Das Reich (now i know wht ur name means), could you or any other bro provide us with the Sunni view of Dawat Dhul Ashirah. Dawate Dhul Ashira was gathering that was organised by the messenger after the following revealeation: “And warn thy nearest relations.” (26:214)...... History books testify that the messenger had informed people of Banu Hashim of the successorship of Imam Ali (as) after he had announced his Prophethood to them. Tabari, Allama Suyuti, Ibn Athir all have stated this event in their books. Whereas Bukhari and co have remained totally quite about this important event!
Wilferd Madelung writes in his book The Succession to Muhammad:
“ In the Qur’an, the descendants and close kin of the prophets are their heirs also in respect to kingship (mulk), rule (hukm), wisdom (hikma), the book and the imamate. The Sunnite concept of the true caliphate itself defines it as a succession of the prophet in every respect except his prophethood. Why should Muhammad not be succeeded in it by any of his family like the earlier prophets? If God really wanted to indicate that he should not be succeeded by any of them why did He not let his grandsons and other kin die like his sons? There is thus a good reason to doubt that Muhammad failed to appoint a successor because he realized that the divine design excluded hereditary succession of his family and that he wanted the Muslims to choose their head by Shura. The Qur’an advises the faithful to settle some matters by consultation, but not the succession to prophets. That, according to the Qur’an, is settled by divine election, God usually chooses their successors, whether they become prophets or not from their own kin ”
(The Succession to Muhammad, Wilferd Madelung, p 17)
Now i do now know this individual Wilferd Madelung but he has raised some very good points.