something from Alī. He then said, ‘Summon Uthmān for me.’ I summoned him, and he spoke with him privately] (1) until the dawn call to prayer brought their meeting to an end. When the people had performed the dawn prayer and those members of the council had assembled by the pulpit, he sent me those (2) among the Emigrants and Helpers who were present. He also sent for the commanders of the armies, who had come for that year’s Hajj with Umar. Once they had assembled, Abd al-Rahmān pronounced the testimony of faith and then said, ‘To proceed, O Alī: I (3) have considered the people’s wishes and found that they regard no one as Uthmān’s equal. So do not leave yourself open to blame.’

He then said, ‘I pledge allegiance to you on the basis of the way of Allah and His Messenger (4), and of the two caliphs who came after him.’ Abd al-Rahmān therefore pledged allegiance to him, as did the people, the Emigrants, the Helpers, the commanders of the armies, and the Muslims.” This is al-Bukhārī’s wording.

The hadith cited by this Rāfidī contains several kinds of lies from which Allah has kept Alī free. These include its portrayal of him as invoking his brother, his uncle, and his wife as proof. Alī—may Allah be pleased with him—was superior to all of them, and he knew that the noblest of people in Allah’s sight is the one most mindful of Him.

Had al-Abbās said, “Is there anyone among you with the like of my brother Hamza, or the like of my brothers’ sons (5)—Muhammad, Alī, and Jafar?” this argument would have been of the same kind as the other. Indeed, a person’s appeal to his nephews is stronger than his appeal to his uncle. Had Uthmān said, “Is there anyone among you who married two daughters of a prophet (6)?” that would have been of the same kind as someone saying, “Is there anyone among you whose wife is like mine (7)?” Fātima had died before the council deliberations, just as Uthmān’s two wives had died, for she had died