Know – may Allah have mercy upon you – that the propaganda of the Rafidah has confused and poisoned many minds. Two historical events that resulted into a war between some of the companions of the Prophet (صل الله عليه و على آله و سلم) are being used day and night in the Rafidite propaganda machineray, namely the battle of Battle of Jamal and Siffeen. Their Da’wa in this regards (as usual actually) is very emotional and thus they target the general masses of the Muslims (who in this age have not much clue about Islam in general, let alone historical events) by ranting day and night about these two events. Their aim is well known, it is to put hatred in the heart of the Muslims, hatred for the Sahaba and love only for Ali Ibn Abi Talib (رضوان الله عليه) it’s literally a black and white world i.e. whoever was with Ali is good/muslim whoever was not with Ali is a bad/Kafir and then this very sect has seriously the audacity to call others (like the ‘WAhhabis’) as ‘Takfiris’! Ironically it is the Ijma’ of the Imamite sect that all the non-Imamite sects, even Shia sects such as Zaydis are Nasibis and Kuffar and their destination (if dying upon any blief other than the Imamite one) is the hellfire. Then they add some Hadith (loving Ali is a sign of Iman etc. of course they don’t mention similar Hadith for Sahaba they hate …) and pave the way way for their Takfir of the Sahaba, it is a simple minded, Shia Takfeeri Mathematics. Of course they will never mention that Ali himself never did Takfir on those who fought him, not even the evil Khawarij who were not Sahaba in the first place.  Ali was well aware that it is a big Fitnah and hence all historians report that in the battle of Jamal and Siffeen (Muslims VS Muslims) he never showed any joy and happiness and even cursed the ones who killed some of his opponents (!), like the killer of Zubayr (رضوان الله عليه), but at Naharavan, where he killed the real Khawarij he showed joy and happiness.

There are many articles shedding light on what happened at these events, many are gathered at our Jamal/Siffeen section on the right sidebar, In sha Allah more articles are to come, but as for this topic, we’d like to educate our dear readers one a very important crucial fact that is not touched upon by many researchers who combat the Rafidi lies and exaggerations in regards to the incidents of Jamal and Siffeen. It is about the actual number or let’s say group of Sahaba/companions who participated in these Fitan (plural of Fitnah). Of course Shia propagandists make the Orientalists and Kafarah happy by making it look that after the Prophet (صل الله عليه و على آله و سلم) his closest Sahaba, in fact almost all of them started fighting and killing each other. This is exactly how Shia propagandists want to potray the situation and unfortunately we have even met knowledgable Muslims who seriously have fallen for this lie i.e. that all or the absolute majority of the Sahabah participated in the battles of Jamal and Siffeen. Interestingly, the opposite is true, there were many Hadith that the Sahaba started to narrate especially during these fitan where the Prophet (صل الله عليه و على آله و سلم) advised his Sahaba to stay away from such Fitan as much as they could. Of course it was a difficult situation, those who were directly involved (Ali etc.) couldn’t but fight, and in fact truth was with him, nevertheless those who did not participate are not to be blamed at all, for they didn’t want to be involved in a Muslim/Muslim war and Ali himself never blamed those who didn’t join him:

When the Fitnah was raging they came to ibn `Omar (رضوان الله عليهما) and said:

” أنت سيد الناس وابن سيدهم ، والناس بك راضون ، اخرج نبايعك . فقال : لا والله لا يهراق في محجمة من دم ولا في سببي ما كان في روح”

[They came to him saying: “You are the master of the people and the son of their master, and the people are well-pleased with you, come out so we can grant you Bay`ah. so he said: “No by Allah, not even a cup of blood would be spilled in my cause as long as I have a soul.”]

And when they sensed that Mu`awiyah ibn Yazid was dying and the people of al-Sham and `Iraq were split, Marwan came to ibn `Omar (ra) saying:

” قال مروان لابن عمر : ألا تخرج إلى الشام فيبايعوك ؟ قال : فكيف أصنع بأهل العراق ؟ قال : تقاتلهم بأهل الشام . قال : والله ما يسرني أن يبايعني الناس كلهم إلا أهل فدك ، وأن أقاتلهم ، فيقتل منهم رجل . فقال مروان : إنـي أرى فتنـة تغلـي مراجلها”

[Marwan told ibn `Omar: “Would you not come to al-Sham so we can give you Bay`ah?” he said: “But what to do concerning the people of `Iraq?” he said: “You fight them with the people of al-Sham.” so he said: “By Allah I would not be pleased if all the people gave me Bay`ah except the people of Fadak, and that I had to fight them and kill even one man from among them!” …]

So he rejected his position as he didn’t want the people to differ, not because “He was afraid to die” like the disrespectful dishonest Rafidhi pig above.

And this is why when ibn `Omar (رضي الله عنهما) and Saad bin Malik (رضي الله عنه) abandoned the Ftinah, `Ali (رضي الله عنه) would later say regarding their position:

“لله منزل نزله سعد بن مالك و عبد الله بن عمر والله لئن كان ذنبا إنه لصغير مغفور ولئن كان حسنا إنه لعظيم مشكور”

Saad ibn Malik and `Abdullah ibn `Omar took a position for Allah, by Allah if it was a sin then it is small and forgiven and if it were good then it is a great deed which they shall be thanked for.

As you can see, Ali was not an emotional Takfiri-Rafidi, accusing everyone who is not with him in a war and Fitnah of being a ‘Nasibi/Kafir’ etc.

And no excuses will work here, Shia might say that Ibn Omar is a Nasibi i.e. an enemy of Ahl Al-Bayt by default (أعوذ بالله) so there is no wonder that the did not participate. Of course written history i.e. facts, including Sahih narrations prove that it was not just Ibn Omar but many Sahaba (some whom even the Shia respect!) who completely abondened the Fitnah and stayed at home:

Muslim Ali respects and understands his brothers the Sahaba and acknowledges the excuse of Muhammad Ibn Maslama:

During the days of Fitnah, `Ali ibn abi Talib (ra) came to Muhammad bin Maslamah (ra) and told him: “Why did  you not join in this matter?” so he replied: “Your cousin -meaning the prophet (SAWS)- gave me a sword and said: Fight with it as long as the enemy if being fought, so if you see the people killing one another, then go to a big rock and break the sword, then stick to your house until death comes to you or you are killed.” so `Ali told them(his companions): “Leave him be.”
source: Musnad Ahmad 4/225.

Remember the high status of this BADRI (Shaheed!) Sahabi:
ما أحد من الناس تدركه الفتنة إلا أنا أخافها عليه إلا محمد بن مسلمة فإني سمعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول لا تضرك الفتنة .سنن أبي داوود رقم 4663 ،وقال الشيخ الألباني : صحيح .

Huthayfah (ra) narrated: I fear the Fitnah for every man except for Muhammad bin Maslamah, I have heard the messenger of Allah (SAWS) say to him: “The Fitnah shall not harm you.”
source: Sunan abu Dawud #4663, al-Albani said: SAHIH.
عن أبي بردة قال دخلت على محمد بن مسلمة فقال إن رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم قال : (( إنها ستكون فتنة و فرقة و اختلاف ، فإذا كان كذلك فأت بسيفك أُحدا فاضربه حتى ينقطع ، ثم اجلس في بيتك حتى تأتيك يد خاطئة ، أو منية قاضية )) ، ثم قال محمد بن مسلمة -أيام الفتنة- : فقد فعلت ما قاله لي رسول الله -عليه الصلاة و السلام.رواه ابن ماجة ج 2 ص 1310 ،قال الشيخ الألباني:صحيح،ورواه الطبراني في المعجم الأوسط ،و رجاله ثقات . الهيثمي : ج 7 ص: 301 .

abu Bardah (ra) narrated: I entered on Muhammad bin Maslamah so the messenger of Allah (SAWS) said: “There shall be Fitnah and division and conflict, so if this happens then seek the mountain of Uhud with your sword, then hit it with that sword until it’s broken, after this go back to your house and sit until a treacherous hand reaches you or until your life ends.” then  Muhammad bin Maslamah said -in the days of Fitnah-: “I have done what the messenger of Allah (SAWS) ordered me.”
sources: Sunan ibn Majah 2/1310, al-Albani said: SAHIH. al-Tabarani narrated it in al-Mu`jam al-Awsat and its narrators are trustworthy. al-Haythami narrated it in his Majma` 7/301.

Muslim Ali respects and understands his brothers the Sahaba and acknowledges the excuse of Abdallah Ibn Omar:

مصعب بن عبد الله قال لما قتل عثمان وبويع علي أتي بعبد الله بن عمر فقيل بايع فأبى فشد به أصحاب علي فقال عبد الله بن عمر لعلي ما تصنع بهذا لا والله لا أبسط يدي ببيعة في فرقة ولا أقبضها في جماعة أبدا فقال علي خلوه انا كفيله

Mus`ab ibn `Abdullah said: When `Uthman was killed and `Ali was given Bay`ah, `Abdullah ibn `Umar was brought to him and it was said to him: “Offer your Bay`ah” but he refused so the companions of `Ali grabbed him, then `Abdullah told `Ali: “What shall you do about that? No, by Allah I will not extend my hand in allegiance in times of division, nor will I ever withdraw it when there’s a united majority(Jama`ah)!” then `Ali said: “Let him be for I shall be his guarantor.”

source: Tareekh Dimashq.

Again, as you can see, Ali was not an emotional Takfiri-Rafidi, accusing everyone who is not with him in  a war and Fitnah of being a ‘Nasibi/Kafir’ etc. He was understanding and knew that the Sahaba actually tried to prevent the Fitnah by not participating at all. Ali of course had no choice because there were still some (inlcuding non-Sahaba) who did involved themselves in this Fitnah, hence they gave him no chance, otherwise there is no doubt that Ali would have wished to avoid the killing of any of his opponents.

There are even supportive evidence for the above in Shia sources:

In the official Farsi translation and Sharh (explanation) of Nahj Al-Balagha by Mohammad Ali Dashti, the 15th ‘Hikmah’ (wisdom) statement of Ali Ibn Abi Talib goes as following:

وَ قَالَ [عليه السلام] مَا كُلُّ مَفْتُونٍ يُعَاتَبُ .
و درود خدا بر او ، فرمود : هر فريب خورده اى را نمى شود سرزنش كرد.

TITLE: Every person who is tempted to go astray, does not deserve punishment.

(^This is how Rafidhism potrays Ali, as someone who looked down towards his brothers his Sahaba, the likes of: Saad Ibn Abi Waqqas, Muhammad Ibn Maslamah, Usamah Ibn Zayd and Abdullah Ibn Omar).

به هنگام حركت امام [عليه السلام] جهت سركوب شورشيان بصره، سعد و قّاص و محمد بن مسلمه ، و اسامه بن زيد و عبدالله بن عمر آمادة حركت نشدند. امام پرسيد چرا آمادة جهاد نمى شويد ؟ گفتند : از اينكه مسلمانى را بكشيم ناراحتيم ، امام فرمود: بر بيعت من وفا داريد؟ گفتند: آري، امام فرمود به خانه هاى تان برويد. آن گاه حكمت 15 را زمزمه كرد

‘When the Imam [peace be upon him] was about to get ready to head towards Basra to confront the rebels, Saad Ibn Abi Waqqas, Muhammad Ibn Maslamah, Usamah Ibn Zayd and Abdullah Ibn Omar refused to come with him. The Imam (Ali) asked: ‘Why are you not ready for Jihad’? They replied: ‘We are worried that we might spill the blood of a Muslim’. The Imam replied: ‘Are you loyal in regards to the pledge of allegiance (Bay’ah) you have given to me’? They said: “Yes!” The Imam then told them to go back to their homes and upon that he cited the ‘Hikmah’ number 15 [i.e. Every person who is tempted to go astray, does not deserve punishment.]

Source: Nahj Al-Balagha Farsi translation by Ali Dashti, online source HERE.

Of course the Rafidi source Nahj Al-Balagha potrays Ali of being much harsher to his brothers the Sahaba, nevertheless even their sources don’t state that he made Takfir of those who did not join him.

Here more authentic narrations about how the Muslims should act during the time of Fitnah:
عن أممالك البهزية قالت: قال رسول الله صلى الله عليه و سلم :” خير الناس في الفتنةرجل معتزل في ماله يعبد ربه ويؤدي حقه ورجل آخذ برأس فرسه في سبيل الله يخيفهم ويخيفونه”.مسند أحمد ج6 ص419،تعليق شعيب الأرنؤوط : صحيح لغيره

Umm Malik Al-Buhziyah (رضي الله عنها): The Prophet (صل الله عليه و على آله و سلم) said: ‘The best of people during the Fitnah is a man who isolates himself and his wealth and prays to his Lord and fulfils his religious obligations, and a Man who holds the rails of his horse (making Jihad) in the cause of Allah and scaring his enemies.’

Source: Musnad Ahmad 6/419, Al-Arnaout said: Sahih li ghayrihi.
أن رسول الله -صلى الله عليه و سلم- أعطى سيفا لمحمد بن مسلمة ، -رضيالله عنه – و قال له : (( جاهد بهذا ، في سبيل الله ، فإذا اختلفت أعناق الناس ، فاضرببه الحجر ، ثم ادخل بيتك ، فكن حلسا ملقى ، حتى تأتيك يد خاطئة ، أو منية قاضية)).رواه الطبراني في المعجم الكبير ، و رجاله ثقات ج 7 ص: 301 .
The Prophet (صل الله عليه و على آله و سلم) gave a sword to Muhammad ibn Muslimah and said: “Make Jihad with this but when the people differ then strike the rocks with it, then enter your house until you are assassinated by an evil hand or until your time has come to die.”
Source: al-Tabarani in al-Mu’ujam al-Kabir 7/301 and its narrators are trustworthy.
الرسول-عليه الصلاة و السلام – قال : (( ستكون فتنة يكون المضطجع فيها خيرا من الجالس ،والجالس خيرا من القائم ،و القائم خيرا من الماشي ،و الماشي خيرا من الساعي ، )) فقالله أبو بكرة : يا رسول الله ما تأمرني ؟ قال : (( من كانت له إبل فليلتحق بإبله ،ومن كانت له غنم فليلتحق بغنمه ،و من كانت له أرض فليلتحق بأرضه ،)) فقال له أبو بكرة: فمن لم يكن له شيء من ذلك ؟ قال : (( فليعمد إلي سيفه فليضربه بحده على حرة ، ثملينجوا ما استطاع النجاء )) .رواه أبو داود في سننه ج4 ص 99 و صححه الشيخ الألباني

Abu Bakrah ibn al-Harith (رضي الله عنه): The Prophet (صل الله عليه و على آله و سلم) said: “There will be a Fitnah in which the man who sleeps on his side is better than the man who sits down, and the one who sits is better than the one who stands, and the one who stands is better than the one who walks, and the one who walks is better than the one who marches to war.” So Abu Bakrah said: “O Prophet of Allah, what do you order me?” He replied: “He who has camels let him go take care of them and he who has sheep then let him go take care of them and he who has a land then let him go and take care of it.” Abu Bakrah said: “What about the one who has none of this?” He replied: “Then let him draw his sword and strike its tip against a rock, then keep away and save himself as much as he could.”
Source: Abu Dawood in his Sunan 4/99, al-Albani said Sahih.

أن جرير بن عبد الله رضي الله عنه عندما اعتزل الطائفتين ، أرسل إليهعلي بن أبي طالب ، يقول له : نعم ما رأيت من مفارقتك معاوية ، و إني أنزلك بمنزلة رسولالله -صلى الله عليه و سلم – التي أنزلكها )) ، فرد عليه جرير بقوله : (( إن رسول الله- صلى الله عليه و سلم- بعثني إلى اليمن أقاتلهم حتى يقولوا لا إله إلا الله ، فإذاقالوا حرمت دماؤهم و أموالهم )) ، لذا فأنا لا أقاتل من يقول لا إله إلا الله”.الذهبيفي السير، ج 2 ص : 530

‘Ali ibn abi Talib (رضي الله عنه) sent after Jarir ibn ‘Abdullah (رضي الله عنه) after he abandoned both teams and told him: “You have done well to leave Mu’awiyah and I will treat you according to the high rank that the Prophet (صل الله عليه و على آله و سلم) placed you in.” Jariri replied to him: “The Prophet (صل الله عليه و على آله و سلم) sent me to Yemen to fight them until they said NO GOD BUT ALLAH and when they say this their blood and money become forbidden, so I will not fight anyone who says NO GOD BUT ALLAH.”
Source: Siyar al-A’alam al-Nubalaa by al-Dhahabi 2/530.

قالتعديسة بنت أهبان : لما جاء علي بن أبي طالب ههنا البصرة دخل على أبي . فقال يا أبامسلمألا تعينني على هؤلاء القوم ؟ قال بلى . قال فدعا جارية له . فقال ياجارية أخرجي سيفي. قال فأخرجته . فسل منه قدر شبر فإذا هوخشب . فقال:” إن خليلي وابن عمك صلى اللهعليه و سلم عهد إلي إذا كانت الفتنة بين المسلمين . فأتخذ سيفا من خشب” . فإنشئت خرجت معك . قال لاحاجة لي فيك ولا في سيفك .سنن ابن ماجة كتاب الفتن ج 2 ص:1309،قال الشيخ الألباني:حسن صحيح،ومسند أحمد ج 5ص: 69، و ج6 ص: 393 وقال شعيب الأرنؤوط: حديث حسن
‘Udaysah bint Ahban (ra) said: when ‘Ali ibn abi Talib came to us in al-Basarah he entered on my father and said: “O Abu Muslim will you not aid me?” He said: yes, then he told his female servant: “bring me the sword” and she did and when he took it out of its sheath it turned out to be a wooden sword, so he told ‘Ali: “Khalili (my beloved companion) who is your cousin (means the Prophet), may peace be upon him, made me give him an oath that when the Fitnah happens I use this wooden sword, so if you want I will accompany you.” ‘Ali said: “I need not your help nor your sword.”
Sunan ibn Majah Kitab al-Fitan 2/1309 al-Albani said: Hasan Sahih, Musnad Ahmad 5/69 & 6/393 al-Arnaout said: Hasa

We hope that by  now you can get the picture.  The matter of fact is that most Sahaba did NOT participate in the battles of Jamal and Siffeen, rather they stayed away from the bloodshed and stayed in their homes (including some Sahaba Shias claim to respect).

The main sources for Siffeen were written by the following:

1) Abu Mikhnaf

2) Jabir Al-Ju’fi

3) Nasr bin Muzahim

4) Yahya bin Sulaiman Al-Ju’fi

5) Ibrahim bin Al-Hussain bin Daizeel

The first three are Shia narrators. Each of them has been harshly condemned by Sunnis, and they have also been accused of fabricating narrations. The last two are Sunni scholars and are thiqa (reliable).

– Nasr bin Muzahim’s book (a Shi’ite) is the only one that reached us.

– Abu Mikhnaf’s (Shi’ite) book has reached us through Al-Tabari’s narrations in his Tareekh and quotes from Al-Nasr bin Muzahim (Shi’ite).

– Nasr bin Muzahim’s (Shi’ite) book also recorded Jabir Al-Ju’fi’s book, or at least, most of it.

– Ibrahim bin Al-Hussain bin Daizeel’s (Sunni) book has reached us through the narrations of very late scholars, however, it mainly revolves around the narrations of Yahya bin Sulaiman, who in turn, mainly focuses on narrating from Nasr bin Muzahim. In other words, his book isn’t very useful at all.

– It was said that Abdullah bin Ahmad bin Hanbal has a book on Siffeen. However, when I checked his biography, I find no mention of this. I do find that he had a book on Jamal. It seems that he briefly spoke about Siffeen in that book, but nothing worth having it classified as a book on the subject.

– Nasr bin Muzahim’s book, which is, by far, the ultimate source book for Siffeen is unreliable according to the standards of both Sunnis and Shias. He received 99% of his narrations from Sa’ad bin Omar or Amr bin Shimr, both are unknown and weak according to Sunnis and Shias.

– In conclusion, there is no book that did a good job of collecting the events of Siffeen, and most of the details, perhaps 98% of what has been recorded about Siffeen is either baseless or false (yet the likes of Yasser Al-Habib love to quote wildly from all these sources to serve their agenda of making Takfir on Aisha etc.).

– The most authentic narrations that can be found about Siffeen come from two sources:

(1) Musanaf Ibn Abi Shaiba

(2) Al-Sunnah by Al-Khallal.

Both include short chapters about Siffeen. Each has around fifty narrations, which usually have nothing to do with the fighting.

– Important lessons that can be learned from those two books include:

(1) Most of the people of Badr and the “tree” did not take part,

(2) the two saw each other as Muslims and not kuffar and regretted their actions.

(3) the early scholars feared Allah and did not dare to condemn the Sahaba for fighting (for even the Sahaba themselves did not dare to accuse each other of Kufr, in some cases they even gave glad tidings of JAHANNAM for the killers of their opponents, like when Ali CRIED and said that the hellfire is awaiting the killer of Zubayr (رضي الله عنه).

(4) the fighting only lasted for three days, which implies that the deaths couldn’t have been tens of thousands

Here some narrations proving these claims:

عن أيوبالسختياني ، عن محمد بن سيرين أنه قال : لما حدثت الفتنة كان عدد الصحابة عشرة آلاف، لم يخف منهم أربعون رجلا. معمر بن راشد : الجامع ، ج 11ص: 357 واسنادها صحيح

From Ayyub al-Sakhtiyani from Muhammad ibn Sireen: :When the Fitnah broke out the number of companions was ten thousand, those who participated never reached forty.

Source: Mu’ammar ibn Rashid: al-Jami’i 11/357.
Grading: SAHIH.
عن عبدالله بن أحمد بن حنبل ، عن أبيه ، عن اسماعيل-ابن علية- عن أيوب- السختياني- عن محمدبن سيرين ، أن قال : (( هاجت الفتنة و أصحاب رسول الله -صلى الله عليه و سلم- عشرةآلاف ، فما حضر فيها مائة ، بل لم يبلغوا ثلاثين )).الخلال : السنة ، ج2 ص: 466 .واحمد بن حنبل : العلل و معرفة الرجال ، ج3 ص: 182 .والاسناد صحيح

‘Abdullah ibn  Ahmad ibn Hanbal from his father from Ismael from Ayyub from Muhammad: The Fitnah raged and the companions were ten thousand but not even a hundred participated, not even thirty.
Source: al-Sunnah by al-Khallal 2/466 and Ahmad ibn Hanbal in al-‘Ilal wa Ma’arifat al-Rijal 3/182.
Grading: SAHIH.
من طريق ابن لهيعة عن يسار بن عند الرحمن قال : قال لي بكير بن الأشج : ما فعل خالك . قال : قلت : لزم البيت منذ كذا وكذا . فقال : إلا أن رجالاً من أهل بدر لزموا بيوتهم بعد قتل عثمان فلم يخرجوا إلا إلى قبورهم

Bukayr bin al-Ashij that he said: “Men from the people of Badr remained in their houses after the death of `Uthman, and they did not come out except to their graves.”

source: al-Tamheed 17/442 by ibn `Abdul-Barr and al-Bidayah wal-Nihayah 7/179 by Ibn Katheer.

عن الشعبي أنه قال : (( بالله الذي لا إله إلا هو ، ما نهض في ذلك الأمر إلا ستة بدريين، ما لهم من سابع )).تاريخ الطبري ج3 ص: 6

from Al Sha’aby that he Said: by Allah the one and only, in that affair only six of the Ahlu Badr took part with no seventh.

Source: Tareekh al tabari 3/6.

و من مظاهر الاعتزال الجماعي للفتنة ، أن علي بن أبي طالب رضي الله عنه عندما ندب أهل المدينة للخروج معه للقتال لم يوافقوه ،و أبوا الخروج معه ، فكلّم عبد الله بن عمر شخصيا للخروج معه ، فقال له : أنا رجل من المدينة . ثم كرر عليهم دعوته للسير معه عندما سمع بخروج أهل مكة إلى البصرة ، فتثاقل عنه أكثرهم ،و استجاب له ما بين : 4 الى7 من البدريين.ابن كثير : البداية و النهاية ج 7 ص: 231 .

When Ali bin Abi Talib (رضي الله عنه) asked the people of Madinah to go out with him in battle they disagreed and refused, So he talked to Ibn Omar (رضي الله عنه) personally regarding this but Ibn Omar (RA) replied: I am (but) a man of Madinah. Then he repeated this invitation when he heard that The people of Mecca left for Basarah but most refused this and only around 4 to 7 from ahlu Badr accepted.
Ibn Katheer: al bidayah wal nihayah 7/231.

قال بُكَيْرُ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ الأَشَجِّ :”إِنَّ رِجَالا مِنْ أَهْلِ بَدْرٍ لَزِمُوا بُيُوتَهُمْ بَعْدَ قَتْلِ عُثْمَانَ نَضَّرَ اللَّهُ وَجْهَهُ ، فَلَمْ يَخْرُجُوا إِلا إِلَى قُبُورِهِمْ “”. العزلة والانفراد لابن أبي الدنيا [ص 18رقم9] ومنهاج السنة النبوية[ج6 ص145] وعنه تلميذه ابن كثير في البداية والنهاية[ج7 ص281]

Ibn bin Abdullah bin Al-Ashja’a said: Men from Ahlu Badr remained in their homes after the assassination of Othman, may Allah brighten his face, and they did not come out except to their graves.
Al-Ulah wa Al-Infirad ibn abi al Duniyah 18 #9, minhaj al Sunnah 6/145, Student of ibn Katheer al bidayah wal nihayah 7/281.

More…

قال الامام أبو بكر بن أبي شيبة رحمه الله:حَدَّثَنَا عُمَرُ بْنُ أَيُّوبَ الْمَوْصِلِيُّ ، عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ بُرْقَانَ ، عَنْ يَزِيدَ بْنِ الأَصَمِّ ، قَالَ : سُئِلَ عَلِيٌّ عَنْ قَتْلَى يَوْمِ صِفِّينَ ، فَقَالَ : قَتْلاَنَا وَقَتْلاَهُمْ فِي الْجَنَّةِ ، وَيَصِيرُ الأَمْرُ إلَيَّ وَإِلَى مُعَاوِيَةَ.المصنف[ج15 ص302 رقم39035] والاسناد صحيح.

Al Imam Abu bakr Bin Abi Shayba Said: Omar bin Ayyoub al Mousili narrated from Ja’afar bin Burqan from yazeed bin al Assam that he said: Ali was asked about the dead from the battle of Siffeen so he answered: Our Dead and Their dead are in Heaven, and the matter will be between me and Muawiyah.
Isnad is: SAHIH, Al musannaf 15/302 #39035.

According to this at least 99.70% of the companions decided not to take part in the Fitnah.

Here narration which describes the situation from the point of view of a normal muslim:

قَالَ أَبُو العَالِيَةِ:”لَمَّا كَانَ زَمَانُ عَلِيٍّ وَمُعَاوِيَةَ، وَإِنِّي لَشَابٌّ، القِتَالُ أَحَبُّ إِلَيَّ مِنَ الطَّعَامِ الطَّيِّبِ، فَتَجَهَّزْتُ بِجَهَازٍ حَسَنٍ حَتَّى أَتَيْتُهُم، فَإِذَا صَفَّانِ مَا يُرَى طَرَفَاهُمَا، إِذَا كَبَّرَ هَؤُلاَءِ، كَبَّرَ هَؤُلاَءِ، وَإِذَا هَلَّلَ هَؤُلاَءِ، هَلَّلَ هَؤُلاَءِ، فَرَاجَعْتُ نَفْسِي، فَقُلْتُ: أَيُّ الفَرِيْقَيْنِ أُنَزِّلُهُ كَافِراً؟ وَمَنْ أَكْرَهَنِي عَلَى هَذَا؟
قَالَ: فَمَا أَمْسَيْتُ حَتَّى رَجَعْتُ، وَتَرَكْتُهُم.(سير أعلام النبلاء 209/4).

Abu Al-Aliyah Said: “When the time of Ali and Muawiyah was upon us I was then young, I liked to fight more than eating delicious food. So I prepared myself well for battle and I went there (battle field). I saw two long lines that extended infinity, when one group made Takbeer the others started making takbeer too, and when one group cheered the others also started cheering, So I reconsidered my position and thought: Which of the two teams Is a Kafir? He said: So I went back and abandoned battle.

Source: Siyar A’alam al nubala’a 4/209.

And this Abu al Aliyah is the one was the main reciter of Quran in Madinah (reading of Imam Nafi’i).

Quran 49:9 If two parties among the Believers fall into a quarrel, make ye peace between them: but if one of them transgresses beyond bounds against the other, then fight ye (all) against the one that transgresses until it complies with the command of Allah; But if it complies, then make peace between them with justice, and be fair: For Allah loves those who are fair (and just.)

49:10 The Believers are but a single Brotherhood: So make peace and reconciliation between your two (contending) brothers; and fear God, that ye may receive Mercy.

Now if the question arises:

If Ali was on the haqq, then why wasn’t he supported?
The answer is:

1- There was no internet and no books, many of them were confused and this played a big role in them not doing anything (Info traveled slowly and the picture was not clear).

2- Even though they didn’t participate yet the vast majority sided with `Ali and viewed him to be closer to the truth (as the Ahl Al-Sunnah do to this very day).

3- The opposing party were Muslims so if they joined they would need to fight other Muslims and they tried their best not to do that.

4- The main reason for not joining are the narrations of the Prophet (صل الله عليه و على آله و سلم)in which he warned them from Fitnah, the companions started spreading all of these narrations among each other to make sure none of them went, this is why many of them reached us today and if it weren’t for this we Muslims today wouldn’t know how to behave in times of Fitan.