fabricated according to hadith scholars (1). A year of worship includes faith, the five daily prayers, and fasting the month of Ramadan. Muslims unanimously agree that loving the family of Muhammad for a month cannot take the place of this—much less loving them for a single day.
Likewise, Allah’s proof against His servants was established through the messengers alone. As He Most High says:
“So that mankind will have no argument against Allah after the messengers.”
[Surah al-Nisā’: 165]
He did not say, “after the messengers and the imams or the designated successors” (2), or anything else of that kind.
Likewise, his statement:
“If all people were united in their love for ‘Alī, Allah would not have created Hell”
is among the most manifest falsehoods (3), by the agreement of those possessed of knowledge and faith (4). Even if they were all united in their love for ‘Alī, that would not benefit them until they believed in Allah, His angels, His Books, His messengers, and the Last Day, and performed righteous deeds. If they did so, they would enter Paradise, even if they had no knowledge of ‘Alī whatsoever and neither love nor hatred of him had ever entered their hearts.
(1) I could not locate the first hadith. As for the second, Ibn al-Jawzī, in *al-Mawdū‘āt*, 1:382–83; al-Suyūtī, in *al-La’āli’ al-Masnū‘a*, 1:365–66; and al-Shawkānī, in *al-Fawā’id al-Majmū‘a*, p. 373, each classified it as fabricated and discussed its narrators, who were fabricators. Contrary to his usual practice, Ibn Taymiyya did not quote Ibn al-Mutahhar verbatim and then refute him; rather, he presented his words here together with his response. Ibn al-Mutahhar’s exact words in K, p. 131 (M), are: “Ibn Mas‘ūd said: ‘Loving the family of Muhammad—may Allah bless him and his family—for one day is better than worshipping for a year, and whoever dies with that love will enter Paradise.’ Anas said: ‘I was sitting with the Prophet—may Allah bless him and his family—when ‘Alī—peace be upon him—approached. He said: “This man and I are Allah’s proof against His creation.”’”
(2) “Or the designated successors”: thus in A, Y, and B. The remaining manuscripts read: “and the designated successors.”
(3) W reads: “fabrications.” Ibn al-Mutahhar cited this statement verbatim in K, p. 131 (M). Ibn Taymiyya did not discuss it separately, as had been his practice earlier.
(4) N and M read: “people of knowledge”; W reads: “people of understanding.”