اَبُو ذَرٍّ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ مَنِ اسْتَعْمَلَ غُلَاماً فِي عِصَابَةٍ فِيهَا مَنْ هُوَ اَرْضَى لِلهِ مِنْهُ فَقَدْ خَانَ اللَّهَ
و قال أبو الحسن الرفاء لابن رامين الفقيه لما خرج النبي ﷺ من المدينة ما استخلف عليها أحدا قال بلى استخلف عليا قال و كيف لم يقل لأهل المدينة اختاروا فإنكم لا تجتمعون على الضلال قال خاف عليهم الخلف و الفتنة قال فلو وقع بينهم فساد لأصلحه عند عودته قال هذا أوثق قال فاستخلف أحدا بعد موته قال لا قال فموته أعظم من سفره فكيف أمن على الأمة بعد موته ما خافه في سفره و هو حي عليهم فقطعه
Abu Zarr (r.a.) narrates from the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his holy progeny),
“Whoever uses (i.e. prefers) a slave in a group in which there is somebody with whom Allah is more satisfied (i.e. he is more obedient to Allah), then indeed he has breached Allah’s trust.”
Notes:
Abul Hasan al-Refaa, a Shia, said to Ibn Raameen al-Faqeeh, a Bakri, “When the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) came out from Madinah, he did not appoint anybody.”
Ibn Raameen replied, “No. He appointed Ali.”
Al-Refaa retorted, “How come? Why he did not say to the people of Madinah that you select (your ruler) because you will not gather upon a deviation?”
Ibn Raameen said, “He (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) feared that they will be entangled in discord and mischief.”
Al-Refaa: Had mischief and corruption occurred, he (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) would have rectified it on his return.”
Ibn Raameen: This is better (that he appoints a successor instead of waiting for mischief and corruption to occur then rectify it).
Al-Refaa: Did he (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) appoint anyone after his death?
Ibn Raameen: No
Al-Refaa: His (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) death is greater than his journey. How he (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) felt safe about his nation what he (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) feared for them during his journey and while he (peace be upon him and his holy progeny) was still alive?
Ibn Raameen just kept quiet.
References:
1. Behaar al-Anwaar, vol. 23, p. 75, H. 24
2. al-Manaaqeb of Ibn Shahr Aashob (r.a.)