7. Tārikh al-Tabari, narrated from Muhammad and Talha: “People gathered around Ali (a.s.) and said to him: “We swear allegiance to you. You can see what has befallen Islam and what calamities have been inflicted upon us by our kin.”
Imām Ali (a.s.) said: “Leave me and seek someone else. We are facing a matter which has multiple faces and colors, which neither hearts can endure nor can intellects accept.”
The people said: “We implore you by God. Do you not see what we see? Do you not see [the problems that] Islam [faces]? Do you not see the disturbance? Do you not fear God?”
He (a.s.) then said: “I answered you according to what I view. Know that if I accept your request I will act on the basis of what I know, and if you leave me I shall be one like you, except that I will be the most submissive and obedient among you towards the one to whom you surrender as your ruler.” ¹

8. Imām Ali (a.s.) –from what he said when people wanted to pay allegiance to him after the killing of `Uthmān: “Leave me and seek someone else. We are facing a matter which has multiple faces and
colors, which neither hearts can endure nor can intellects accept. The horizons (of life) have been covered by clouds and the right path is not discernable. Know that if I accept your request I will lead you according to what I know and I will not care about whatever one may say or the admonishing of an admonisher. If you leave me I will be like one of you, and I might be the most listening and obedient among you to whom you put to rule over your affairs. I am better for you as a counselor more than I am as a commander.”²

7. تاريخ الطبري عن محمّد وطَلحَة: غَشِيَ النّاسُ عَليّاً، فَقالوا: نُبايِعُكَ؛ فَقَد تَرى ما نزَلَ بِالإِسلامِ، ومَا ابتُلينا بِهِ مِن ذَوِي القُربى! فَقالَ عَليٌّ: دَعوني، وَالتَمِسوا غَيري؛ فَإِنّا مُستَقبِلونَ أمراً لَهُ وجوهٌ ولَهُ ألوانٌ، لا تَقومُ لَهُ القُلوبُ، ولا تَثبُتُ عَلَيهِ العُقولُ. فَقالوا: نُنشِدُكَ اللهَ، أ لا تَرى ما نَرى! أ لا تَرَى الإِسلامَ! أ لا تَرَى الفِتنَةَ! أ لا تَخافُ اللهَ!
فَقالَ: قَد أجَبتُكُم لِما أرى، وَاعلَموا إن أجَبتُكُم رَكِبتُ بِكُم ما أعلَمُ، وإن تَرَكتُموني فَإِنَّما أنَا كَأَحَدِكُم، إلّا أنّي أسمَعُكُم وأطوَعُكُم لِمَن وَلَّيتُموهُ أمرَكُم.¹

8. الإمام عليّ علیه السلام ـ مِن كَلامٍ لَهُ لَمّا أرادَهُ النّاسُ عَلَى البَيعَةِ بَعدَ قَتلِ عُثمانَ ـ: دَعوني وَالتَمِسوا غَيري؛ فَإِنّا مُستَقبِلونَ أمراً لَهُ وجوهٌ وأَلوانٌ، لا تَقومُ لَهُ القُلوبُ، ولا تَثبُتُ عَلَيهِ العُقولُ. وإنَّ الآفاقَ قَد أغامَت، وَالمَحَجَّةَ قَد تَنَكَّرَت، وَاعلَموا أنّي إن أجَبتُكُم رَكِبتُ بِكُم ما أعلَمُ، ولَم اُصغِ إلى قَولِ القائِلِ، وعَتبِ العاتِبِ، وإن تَرَكتُموني فَأَنَا كَأَحَدِكُم، ولَعَلّيٌ أسمَعُكُم وأطوَعُكُمِ لِمَن وَلَّيتُموهُ أمرَكُم، وأنَا لَكُم وَزيراً خَيرٌ لَكُم مِنّي أميراً.²