—peace and blessings be upon him—” does not constitute evidence, by the consensus of the scholars.

If it did, then every hadith concerning any adherent of the Sunnah that was introduced with the words, “The Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—said,” would constitute evidence. In this matter, however, we are content for a hadith to be narrated through a chain of transmitters known (1) for their truthfulness, regardless of the group to which they belong.

If, however, a hadith has no chain of transmission, then the person transmitting it—even if he did not fabricate it himself but merely copied it from someone else’s book—does not know from whom he transmitted it. It is well known that falsehood is widespread in this and other matters (22): (2), so how can anyone attribute to the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—something whose chain of transmission is unknown?

It may further be said, third: Everyone with relevant experience knows that the hadith scholars are the most diligent (3) of all people in investigating the Prophet’s statements—peace and blessings be upon him—and seeking knowledge of them, the most eager to follow them, and the furthest from following [desire] (4) that conflicts with them. Had it been established among them that the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—said this of Alī, no one would have been more committed than they to following his words. They follow his words out of faith in him and love of following him, not because of any partiality toward the person praised.

For this reason, they recount what the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—mentioned concerning the virtues of Alī, just as they recount what he said concerning the virtues of Uthmān; they recount what he mentioned concerning the virtues of the Ansār, just as they recount what he mentioned concerning the virtues of the Muhājirūn and the virtues of the descendants of