On the other hand...

On the other hand, I found one group practicing their religion according to a creed ascribed to Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.), and this group is the Twelver Shia. The other sects of Muslims follow Abu Haneefah, Malik, ash-Shafi’ee, or Ahmed ibn Hanbal. These scholars, in spite of their high positions, great knowledge, and piety - had never accompanied the Messenger of Allah (S) for even one day, nor had they seen him at all.

They all lived after the great sedition that spread over them from its darkness and they all had been affected by its bad effects.[^1] And if we divested Imam Ali (a.s.) of everything and did not acknowledge any preference or virtue as due to him, even then he would always remain the great companion and the first Muslim who spent all his life beside the Messenger of Allah (S).

So I adjure you all by Allah, that if you gave up fanaticism and emotion, made reason your judge in order to please your Lord before anything else and then to please your conscience, whom would you choose to follow and obey?” Most of them cried out, “Imam Ali (a.s.) is the worthiest to be followed…” I said, “What if I added to these reasons the traditions of the Messenger of Allah (S) that have been mentioned by the Sunni in their books of Hadith (Sahihs and Musnads), like the following ones: I am the City of knowledge and Ali is its gate.

Of whomever I am a guardian; here Ali is to be his guardian. Ali is with the truth and the truth is with Ali. It turns with him wherever he turns. Ali to me is as Aaron was to Moses. Ali explains to my nation what they shall disagree on after me. Ali is with the Qur'an and the Qur'an is with Ali; they shall not separate until they come to me at the Pond in Paradise.

If Muslims know these facts after having acknowledged their reasons to follow Imam Ali (a.s.) just for his companionship with the Prophet (S), then no doubt shall remain that the true Islam is the Islam adopted by the Twelver Shia who are also called Refusers ( rawafidh ) because they refuse to follow anyone else other than Imam Ali (a.s.).” After having given answers to the questions and discussing calmly through the scientific, historical research, many in attendance came to me - congratulated me and kissed me, and praised Allah, the Almighty for the guidance.

They asked me to give them all my books and to lead them to some books of the Shia. From among these people was the imam who managed the mosque.