for their virtues are firmly established, and loyalty and love toward them are obligatory. Some of what occurred involved matters for which they had an excuse that may remain hidden from others; some was repented of by the person responsible; and some may be forgiven. Delving into those disputes causes many people to harbor hatred and condemnation, while the person who does so (1) is himself mistaken—indeed, sinful. He thereby harms himself and those who join him in such discussion. This has happened to most of those who have spoken about the matter, for they made statements that Allah and His Messenger do not love: either censuring someone who did not deserve censure or praising things that did not deserve praise (2).

[It was for this reason that] refraining (3) from such discussion was the practice of the most eminent of the early generations (4).

As for others, some say:

[Muāwiya was a transgressor, but Alī was not, as some of the Mutazilites maintain.

Others say:

Rather, he was a disbeliever, as some of the Rāfidis maintain.

Others say:]

(5) Both of them—Alī and Muāwiya—were disbelievers, as the Khawārij maintain.

Others say:

One of them was a transgressor, without specifying which, as some of the Mutazilites maintain.

Others say:

[Rather,] (6) Muāwiya was in the right and Alī was unjust, as the Marwāniyya maintain.

The Quran—and the Sunnah—indicate that both parties were Muslims and that refraining from fighting would have been better than fighting. Allah Most High says:

“If two groups of believers fight,