and was like Pharaoh and those of his kind. For although these people are ignorant, they are no more ignorant than those who believed that Umar was the Pharaoh of this nation. If those people’s hatred of Abū Bakr and Umar is not hypocrisy because of their ignorance and interpretation, then, by an even stronger and more compelling argument (1), the same applies to these people’s hatred of Ali. But if hatred of Ali is hypocrisy even when the one who harbors it is ignorant and acting on an interpretation, then hatred of Abū Bakr and Umar is all the more deserving of being deemed hypocrisy, even when the one who harbors it is ignorant and acting on an interpretation.

[The Rāfidī’s statements about Khadījah and Aisha—may Allah be pleased with them both—and the response to him]

(Section)

R, H, S: Chapter Twenty-Five.

The Rāfidī said in (K), p. [0–9] 11 (M) 112 (M):

“They elevated Aisha above the rest of his wives, even though he—peace be upon him—(2) ‘would often speak of Khadījah bint Khuwaylid. Aisha said to him: “You speak [of] (3) her often, although Allah has given you someone better in her place.” He replied: “By Allah, I was not given anything better in her place” (K: “I was not given anyone better in her place”). “She believed me when the people denied me, sheltered me when the people drove me out, supported me with her wealth, and Allah granted me children through her, whereas I was not granted children through any other woman.”’”

The reply, first—“first” is omitted from (B) and (S)—is to say: The Ahl al-Sunnah are not unanimously agreed that Aisha