Fighting alongside Abu Bakr?

Question:

Some opponents claim that Ali (a.) fought for Islam together with Abu Bakr, which can be found in the 1st volume of Al-Gharat on page 306.

Answer:

The disbelievers have lied!

Jundub reported that Imam Ali (a.) said: “When the Messenger (s.) passed away, the Muslims argued about the matter after him. By God, it neither hit my imagination nor did it go into my head that the Arabs (Abu Bakr and Umar) would tear this matter away from the people of his house after Muhammad (s.) and disenfranchise me after him. I saw nothing else but that Abu Bakr was taken by the people and his most trusted ones in flocks of the oath of allegiance, but i held back my hand even though i considered myself more justified among the people in the position of the messenger (s.) than the one who seized power after him. Therefore, i remained in this way as long as God wanted me to until i noticed the backsliding of the people and that they turned away from Islam by inviting the destruction of the religion of God and faith of Muhammad (s.) and Abraham (a.). I feared that if i had not helped Islam and its followers when i saw that there was a rift in it, the calamity in it would be greater for me than the loss of political rule over you, which would be only for a few days that would go by, just as the clouds disperse. So i took the oath of allegiance to Abu Bakr and i rose in these days until the falsehood went away and quickly disappeared and the Word of God remained, which is the highest.” [Al-Gharat of Ath-Thaqafi, Volume 1 Page 305 – 306]

عن عبد الرحمن بن جندب عن أبيه جندب قال: قال أمير المؤمنين عليه السلام: فلما مضى لسبيله صلى الله عليه وآله تنازع المسلمون الأمر بعد1، فوالله ما كان يلقي في روعي ولا يخطر على بالي أن العرب (أبا بكر وعمر) تعدل هذا الأمر بعد محمد صلى الله عليه وآله عن أهل بيته ولا أنهم منحوه عني من بعده، فما راعني إلا انثيال الناس على أبي بكر وإجفالهم إليه ليبايعوه، فأمسكت يدي ورأيت أني أحق بمقام رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله في الناس ممن تولى الأمر من بعده فلبثت بذاك ما شاء الله حتى رأيت راجعة من الناس  رجعت عن الإسلام يدعون إلى محق دين الله وملة محمد صلى الله عليه وآله وإبراهيم عليه السلام فخشيت إن لم أنصر الإسلام وأهله أن أرى فيه ثلما وهدما يكون مصيبته أعظم علي من فوات ولاية أموركم التي إنما هي متاع أيام قلائل ثم يزول ما كان منها كما يزول السراب وكما يتقشع السحاب، فمشيت عند ذلك إلى أبي بكر فبايعته ونهضت في تلك الأحداث حتى زاغ الباطل وزهق وكانت كلمة الله هي العليا

Hajar Al-Bajali reported that Imam Muhammad Al-Baqir (a.) said: “If Ali (a.) had found enough supporters, he would have cut off the heads of both of them (Abu Bakr and Umar).” [Bihar-ul-Anwar of Al-Majlisi, Volume 30 page 383]

عن حجر البجلي عن محمد بن علي الباقر عليه السلام قال: لو وجد علي أعوانا لضرب أعناقهما (أبي بكر وعمر)؛