Nasb-and-the-Nawasib

Reality attests that extremism is only opposed by an opposite extremism which
is at times based on ignorance and at times upon transgression. For one breeds in
the hearts of the proponents of the other such animosity that removes them from
moderation and fixes them into an extreme wherein their only intent becomes
opposing their opponents and debunking their claims in whichever way possible.
For example, some of the ignorant Sunnīs are reported to have said:
سبوا عليا كما سبوا عتيقكم
كفر بكفر وإيمان بإيمان
Revile ʿAlī just as they revile your ʿAtīq. Disbelief in lieu of disbelief and
faith in lieu of faith. 1
Another example is that when the Shīʿah 2 forged innumerable narrations
regarding the specialities, virtues, and miracles of ʿAlī I, and likewise
narrations criticising Muʿāwiyah I and impugning him, others combatted
this lie with another lie; and hence they forged narrations regarding Muʿāwiyah
I 3 and at times even impugned ʿAlī I. 4 Ibn Taymiyyah has alluded to this:
طائفة وضعوا لمعاوية ورووا أحاديث عن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم في ذلك كلها كذب
A group of people forged narrations attributing them to Nabī H
regarding the virtues of Muʿāwiyah I, all of which are lies. 5
1 Tabyīn Kadhib al-Muftarī p. 378; al-Ṣārim al-Maslūl 3/925.
2 Shīʿah: Refers to those people who supported ʿAlī I specifically, believed in his Imāmah and his
immediate successorship which was emphatic, and that Imāmah will not leave his children but by
way of oppression. They believe that Imāmah is a principle of Dīn. There are many sub-sects within
the Shīʿah the common denominator amongst all of which is believing in the infallibility of the Imāms
and the Ambiyāʾ from all minor and major sins and association with the Ahl al-Bayt and disassociation
with everyone beside them in word, action and contract, with the exception of Taqiyyah permitting
situations. The Zaydiyyah differ with them in some of these ideas. See: Maqālāt al-Islāmiyyīn p. 5, al-
Tanbīh wa al-Radd p. 18; al-Milal wa al-Niḥal 1/146; al-Mawāqif 3/671.
3 Al-ʿIlal al-Mutanāhiyah 1/272; Minhāj al-Sunnah al-Nabawiyyah 7/371; al-Manār al-Munīf p. 116; al-
Shawkānī: al-Fawāʾid al-Majmūʿah p. 404.
4 Tārīkh Aṣfahān 2272; Siyar Aʿlām al-Nubalāʾ 13/229.
5 Minhāj al-Sunnah al-Nabawiyyah 4/400.
169