In short, the Shia comprise a great many sects, with more than twenty major sects. All of them reject this as false (1), except one. Where, then, is this mass transmission by the Shia?!

The second response is to say: This is contradicted by another explicit designation transmitted by Shia other than the Twelvers, such as those who maintain the imamate of individuals other than the Twelve. It is also contradicted by what the Rāwandiyyah transmit, for each of these groups claims an explicit designation [other than] (2) the one claimed by the Twelvers.

The third response is to say: None of the early Shia scholars transmitted this explicit designation, mentioned it in a book, or invoked it as evidence in any discourse. Their reports are well known and transmitted through numerous channels. Thus, it is clear that this was fabricated by later generations. It was fabricated (3) only when al-Hasan ibn Ali al-Askarī died and it was said that his son Muhammad was in occultation. Only then did this explicit designation appear, more than two hundred and fifty years after the death of the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace.

The fourth response is to say: Ahl al-Sunnah and their scholars outnumber the Shia many times over. They all know with absolute certainty, untainted by doubt, that this is a lie attributed to the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace. They engage the Shia in invoking Allah’s curse upon the party in the wrong concerning this, as in the case of ordinary Shia concerning Ali. If the Shia scholars claim that they know this has been mass-transmitted, their claim is no more plausible than the claim of Sunni scholars that it is false.