عليه السلام يقول وينظر إلى قبر رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله : " يا بن عم إن القوم استضعفوني وكادوا يقتلوني " .

peace be upon him, was saying, looking at the grave of the Messenger of God, may God bless him and his Family: “O son of my uncle, the people held me weak and were near to killing me.”

قال الراوي : إن عليا عليه السلام خاطب أبا بكر بهذين البيتين : فإن كنت بالشورى ملكت أمورهم فكيف بهذا والمشيرون غيب وإن كنت بالقربى حججت خصيمهم فغيرك أولى بالنبي وأقرب وكان عليه السلام كثيرا ما يقول : " واعجبا تكون الخلافة بالصحابة ، ولا تكون بالقرابة والصحابة " انتهى 1 .

The narrator said: 'Ali, peace be upon him, addressed Abu Bakr with these two verses: — If by consultation you have come to hold their affairs, — then how is this, when those to be consulted were absent? — And if by nearness of kin you argued against their adversary, — then another than you is worthier of the Prophet and nearer. And he, peace be upon him, would often say: “How strange! That the caliphate should be by companionship, and not be by kinship and companionship!” End of quotation. [1]