31. al-Futuh: The Ansār told the people: “You all know the excellence of Ali ibn Abu Tālib, his precedence, kinship and his status with the Prophet (s.a.w.), his knowledge about what is permissible and prohibited, and your need for him from among the companions. He has never stopped giving advice to you. If we were to know someone better than him and more appropriate for this affair, we would lead you to that person.”
The people unanimously said: “We accept him willingly, without any compulsion.”
Ali (a.s.) then told them: “Tell me that when you say: ‘We swear allegiance to him willingly, without any compulsion’, is it a right incumbent upon you by God or is it your own opinion.”
They replied: “It is incumbent enjoined upon us by God the Glorious.”¹

32. al-Jamal –quoting from `Abd al-Hamid ibn `Abd al-Rahmān from Ibn Abzi: “Shall I tell you what I saw by my own eyes and heard by my own ears? When people gathered near the Public Treasury, Ali (a.s.) said to Talha: “Extend your hand so that I can swear allegiance to you.” Then Talha said: “You are more deserving for this affair [of ruling] than I am, since the people are gathered more in your favor than in mine.”
Ali (a.s.) said: “We do not fear anyone other than you.”
Talha said: “Have no fear, for by God no harm will come to you from me.”
After that, `Ammār ibn Yāsir, Abu al-Haytham ibn al-Tayyahān, Rifā`ah ibn Rāfi`, and Abu Ayyub Khālid ibn Zaid stood up and addressed Ali (a.s.), saying: “This affair [the government] has become corrupt and you yourself saw `Uthmān’s actions which were contrary to the Book and the Traditions (sunna). Extend your hand, that we may pledge allegiance to you and you will correct from the affairs of the nation whatever has been corrupted.” Ali (a.s.) turned it down and said: “You saw how I was treated and you know the opinion of the group. I have no need for them.”
They then went to the Ansār and said: “O Group of Ansār! You are the supporters of God and His Messenger. God Almighty has graced you because of His Messenger and you know the excellence of Ali (a.s.), his precedence in Islam, his kinship and status that he had with the Prophet (s.a.w.) and if he was to rule he will bring goodness to you.
Then the group [of Ansār] said: “We are the most content people with him and we want nobody other than him.”
After that they gathered around him and stayed with him until they all swore allegiance to him.”²

31. الفتوح: قالَتِ الأَنصارُ ]لِلنّاسِ[: إنَّكُم قَد عَرَفتُم فَضلَ عَلِيِّ بنِ أبي طالِبٍ وسابِقَتَهُ وقَرابَتَهُ وَمَنزِلَتَهُ مِنَ النَّبِيِّ صلی الله علیه وآله، مَعَ عِلمِهِ بِحَلالِكُم وحَرامِكُم، وحاجَتُكُم إلَيهِ مِن بَينِ الصَّحابَةِ، ولَن يَألُوَكُم نُصحاً، ولَو عَلِمنا مَكانَ أحَدٍ هُوَ أفضَلُ مِنهُ وأجمَلُ لِهذَا الأَمرِ وأولَى بِهِ مِنهُ لَدَعَوناكُم إلَيهِ. فَقالَ النّاسُ كُلُّهُم بِكَلِمَةٍ واحِدَةٍ: رَضينا بِهِ طائِعينَ غَيرَ كارِهينَ.
فَقالَ لَهُم عَلِيٌّ: أخبِروني عَن قَولِكُم هذا: «رَضينا بِهِ طائِعينَ غَيرَ كارِهينَ»، أحَقٌّ واجِبٌ هذا مِنَ اللهِ عَلَيكُم، أم رَأيٌ رَأَيتُموهُ مِن عِندِ أنفُسِكُم؟
قالوا: بَل هُوَ واجِبٌ أوجَبَهُ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لَكَ عَلَينا.¹

32. الجمل عن عبد الحَميد بن عبد الرحمن عن ابنِ أبزى: ألا اُحَدِّثُكَ ما رَأَت عَيناي وسَمِعَت اُذُناي!! لَمَّا التَقَى النّاسُ عِندَ بَيتِ المالِ قالَ عَلِيٌّ لِطَلحَةَ: اُبسُط يَدَكَ اُبايِعكَ. فَقالَ طَلحَةُ: أنتَ أحَقُّ بِهذَا الأَمرِ مِنّي، وقَدِ اجتَمَعَ لَكَ مِن أهواءِ النّاسِ ما لَم يَجتَمِع لي. فَقالَ علیه السلام لَهُ: ما خَشينا غَيرَكَ! فَقالَ طَلحَةُ: لا تَخشَ، فَوَاللهِ لا تُؤتى مِن قِبَلي.
وقامَ عَمّارُ بنُ ياسِرٍ، وأبو الهَيثَمِ بنُ التَّيِّهانِ، ورَفاعَةُ بنُ رافِعِ بنِ مالِكِ بنِ العَجلانِ، وأبو أيّوبَ خالِدُ بنُ زَيدٍ، فَقَالوا لِعَلِيٍّ: إنَّ هذَا الأَمرَ قَد فَسَدَ، وقَد رَأَيت ما صَنَعَ عُثمانُ، وما أتاهُ مِن خِلافِ الكِتابِ وَالسُّنَّةِ، فَابسُط يَدَكَ نُبايِعك؛ لِتُصلِحَ مِن أمرِ الاُمَّةِ ما قَد فَسَدَ.
فَاستَقالَ عَلِيٌّ علیه السلام وقالَ: قَد رَأَيتُم ما صُنِعَ بي، وعَرَفتُم رَأيَ القَومِ، فَلا حاجَةَ لي فيهِم.
فَأَقبَلوا عَلَى الأَنصارِ فَقالوا: يا مَعاشِرَ الأَنصارِ، أنتُم أنصارُ اللهِ وأنصارُ رَسولِهِ، وبِرَسَولِهِ أكرَمَكُمُ اللهُ تَعالى، وقَد عَلِمتمُ فَضلَ عَلِيٍّ وسابِقَتَهُ فِي الإِسلامِ، وقَرابَتَهُ ومَكانَتَهُ الَّتي كانَت لَهُ مِنَ النَّبِيّ صلی الله علیه وآله، وإن وَلِيَ أنالَكُم خَيراً. فقَالَ القَومُ: نَحنُ أرضَى النّاسِ بِهِ، ما نُريدُ بِهِ بَدَلاً.
ثُمَّ اجتَمَعوا عَلَيهِ، فَلَم يَزالوا بِهِ حَتّى بايَعوهُ.²