that expiate sin in this world, in the intermediate realm, and on the plains of Resurrection, as well as Allah’s forgiveness of him through His abundant mercy.

The point here is that this consensus is manifest and well known. How, then, can someone who denies a consensus such as (1) this claim that there was consensus on something like the killing of Uthman? Indeed, it is well known that the Muslims who refrained from fighting alongside Ali were many times more numerous than those who unanimously agreed (2) to kill Uthman. In Ali’s time, the people fell into three groups: one group fought alongside him, another fought against him, and a third neither fought against him nor alongside him. Most of the earliest and foremost Muslims belonged to this third group. Even if the only people who had held back from him were those who fought alongside Muawiyah—may Allah be pleased with him—Muawiyah and those with him did not pledge allegiance to Ali, and they were many times more numerous than those who killed (3) Uthman—many times over. Those who denounced the killing of Uthman were also many times more numerous than those who fought alongside Ali.

Thus, if the assertion, “The people were unanimous (4) in fighting Ali,” is false, then the assertion, “They were unanimous (5) in killing Uthman,” is even more false—far more so.

And if it is permissible to say, “They were unanimous in killing Uthman,” because it occurred in the world and was not prevented, then it is all the more permissible—far more so—to assert, “They were unanimous in fighting Ali [also] (6) and in withholding their pledge of allegiance to him,” for this occurred (7) in the world and was not prevented [also] (8).