with contempt and diminished their standing. He assailed them with the eloquence he had been granted, withholding from them a cheerful face and a warm welcome. Through him, the mighty in the cause of misguidance were humbled, and the lowly in the cause of the Sunnah were exalted, by the grace of Allah, Lord of the worlds, to whom all praise is due.

As for the turmoil of reviling the early generations, Kufa was its home and birthplace. Its sparks then flew across the lands, and its harm spread throughout them. It was stirred up only by narrow minds and imbibed by foolish hearts. It has hidden roots, some of which are best left undisclosed for the safety of hearts. Its adherents are the most foolish of Allah Most High’s creation. It began by placing ‘Alī ibn Abī Tālib on an equal footing with Abū Bakr and ‘Umar—may Allah be pleased