Ali Ibn Abi Talib - Volume 1 of 2

322 The oath of allegiance to 'Ali, his characteristics & his way of life
the faith for personal gain. Their consensus on that is the best
evidence that highlights the level of their superiority. Hence the
belief of Ah1 as-Sunnah is that their superiority is to be ranked in
this order. Then they looked for reports and found in them the
basis for the views of the Companions and the people of
consensus with regard to this ranking of superiority."49
10. Abu Bakr ibn al-'Arabi said: "When AUah decreed what He
decreed (the murder of 'Uthrnk), it was well known that the
people could not be left without an authority and that the people
after him needed a caliph, so they had to look and see who was
best for that position. There was no one after the first three
caliphs who was like the fourth in status, knowledge, piety and
religious commitment. So allegiance was sworn to him, and
were it not for their haste in swearing allegiance to 'ALi (&,I,
these thugs could have caused further damage that could never
have been repaired. But the Muhgjiroon and the An$& insisted
on him, and he thought it was an obligation upon him, so he
yielded to their pressure and accepted."50
11. Ibn Taymiyah said: "The Companions of the Messenger of Allah
(g) agreed to swear allegiance to 'Uthm2n after 'Umar, and it is
proven from the Prophet (g) that he said: 'I urge you to adhere
to my Sunnah and the way of the Rightly Guided Caliphs after
me; adhere to it and cling firmly to it. And beware of newly
introduced matters, because every innovation is a going
astray."' Amir al-Mu'mineen 'Ali ihn Abi Taih (&) was the
last of the Rightly Guided Caliphs, and a31 of Ah1 as-Sunnah,
scholars, worshippers, commanders and troops were
unanimously agreed that they should say: Ahu Bakr, then
'Umar, then 'Uthmk, then '~li."~~
12. Ibn Hajar said: "The swearing of allegiance to 'Ali (&) as
caliph came immediately after the slaying of 'Uthmgn (&), at