He was the first to assert that Ali’s imamate was established by an explicit divine text. He also laid the foundations of Shiism on an exaggerated veneration of the Prophet’s Household, declaring that Ali is presently in the heavens and will one day return. From him emerged the various extremist sects. See: al-Nawbakhti, Firaq al-Shiʿa, p. 22; al-Shahrastani, al-Milal wa-l-nihal, 1/172; al-Ashʿari, Maqalat al-Islamiyyin, p. 18; Ibn Taymiyya, Majmuʿ al-Fatawa, 17/449. (1) The manuscript (T) reads: “They are Rafidah, close to those already mentioned, opposed to the imams, and liars.” (2) Omitted in manuscript (T). (3) Manuscript (T) adds: “and a group of them.” (4) Omitted in manuscript (T). (5) Omitted in manuscript (T). (6) Named after Zayd b. Ali b. al-Husayn b. Ali b. Abi Talib, the Zaydis restricted the imamate to the descendants of Fatima and denied it to others. Zayd preferred Ali over all other Companions—may Allah be pleased with them—yet remained loyal to the first two caliphs and held that it was permissible to rise against unjust rulers. When the Kufan Shiʿa demanded he repudiate Abu Bakr and ʿUmar and he refused, they abandoned him and became known as Rafidah, while those who stayed with him were called Zaydis. See: al-Milal wa-l-nihal, 1/154; Maqalat al-Islamiyyin, pp. 47–48; Iʿtiqadat Firaq al-Muslimin wa-l-Mushrikin, p. 52. The Zaydis subsequently split into three groups: the Jarudiyya (the most errant), the Sulaymaniyya, and the Butriyya. See: