Re: Challenge to Sunni and Shia folks !
Your interpretation of historic events & your assertions are extremely naive…, the relationship between Hazrat Ali RA & Hazrat Ameer Muawiayah Ra was much more complex…, yes they had fought wars , yes Hazrat Ameer Muawiayah RA did not took oath of Alligiance to Hazrat Ali RA … but both had tremendous respect & admiration for each other… & Hazrat Ameer Muawiyah was not claiming Khilafat in place of Hazrat Ali.., to understand the dynamics of the relationship you have to understand the events & the forces surrounding the Shahadat of third Khalifa Hazrat Usman RA…, Hazrat Ameer Muawiyah was only demanding that the murderers of Hazrat Usman RA be punished before he pledges baith to Hazrat Ali RA as the suspected murderers were amongst his supporters, while Hazrat Ali RA was asking first pledge baith… so that there is no inteshar amongst the Ummah & then I will punish the culprits,
I chose not to make my own personal judgement of correctness in this matter as both of these Sahab-e-Rasool were right in their own respect…, I chose not to doubt the Niyat of both these glorious Sahab-e-Rasool as what was driving their actions was what they thought was right coarse of action in the circumstances.
Before making your own personal judgment about the character of a Sahab-e-Rasool …, do consult the judgement made by Our Holy Prophet PBUH.., & all the other Sahab-e-Rasool specially the Sahaba in Ashrah-e-Mubasharah & the Pious Caliph… regarding Hazrat Ameer Muawiyah & the responsibilities they bestowed upon him when they became Khalifa, as unlike you who have made a judgment about him based on ambiguous concocted version of history & a crude rendition of the same…, their assessment of his Character was based on more definitive / unambiguous interactions with him.
Regarding his decision to appoint his son as his successor …, while the decision may or may not be the right decision but I refuse to doubt his intentions.. to fully understand the dynamics that led to this decision one has to take into consideration the events that followed the Martyrdom of Hazrat Usman RA & Hazrat Ali RA.., while some of the Sahabas at the time were most critically against this decision there were others that actually advised & influence Hazrat Ameer Muawiyah to make this decision