Is it true that Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) had really named Ali bin Abi Taleb to be his Khalifah after his death? If not, why didn't he name a person to lead Muslims after his death? (Any normal leader would have done that). I follow Madhab al-Sunnah but one of my friends who follows al-She'ah told me that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) had named Ali bin Abi Taleb to lead Muslims in a true Hadith in Sunnah books but the Sahabah did not follow the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) and they chose Abu Bakr.

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

Some deviant groups have spread a great deal of misinformation and believe that the Prophet made a will so that Ali would be his successor. This is not true and is a pure fabrication that has nothing to do with the truth. If this were true, all the Companions of the Prophet would have abided by it as it would have been part of the religion.

Subsequently, anybody who claims this has falsely accused the Companions of the Prophet slandered them, and spread rumors about them. How could Abu Bakr who was the most faithful to the Prophet refuse this will and do his best to rescind it? And how could Ali fail to enforce such a will during the era of Abu Bakr, Umar and Uthmaan all, although he was strong and ready to undertake anything to establish the truth?

If some people say that Ali pledged allegiance outwardly but hid his opposition, we say that the Companions were strong and forthright in expressing the truth and they would not hide something and show its opposite, as this is hypocrisy. In fact, the Prophet gave numerous indications that prove that he wanted Abu Bakr to be his successor. He made him Imaam of the Muslims in the prayer during his last illness. So, if the Prophet chose Abu Bakr to lead the Muslims in the prayer, the "backbone" of the religion, this is an indication that he chose him to lead the Muslims in running the Muslim nation and their religious affairs.

Thus, the rumor that was spread about Ali refusing to pledge allegiance to Abu Bakr is a lie. In fact Ali would not leave the consensus of the Muslim community for six months. He was raised in Islam since his childhood. Ali actually pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr twice. The first time was the day all the Muslims pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr immediately after the Prophet passed away. Thereafter, Ali was busy tending to his wife Faatimah until she died. During that period Ali did not go often to Abu Bakr's house although he supported him in important matters like fighting the apostates.

After the death of Faatimah, Ali went to Abu Bakr and pledged allegiance (Bay'ah) to him another time just to confirm the first allegiance all. Part of the confusion is caused by the fact that some writers of the biographies of the Companions included Ali's second Bay'ah in the story of the events that happened between Faatimah, Ali and Abu Bakr all, which is a different issue altogether.

According to various accounts, Faatimah and Abbaas came to Abu Bakr claiming their inheritance of the land of Fadak and their share from Khaybar. Abu Bakr said, "I heard the Prophet saying: 'Our property is not inherited, and whatever we leave is to be given in charity. But the family of Muhammad can eat of this property (as a Waqf in the way of Allaah)'. By Allaah, I will not leave anything Allaah's Apostle used to do" .

This matter of inheritance caused some coolness between Ali and Abu Bakr . After the death of Faatimah some members of Banu Haashim sat together with Ali and called Abu Bakr both, to their gathering. Ali stood up, praised Allaah The Almighty and then said, 'Abu Bakr we did not abstain from the pledge of allegiance refusing your merits or feeling jealous for what Allaah blessed upon you. However, we thought that we were the most deserving inheritors of the Prophet's belongings and you have taken control of them.' In this speech Ali mentioned their kinship and its details with the Prophet until Abu Bakr wept.

Abu Bakr followed Ali both, and said, "By Allaah, the kith and kin of the Prophet is dearer to me than my kith and kin. By Allaah, I would have granted you those properties if I had not heard the Prophet saying: 'Our property is not inherited, and whatever we leave is to be given in charity. But the family of Muhammad can eat of this property (as a Waqf in the way of Allah).' By Allaah, I will manage it as well as possible" .

Thereupon, Ali said, 'The appointed time for pledge of allegiance with you is this afternoon'. When Abu Bakr performed Dhuhr (afternoon) prayer, he faced the people and then mentioned the excuses of Ali . In turn, Ali spoke after him, and mentioned highly the merits of Abu Bakr and then pledged allegiance to him in public. The public congratulated Ali and praised his act.

The origin of this story is reported in Al-Bukhari and Muslim. It seems that the second pledge of allegiance was made particularly after the dispute that happened in the matter of inheritance of the Prophet . The second pledge was nothing but to confirm the first one and to make an apology for being distant and for not visiting Abu Bakr frequently.

Allaah Knows best.