The fifth point is to say: It is known through mass transmission that Ibn Abbās maintained closer relations with people outside Ali’s Shi'a than he did with many members of the Shi'a. He would even sit with the Kharijites, issue religious rulings to them, and debate them. Had he believed that only the Shi'a were “those who believe and do righteous deeds,” and that everyone else was an unbeliever, he would not have acted in this way. Likewise, the way Ibn Abbās and others dealt with the Umayyads was among the clearest indications that he regarded them as believers, not unbelievers (1).

If it is said, “We do not declare those outside the Shi'a unbelievers; we merely say that the Shi'a are the best of creation,” the reply is: The verse indicates that “those who believe and do righteous deeds” are the best of creation. If you say that those outside the Shi'a are not included among them, you must say either that such a person is an unbeliever or that he is a flagrant sinner (2), so that he is not among “those who believe and do righteous deeds,” even if such people fall under the designation of faith. Otherwise, whoever is a believer and not a flagrant sinner is included among “those who believe and do righteous deeds” (3).

If you say, “He is a flagrant sinner,” it will be said to you: If their flagrant sinfulness is established, that alone suffices as your proof. If it is not established, it does not help your argument. Whatever you cite as proof of the flagrant sinfulness (4) of any faction, that faction will show you in many respects that you have a stronger claim to such sinfulness than they do, and you possess no sound proof by which to rebut this.