superior, and if (1) they were superior and their imam was superior to the three, it would necessarily follow that the good they did (2) was superior to what the three did.

This contradicts what is necessarily known, established by mass-transmitted reports (3) and known alike to Bedouins and settled people. For during the rule of the three, Islam attained a degree of prominence and ascendancy, spread and growth (4), victory and might; apostates were suppressed, while unbelievers from among the People of the Book, the Magians, and others were vanquished—the like of which did not occur (5) after them.

Allah granted ʿAlī—may Allah be pleased with him—distinction and honor because of his laudable early accomplishments and numerous virtues, not because of the events that occurred in * the period of his caliphate. This was unlike Abū Bakr, ʿUmar, and ʿUthmān, who, in addition to their laudable early accomplishments and numerous virtues, were granted distinction through what occurred in * (6) their caliphates: jihad in the path of Allah, the disbursement of the treasures of Khosrow and Caesar, and other praiseworthy events and righteous deeds.

Abū Bakr and ʿUmar were more excellent in their outward conduct and nobler in their inward character than (ʿUthmān) and ʿAlī (7)—may Allah be pleased with them all. Hence, they were further removed from blame and more deserving of universal praise, so much so that no civil strife arose (8) in their time. Thus, in their time the Kharijites had neither a doctrine on record nor a sword drawn. Rather, all Muslim swords were drawn against the unbelievers; the people of faith were advancing, while the people of unbelief were retreating.