A group of Muslims (Sunnis) believe that the Prophet of Islam (s.a.) died not having selected his successor and they believe that this responsibility belongs to Muslims themselves to select their leader. They undertake this act through Ijma (consensus) which is one of the reasons given in the Divine Law.
They add that this program was implemented the first time for the first caliph who was selected with the consensus of the Ummah.
And he selected the second caliph and introduced him as such.
And the second caliph selected a council of six people to select the person who should succeed him.
This Council consisted of: Imam Ali, peace be upon him, Uthman, Abdal Rahman ibn Awf, Talha, Zubayr and Sa’d bin Abi Waqas.
This Council, with a majority of Sa’d ibn Waqas, Abdal Rahman and Talha voted for Uthman. (The second caliph had directed that if the Council should be divided three to three, the side that Abdal Rahman ibn Awf (‘Uthman’s son-in-law) was on would be the person selected).
Towards the end of Uthman’s reign, the people arose against him for several reasons and before he had a chance to select his successor or select a Council, he was killed.
At this time, the majority of the people turned to ‘Ali, peace be upon him, and selected him as their caliph.
They pledged their allegiance to him as the successor of the Prophet, other than Mu’awiyah who was the governor of
Here, in order to intellectually and historically clarify what happened, several questions arise, a few of which will be mentioned here:
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