Does the statement of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, "Of whomsoever I am Mawla, Ali is also his Mawla," after his return from Hajj, mean that he intended the succession for Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allah be pleased with him?

The intended meaning of "Mawla" in the Prophetic Hadith "Of whomsoever I am the Mawla, Ali is his Mawla" is love, affection, and the abandonment of enmity, and not caliphate. The Companions understood this, as Umar said to Ali: "Congratulations, O son of Abu Talib, you have become and remained the Mawla of every believing man and woman." Al-Bayhaqi and Al-Shafi'i affirm that the meaning is the wilayah (allegiance/friendship) of Islam, which is the affection between Muslims. Furthermore, Ali ibn Abi Talib himself denied that there was any covenant from the Prophet, peace be upon him, regarding the caliphate, emphasizing that the Prophet was pleased with Abu Bakr for their religion by having him lead the prayer, so the Muslims chose Abu Bakr for their worldly affairs.