There are many incidents in the history of the Holy Prophet where he declared and instructed
his companions to follow Ali(as) as the Caliph after him. Some of the prominent incidents are as follows:
INCIDENT #1.
Upon the revelation of verse 26:216
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The Prophet invited forty tribesmen of the Quraish to Abu Talib's house. He put before them a leg
of goat, some bread, and a cup of milk. They laughed and said: O Muhammad! You have not
served enough food for even one man.
The holy Prophet said: “Begin eating in the name of Allah”.
When they had eaten and were fully satisfied, they said to each other: Muhammad has
bewitched you with this food.
The Prophet stood up among them and said “O descendants of Abdul Muttalib, Allah almighty
has sent me as a Messenger to the whole of creation in general and to you in particular. The one
who first of all acknowledges my call and helps me in my mission is my ‘successor’ after me.
The Prophet repeated the last sentence three times and each time none except Ali Ibn Abi Talib
responded to him saying, ‘I WILL AID AND HELP YOU, O PROPHET OF ALLAH’.
Upon the third response to his call Prophet declared publicly “O ALI, You are my Brother, My
Helper, My Heir and My Successor and CALIPH after me”.
Imam Ahmad Bin Hanbal in Muwaffaq Bin Ahmad Khawarizmi
Abu Ja'far Muhammad Bin Jarir Tabari
Ibn Abi'l-Hadid Mu'tazali
Besides the Sunni ulema of Islam, many historians of other nations have given the details of this
incident.
British historian and philosopher, Thomas Carlyle in HEROES AND HERO-WORSHIP
George Sale of England
Hashim, a Christian of Syria, in MAQALATUL-ISLAM
John Davenport in his book MUHAMMAD AND THE QURAN
All of them quoted and agreed after their considerable research that Prophet Mohammad (pbuh)
immediately after proclamation of his prophethood declared his brother Ali (as) as his Helper,
Successor and Caliph after him.
INCIDENT #2.
Incident from Abu Dharr Ghifari and Asma Bint Umais (wife of Abu Bakr) that they said: one day
they offered their noon prayers in the mosque when the Prophet was present. A beggar began
asking for alms. No one gave him anything. Ali was bowing in prayers (in the ritual bow in rukuh).
When he pointed to his finger, the beggar removed the ring from his finger. Immediately after this
act the Allah swt reveals verse (5:55) Only Allah is your vali and His Messenger and those who
believe, those who keep up prayers and PAY the POOR-RATE WHILE THEY BOY.
Ibn Maghazili Faqih Shafi'i in his Manaqib
Jalalu'd-Din Suyuti in Durr-e-Mansur
Ahmad Tha'labi in Kashfu'l-Bayan
Sibt Ibn Jauzi in Tadhkiratu'l-Khawasu'l-Umma
Holy Quran commands Muslims to obey ALI (as) as the Caliph after Prophet Mohammad.
INCIDENT #3.
Ali (as) was declared as the Caliph by Prophet Mohammad in Ghadeer
When the Holy Prophet was returning from the last Haj when the
caravan reached a place called Ghadeer, near Mecca, the second to last
(last but one) verse of the Holy Quran, ie., Maida (5:67) was revealed.
[5:67] O Messenger! deliver (message) what has been revealed
to you from your Lord; and if you do it not, then you have not delivered His
mission, and Allah will protect you from the people (who mean mischief);
surely Allah will not guide the disbelieving people (who reject faith).
Upon receiving the verse, the Prophet (PBUH&HF) stopped on that place (the
pond of Khum) which was extremely hot. Then he sent for all people who have
been ahead in the way, to come back and waited until all pilgrims who fell
behind, arrived and gathered. He ordered Salman (RA) to use rocks and camel
toolings to make a pulpit (mimbar) so he could make his announcement. It
was around noon time in the first of the Fall, and due to the extreme heat
in that valley, people were wrapping their robes around their feet and
legs, and were sitting around the pulpit, on the hot rocks.
On this day the Messenger of Allah spent approximately five hours in this place;
three hours of which he was on the pulpit. He recited nearly one hundred verses
from The Glorious Quran, and for seventy three times reminded and warned people
of their deeds and future. Then he gave them a long speech.
The Messenger of Allah declared: "It seems the time approached when I
shall be called away (by Allah) and I shall answer that call. I am leaving for you two
precious things and if you adhere both of them, you will never go astray after
me. They are the Book of Allah and my progeny, that is my Ahlul-Bayt. The two
shall never separate from each other until they come to me by the Pool (of
Paradise)."
Then the Messenger of Allah continued:
"Do I not have more right over the believers than what they have
over themselves?" People cried and answered: "Yes, O'
Messenger of God." Then Prophet (PBUH) held up the hand of Ali and
said: "Whoever I am his leader (Mawla), Ali is his leader
(Mawla). O' God, love those who love him, and be hostile to those who are
hostile to him."
The incident is discussed in great detail in article Ghadeer.
Then Prophet made the historic hadith:
“Ali is from me and I am from Ali and nobody can discharge my duties except myself or Ali”
[01]
Aren’t these incidents, sufficient to prove the appointment of Hazrat Ali (P) as a successor?
Besides there is no incident quoted in any book of history that the Holy Prophet has
recommended or appointed any other companion on the leadership of Caliphate other than Ali ibn
Ali Talib(as)
ALLAH (S) says in the Holy Quran, CALL TO THE WAY OF YOUR LORD WITH WISDOM….
(CHP.16 : VERSE125). This verse of the Holy Quran clarifies that even the belief in ALLAH (S.)
has to be with wisdom.
Is there any wisdom and rationality to acknowledge and follow any other companion of the Holy
Prophet (other than Ali) as a Caliph after him. Can a rational mind justify it.
“AFTER ME MY UMMAT WILL SPLIT IN TO 73 SECTS AND ONLY ONE WILL BE ON THE
RIGHT PATH.” Holy Prophet.
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[01] "ALI IS FROM ME AND
I AM FROM
ALI AND NOBODY CAN DISCHARGE MY DUTIES EXCEPT MYSELF OR ALI"
Sunan Ibn Majeh, vol.1.p.44
Khasais al-Nisa’I, p.20
Sahih al-Tirmidhi, vol.5.p.300
Jami al-Usul by Ibn Kathir, vol.9.p.471
Al-Jami al-saghir by al-Suyuti, vol.2.p.56
Al-Riyadh al-Nadirah, vol.2.p.229