This further demonstrates that he did not mean the caliphate. Alī’s being the walī of every believer was a quality established for him during the Prophet’s lifetime—peace and blessings be upon him—and it did not take effect only upon the Prophet’s death. By contrast, he could become caliph only after the Prophet’s death. It is therefore evident that the two are not the same.

The Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—has a greater claim over the believers than they have over themselves, both during his lifetime and after his death until the Day of Resurrection. If he appoints someone as his deputy over certain affairs during his lifetime, or if one supposes that he appointed someone as his deputy over certain affairs during his lifetime, or if one supposes that he designated someone to succeed him after his death and that person became his successor by explicit designation or consensus, the Prophet retains the greater claim with respect to that delegated office and over all believers than they have over themselves. Thus, no one other than him can ever have a greater claim over any believer than that believer has over himself—especially during the Prophet’s lifetime.

As for Alī and others being the mawlā of every believer, this is a quality established for Alī during the Prophet’s lifetime—peace and blessings be upon him—after the Prophet’s death, and even after Alī’s own death. Thus, Alī remains today the mawlā of every believer, although he does not now govern the people. Likewise, the other believers are allies of one another, living and dead (1).

[Third: His Statement, “You Are to Me as Aaron Was to Moses”]

Section.

The Rāfidī said (2):

“Third (3): his statement (4): ‘You are to me as Aaron was to Moses, except that there is no prophet after me.’ [He affirmed for him—‘peace be upon him’—all