Seadet-i Ebediyye - Endless Bliss Third Fascicle

Abû Bakr, then ’Umar, then ’Uthmân, and then ’Alî ‘radiy-
Allâhu ’anhum ajma’în’. Of these four, Hadrat Abû Bakr served
as Rasûlullah’s ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’ Khalîfa for two
years and four months. Hadrat ’Umar served as the Khalîfa for
ten years, Hadrat ’Uthmân for twelve years, and Hadrat ’Alî
‘radiy-Allâhu ’anhum’ for six years. After him, Hadrat Muâwiyya
‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’ served as the Khalîfa for nineteen years plus
several months. Hadrat ’Umar ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’ had formerly
appointed him governor of Damascus. He had served as the
governor for twenty years. The caliphates of the four were
through the wish and unanimity of the Sahâba and because each
was the highest of his time. They were not obtained by force, by
using power, or by either one’s cheating another one of his rights,
although the latter one was higher than the former one. Abû Bakr
Siddîq became Khalîfa with the unanimity of the Muhâjirs and of
the Ansâr, as follows: when Rasûlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa
sallam’ passed away, the Ansâr-i kirâm said, “Let one amîr be
from you and one amîr be from us.” Hadrat ’Umar ‘radiy-Allâhu
’anh’ stood up and said, “O you, Ansâr! Have you forgotten how
Rasûlullah ‘sall-Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’ called Abû Bakr, ‘the
imâm of my Sahâba’?” They said, “We know, O ’Umar.” Hadrat
’Umar went on, “Is anyone among you higher than Abû Bakr?”
“We trust ourselves to Allâhu ta’âlâ’s protection from considering
ourselves higher than Abû Bakr,” was the answer from all the
Ansâr. Then, when Hadrat ’Umar asked, “Who among you would
tolerate to remove Abû Bakr from the ranking office where
Rasûlullah appointed him?” The Ansâr said, “None of us will
tolerate it. We trust ourselves to Allâhu ta’âlâ’s protection from
removing Abû Bakr.” Cooperating with the Muhâjirs, they
appointed Hadrat Abû Bakr Khalîfa. Hadrat ’Alî and
Zubayr’radiy-Allâhu ’anhumâ’ arrived there later. Both admitted
the Khalîfa. Hadrat Abû Bakr Siddîq ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’ stood up
three times and said each time, “Is there anyone among you who
has given up choosing me Khalîfa?” Hadrat ’Alî ‘radiy-Allâhu
’anh’ who was sitting in the front stood up and said, “None of us
gives up. Nor shall we ever think of giving up. Rasûlullah ‘sall-
Allâhu ’alaihi wa sallam’ has put you ahead of us all. Who on
earth can remove you back?” Thus, we have understood through
strong and sound witnesses that Hadrat ’Alî ‘radiy-Allâhu ’anh’
was the person who wanted Hadrat Abû Bakr Siddîq to become
Khalîfa and who uttered the most influential words. For example,
after the Camel Event, ’Abdullah bin Kewâ’ came to Hadrat ’Alî
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