And he was struck on Friday morning, nineteen nights into Ramadan. He died, may Allah be pleased with him, on Sunday, with nine nights remaining in Ramadan, in 40 AH, aged fifty-seven, though some say fifty-eight. Unity under Muʿāwiyah was achieved in 40 AH.

Section
[The Ranks of the Companions]

These four caliphs rank in merit in the same order in which they held office. The position of the general body of Ahl al-Sunnah and all the scholars of the Muslim community is that the nation of our Prophet Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, is the best of all nations, just as he is the best of the Prophets and Messengers, the Seal of the Prophets, the leader of the Messengers, and the trusted emissary of the Lord of the worlds, sent to all creation. The best of his Companions are the upright, rightly guided caliphs: Abū Bakr al-Siddīq, then ʿUmar ibn al-Khattāb, then ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān, then ʿAlī ibn Abī Tālib. This has been related from Mālik, may Allah have mercy on him. It is said that this was the position to which he ultimately returned, after withholding judgment concerning ʿUthmān and ʿAlī and not preferring either over the other, as the wording in the Book of Blood Money in al-Mudawwanah appears to indicate. That wording, however, admits of interpretation. We have discussed its possible interpretations and the differing reports concerning it in the fourth volume of our commentary on the Jāmiʿ of al-ʿUtbiyyah.

Next in merit after these caliphs come the remaining members of the ten for whom the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, testified that they would enter Paradise, and with whom he was pleased when he died. They are al-Zubayr ibn al-ʿAwwām, Talhah ibn ʿUbayd Allāh, ʿAbd al-Rahmān ibn ʿAwf, Saʿd ibn Abī Waqqās, Abū ʿUbaydah ibn al-Jarrāh, and Saʿīd ibn Zayd ibn ʿAmr ibn Nufayl. All ten belonged to the people of Badr. Next in merit after these ten come the remaining people of Badr, followed by those who gave the Pledge of Divine Pleasure: the Companions of the Tree, concerning whom Allah said:

“Allah was certainly pleased with the believers when they pledged allegiance to you under the tree” [al-Fath: 18], up to His words: “Almighty, All-Wise” [al-Nisāʾ: 56].