Ali Ibn Abi Talib - Volume 2 of 2

506 'Ali's attitude towards the Kharijites and Shia
strive to cleanse the Shiite legacy of everything that is contrary to the
Book of AUah and the Sunnah of His Messenger, and they should
stand up to the contemporary Shiite shaykhs who are still jabbering
about these misguided notions. They should not ignore what is
mentioned in their books, both classical and contemporary, and what
is taking place in real life among their common folk and shaykhs
alike. They should be sincere and not contradict themselves, and only
then we might accept what they say.880
The belief of the R%i& Shia about the Companions is to be
found in the reference hooks on which their madh-hab is based.
There is slander, impugning, reviling and foul talk that people with
dignity and religious commitment would refrain from uttering
towards the worst disbelievers. Yet we see that the Rsifidi Shia are
happy with these words that they speak against the Companions of
the Messenger of Allah (B) and his successors (caliphs), advisors
and in-laws, and they regard this as a religious duty for which they
hope for the greatest reward from AUah. In fact, if the Muslim
ponders how misguided these people are, he will realise two things:
(a) He will realise the greatness of Allah's blessing, kindness and
generosity due to the fact that He has saved him from this
misguidance; this is something that requires gratitude to Allah.
(b) He will learn a lesson about the extent of these people's
deviation and misguidance that anyone with the slightest amount
of reason would realise, such as their seeking to draw close to
Allah by cursing Abu Bakr and 'Umar morning and evening,
and their claims that the one who curses them once will not have
any sin recorded for him during that day. All the rational people
of this Ummah, and indeed those of religions of divine origin,
would realise clearly, on the basis of what they know of the
religion of Allah (&), that Allah (&) never asked any nation to
draw close to Him by means of cursing any of the disbelievers,