Second, if the ruler commands an act of disobedience to Allah—whether by neglecting a duty or committing something forbidden—then he is owed neither hearing nor obedience.

Third, if he issues an order about a matter that the Sacred Law neither commands nor forbids, obedience is obligatory, for Allah says, “O you who believe, obey Allah, obey the Messenger, and those in authority among you” (Qur’an 4:59). Obeying the ruler in what is not sinful is, in fact, obedience to Allah and His Messenger. Allah alone grants success.

The Prophet ﷺ then said, “Whoever among you lives long will see much discord.” In other words, whoever’s life is prolonged will witness great differences: disputes over authority, divergences of opinion, variations in conduct, and changes in people’s conditions in general and in particular. That is exactly what transpired: the Companions had not all passed away before immense trials struck—the assassination of ʿUthmān (may Allah be pleased with him), the assassination of ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib (may Allah be pleased with him), the earlier assassination of ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb (may Allah be pleased with him), and other tribulations recorded in the books of history.

Our duty when faced with these events is to refrain from probing into what occurred among the Companions. We must not delve into it or speak about it, for—as ʿUmar ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz (d. 101 AH) said—“Those are blood-shed matters from which Allah has kept our swords clean; we should therefore keep our tongues clean from them.” How true his words are. What benefit is there in excavating the conflicts between ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib and ʿĀʾishah, or between ʿAlī and Muʿāwiyah—the wars that have long since ended? Recounting and remembering those battles brings us nothing but misguidance, for in doing so we only end up harboring rancor toward some.