that the Shia cannot answer; only Ahl al-Sunnah can answer them.
Thus, these authentic hadiths, which establish Alī’s faith both inwardly and outwardly, refute these people, even though such faith was not unique to him. The same applies to the texts establishing the inward and outward faith of those who fought at Badr and those who took the Pledge of Ridwān: they refute the Rāfidah and Kharijites who dispute this, even though the evidence cited is not a distinction unique to any one of them.
When the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—gave specific testimony in favor of an individual or offered a particular supplication for him, many people wished that they might receive a similar testimony and a supplication like (1) that one. This was so even though the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—gave such testimony in favor of many people and offered such supplications for many people, for his singling out that particular individual was among the latter’s greatest virtues and merits.
Examples include his testimony that Thābit ibn Qays ibn Shammās (2), Abd Allah ibn Salām (3), and others were among the people of Paradise, even though he had given others the same testimony of Paradise. There is also the testimony regarding love for Allah
(1) B only: “or the like.”
(2) The hadith is narrated from Anas ibn Mālik, may Allah be pleased with him, in Muslim, 1/110, Book of Faith, “The Believer’s Fear That His Deeds May Be Nullified.” When the words of Allah Most High were revealed, “O you who believe, do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet” [Surah al-Hujurāt: 2], Thābit ibn Qays, may Allah be pleased with him, became distressed and remained away from the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. He said something that ended with: “I am therefore one of the people of the Fire.” Sad ibn Muādh mentioned this to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, whereupon the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Rather, he is one of the people of Paradise.” The hadith is also in al-Musnad, al-Halabī ed., 3/137, 145–146, 287.
(3) Al-Bukhārī, 5/37–38, Book of the Virtues of the Ansār, “The Virtues of Abd Allah ibn Salām,” and Muslim, 4/1930–1932, Book of the Virtues of the Companions, “Some of the Virtues of Abd Allah ibn Salām,” narrate a hadith from Sad ibn Abī Waqqās, may Allah be pleased with him, in which he says—according to al-Bukhārī’s version: “I never heard the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, say of anyone walking upon the earth that he was one of the people of Paradise, except Abd Allah ibn Salām.” The rest of the hadith follows. They also narrate another hadith from Qays ibn Abbād, who related that he was in a gathering with several people—in Muslim’s version, Sad ibn Mālik and Ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both—when Abd Allah ibn Salām passed by. They said: “This man is one of the people of Paradise.” Qays asked him about this, and Abd Allah ibn Salām told him that he had seen a dream which he recounted to the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, who interpreted it for him and concluded: “As for the handhold, it is the handhold of Islam, and you will continue to hold fast to it until you die.”