It is established in authentic hadiths whose authenticity is undisputed among those versed in hadith that ‘Alī, may Allah be pleased with him, was asked, “Do you possess any written document from the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him?” He replied, “No! By Him who splits the grain and creates the soul, the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, did not confide to us anything that he concealed from others, except an understanding that Allah grants a servant of His Book, and what is in this sheet.” It contains provisions concerning blood money, the release of captives, and the prohibition against killing a Muslim for a disbeliever. In another wording recorded in the Sahīh, he was asked, “Did the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, entrust you with anything that he did not entrust to the people?” He replied, “No, by Him who splits the grain and creates the soul”—and the hadith continues.

Those versed in transmitted reports unanimously agree that the matters attributed to ‘Alī and Ja‘far al-Sādiq which the Bātiniyyah claim are fabricated lies. Thus, the heretics among the Shi‘ah and the Sufis attribute their heresy to ‘Alī, although he is innocent of it. The heretical adherents of al-Bitāqah attribute it to ‘Alī, as do the esoteric Shi‘ah groups, including the Ismā‘īliyyah and the Nusayriyyah. Likewise, they have attributed to Ja‘far al-Sādiq statements concerning al-majūm, the twitching of bodily members, distorted interpretations, and various kinds of falsehood from which Allah has exonerated him. Some of their leaders have even claimed that the Epistles of the Brethren of Purity were his words. Yet these epistles in fact