Censure and Punishment,” in which he related accounts (1 well known in this regard; I myself know of accounts 1) (1) other than these that he did not mention.

Among them are forms of polytheism and extremism not found in any other group within the Muslim community. Thus, extremism is most manifest in two groups: the Christians and the Rāfidah. It is also found in a third group among those devoted to religious practice, renunciation, and worship, who go to excess regarding their shaykhs and associate them with Allah. (2)

[Section: A Response to the Rāfidī’s Claim That Ahl al-Sunnah Say the Prophet Did Not Designate Anyone for the Imamate and That He Died Without Leaving Any Testamentary Instruction]

[Texts Demonstrating Abū Bakr’s Entitlement to the Caliphate]

Section

As for his statement concerning Ahl al-Sunnah:

They say that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—did not designate anyone for the imamate (3) and that he died without leaving any testamentary instruction. (4)

The response is that this is not the position of all of them. Rather, groups among Ahl al-Sunnah held that Abū Bakr’s imamate was established by textual designation (5). The disagreement concerning this is well known within the school of Ahmad and of others [among the imams] (6).