Ali, may Allah have mercy on him, said: "I hope that I, Uthman, and others are among those of whom Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, said: {Brothers on thrones, facing each other} [Al-Hijr: 47]." Thus, Ali says this for himself, Talha, and Al-Zubayr, and he prays for mercy upon them all. As for us, we do not mention them except with what Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, has commanded us: {Forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith} [Al-Hashr: 10]. And the Almighty and Majestic said: {That is a nation which has passed on. It will have [the consequence of] what it earned, and you will have what you have earned. And you will not be asked about what they used to do} [Al-Baqarah: 134].
Then Abu Abd Allah [Imam Ahmad] said: "This is the clear path and the straight way for whom Allah desires good and whom He grants understanding of religion. May Allah protect us and you from every destruction by His mercy." He said: And I heard Abu Abd Allah say: "Whoever remains sound regarding what the companions of Muhammad, peace be upon him, were upon, I hope he will be safe." Abu Abd Allah said: "And I do not find in Islam a greater favor upon Islam after the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, than Abu Bakr, may Allah have mercy on him, due to his fighting the apostates and his upholding of Islam, then Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah have mercy on him and have mercy on the companions of the Prophet, peace be upon him, and benefit us through our love for them."
Abu Abd Allah said: "I hope for success tomorrow for whoever was safe regarding the companions of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and whoever loved them, because they were the pillars of the religion, the leaders of Islam, the helpers of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, his supporters, and his ministers for the truth. Following the companions of the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, is the Sunnah, and they are not to be mentioned except with good, and mercy should be sought for the first and the last of them."
قَالَ عَلِيٌّ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ: " إِنِّي لَأَرْجُو أَنْ أَكُونَ أَنَا وَعُثْمَانُ مِمَّنْ قَالَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: {إِخْوَانًا عَلَى سُرُرٍ مُتَقَابِلِينَ} [الحجر: ٤٧]
⦗٤٨٢⦘ "، فَعَلِيٌّ يَقُولُ هَذَا لِنَفْسِهِ وَلِطَلْحَةَ وَالزُّبَيْرِ، وَيَتَرَحَّمُ عَلَيْهِمْ أَجْمَعِينَ، وَنَحْنُ فَلَا نَذْكُرُهُمْ إِلَّا بِمَا أَمَرَنَا اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ بِهِ {اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَلِإِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالْإِيمَانِ} [الحشر: ١٠] . وَقَالَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ: {تِلْكَ أُمَّةٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَلَكُمْ مَا كَسَبْتُمْ وَلَا تُسْأَلُونَ عَمَّا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ} [البقرة: ١٣٤] . ثُمَّ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ: هَذَا الطَّرِيقُ الْوَاضِحُ، وَالْمِنْهَاجُ الْمُسْتَوِي، لِمَنْ أَرَادَ اللَّهُ بِهِ خَيْرًا وَفَقَّهَهُ، وَعَصَمَنَا اللَّهُ وَإِيَّاكُمْ مِنْ كُلِّ هَلَكَةٍ بِرَحْمَتِهِ ". قَالَ: وَسَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ يَقُولُ: مَنْ سَلِمَ مَا عَلَيْهِ أَصْحَابُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ أَرْجُو أَنْ يَسْلَمَ. قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ: وَمَا أَجِدُ فِي الْإِسْلَامِ أَعْظَمَ مِنَّةً عَلَى الْإِسْلَامِ بَعْدَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مِنْ أَبِي بَكْرٍ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ لِقِتَالِهِ أَهْلَ الرِّدَّةِ وَقِيَامِهِ بِالْإِسْلَامِ، ثُمَّ عُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ وَرَحِمَ أَصْحَابَ النَّبِيِّ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ، وَنَفَعَنَا بِحُبِّهِمْ. قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ: أَرْجُو لِمَنْ سَلِمَ عَلَيْهِ أَصْحَابُ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ الْفَوْزَ غَدًا لِمَنْ أَحَبَّهُمْ، لِأَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا عِمَادًا لِلدِّينِ، وَقَادَةً لِلْإِسْلَامِ، وَأَعْوَانَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، وَأَنْصَارَهُ، وَوُزَارءَ عَلَى الْحَقِّ، وَاتِّبَاعُ أَصْحَابِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ هِيَ السُّنَّةُ، وَلَا يَذْكُرُونَ إِلَّا بِخَيْرٍ، وَيُتَرَحَّمُ عَلَى أَوَّلِهِمْ وَآخِرِهِمْ
