Ali's view point how a caliph is to be appointed

[Sheriff.shatterz]

Imam Ali Radhiallahu 3anhu's words that for one to be appointed  a caliph,he has to be given bay'ah and not any other way


A letter from Najhul-balagha:

إنه بايعني القوم الذين بايعوا أبا بكر وعمر وعثمان ، على ما بايعوهم عليه ، فلم يكن للشاهد أن يختار ولا للغائب أن يرد ، وإنما الشورى للمهاجرين والأنصار ، فإن اجتمعوا على رجل وسموه إماماً كان ذلك لله رضى فإن خرج منهم خارج بطعن أو بدعة ردوه إلى ماخرج منه فإن أبى قاتلوه على اتباعه غير سبيل المؤمنين ، وولاه الله ما تولى

Verily, the people who payed allegience to Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthman, have payed allegience to me based on the same principles as the allegience to them. So anyone who was present has no right to go against his pledge of allegience, and anyone who was absent has no right to oppose it. And verily shura (consultation) is only the right of the Muhajirs and the Ansar. *So if they decide upon a man and declare him their imam, then it is with the pleasure of Allah.* If anyone goes against this decision, then he must be persuaded to follow the rest of the people. If he persists, then fight with him for leaving that which has been accepted by the believers. And Allah shall let him wander misguided and not guide him.

(Nahjul-Balaghah, Letter #6)

[Rationalist]

This is how they reply to this.
1) He was using Muawiyah standards to reply to him.

Or

2) This letter has a Sunni chain.

[Hani]

If they use the first argument then it is weak, unconvincing, for `Ali clearly said "So those present have no right to go against this pledge and those absent have no right to oppose it."

If he was using Mu`awiyah's own methodology, he wouldn't have said this. He is clearly giving legitimacy to the method of electing a Caliph.

In his case, those present and those absent can both reject the Caliph IF they had a different order from Rasul-Allah (saw). Since nobody does by agreement, then `Ali speaks truth.