the other, then fight the group that transgresses until it returns to Allah’s command. If it returns, make peace between them with justice and act equitably. Surely Allah loves those who act equitably.”

“The believers are but brothers, so make peace between your brothers, and fear Allah so that you may receive mercy.”

Thus He called them “believers” and made them “brothers,” despite their fighting and transgression. As for the aforementioned hadith, “If two caliphs fight, one of them is cursed,” it is a fabricated lie. No scholar of hadith has transmitted it, nor does it appear in any of the authoritative Islamic collections.

Mu‘āwiyah did not claim the caliphate, nor was allegiance pledged to him as caliph when he fought Alī. He did not fight on the grounds that he was caliph, or that he was entitled to the caliphate and should be acknowledged as such. Mu‘āwiyah himself acknowledged this to anyone who asked him about it. Neither Mu‘āwiyah nor his companions believed that they should initiate fighting against Alī and his companions or seek ascendancy.

Rather, Alī, may Allah be pleased with him, and his companions held that the others were obliged to obey him and pledge allegiance to him, since the Muslims could have only one caliph. They considered them to be withholding obedience to him and refusing to fulfil this obligation, while possessing armed strength. Alī therefore considered that he should fight them until they fulfilled this obligation, thereby bringing about obedience and unity.

They, however, said that this was not obligatory upon them and that, if they were fought over it, they would be wronged. They said: “For Uthmān was killed unjustly, as all Muslims agree, and his killers are in Alī’s army, where they hold the upper hand