over others; yet they make the lesser one a god while diminishing those who are superior and ranking them below the disciples who accompanied the Messiah. This turns realities upside down. Stranger still, they regard the disciples—who were not prophets—as infallible, while disparaging some of the prophets, such as Solomon and others.

It is well known from abundant evidence that Abraham and Muhammad are superior to the Messiah himself—may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon them—and so too is Moses. How, then, can they regard those who accompanied the Messiah as superior to Abraham and Muhammad?

This stems from the ignorance and extremism that Allah forbade them. Allah Most High said:

“O People of the Scripture, do not go to excess in your religion, nor say anything about Allah except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only a messenger of Allah, His Word conveyed to Mary, and a spirit from Him.”

[Surah al-Nisā: 171]

Likewise, the Muslim community regards the Rāfidites as extremists. Among them are those who claimed divinity for Alī. Such people are worse than the Christians. Among them (1) are also those who claimed prophethood for him. Whoever affirms the existence of a prophet after Muhammad resembles the followers of Musaylima the Liar and other such pretenders to prophethood. Alī—may Allah be pleased with him—was, however, innocent of this claim, unlike Musaylima and others who claimed prophethood for themselves.

[Refutation of the Rāfidites’ Claim of Explicit Designation and the Infallibility of the Imams]

These Imāmīs claim that his imamate was established by explicit designation, that he and many of his descendants were infallible, and that the people wronged him and usurped his right.

A claim of infallibility resembles a claim to share in prophethood. For an infallible person must