[Sūrat al-Mā'idah: 3],

and whose fear He replaced with security, have forgiveness from Him (1) and a tremendous reward.

This may be used as evidence in two ways. It may be used as evidence (2) that those granted succession were believers who performed righteous deeds (3), for the promise was made to them and not to others. It also proves that these people are forgiven and that they have forgiveness and a reward (4) of tremendous magnitude, for they believed and performed righteous deeds and were therefore encompassed by both verses: the verse in Sūrat al-Nūr and the verse in Sūrat al-Fath.

It is well known that these descriptions applied to the Companions during the time of Abū Bakr, Umar, and Uthmān. At that time, succession was realized, the religion became firmly established, and security followed fear, as they defeated Persia and the Byzantines and conquered al-Shām, Iraq, Egypt, Khurasān, and Ifrīqiya. When Uthmān was killed and the civil strife arose, they conquered none of the disbelievers’ lands. Rather, the disbelievers in al-Shām and Khurasān began to covet victory over them, and they feared one another.

Thus, the Quran attests to the faith of Abū Bakr, Umar, and Uthmān, as well as those who were with them during the period of succession, firm establishment, and security. Those who lived during that period and also witnessed the time of civil strife—such as Alī, Talha, al-Zubayr, Abū Mūsā [al-Asharī] (5), Muāwiya, and Amr ibn al-Ās—are encompassed by the verse, for they were granted succession, established in authority, and given security.