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Page 39 of 104Kosar ghadirestan Center Nabi (S) www.ghadirestan.comIMAM ALI (S) Sunshine of Civilized IslamIslam. Finally, in order to save his life, he became a Muslim before the Prophet whenMecca was going to be conquered by the Muslims. He was too much proud and obstinateand he would look down on everybody. He was out of Medina when the Prophet died andas soon as he knew that the Muslims paid homage to Abu-Bakr, he became furious andwent, having a proposal, to meet Abbas, the Prophet an Ali’s uncle. He said to him: “Thepeople have entrusted the caliphate to Taym (Abu-Bakr's family) neglectfully and theyhave deprived the Hashemites (the Prophet's family) of their right and then Umar, thishot-tempered of Adiy (Umar’s family) will rule over us. Let us go to Ali and ask him tocome out and get his legal right.” They came to Imam Ali (s). Abu-Sufyan said to him: “Giveme your hand to pay homage to you and if anyone disagrees, I will fill all the streets ofMedina with cavalrymen.” This was the best opportunity for Imam Ali (s) if he was greedyfor the authority (on the contrary to Umar's saying that Ali was greedy for the caliphate)or if he would have liked to submit to his own whim, when Abu-Sufyan, a man of powerwith the support of his crowding tribe, he would have agreed with him. But Imam Ali (s)did not accede to Abu-Sufyan's request because: 1. His proposal was not based onreligious feelings and what had made him to offer this proposition was only partisanshipfor his family and tribe. He was, by nature, a wicked man and Imam Ali (s) knew him well.2. In this present situation if Medina became the center of a civil war and the place of adispute for the caliphate, then most people, very likely, would apostatize andconsequently the name of Islam would be forgotten for ever. 3. The dissent which arosebetween the Ansar and the Muhajirun concerning the caliphate was an occasion for thehypocrites to abolish Islam by mischief and talebearing. Therefore Imam Ali (s) preferredto wait for a good opportunity when the circumstances would become suitable. For thisreason he did not give his hand to receive homage and Abu-Sufyan was reasoned intocompliance. The silence and renouncement of Imam Ali indicated his wise policy toprevent dissent and apostasy among the Muslims. Recently some of Egyptian writers [1]have stated an opinion that, undoubtedly, Imam Ali had preference over all of the othercompanions from all points of view and they have added that: “If Imam Ali (s) hadassumed the rein of government immediately after the Prophet (s), the fate of theMuslims would have been much better than what it is today.” Mahmood Al-Aqqad wrote inhis book Abqariyyatul Imam: “Although the virtuousness, purity, science and merits ofImam Ali (s) was superior to all other companions, the Prophet (s) did not present himclearly as his successor and he granted the authority to the Muslims to choose the caliph.”