In many of the Sunni / Nasibi scholars records on attack on the house of J Zahra s a, they cited Umar sense of urgency in securing pledge of Ali a s / Bani Hashim and stifling dissent and fitna out of concern for the Islamic nation.
Qazi Nurullah Shustari RA rebuts the justification of Umar's defenders thus-
And I wonder what the urgency was that they could not wait till the burial of the Prophet (s.a.w.a.). While in the state of illness, the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) kept asking for pen and paper so that regarding this very matter of selection of Imam he could write down some clear instructions, but the companions declared, ‘Quran is sufficient’.
And the purpose of gathering in Saqifa was nothing but seeking (worldly) leadership, because it is not clear how after the Prophet’s (s.a.w.a.) departure they suddenly became so vigilant for the appointment of an Imam for the protection of religion and how they showed such haste.
That is why all this seems a deception, because until yesterday when the enemies were challenging them in Badr, Uhud and Hunain they were sluggish and showed no vigilance in defending the Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and Islam.
And then they fled from the battlefield of Ahzab when Amr Ibn Abd Wudd challenged them with their names and titles, but they remained silent and did not dare answer him and thus they failed to abide by their covenants (to Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.)).
And on the Day of (Battle with) Marhab (in Khaibar), they could not face him in battle and all of them fled in a most disgusting manner and on all these occasions they never rose to help Islam in its need, rather they fled from battle (after battle) to save their lives, then how did they get so vigilant about reformation in Islam after the Prophet’s (s.a.w.a.) demise?!
Clearly, the rush towards Saqifa was nothing but greed for power and position and for seeking the world and out of envy for Aal Muhummad (s.a.w.a.) and that became a reason for all of them going out from the fold of Islam.
Al-Sawarim al-Muhriqah fi Naqd Al-Sawaiq al-Muhriqah p 188-192
