And likewise, he has a methodology in his refutation of the Rafidah, the partisans of Satan (A discussion of the book of the Shaykh al-Islam, *Minhaj al-Sunnah*, and an explanation of its virtue and a definition of the Rafidah)

The Shaykh : He also says:
"And likewise, he has a methodology in his refutation of the Rafidah, the partisans of Satan"
*Minhaj* refers to *Minhaj al-Sunnah fi al-Radd 'ala al-Shi'ah* (The Methodology of the Sunnah in Refuting the Shi'ah), a refutation of the book they hold in high esteem, *Minhaj al-Karamah fi Ithbat al-Imamah* (The Methodology of Honor in Proving the Imamate). The Shaykh al-Islam says: "This book deserves to be called *Minhaj al-Nadamah* (The Methodology of Regret)". *Minhaj al-Nadamah*. And he spoke the truth, may Allah have mercy on him. This book, as far as we know, has no parallel in refuting the Rafidah. Everything they cite as evidence today is found in the book, and it has been refuted. It is found in *Minhaj al-Sunnah*, and it has been refuted. Yes, and this year a man met with us who said he was wavering between the methodology of the Sunnah and the methodology of the Shi'ah, that he was hesitant and searching, wanting the truth. He brought hadiths regarding the virtue of the Ahl al-Bayt (the Family of the Prophet). We found these hadiths in *Minhaj al-Sunnah*, and the Shaykh al-Islam, may Allah have mercy on him, had refuted them. He focused, in the beginning of his refutation, on saying: We say in the refutation, or in the answer, first, the demand for the authenticity of the transmission. The demand for the authenticity of the transmission is the foundation, because if the transmission is not authentic, then? Then we are spared the need to exert ourselves in explaining it or interpreting it as such and such. He says: The first thing he refutes them with is this demand for the authenticity of the transmission. This is the reality, because if the foundation falls, the branch falls.
Now, regarding the statement of the Rafidah in his refutation, "the Rafidah." The Rafidah: the plural of *Rafidi* or *Rafidah*. They were named so because they rejected Zayd ibn 'Ali ibn al-Husayn ibn 'Ali ibn Abi Talib. They came to him asking about Abu Bakr and 'Umar, wanting him to curse them and speak ill of them, to curse both of them and speak ill of both. He spoke well of them and said: "They are the two ministers of my grandfather". Whose grandfather? The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). The Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) used to say constantly: And for this reason, they were buried beside him, may Allah be pleased with them both. They will all rise from this place on the Day of Resurrection, all of them. This is a virtue that no one else attains. So he praised them. When he praised them, they rejected him, opposed him, and turned their backs on him. From that day on, they were called the Rafidah. Yes. And his statement: "the partisans of Satan": means that they are not the partisans of the Ahl al-Bayt, because the Ahl al-Bayt, may Allah be pleased with them, cannot approve of what these Shi'ah did to them, such as exaggeration, the claim of divinity, and preferring some of them even over the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). They say that they have imams from the Ahl al-Bayt who claim that not an atom can move in the universe except under their will. They made them partners with Allah in lordship, which the polytheists denied, meaning they denied associating partners with Allah in lordship, and these people affirmed it. For this reason, he described them, may Allah have mercy on him, as the partisans of Satan.