Such an exception is prophethood with all the...

Such an exception is prophethood with all the characteristics attached to it - one of them being the reception of revelation, and through it communication of the Divine Ordinances. Perhaps you have forgotten my statements on previous nights, in which I proved through the hadith of Rank (Manzila) that ‘Ali possessed the rank of prophethood, but that he followed, and was subject to, the religion and the code prescribed by the Holy Prophet.

His rank in prophethood was no more than the rank of Aaron in the time of Moses. Hafiz: But if you believe in ‘Ali's equality with the Holy Prophet in all matters of virtue and excellence, it follows that you must believe in his equality in matters of prophethood and the characteristics attached to that. Well-Wisher: It might seem so, but if you think carefully you will see that it is not so.

As I have proved earlier from verses of the Qur'an, prophethood is of different ranks, and the prophets and Messengers of Allah are superior to one another in ranks.

As the Holy Qur'an clearly says: "These prophets, We have exalted some of them above the others." (2:253) And the most perfect in rank of all the prophets is the special rank of Muhammad, as Allah says: "Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but the prophet of Allah and the seal of the prophets." (33:40) It is that perfection of prophethood which led to the sealing of prophethood. So in this attribute of perfection, none else could be included.

In all other matters of excellence, there is association and equality, for which there are innumerable justifications. Sayyid: Can you advance any argument from the Holy Qur'an to prove this assertion.

The verse of imprecation (Mubahala) proves the unity of the soul of ‘Ali with the Holy Prophet Well-Wisher: Of course, our first argument is from the Qur'an, which is the strongest Divine evidence, namely the Verse of Imprecation (Ayah al-Mubahala) in which Allah says: "And to him who disputes with you therein after the knowledge has come to you, say 'Come, let us summon our sons and your sons, and our women and your women, and ourselves and yourselves and then let us invoke and lay the curse of Allah upon the liars.'" (3:60) Your notable ulama’, such as Imam Fakhru'd-Din Razi, Imam Abu Ishaq Tha'labi, Jalalu'd-Din Suyuti, Qazi Baidhawi, Jarullah Zamakhshari, Muslim ibn Hujjaj, and many others, have written that this Holy verse was revealed on the Day of Imprecation, which was the 24th or 25th of Dhu'l-Hijja in 9 AH.