outside their own ranks who would sweep them away, as both of these matters are established in authentic hadiths from the Prophet—may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him. He reported that:

“A group from his community will remain manifest upon the truth; those who oppose them will not harm them until the Day of Resurrection.” (1)

He also reported that:

“He asked his Lord not to grant power over them to an enemy from outside their own ranks, and He granted him (2) that; he asked Him not to destroy them through a universal drought, and He granted him (3) that; and he asked Him not to make their mutual violence severe, but He denied him that request.” (4)

Among those before us, however, the truth (5) would be overcome to such an extent that no manifest and victorious group would stand to uphold it. Consequently, their enemies were given power over them and swept them away, as occurred when the Children of Israel’s enemies were given power over them and laid waste Jerusalem twice; and so (6) no dominion remained to them.

As for us—praise be to Allah—our community has always had a victorious sword: those who fight for the truth and thereby remain upon the guidance and the religion of truth with which Allah sent the Messenger. Thus, this has never ceased to be the case, nor ever will. The people farthest removed from this rightly guided and victorious group are the Rāfidah, for they are the most ignorant and unjust of the sects among the people of deviant desires who identify with the Muslim qiblah.

The best of this community are the Companions. No one in the community was more united than they upon the guidance and the religion of truth, nor farther removed from division and disagreement. Any failing mentioned concerning them, when compared with what is found among others in this community, was but little beside much. And when what is found within this community is compared with what is found among all other nations,