that one and the same person may have both good deeds and evil deeds, and thus be praised and censured, rewarded and punished, loved in one respect and hated in another.

This is the position of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jamāah, contrary to the Kharijites, the Mutazilites, and those who agree with them. This matter has been discussed at length elsewhere.

Once this is clear, what is said concerning Yazīd is the same as what is said concerning other caliphs and kings like him: whoever cooperated with them in obedience to Allah Most High—such as prayer, pilgrimage, jihad, enjoining right and forbidding wrong, and implementing the prescribed penalties—would be rewarded for whatever obedience he rendered to Allah and His Messenger. This is likewise what the righteous among the believers (1) used to do (2), such as Abd Allah ibn Umar and others like him. But whoever affirmed their lies and assisted them in their oppression was among those who aided sin and transgression and deserved censure and punishment.

For this reason, the Companions—may Allah be pleased with them—used to go on military campaigns with Yazīd and others. Yazīd campaigned against Constantinople during the lifetime of his father, Muāwiya—may Allah be pleased with him—and among them (3) in the army was Abū Ayyūb al-Ansārī—may Allah be pleased with him. That army was the first army to campaign against Constantinople.

In Sahīh al-Bukhārī, Ibn Umar—may Allah be pleased with them both—reported that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said:

“The first army to campaign against Constantinople will be forgiven.” (4)