in authentic narrations through more than one chain of transmission that, when someone questioned him, believing that he possessed knowledge imparted to him alone by the Messenger, ‘Alī, may Allah be pleased with him, explained to them that the Messenger had not singled him out for anything.

Al-Hafīd said: “I have therefore decided to examine in this book the apparent sense of the beliefs which the revealed Law intended the general public to embrace, striving throughout to discern the intent of the Lawgiver, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, to the best of my ability. For people have fallen into utter confusion over this matter within this religion, until misguided sects and divergent groups have arisen, each believing that it follows the original revealed Law and that whoever