Question

If we check the texts of the Holy Quran we can discover that theHolyLegislator had paid great attention to the issue of writing a will,statingthat a man must write his will so that his children andrelatives may notsuffer from confusion and unexpected conflicts,as the Quranic versedeclares: "Bequest is prescribed for youwhen death approaches one ofyou, if he leaves behind wealth forparents and near relatives, accordingto usage, a duty (incumbent)upon those who guard (against evil)[Baqarah: 180]".

A prophetic tradition said,"Whosoever dies without writing a will,thencertainly he shall die as a pagan".

 This tradition informs us thattheLegislator (Allah) is very precise with a personal matter such asthewriting of a will; so, how can such an important matter like"leadership"be neglected - leaving the Islamic ummah to faceunperceived destiny?!Now, let us suppose that the Holy Prophet (s.w.) didn't refer tothisserious issue, wasn't it his companions' duty to ask him aboutthe matterof succession?Therefore, in conclusion, because of the circumstances of theIslamicummah at that time, there was need to give special care tosuch anissue.

2- According to what has been said, it is normal that the HolyProphet(s.w.) stands positively beside this sensitive case anddeclares the mainpoints of the succession after him.

 Thus, wecannot possibly supposebut one of two probabilities: (1) either theProphet (s.w.) has to politicallybring up the Muhajireen and Ansaraccording to the rules of a shura(counsel) - when they want toelect a leader (whether spiritual orpolitical).

 After showing them thebases of how to practise such an act,for example, appointing aso-called committee consisting of membersfrom both parties (i.e.)

Muhajireen and Ansar), or it was upon him toappoint a certainperson who is capable to hold this heavyresponsibility.

It is clear that history didn't convey to us any trace of the firstprobability,neither through the Holy Prophet's (s.w.) attitudes, norin the policy ofthe caliphs after him.

 Therefore, the secondprobability seems to bemore logical.

3- A quick and brief look at the series of events that theProphet'smission has undergone, from the first moments of themission until thelast seconds when his holy soul was leaving thisworld, we come to thisconclusion that the Holy Prophet (s.w.) hadreferred in many occasionsto Imam Ali's (s.