true, then some of them did indeed hold it; and if the truth is its opposite, some of them held that view. In either case, the truth did not fall outside Ahl al-Sunnah.

[The Rāwandiyya’s Position on the Designation of al-Abbās as Caliph]

Moreover, even if the doctrine of designation were assumed to be true, this would provide no proof for the Shia, for the Rāwandiyya (1) maintain that al-Abbās was designated, just as the Shia themselves maintain that Ali was designated.

Al-Qādī Abū Yalā and others said:

“The Rāwandiyya differed. A group among them held that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—specifically designated al-Abbās by name; that he announced it, made it known, and explicitly declared it; and that the Muslim community denied (2) this designation, apostatized, and obstinately disobeyed the command of the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—(3).

“Others said that the designation applied to al-Abbās and, after him, his descendants until the Hour comes.” (4)

That is, they regarded it as an implicit designation.

Thus, the Rāwandiyya held two positions, corresponding to the two positions of the Shia. The Imāmiyya maintain that he designated [Ali ibn Abī Tālib]—may Allah be pleased with him—(5) through an explicit declaration identifying him by name,