bear witness to that, and the books of all the sects likewise attest (1) to it, although no one compels them to mention the Rāfidīs or to speak of their ignorance and misguidance.

They continually relate enough of the Rāfidīs’ ignorance and misguidance to make it necessarily known that they regard the Rāfidīs as among the most ignorant and misguided of people, and as one of the sects of the Ummah furthest from guidance. How (2) could it be otherwise? The doctrine of these Imāmīs combines the gravest reprehensible innovations: they are Jahmīs, Qadarīs, and Rāfidīs (3). Only Allah can enumerate all the statements of the Salaf and the scholars condemning each (4) of these groups. The books are replete with such statements—including works of hadith, transmitted reports, jurisprudence, Quranic commentary, fundamental and subsidiary matters, and other fields. These three groups are worse than other proponents of religious innovation, such as the Murjiʾites (5) and the Harurites.

Allah knows that, despite my extensive research and eagerness to learn the views [and schools] (6) of people, I have never known any man of honorable standing in the Ummah to be accused (7) of following the Imāmī school, let alone for it to be said that he (8) secretly holds it.

Al-Hasan ibn Sālih ibn Hayy was indeed accused of following the Zaydī school, and he was a jurist,