Did the Prophet appoint ‘Ali as khaleefah?

This opinion is not known among any of the Muslim groups
apart from the Shi’ah, and it is a false view which has no basis in the
ahaadeeth that have been proven from the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him). On the contrary, a great deal of evidence
shows that the khaleefah after the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him) was Abu Bakr al-Siddeeq (may Allaah be pleased with him
and with all the companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him)). But the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be
upon him) did not state that clearly and he did not appoint him in any
definitive sense; rather he gave commands which indicated that, when he told
him to lead the people in prayer when he (the Prophet (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him)) was sick, and when he told him about the
leadership of the Muslim community after his death, saying, “Allaah and the
believers will only accept Abu Bakr.” Hence the Sahaabah (may Allaah be
pleased with them) gave their allegiance (bay’ah) to Abu Bakr and they were
unanimously agreed that Abu Bakr was the best among them. It was reported in
the hadeeth of Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) that the Sahaabah
(may Allaah be pleased with them) used to say during the Prophet’s life:
“The best of this ummah after its Prophet is Abu Bakr, then ‘Umar, then
‘Uthmaan,” and the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
approved of their saying that. Mutawaatir reports from ‘Ali (may Allaah be
pleased with him) show that he used to say, “The best of this ummah after
its Prophet is Abu Bakr then ‘Umar.” And he (may Allaah be pleased with him)
used to say, “No one is brought to me who prefers me over them, but I will
whip him with the hadd punishment for telling lies.” He never claimed that
he was the best of this ummah, or that the Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) had appointed him as khaleefah. He
never said that the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them) had wronged
him and taken away his rights. When Faatimah (may Allaah be pleased with
her) died he gave a second pledge of allegiance (bay’ah) to Abu Bakr, as
confirmation of his first pledge and to demonstrate to the people that he
was with the jamaa’ah (the main group of Muslims) and that he had no
reservations in his heart against giving his allegiance to Abu Bakr (may
Allaah be pleased with them all). When ‘Umar was stabbed, he appointed six
of those whom the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him)
had testified were guaranteed Paradise, for them to appoint one of their
number as ‘Umar’s successor; among these six was ‘Ali, who never denounced
‘Umar, either whilst he was still alive or after his death. ‘Ali did not say
that he was more entitled than any of them to be khaleefah, so how can
anyone have the right to tell lies about the Messenger of Allaah (peace
and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and say that he appointed ‘Ali as
khaleefah? ‘Ali himself never made any such claim, and none of the Sahaabah
claimed that for him. Rather they were unanimously agreed that the caliphate
of Abu Bakr, ‘Umar and ‘Uthmaan was valid; ‘Ali acknowledged that and he
cooperated with all of them in jihad, shoora (consultation), etc. Moreover,
the Muslims after the Sahaabah were agreed upon that which the Sahaabah had
been agreed on. After all this, it is not permissible for anyone or for any
group, Shi’ah or others, to claim that ‘Ali was the appointed successor, or
that the caliphate before him was false. Similarly, no one has the right to
say that the Sahaabah wronged ‘Ali and took away his rights. Rather this is
the falsest of falsehoods, and it is thinking badly of the Companions of the
Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him),
including ‘Ali (may Allaah be pleased with him and with them all). 

Allaah has protected the ummah of Muhammad (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) and kept it from agreeing on misguidance.
It was narrated in a saheeh report in many ahaadeeth that the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “A group of my ummah will
continue to adhere to the truth and to prevail.” It is impossible that the
noblest generation of this ummah could agree on falsehood, supposedly the
caliphate of Abu Bakr, ‘Umar and ‘Uthmaan. No one says this who believes in
Allaah and the Last Day, and no one says this who has the slightest insight
into the rulings of Islam.