ibn al-Khatccib:
Shakbiyatuhu wa 'Aqruhu, which may be consulted by those who
wish to know more about it.
2.8.2. What 'Ali (&,) said about 'Umar (&)
after he was martyred
Ibn 'Abbzs said, according to what is narrated by Bukhari:
"Umar ibn al-Khat&b was placed on his bier, and the people gathered
around him praying for him and praising him before he. was lifted up,
and I was among them. Nothing surprised me except a man who
seized my shoulder from behind. I tnmed to him and saw that it was
'Ali (&). ,. He prayed for mercy for 'Umar (&) and said: 'You have
not left behind anyone with the like of whose deeds I would like to
meet Allah more than you. By Allah, I think that AUah will unite yon
with your two Companions, because I often heard the Messenger of
Allah (B) say, "Abu Bakr, 'Umar and I came; Abu Bakr, 'Umar and
I went in; Abu Bakr, 'Umar and I went out." '
2.8.3. 'Ali's describing 'Umar as wise
and mature, and his keenness not to
go against him after he died
It was narrated that 'Abd Khayr said: ''I was close to 'Ali (&)
when the people of Najrh came. I thought: If he is going to alter