I will answer all your questions and objections, but please first answer me one thing... How many people attended the funeral of Rehmat-ul-Alameen (SAAW)?
Hold your horses righteous! Let us not throw in more issues. This is Diversionary tactic, we will get to this too but please refer to my post quoted below for your ease.
I had asked you two questions please address them and then we can move forward otherwise we won’t get anywhere.
The following was asked of you:
1) Would he dare utter the following if he knew that Allah (swt) had appointed him as the rightful successor to the Prophet (saw)?
2) Does he have the right to opt out his divine mission?
Brother righteous - There is no divinely ordained leadership in Islam after the Prophet (saw)!!
*If * Hz. Ali (ra) was appointed divinely to succeed the Prophet (saw) he would have died fighting for this right!
He didn't. This doesn't in any way disqualify from leading the Ummah right after the Prophet (saw)'s demise.
Isn’t Hz. Ali (ra) duty bound to remind the people of his Divine appointment?
For instance we have the example of Prophet (saw):
1) He was never tired to telling the people that he was appointed as the Messenger of Allah (swt) and what his mission was all about. [a few examples given below].
I am Muhammad, the unlettered prophet of Allah. I am Muhammad, the unlettered prophet of Allah. I am Muhammad, the unlettered prophet of Allah. There will be no prophet after me. - (Musnad Ahmad)
I am Muhammad, I am Ahmad, I am the effacer and infidelity shall be erased through me; I am the assembler. People shall be assembled on Doomsday after my time. And I am the last in the sense that no prophet shall succeed me. - (Bukhari, Muslim, Tirmidhi, Muatta')
I have been sent by Allah to carry His Divine message to the whole world.
I am Muhammad, I am Ahmad, I am the effacer and infidelity shall be erased through me; I am the assembler. People shall be assembled on Doomsday after my time. And I am the last in the sense that no Prophet shall succeed me. (Bukhari, Muslim, Tirimzi, Mishkawt)
2) Even when under the pressure of Quraish his dear uncle Abu Talib requested him to tone down his opposition the Quraish, his answer was uncompromising and he said the following: 'O my uncle, by Allah, if they put the sun in my right hand and the moon in my left in return for my giving up this cause, I would not give it up until Allah makes Truth victorious, or I die in His service.
Read the following sermon of Hz. Ali (ra) stated just as the people were clamouring him to take over the khilaffat after vicious murder of Hz. Uthman (ra).
Leave me and seek some one else. We are facing a matter which has (several) faces and colours, which neither hearts can stand nor intelligence can accept. Clouds are hovering over the sky, and faces are not discernible. You should know that if I respond to you I would lead you as I know and would not care about whatever one may say or abuse. If you leave me then I am the same as you are. It is possible I would listen to and obey whomever you make in charge of your affairs. I am better for you as a counsellor than as chief. - Nahjul Balagha Sermon 91
Read the sermon 91 again and you will note that Hz. Ali (ra) do not even once mention the incidence of Khum Ghadeer or his divine appointment as the successor of the Prophet (saw).
Please answer the following:
1) Would he dare utter the following if he knew that Allah (swt) had appointed him as the rightful successor to the Prophet (saw)?
2) Does he have the right to opt out his divine mission?
Please don't tell me that Hz. Ali (ra) compromised the Divine Appointment for sake of Ummah's Unity.
Just as the Prophet (saw) wouldn't have compromised on his mission so wouldn't have hz. Ali (ra).
This was the Golden opportunity he had to remind the people of this Divine appointment to be the rightful successor to the Prophet (saw).
He had no need to practice Taqiyyah as all the people were clamouring for him to be the Khaleef.
Do let me know why?
By saying the following “I am better for you as a counsellor than as chief" he has tacitly accepted that he had no ‘automatic divine right’ to the 'Divine leadership' or Khilaafat.