and was among those who incited people against him and took action in that regard. Indeed, many of Ali’s own partisans and many partisans (2) of Uthman accused Ali—may Allah be pleased with him—of killing (1) Uthman: the former out of their hatred for Uthman and the latter out of their hatred for Ali (3). The great majority of Muslims (4), however, know that both groups lied about Ali.

The Rāfidah claim that Ali was among those who deemed it lawful to kill Uthman—and even to kill Abu Bakr and Umar—and they regard assisting in his killing as an act of obedience and devotion that draws one closer to Allah. How, then, can anyone who holds this belief ask, “What guilt did Ali bear in that?” Such exoneration of Ali is appropriate only according to the position of the adherents of the Sunnah. The Rāfidah, however, are among the most self-contradictory of people.

As for his statement:

“How could Talha, al-Zubayr, and the others have deemed it lawful to go along with her in this? How could they face the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—when, if one of us were to speak with (5) another man’s wife, take her from her home, and travel with her (6), her husband would be more hostile toward him than anyone else?”

The response is that this stems from the Rāfidah’s self-contradiction and ignorance, for they accuse Aisha