Question

Asalaam Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah Wa Barakaatuhu our honourable Sheikh

In the narration of the book, The Institutions of State in the Khilafah "Caliphate", in the paragraph regarding short listing of the nominees on page 31, it says the following:

"...Abdul Rahman discussed with the remaining five, limiting the number of candidates to two; Ali and ‘Uthman...After investigating the opinions of the people, the opinion settled on ‘Uthman as a Khalifah." And on page 33: "...Go and call Ali and ‘Uthman for me...then he held the hand of Ali (ra)." Why did he hold Ali's hand when the choice was settled on Uthman to become the Khaleefah?

Your brother, Bouazizi.

Answer

Wa Alaikum us Salaam Wa Rahmatullah Wa Barakaatuhu

What became apparent to Abdul Rahman Ibn Awf is that the people wanted Ali (ra) if he was willing to rule them with the same previous Ijtihad (opinion) as that of Abu Bakr and Umar (ra) on issues during their rule. But Ali (ra) refused, while Uthman (ra) agreed; this is when the choice of Uthman was made to become the Khaleefah.

This sentence: "Umar nominated six people and limited the Khalifah to them, whereby the Muslims were given the choice to choose a Khaleefah from amongst the six. After removing himself from the nominees, Abdul Rahman discussed with the remaining five, limiting the number of candidates to two; Ali and ‘Uthman after they delegated the matter to him. After investigating the opinions of the people, the opinion settled on ‘Uthman as a Khalifah." It does not mean that Uthman's appointment took place during the consultation, but after Ali refused and Uthman accepted.

What seems to have created your confusion is thinking that the conjunction "wow" in Arabic means the immediate occurrence and order of the action. Which is not the case when the conjunction came between (investigating the people's opinion) and (the opinion was settled on Uthman as the Khalifah). The conjunction "wow" just means that something happened after another. For example if I say that Umar and Khalid came, (Umar wa Khalid) This does not mean that they came together or immediately following each other, but there could be an interval between their arrival. One could have arrived at noon and the other one in the afternoon.

Therefore the sentence mentioned: "investigating the people's opinion" this could have been concluded at night and "the opinion was settled on Uthman as the Khalifah" was at Fajr after the prayer and after asking Ali and Uthman.

And to make the events clearer we say the following:
• "Abdul Rahman investigated the people's opinion", He discovered that the people wanted Ali based on his agreement to their condition, if he does not agree then Uthman, if he agrees to their condition.

• Then Abdul Rahman said: "Go and call Ali and ‘Uthman for me", he presented the condition to Ali first, but he refused. He then presented the condition to Uthman, and he agreed.

• Then the result: "the opinion was settled on Uthman as the Khalifah".
I hope that this gives more clarity on the subject.

Your brother,
Ata Bin Khalil Abu Al-Rashtah

The link to the answer from the Ameer's Facebook page