و من كلام له عليه السلام لما عزموا على بيعة عثمان
لَقَدْ عَلِمْتُمْ أَنِّي أَحَقُّ بِهَا مِنْ غَيْرِي وَ وَ اللَّهِ لَأُسَلِّمَنَّ مَا سَلِمَتْ أُمُورُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَ لَمْ يَكُنْ فِيهَا جَوْرٌ إِلَّا عَلَيَّ خَاصَّةً الْتِمَاساً لِأَجْرِ ذَلِكَ وَ فَضْلِهِ وَ زُهْداً فِيمَا تَنَافَسْتُمُوهُ مِنْ زُخْرُفِهِ وَ زِبْرِجِهِ
A Sermon from Imam Ali (a.s)
When the Consultative Committee (or Shura) decided to swear allegiance to `Uthman, Amir al-mu'minin said:
You have certainly known that I am the most rightful of all others for the Caliphate. By Allah, so long as the affairs of Muslims remain intact and there is no oppression in it save on myself I shall keep quiet seeking reward for it (from Allah) and keeping aloof from its attractions and allurements for which you aspire.