41–42], and He said:

“Have you not seen that the ships sail through the sea by Allah’s grace, so that He may show you some of His signs? Surely in that are signs for everyone who is steadfast and grateful.”

[Surah Luqmān: 31]

How, then, could all of this be meant for only one person to retain?

Indeed, Ali’s ear is a retentive ear, as are the ears of Abū Bakr, Umar, Uthmān, and others. Thus, Ali has no exclusive distinction in this regard.

It is known by necessity that retentive ears are not limited to Ali’s ear alone. Do you imagine that the ear of the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—was not retentive, or that the ears of al-Hasan, al-Husayn, Ammār, Abū Dharr, al-Miqdād, Salmān al-Fārisī, Sahl ibn Hunayf, and others whose virtue and faith are acknowledged were not?

If Ali and others alike possess retentive ears, then it cannot be said: “No one else attained this distinction.”

There is no doubt that this ignorant and unjust Rāfidī bases his position on false premises. Indeed, among all the sects of innovation, none is known to have arguments flimsier than those of the Rāfidah. This is unlike the Mu'tazilah and similar groups, for they possess arguments and proofs that may confuse many learned and intelligent people. The Rāfidah, however, have no argument whatsoever that gains currency except with an ignorant person or an unjust person driven by his whims, who accepts whatever accords with his desires, whether true or false.

Hence it is said of them: “They have neither reason nor transmitted evidence, neither sound religion nor worldly success.”