strike his neck.’

“He said, ‘From this man’s stock will emerge people beside whose prayer one of you would consider his own prayer insignificant, and beside whose fasting he would consider his own fasting insignificant.’” And so on to the end of the hadith (1).

This is what he said about these devout worshippers because they were innovators. It is also authentically established that a man used to drink wine, and whenever he was brought before the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—he would have him flogged as the prescribed punishment. On one occasion, when the man was brought before him, another man cursed him and said, “How often he is brought before the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him!”

The Prophet said, “Do not curse him, for he loves Allah and His Messenger” (2).

Thus, he forbade cursing this particular man, an habitual wine-drinker, and testified that he loved Allah and His Messenger, notwithstanding the general curse pronounced against those who drink wine.

The distinction between an unrestricted general ruling and a particular, identified individual thereby becomes clear. It also becomes clear that sinners who acknowledge their sins pose less harm to the Muslims than the people of innovation, who introduce an innovation by which they deem it lawful to punish anyone who opposes them.

The Rāfidah are more extreme in innovation than the Kharijites. They declare unbelievers people whom the Kharijites did not declare unbelievers, such as Abū Bakr and Umar. They fabricate lies about the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—and the Companions of a kind unparalleled by anyone else, whereas the Kharijites do not lie. Indeed, the Kharijites were more truthful and courageous than they, and more faithful to their covenants; hence, they engaged in more fighting than they did. The Rāfidah are more dishonest, cowardly, treacherous, and abject.