specific individual; and how could it be said that this means ‘Alī alone?
Fourth: It may be said that it is known by necessity and through mass transmission that the establishment of the Prophet’s religion—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—did not rest merely on ‘Alī’s support. When ‘Alī was(1) among the earliest to embrace Islam, Islam was still weak. Had Allah not guided those whom He guided to faith, emigration, and support, no support would have been secured through ‘Alī alone. Nor did(2) the people come to faith or emigrate, nor did they render support, through ‘Alī.
‘Alī did not devote himself, either in Mecca or Medina, to calling people to faith, as Abū Bakr did. Nor is it reported that any of the first and foremost—whether among the Emigrants or the Helpers—embraced Islam through ‘Alī. Indeed, we know of no Companion who embraced Islam through him. However, when the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—sent him to Yemen, some people may have embraced Islam through him(3), if this did in fact occur; but those people were not Companions. It was, rather, through Abū Bakr that the leading Companions embraced Islam. Nor did ‘Alī call the polytheists to Islam and debate them as Abū Bakr did, and the polytheists did not fear him as they feared Abū Bakr and ‘Umar.
Rather, it is established in the Sahīh collections, the Musnad collections, and the works on the Prophet’s campaigns—and is agreed upon by all—that: “On the day of Uhud, when the Muslims were routed, Abū Sufyān went up(4) the mountain and asked, ‘Is Muhammad among you? [Is Muhammad among you?]’(5) The Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said: