Fifth: The verse is unrestricted in its application to every relationship by blood and marriage (1); it does not apply exclusively to one individual rather than another. There is no doubt (2) that it encompasses the Prophet’s kinship by marriage with Alī, just as it encompasses his kinship by marriage with Uthmān on two occasions, and the kinship by marriage of Abū Bakr and Umar with the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace. For the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—married Ā’isha, the daughter of Abū Bakr, and Hafsa, the daughter of Umar, thereby becoming related by marriage to both of their fathers. He gave his two daughters, Ruqayya and Umm Kulthūm, in marriage to Uthmān, and gave Fātima in marriage to Alī. Thus, kinship by marriage (3) was established between him and all four.

It is reported that he said, “If we had had a third daughter, we would have given her in marriage to Uthmān.” (4)

Accordingly, this kinship by marriage was shared by Alī and others. It was not peculiar to him, let alone something that would entail his superiority to them and his Imamate over them.

Sixth: Even if it were assumed that what was intended by this was Alī’s relationship by marriage, the mere fact of such a relationship would not indicate that he was superior to anyone else, as [Ahl] (5) al-Sunnah and the Shia unanimously agree, since a relationship by marriage (6) was established for each of the four, even though some of them were superior to others. If kinship by marriage entailed superiority, a contradiction would necessarily follow.