Alī, even though his appointment as deputy had parallels and counterparts among the Prophet’s Companions. No one else, however, shared such a comparison with those two. Thus, neither appointment as deputy nor being likened to a prophet in some of his circumstances was a unique distinction.

The same applies to the following report: “He said, ‘I shall certainly give the banner to a man who loves Allah and His Messenger [and whom Allah and His Messenger love] (1).’ The narrator said, ‘We craned our necks in anticipation.’ He then said, ‘Call Alī for me.’ Alī came to him suffering from inflamed eyes, so he applied his saliva to his eyes (2), handed him the banner, and Allah granted victory at his hands.” This is the most authentic report transmitted concerning Alī’s virtues. Al-Bukhārī and Muslim recorded it in their two Sahih collections through several chains. This description is not exclusive to the Imams or to Alī, for Allah and His Messenger love every God-fearing believer, and every God-fearing believer loves Allah and His Messenger. Nevertheless, this hadith is among the strongest proofs against the Nāsibīs, who disavow Alī, show him no loyalty, and do not love him. Indeed, they may (3) declare him an unbeliever or deem him wicked (4), as the Kharijites do. The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—testified that Alī loves Allah and His Messenger and that Allah and His Messenger love him (5).

Yet this argument cannot be sustained under the position of the Rāfidīs, who maintain that the texts attesting to the virtues of the Companions concern the period before they apostatized; for the Kharijites make the same claim about Alī. This, however, is false, for Allah and His Messenger would not bestow such unqualified praise upon someone whom Allah knows will die an unbeliever (6). And some of the adherents of deviant doctrines among