Q. & A. 711 to 1707 with solved Papers css 1971 to date

(ii) Shi’an-i-Ali
They called themselves as the friends of Ali (Rad.A) in the beginning but later on they developed their own beliefs and considered Hazrat Ali (Rad.A) ^ ”Was!” I.e. Administrator of the Holy Prophet, and the only fit person for the Khilafat. They not only criticised and condemned Amir Mu’awiya (Rad.A) but also Umar (Rad.A), Abu Bakr, and Usman (Rad.A) and discarded the authority of the first three Caliphs. However they did not criticize the first two Caliphs openly during the time of Hazrat Ali (Rad.A). As years passed this group became an exponent of a separate school of thought in Islamic Law and Jurisprudence and they wrote their own books of Hadith; History of Islam and Commentaries of the Holy Qur’an based upon their beliefs. They disagreed with most of the works produced by Sunni Scholars. (in) Ahl-i-Sunnah wal-Jamma’ah
The majority of the Companions, and Muslims at the time were not only in favour of Hazrat Ali (Rad.A) but all the preceding Caliphs i.e. Abu Bakr (Rad.A), Umar (Rad.A) and Usman (Rad.A). They believed that the ’”Right Path” was to follow the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet and the traditions of his pious Jama’ah (i.e. all the Companions), especially the first four Caliphs who set examples to solve various problems according to the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah. This group was in great majority not only at that time but in all the periods of Islamic History.
They fully supported Hazrat Ali (Rad.A) during his Khilafat. According to them Amir Mu’awiya (Rad.A) was not right in not accepting Hazrat Ali’s (Rad.A) authority. But they considered that mistake based upon ”Ijtihad.” After all, he was a pious Companion
Hazrat Ah (Rad. A.)
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and the sincerity of a Companion must not be questioned. Hazrat Shah Waliullah, in his famous book. Izala-ul-Khafa writes: Amir Mu’awiya (Rad.A) was an excellent Companion of the Holy Prophet. Do not criticize or condemn him. Moreover Amir Mu’awiya (Rad.A) was one of the scribes of the Revelation (i.e., the Holy Qur’an) during the time of the Holy Prophet. It is necessary, therefore, that we must not question his sincerity. Due to political conditions at that time, he was strict in his demand of chastisement of the assassins of Hazrat Usman (Rad.A). Most of the historians agree on this point that he did not declare himself a Caliph during the life of Hazrat Ali (Rad.A) although people took Bai’at on his hand.