Verily, those who swore allegiance to Abū Bakr, ‘Umar and ‘Uthmān have sworn allegiance [1] to me on the same basis on which they swore allegiance to them. (On this basis) he who was present has no choice (to consider), and he who was absent has no right to reject; and consultation is confined to the muhājirūn and the anṣār. If they agree on an individual and take him to be Caliph it will be deemed to mean Allāh’s pleasure. If any one keeps away by way of objection or innovation they will return him to the position from where he kept away. If he refuses they will fight him for following a course other than that of the believers and Allāh will put him back from where he had run away.