Mas'oodi continues saying, that after some days Imam Ali (a.s.) met one of the two men (Abu Bakr) and told him to remember Allah (s.w.t.) and the day of Allah (s.w.t.) (Qiyamah) and told him, "Do you wish to meet the Prophet (s.a.w.s.) now so that he may advice you to forbid (from evil) and enjoin (good)"? He replied in the affirmative and Ali (a.s.) took him to Masjid al Quba. He showed him the Prophet of Allah (s.a.w.s.) who was seated therein. The Prophet of Allah (s.a.w.s.) told him, "O so and so ! Do you pledge with me in this manner that you shall give away the Caliphate to Ali, while Ali is Amirul Mo’meneen"? Seeing this, he returned back with Ali (a.s.) and resolved to hand over the Caliphate to him but his friend (Umar) did not accept it.
He said, "This is nothing but an apparent magic and the renowned sorcery of the Bani Hashim, while you forget that one day we were alongwith Ibn Abi Kabshah (he meant the Prophet). He signaled towards the two trees and they joined together, then he went behind and answered the call of nature. Then he signaled towards them and they parted from one another as before". The first one (Abu Bakr) said, "Now that you have reminded me about this matter, I too recall an incident. I and he (the Prophet) had taken shelter in the cave (of Saur), he stretched his hand towards my face and signaled with his feet. I saw a river, then he showed me Ja'far (al Tayyar) and his companions who were seated on a boat and sailing". He (Abu Bakr) was influenced by his friend (Umar) and changed his mind to hand over the Caliphate to Ali (a.s.). Then they resolved to kill Ali (a.s.) and recommended to one another while promising each other, while they deputed Khalid bin Walid for this task. Asma bint Umays[162] became aware of their plan and informed Ali (a.s.) about it. She dispatched her maid to the house of Imam Ali (a.s.), the maid came and caught hold of the two sides of the door and recited this verse in a loud voice, "Verily the chiefs are consulting to slay you, begone, verily unto you I am of the sincere advisers".[163] Khalid hid his sword under his garments and it was decided that as soon as the Prayer Leader (Abu Bakr) recites the salutations to end the Prayer, Khalid should arise and kill Ali (a.s.) inside the Masjid. Khalid was so much
[162]Asma bint Umays bin Ma'ad was one of the devoted and loyal adherents of the Prophet (s.a.w.s.)'s Ahlulbait (a.s.). Her half sister was Maymoonah bint Haris, the wife of the Prophet (s.a.w.s.). Her first husband was Ja'far bin Abi Talib (a.s.) who was martyred in the battle of Muta in the eight Hijrah. She had several children from Ja'far, one of whom was Abdullah, better known as ‘Bahrus Sakha' (the ocean of munificence). He too was a faithful adherent of his uncle Imam Ali (a.s.) and his affection of Abdullah can be evidenced that he married his daughter Sayyedah Zainab (s.a.) to him, from whom he had several children, of them two viz. Aun and Muhammad were martyred in the battle of Karbala alongwith their uncle Imam Husain (a.s.). Later Asma bint Umays was married to Abu Bakr bin Abu Quhafa whom she bore Muhammad bin Abu Bakr. Although remaining in the house of Abu Bakr she remained dedicated to her Imam (a.s.) and Sayyedah Zahra (s.a.) as is evidenced from the above report. After the death of Abu Bakr, Imam Ali (a.s.) married her and consequently Muhammad bin Abu Bakr was brought up by him. Imam Ali (a.s.) loved him much and regarded him as his own son and used to say, "Muhammad is my son from Abu Bakr". Muhammad was appointed the governor of Egypt by Imam Ali (a.s.) and was martyred by the orders of Mu’awiyah in 38 A.H. at the young age of twenty-eight years.
[163] Holy Qur’an, Surah al Qasas : 20
aroused that people assumed he had commited error in prayers. But the Prayer Leader (Abu Bakr), before reciting the last salutations to end the Prayers, said, "Khalid should not do that which I have commanded him, and Peace be upon you and Allah’s Mercy and Blessings”.