Thus, believers fit to assume the caliphate that succeeds Prophethood—such as Uthmān, Alī, and Abd al-Rahmān ibn Awf—are superior to Abū Dharr and those like him. (1)

The hadith in the precise wording quoted by the Rāfidī (2) is weak—indeed, fabricated (3)—and has no chain of transmission by which it can be substantiated.

[Response to the Rāfidī’s allegation that Uthmān neglected Allah’s prescribed penalties]

As for his statement:

“He neglected Allah’s prescribed penalties. He did not execute Ubayd Allah (4) ibn Umar when he killed al-Hurmuzān, the client of the Commander of the Faithful, after the latter had embraced Islam. The Commander of the Faithful sought Ubayd Allah in order to exact retribution from him, but he joined Muāwiya. (5) Uthmān also sought to suspend the prescribed penalty for drinking in the case of al-Walīd ibn Uqba, until the Commander of the Faithful administered the penalty to him and said, ‘Allah’s prescribed penalties shall not be set aside (6) while I am present.’”

The response is as follows: His statement that “al-Hurmuzān was a client of Alī” is an evident lie. Al-Hurmuzān was one of the Persians whom Khosrow had appointed to fight the Muslims. The Muslims captured him and brought him before Umar,