have effectively deified him, believing that he directs the entire universe and that not a single atom in the earth or in the heavens is managed by anyone other than ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, the pivot of all pivots.

In any case, we testify before Allah that we love the believers from the Prophet’s Household. We hold that a believing member of the Household enjoys two rights over us: first, the right that stems from his faith, and second, the right that comes from his kinship to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. They were honoured solely because of their nearness to the Messenger ﷺ; it is not he who was honoured through them—rather, they were honoured through him. We further believe that they occupy various ranks and stations. Although they possess the distinguishing virtue of kinship to the Messenger ﷺ, this does not grant them absolute superiority over others who may surpass them in knowledge and faith. In overall merit, Abū Bakr, ʿUmar, and ʿUthmān (may Allah be pleased with them) are superior to ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, even though ʿAlī (may Allah be pleased with him) surpasses them in some particular qualities. Absolute preference differs from qualified preference.

With regard to burning those people, he (may Allah be pleased with him) deemed it the severest form of punishment, similar to Abū Bakr’s (may Allah be pleased with him) command to burn the sodomite. Yet a person may sometimes overlook certain proofs. For this reason Ibn ʿAbbās said, “Had I been in ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib’s place, I would have killed them—for the Prophet ﷺ said, ‘Whoever changes his religion, kill him’ (1)—but I would not have burned them, because the Prophet ﷺ forbade punishment by fire (2).” It is reported that he then added, “Ibn Umm al-Faḍl has not left out the blemishes,” meaning the slips and errors.