and reviled him and fought him. As for Abū Bakr and Umar—may Allah be pleased with them both—the Rāfidah, Nusayris, extremists, and Ismailis hated and reviled them. Yet it is well known that those who loved those two(1) were better and more numerous, while those who hated them were further removed from Islam and fewer in number. This was not the case with Alī, for those who hated and fought him were better than those who hated Abū Bakr and Umar. Indeed, although the partisans of Uthmān who loved him and hated Alī were unjust innovators, Alī’s partisans, who loved him and hated Uthmān, were inferior to them in knowledge and religion, and were more ignorant and unjust. Thus, it is known that the love Allah placed in people’s hearts for the three was greater.

If it is said:

“It has been claimed(2) that Alī was divine and a prophet,”

it is answered:

“All the Khārijites declared him an unbeliever, and the Marwānids hated him. Yet these were better than the Rāfidah who revile Abū Bakr and Umar—may Allah be pleased with them both—let alone the extremists(3).”

[Section: The Thirteenth Proof—“You are only a warner, and every people has a guide”—and the Response to It]

Section

The Rāfidi(4) said:

“The thirteenth proof is the statement of Allah, Exalted is He:

‘You are only a warner, and every people has a guide.’

[Surah al-Ra'd: 7]

In the book al-Firdaws, it is narrated on the authority of Ibn Abbās(5) that the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said: ‘I am