Some hadith scholars have, moreover, criticized the hadith of Safīnah (1).

As for consensus, half the Muslim community—or somewhat less or more—refrained from pledging allegiance to him and from fighting alongside him. The firmly established reports from the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—indicate that it would have been better for both parties not to fight, that remaining aloof from the fighting was better than taking part in it, and that although Alī had a greater claim to being in the right than Muāwiyah (2 and was closer to the truth than Muāwiyah 2) (2 - 2): (2), it would have been preferable, more beneficial, and better for him to refrain from fighting.

The adherents of the Sunnah—W: “the adherents of the Sunan”—invoke Allah’s mercy upon them all and seek His forgiveness for them, as Allah Most High commanded them in His words:

“Those who came after them say, ‘Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith, and place no rancor in our hearts toward those who believe. Our Lord, You are truly Most Kind, Most Merciful.’”

When the Rāfidī disparages Muāwiyah—may Allah be pleased with him—on the grounds that he was a rebel and an unjust man, the Nāsibī replies: “Alī too was a rebel and an unjust man, for he fought the Muslims over his rule, initiated hostilities against them, assailed them, and shed the blood of the Muslim community without bringing them any benefit (3), either in their religion or in their worldly lives. During his caliphate, the sword remained drawn against the adherents of the faith but was withheld from the unbelievers.”

Those who disparage Alī fall into several groups. One group disparages both him and all those who fought him. Another group says that one of the two was guilty of iniquity (4), though without identifying which one, as Amr ibn Ubayd maintains,