some of them, and Muslim narrated ten of them. Hadith scholars adhere as a matter of religion to whatever they deem authentically established from the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Yet despite this, they were not led(1) by their hatred for the Khārijites(2) to lie about them. Rather, they tested them and found them truthful. Against you, however, the hadith scholars, jurists, Muslims, merchants, ordinary people, soldiers, and everyone who has associated with and tested you, past and present, testify that your sect is the most mendacious of all sects. If a truthful person is found within it, truthful people are more numerous in other sects; and if a liar is found in another sect, liars are more numerous within it.

No fair-minded person of reason can fail to see this. As for one who follows his own desires, Allah has blinded his heart; and “whomever Allah leaves astray, you will never find for him a guiding protector.”

What we have stated has long been well known to scholars and remains so today, as we have already cited some of their statements. Imam Abd Allah ibn al-Mubārak even said:

“Religion is for the hadith scholars; lying, for the Rāfidah; speculative theology, for the Muʿtazilah; legal stratagems, for the adherents of personal opinion—the followers of so-and-so; and mismanagement, for the family of Abū So-and-so.”

It is just as he said. Religion is what Allah sent Muhammad—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—with, and those with the greatest knowledge (of it)(3) are those with the greatest knowledge of his hadith and sunnah. As for speculative theology, the Muʿtazilah are the sect best known for it; hence, among the learned, they were the sect best known for religious innovations.

As for the Rāfidah, they are known for religious innovation(4) among(5) the learned and the general public alike, to such an extent that, for most ordinary people, the only recognized opposing counterpart is the Rāfidī(6).(7) “due to the manifest nature of