section_path: Life under Rashidun Caliphs/Caliphate of Umar (r. 634–644)/Election of Uthman (644)
section_name: Election of Uthman (644)
paragraph_text: Election of Uthman (644)
  
  Before his death in 644, Umar tasked a small committee with choosing the next caliph among themselves. Ali and Uthman were the strongest candidates in this committee, whose members were all early companions of Muhammad from the Quraysh tribe. Another member, Abd al-Rahman ibn Awf, was given the deciding vote either by the committee or by Umar. After deliberations, Ibn Awf appointed his brother-in-law Uthman as the next caliph, when the latter promised to follow the precedent of the first two caliphs. By contrast, Ali rejected this condition, or gave an evasive answer. The Ansar were not represented in the committee, which was evidently biased toward Uthman. Both of these factors worked against Ali, who could have not been simply excluded from the proceedings.