The doctrine of Ahl al-Sunnah wa’l-Jamāʿah concerning the disagreements that arose and the turmoil that resulted in warfare among the Companions is summarized in two points:

First: They refrain from speaking about what took place among the Companions and desist from probing into it, for the path to safety is to keep silent about such matters. Instead they pray, “Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith, and do not place in our hearts any rancor toward those who believe. Our Lord, You are indeed Most Kind, Most Merciful” (Al-Hashr: 10).

Second: They answer the narrations that mention alleged faults of the Companions in several ways:

1. The first response: some of these narrations are outright fabrications devised by their enemies to sully their reputation.

2. The second response: some have had material added to them, omitted from them, or altered from their original form so that falsehood has entered them; such distorted reports are disregarded.

3. The third response: as for the reports that are authentically established—and