Was Imam Ali (AS) alone after the Prophet of Islam (PBUH)?
Imam Ali (AS) said: After passing away of the Prophet of Islam (PBUH), I looked around myself and saw no friend or helper except my own family (and if they helped me they would have been killed), so I could not see their death. I closed my eyes which were full of dust and debris, and with broken bone stock in my throat, drank the bitter juice of events, and controlled my anger, and adopted patience by drinking the bitter juice which is bitter than the juice of hazel plant [1].
[1] Nahjul Balaghah, Sermon 26.
