Discerning right from wrong in leadership

262. It is said that al-Ḥārith ibn Ḥawṭ came to Amīr al-mu’minīn, and said: Do you believe I can ever imagine that the people of Jamal were in the wrong?

Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: O’ al-Ḥārith! You have seen below yourself but not above yourself, and so you have been confused. Certainly, you have not known right, so that you can recognize the righteous.…

Then al-Ḥārith said: In that case, I shall withdraw along with Sa‘d ibn Mālik and ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar;

whereupon Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Verily, Sa‘d and ‘Umar have neither sided with Right nor forsaken Wrong. [1]