was valid evidence, then his second action was likewise valid evidence. But if it was not valid evidence, then such a thing ought not to be mentioned among the virtues of Alī ibn Mūsā al-Ridā. Yet these people are ignorant of the true nature of virtues and faults and of the methods by which they are established (1).

For this reason, they cite verses by Abū Nuwās. Even if those verses were true, they could not establish anyone’s virtues through the testimony of a poet notorious for lying and extreme debauchery—something apparent to anyone with even the slightest familiarity with human history. How much more so when the statement he made is itself unsound! He said:

“I said: I cannot praise an imam
To whose father Gabriel was a servant.”

It is well known that this is a description shared by (* all those descended from the messengers, and every descendant of Alī shares it with him. What special distinction (2) does this confer upon him, such that it would make him an imam to the exclusion of his peers who share this same description? Moreover, this would entail that he could not praise anyone *) (3) among Alī’s descendants at all, since this description is common [to them all. Furthermore, a man’s (4) descent from the prophets is a common attribute] (5) among people, [for all people] (6)