9. Tārikh al-Tabari –narrated from Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyya: “I was with my father when `Uthmān was killed. He suddenly stood up and entered his house and the companions of the Messenger of God (s.a.w.) came to him and said: ‘This man has been killed and the people must have a leader. Moreover, we know nobody for this affair more rightful than you, or with such a past [in Islam] or being closer to the Messenger of God (s.a.w.).
My father said: “Do not do this, for I am better for you as a counselor than I am as a commander.”
The people said: “No, by God, we will do nothing until we swear allegiance to you.”
He said: “So let it be in the mosque, as allegiance to me is not to be done in secrecy and will not be without the consent of the Muslims.”¹

10. Imām Ali (a.s.) –in what he said in response to Talha and Zubair: “By Allah, I had no liking for the caliphate nor any interest in government, but you yourselves invited me to it and prepared me for it. Then, when it [caliphate] came to me, I kept the Book of God in my view and I followed everything that He had put therein and I acted according to what the Prophet (s.a.w.) had taught.”²

11. Imām Ali (a.s.) –from what he said when leaving for Dhi Qār: “You swore allegiance to me, while I was not happy [about it]. God the Glorious knew that I did not have any liking for ruling over the community (ummah) of Muhammad (s.a.w.), and I heard him say: “There is no ruler who will lead something of the affairs of my nation without being brought on the Day of Resurrection in front of all creation with his hands tied to his neck. His book [of deeds] will be presented, and if he was just he will be saved and if he was a tyrant he will perish.”³

9. تاريخ الطبري عن محمّد ابن الحنفيّة: كُنتُ مَعَ أبي حينَ قُتِلَ عُثمانُ، فَقامَ فَدَخَلَ مَنزِلَهُ، فَأَتاهُ أصحابُ رَسولِ اللهِ صلی الله علیه وآله، فَقالوا: إنَّ هذَا الرَّجُلَ قَد قُتِلَ، ولابُدَّ لِلنّاسِ مِن إمام، ولا نَجِدُ اليومَ أحَداً أحَقَّ بِهذَا الأَمرِ مِنكَ؛ لا أقدَمَ سابِقَة، ولا أقرَبَ مِن رَسولِ اللهِ صلی الله علیه وآله!
فَقالَ: لا تَفعَلوا، فَإِنّي أكونُ وَزيراً خَيرٌ مِن أن أكونَ أميراً. فَقالوا: لا، وَاللهِ ما نَحنُ بِفاعِلينَ حَتّى نُبايِعَكَ. قالَ: فَفِي المَسجِدِ؛ فَإِنَّ بَيعَتي لا تَكونُ خَفِيّاً، ولا تَكونُ إلّا عَن رِضا المُسلِمينَ.¹

10. الإمام عليّ علیه السلام ـ مِن كَلام لَهُ في جَوابِ طَلحَةَ والزُّبَيرِ ـ: وَاللهِ ما كانَت لي في الخِلافَةِ رَغبَةٌ، ولا فِي الوِلايَةِ إربَةٌ، ولكِنَّكُم دَعَوتُموني إلَيها، وحَمَلتُموني عَلَيها، فَلَمّا أفضَت إلَيَّ نَظَرتُ إلى كِتابِ اللهِ وما وَضَعَ لَنا وأمَرَنا بِالحُكمِ بِهِ فَاتَّبَعتُهُ، وما استَنَّ النَّبِيُّ صلی الله علیه وآله فَاقتَدَيتُهُ.²

11. عنه علیه السلام ـ مِن كَلامِهِ لَمّا أرادَ المَسيرَ إلى ذي قارٍ ـ: بايَعتُموني وأنَا غَيرُ مَسرور بِذلِكَ، ولا جَذِل³، وقَد عَلِمَ اللهُ سُبحانَهُ أنّي كُنتُ كارِهاً لِلحُكومَةِ بَينَ اُمَّةِ مُحَمَّد صلی الله علیه وآله؛ ولَقَد سَمِعتُهُ يَقولُ: ما مِن وال يَلي شَيئاً مِن أمرِ اُمَّتي إلّا اُتِيَ بِهِ يَومَ القيامَةِ مَغلولَةً يَداهُ إلى عُنُقِهِ، عَلى رُؤوسِ الخَلائِقِ، ثُمَّ يُنشَرُ كِتابُهُ، فَإِن كانَ عادِلاً نَجا، وإن كانَ جائِراً هَوى.⁴