By Bilal Mohammad
Question
Please explain the story of Mu’āwiyah and Alī رضي الله عنهما in detail about what happened and [did] they [fight] each other for [ruling the Caliphate]?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Before we answer your query, it is important to understand that both ‘Alī and Mu’āwiyah رضي الله عنهما were illustrious companions of the Holy Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. Being granted the rank of a Sahabi means that both of them along with the rest of the Sahabah رضي الله عنهم hold a great status in the eyes of Allah Ta’ālā as apparent from numerous Qur’anic verses and Ahādīth expressing the virtues of the Sahabah [1]. As such, neither do we have the right to look down at any of their actions nor can we criticize the decision made by any of the Sahabah رضي الله عنهم after Allah Ta’ālā himself has attested to their piety and uprightness.