Second:
This is a lie; it is not established (1).
Third:
The verse applies generally to everyone who spends by night and day, secretly and openly. Whoever acts in accordance with it falls within its scope (2), whether he is Alī or someone else. It is impossible that it should be intended to refer exclusively to one specific individual (3).
Fourth:
The hadith he cited (4) contradicts the meaning of the verse. The verse refers to spending during the two divisions that encompass all time, and in the two modes that encompass every act. Every act must occur at a particular time, and that time is either night or day. Likewise, every act is performed either secretly or openly. Thus, when a man spends secretly at night, he has spent both at night and secretly; and when he spends openly by day, he has spent both openly and by day. Spending secretly or openly is not separate from spending by night or by day.
Therefore, anyone who says that what is meant is someone who spent one dirham secretly, one openly, one by night, and one by day is ignorant. Whatever he spent secretly or openly was necessarily spent either by night or by day, and whatever he spent by night or by day was necessarily spent either secretly or openly. It is thus evident that a single dirham bears two descriptions; it does not follow that four are intended.
Yet many ignorant people make similarly false interpretations, as when they say: