Third: It may be said: [This](1) view—that Alī alone is meant by the phrase—has not been reliably transmitted from anyone whose statement carries authority. The aforementioned hadith is a fabricated lie, and he has cited no evidence of its authenticity(2). Abū Nuaym’s mere narration of it does not establish its authenticity.

Fourth: It may be said: The phrase “and the righteous among the believers” is a general designation encompassing every righteous believer. It is likewise reported in the two Sahīh collections that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said:

“Indeed, the family of so-and-so are not my allies. My allies are none but Allah and the righteous believers.”(3)

Fifth: It may be said: In this verse, Allah designated “the righteous among the believers” as the Messenger of Allah’s mawlā (loyal supporting party)(4)—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—just as He declared that Allah is his mawlā (Protector). The word mawlā cannot mean the party to whom such support is given(5); it can therefore mean only the party that gives it.

It is well known that every righteous believer unquestionably gives loyal support to the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace. For [if] he did not give him such support(6), he would not be among the righteous believers. A believer may, in fact, give him such support even without being righteous, though it will not be complete. The righteous believer, however, gives him complete loyal support; for when he is righteous, he loves what Allah and His Messenger love, detests what Allah and His Messenger detest, enjoins what Allah and His Messenger have commanded, and forbids what Allah and His Messenger have forbidden. All of this entails loyal support.