The narrators of traditions disagree concerning the homage to his lordship, but what agrees most with suitability is as follows: When three days had elapsed after the murder of O’thmân, the men from Egypt requested A’li the Commander of the Faithful, that, having thrown a ray of regard upon the population, he should adorn the masnad of the Khalifate with his own august person, to irrigate and to refresh the gardens of the hopes of the subjects with abundant showers from the clouds of his mercy and beneficence. The Shâh and asylum of the Vicariate, however, replied: ‘Your consent or dissent in my investment with the garland of the administration is not required, because the option in this important affair and great dignity will devolve upon those who have been present in [the battle of] Bedr, and their decisions in spiritual as well as mundane affairs are more excellent and preferable to those of others.’ The men from Egypt then reported the words of A’li Murtadza to those blessed individuals, who thereon hastened not only themselves, but in the company of most of the associates of his holy and prophetic lordship, to the guidance-boding mansion [of A’li], and spoke as follows: ‘Three days have expired since O’thmân, leaving the world empty of his noble presence, has departed to another, and the denizens of the world are under the necessity of appointing an Emâm! Considering thy perfect character, thy beautiful lineage, thy noble behaviour, thy great amiability, thy small regard for the amenities of the world, thy abundant desire for justice, and thy high aspirations, we consider thy merits superior to those of others, and therefore more deserving to administer the affairs of the Musalmâns; we therefore entertain hopes that thou wilt place us all under obligations by accepting the dignity of the Khalifate, which will certainly lead to a display of much clemency and kindness on thy part.’ The Commander of the Faithful replied: ‘At the moment when O’mar departed from the mansion of perishableness to that of eternity, I aspired to power, and desired to obtain supreme control over the administration. At present, however, I am of a different mind, ready to pay allegiance to anyone whom you may appoint to the Khalifate, because I prefer to be Wazir rather than Amir.’ The great companions, however, unwilling to accept the refusal of his lordship the receptacle of the Vicariate, insisted only the more, and when the pressure of his friends had exceeded all bounds, the Amir of the Faithful said: ‘This affair cannot be set agoing without the presence of Ttolhah and Zobeyr.’ Accordingly the companions despatched a messenger to them, and those two noble individuals having placed the hand of acquiescence upon the bosom of the demand of that saved faction, sent the following reply: ‘Upon whomsoever the lot of your choice may fall, we shall not fail to obey him.’ As the possessors of sagacity were not contented with this answer, Mâlek Ashtar brought Ttolhah and Zobeyr into the assembly whether they were willing or not. The Lord A’li Murtadza thereon, having shown them respect and paid them compliments, addressed Ttolhah and Zobeyr as follows: ‘The one of you two who is inclined for the Khalifate shall have my homage.’ They, however, replied: ‘Thou being in existence, who would think of wishing to attain this dignity?’ All having agreed to make A’li the Khalifah, the first man who placed his hand on that of A’li to pay him homage was one whose hand had become useless in consequence of a wound he had received in the Ghazâ of Ohod.—Habyb B. Duyb said that the first man having paid allegiance with a paralyzed hand, this affair could never be completed; according to another tradition the words of Habyb were: ‘A paralyzed hand does not complete an allegiance.’ In some biographical works and books on religious wars the statement occurs that when Ttolhah paid homage to A’li Murtadza, the lord and receptacle of the Vicariate said: ‘Ttolhah is more deserving [sic] to invalidate an agreement and to break a covenant.’—On that day the heads of most of the people of Madinah were exalted by paying homage to the Shâh of the asylum of Vicarship. A small faction, however, of the adherents of O’thmân preferred to walk on the improper way, and excluded themselves from the beatitude of paying homage, choosing to form an opposition. No’mân B. Bashir, the Annsâri, carried the lopped-off fingers of Nâylah, the wife of O’thmân, with the blood-stained robe of O’thmân, to Moa’wiah in Syria, some of the Bani Ommyah accompanying him, whilst some of them concealed themselves, and, when they found the proper opportunity, joined A´ayshah in Mekkah.
At that time Moghyrah, who was considered to be one of the Arab ascetics, had learnt that A’li the Commander of the Faithful entertained the intention of issuing orders for the removal of certain officials, and therefore advised the Amir, as a well-wisher, to delay this matter for awhile, until he received information whether those officials had paid him allegiance, and until his position as Khalifah had been laid on secure and permanent foundations, because in the contrary case their removal would give occasion for disturbances and rebellions among the Musalmâns. The Amir of the Faithful not having approved of the opinion of Moghyrah, the latter hastened to the residence of the Khalifate, and, obtaining an interview with A’li, said: ‘What the great mind of the Amir of the Faithful is bent on executing is quite right and most proper, because one of the advantages resulting from this step will be that sincere friends will be discerned from hypocrites and loyal men from rebels.’ Having uttered these words, Moghyrah departed from his lordship the Amir. On that occasion A’bdullah B. A’bbâs arrived in Madinah, and, hastening to the threshold of the Khalifate, saw Moghyrah coming out therefrom. When Ebn A’bbâs met his lordship the Amir, he asked him for what purpose Moghyrah had come. The Amir of the Faithful said: ‘Moghyrah has spoken so and so to me yesterday, and what he said to-day was contrary to his utterance of yesterday.’ A’bbâs continued: ‘What Moghyrah had said yesterday was very good advice, but what he spoke to-day was nothing but treachery.’ When these words had been brought to the notice of Moghyrah, he said: ‘When a man gets advice and will not receive it, treachery must be used towards him that he may accept it. In this way A’li, who would not receive my advice yesterday, lent a willing ear to my treachery to-day.’ It is related that A’li Murtadza asked Ebn A’bbâs: ‘Why demurrest thou to the removal of Moa’wiah B. Abu Sofian?’ He replied: ‘Moa’wiah and his friends are men of the world, and if by drawing the line of removal over those criminal officers thou deprivest them of what they covet, they will allege that thou hast murdered O’thmân, hast forcibly taken possession of the throne of the Sultanate, and art desirous of extirpating his adherents. In this manner the people of E’râq and of Syria will become disloyal to thee, and will rebel; neither do I place much confidence in the homage which Ttolhah and Zobeyr paid to thee. If, however, thou wilt leave Moa’wiah in his post, I shall in course of time pull him out from that country like a hair from a lump of leaven.’ A’li the Commander of the Faithful said, ‘There is no gift except the sword, for I shall not take those for my support who have strayed.’ He said with his eloquent tongue: ‘The ill-will I entertained against O’thmân was on account of the tyranny of his officials, but as I have now attained supreme authority, I shall not be lenient towards them, and shall not assent to their oppressing the Musalmâns.’ Ebn A’bbâs said: ‘O Amir of the Faithful, although thou mayest confide in the strength of thy arm, there is need for consideration and delay in this important affair:
‘By wisdom thou mayest break the back of an army
Whereas with the sword thou wilt kill one, up to ten.’
A’li the Commander of the Faithful said: ‘Whenever I consult thee in the decision of affairs, thou art to reveal thy opinion to me, and if I sometimes differ from thee, thou art to obey mine.’ Ebn A’bbâs assented, and meanwhile Ttolhah requested the Amir of the Faithful to appoint him Governor of Bossrah and Zobeyr Governor of Kûfah. The lord and receptacle of the Vicariate, however, replied: ‘I have no other counsellors and advisers except you, but whom am I to consult and ask for aid if you separate from me?’ Both felt aggrieved by this reply, so that discontent and opposition having arisen in their minds, they said: ‘We have paid him allegiance for fear of the sword of Mâlek Ashtar, although he is not worthy to be our governor and commander.’ Then they waited for an opportunity to depart from Madinah and to excite a rebellion.