and were correct.

This is the view of those who say that every person who exercises independent judgment is correct, such as the Basran Muʿtazilites—[Abū al-Hudhayl](1), Abū Alī, and Abū Hāshim—and those Ashʿarīs who agreed with them, such as Qādī Abū Bakr and Abū Hāmid(2). It is also the well-known position attributed to [Abū al-Hasan] al-Ashʿarī(3). These scholars [also](4) regarded Muʿāwiya as having exercised independent judgment and as being correct in fighting, just as Alī was correct.

This was also the view of a group [of jurists](5) among the followers of Ahmad and others. [Abū Abd Allah](6) ibn Hāmid mentioned it. He listed [for the followers of Ahmad](7) three positions concerning those who fought at the Battles of the Camel and Siffīn. The first was that(8) both sides were correct. The second was that only one side was correct, without specifying which. The third was that Alī was correct and those who opposed him were mistaken.

The expressly transmitted position of Ahmad and the imams of the Salaf(9) is that none of them is to be condemned(10), and that Alī was closer to the truth [than the others](11). As for deeming the fighting itself correct, this is not the position of the imams of the Sunnah. Rather, they say that refraining from it would have been better.