his infallibility—and he is the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—whom He sent with guidance and the religion of truth, as a bearer of glad tidings and a warner, one who calls to Allah by His permission, and an illuminating lamp. Through him, Allah brought people out of darkness into light and guided them to the path of the Almighty, the Praiseworthy. Through him, He distinguished truth from falsehood, guidance from misguidance, waywardness from right guidance, light from darkness, and the blessed from the wretched. He made him the one through whom He divided His servants into the wretched and the blessed: the blessed are those who believe in him, while the wretched are those who reject him and turn away from obeying him.

The Shiʿah who affirm an infallible Imam, and others like them, are among the sects furthest removed from following this infallible Messenger. Inevitably, therefore, you find them among the people furthest removed from their own religious and worldly welfare, to the extent that among those (1) living under the rule of the most unjust and misguided kings, one may find people in a better condition than they are. Nor do they (2) fare well unless they are governed by someone who is not one of them.

This is why they resemble the Jews in many respects, including this: humiliation has been laid upon them wherever they are found, except through a bond from Allah and a bond from people, and destitution has been laid upon them. Thus, they cannot live in the land unless they cling to the protection of some ruler who is not infallible.

They must also claim some affiliation with Islam, through which they outwardly display the opposite of what is in their hearts. What the Book and the Sunnah have brought is therefore attested by the signs Allah shows us on the horizons and within ourselves.

Allah Most High says:

“We will show them Our signs on the horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that it is the truth.”

[Surah Fussilat: 53].