[The fourth point is that it may be said: Ahl al-Sunnah stand in relation to the Rāfidis as Muslims do to Christians]
Muslims believe that Christ is the servant and messenger of Allah. They neither go to excess concerning him as the Christians do nor reject him as the Jews do. The Christians ascribe divinity to him and seek to rank him above Muhammad, Abraham, and Moses. Indeed, they seek to rank the disciples above these messengers, just as the Rāfidis seek to rank those who fought alongside Ali—such as Muhammad ibn Abī Bakr and al-Ashtar al-Nakhaī—above Abū Bakr, Umar, Uthmān, and the great majority of the Companions drawn from (1) the Emigrants and the Ansar.
When a Muslim debates a Christian, he can say nothing about Jesus except the truth. But if you wish to recognize the Christian’s ignorance (2) and his lack of any proof, imagine a debate between him and a Jew (3). The Christian can answer the Jew’s specious objection only with the same answer a Muslim gives; unless he embraces Islam, he will be left unable to answer the Jew. For when he is called upon (4) to believe in Muhammad—peace and blessings be upon him—if he impugns his prophethood on any ground whatsoever, he can say nothing without the Jew (5) saying something about Christ that is even more damaging. The clear proofs supporting Muhammad are greater than those supporting Christ, and the case of Muhammad (6) is further removed from doubt than Christ is from