In the Name of Allāh, the Ever Merciful, the Bestower of Mercy
الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة والسلام على أشرف الأنبياء والمرسلين، سيدنا ونبينا محمد وعلى آله وصحبه أجمعين. وبعد:
Regarding what took place between ʿAlī (may Allah be pleased with him) and ʿĀʾishah (may Allāh be pleased with her), and similarly what took place between Ḥusayn (may Allāh be pleased with him) and Muʿāwiyah (may Allāh be pleased with him), and what occurred between Saʿīd ibn Jubayr (may Allāh be pleased with him) and al-Ḥajjāj, the first and foremost thing we must understand is that the belief of Ahl al-Sunnah is to think only good of the companions of the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ).
Everything that they did was based on their uprightness in faith, and upon what they genuinely believed to be the correct course of action. They were people who were never influenced by personal interests or individual gains, and who solely sought the pleasure and approval of Allāh. We must understand that each of them was qualified with knowledge to perform ijtihād (exerting efforts to arrive at a Sharʿī ruling), and even if one of them made an error in their ijtihād, they will still receive a reward from Allāh.
We must also refrain from opposing, criticising, or accusing anyone regarding what transpired between them. Firstly, ʿĀʾishah (may Allāh be pleased with her) did not set out with the intention of war. Secondly, after the Battle of Jamal, she repented and expressed sorrow for what happened. She even said that, because of this incident, she did not consider herself worthy of being buried next to the Messenger of Allāh (ﷺ), and that being buried in al-Baqīʿ would suffice for her.
The incident involving Ḥusayn (may Allāh be pleased with him) was of a similar nature. He did not set out intending to wage war. Moreover, many companions who were in Madīnah at that time had advised and counseled him not to go. Yet, he acted based on what he saw as the greater benefit (maṣlaḥah), and the tragedy unfolded.
As for the incident between Saʿīd ibn Jubayr (may Allāh be pleased with him) and al-Ḥajjāj, it was also based on the ijtihād of Saʿīd. Shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah has stated that, although it was based on ijtihād, it was an error.
Written by Abū Dilāra Naief al-ʿAydarūs
Dhū al-Ḥijjah 21, 1446 | June 17, 2025
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