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Bay'a of Ali ibn Abi Talib

بيعة علي بن أبي طالب

c. 656 CE · 35 AH

Ali was given the bay'a the day after Uthman was killed, at Medina; all the Companions present pledged — though it is said Talha and al-Zubayr pledged unwillingly before leaving for Mecca, where they took Aisha and set out for Basra seeking vengeance for Uthman's blood. Ali had at first refused: 'that is not yours to give; it belongs to the men of Badr — whoever they approve is caliph'; every remaining Badri then came to him and pledged 1.

Depth

At a glance

Era
The Rashidun Caliphate
Region
Arabia
Review
Draft Completeness 2/5 · Help complete it

In time

640650660670 c.
The Rashidun Caliphate · The Umayyad Period

Overview

Ali ibn Abi Talib was given the oath of allegiance to the caliphate in Medina on the day after Uthman was killed, around 35 AH. 2

The oath

al-Suyuti relates that those Companions who were in Medina gave him their allegiance. He reports that it is said that Talha and al-Zubayr gave their allegiance unwillingly, then went out to Mecca where Aisha was, and set out for Basra seeking vengeance for the blood of Uthman. 2

Ali's initial refusal

al-Suyuti relates that Ali first refused and said that the matter was not in their hands, but was for the people of Badr; whoever the people of Badr agreed upon would be the caliph. No one from the people of Badr remained who did not come to him and give him allegiance. 3

The Gregorian date is derived from the Hijri date.

Opinions on the question

The question: How was Ali pledged after Uthman was killed, and with the consent of the Companions?

First opinion · Sunni tradition (the museum's frame)Main reference

Al-Sallabi holds that Ali was pledged in Medina by the Companions who remained there, after he resisted at first and asked that the pledge be public in the mosque (pp. 176-177, 188-189).
More opinions (2)

Academic viewSecondary opinion

No modern academic account of how the pledge was made is given in these pages (needs_source).

Other viewOther opinion

Some reports say Talha and al-Zubayr pledged under duress; the book rejects this. It cites Ibn Khaldun's claim that the Companions were scattered and did not witness the pledge, and rebuts it (pp. 181-183, 186). It also rejects reports that the rioters pledged first (pp. 177-178).

Connections

Explore the connections

Had participant
Ali ibn Abi Talib

People and things also explored

The ruling on one who abandons prayer· The wise sayings attributed to Ali· Poetry attributed to Ali ibn Abi Talib· Abu Bakr's Sortie to Naq' and Khalid's Command· Abu Sufyan's mission to Medina· The three years of the secret call· Ali appoints the sons of al-Abbas and Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr as governors· Ali burns people in Kufa who claimed he was God

Sources

  1. Tarikh al-Khulafa — al-Suyuti (Dar al-Minhaj edition) , p. 275, 293-294
  2. Tarikh al-Khulafa — al-Suyuti (Dar al-Minhaj edition) , p.293-294
  3. Tarikh al-Khulafa — al-Suyuti (Dar al-Minhaj edition) , p.275
  • Asma al-Matalib fi Sirat Ali ibn Abi Talib, vol. 1 — Ali Muhammad al-Sallabi
Cite this page

islam.museum contributors. “Bay'a of Ali ibn Abi Talib”. islam.museum, https://islam.museum/en/event/bayat-ali/. CC BY-SA 4.0. Last updated 2026-10-22.

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The ruling on one who abandons prayer

Al-Sallabi quotes Ali: whoever does not pray is an unbeliever. He then reports from al-Nawawi the dispute over one who neglects prayer while believing it obligatory: the majority (Malik, al-Shafi'i) hold him a sinner to be asked to repent, others hold him an unbeliever, a view ascribed to Ali; Abu Hanifa and the Kufans hold him not an unbeliever but to be disciplined.