greater than it. Likewise, there is no evil among the Muslims but that the Jews and Christians (1) have something of the same kind which is even greater; and there is no good among the Shia but that the majority have something of the same kind which is greater. Similarly, there is no good among some of the People of the Scripture but that the Muslims have something of the same kind which is better.

The principal virtues are knowledge, religious commitment, courage, and generosity. Consider these qualities in each of the two groups. The majority possess knowledge of the Quran, its meanings, and its disciplines, the like of which is not found at all among the Shia. Some of the latter learned such knowledge from Ahl al-Sunnah, yet even then they remain deficient. Whoever among them authors an exegesis of the Quran draws upon the commentaries of Ahl al-Sunnah, as al-Tūsī and al-Mūsawī did. Thus, whatever beneficial knowledge is found in such a commentary is taken from the commentaries of Ahl al-Sunnah.

In this context, Ahl al-Sunnah refers to those who acknowledge the caliphate of the first three caliphs; hence, the Muʿtazilah are included among Ahl al-Sunnah. In exegesis and transmitted reports, they seek assistance (2) only from the writings of the Muʿtazilah (3). The same applies to their rational inquiries: whatever is correct in them was taken from Ahl al-Sunnah. What distinguishes them is their discourse vilifying the Companions and the majority, their claim of an explicit designation, and similar matters—things more befitting of them and more characteristic of them.

As for hadith, they are among the people farthest removed from (4) knowing it: they know neither its chains of transmission nor its texts, nor do they know the Messenger and his circumstances. Consequently, whenever they transmit anything (5) from hadith, they are among the