The Categories of the Shi'ah and the Ruling on Them

Question:
What do you say about a man who said: "There is no difference between a Sunni and a Shi'i; rather, they are all Muslims." He is a mufti in one of the lands of the Muslims, and an interview was conducted with him in one of the magazines a month ago. He says: "It is forbidden for us to say: This is a Sunni, and this is a Shi'i." Is there no harm in this statement, or what do you see in it?

Answer:
This statement contains a generalization that is erroneous. The Shi'ah are divided into categories; they are not one single category. The Shi'ah are divided into categories. Al-Shahrastani mentioned that they are twenty-two sects. They differ among themselves: some have innovations that make them disbelievers, and some have innovations that do not make them disbelievers, even though, in general, the Shi'ah are innovators. The Shi'ah, in general, are innovators. The least of them in terms of preferring 'Ali over Abu Bakr al-Siddiq and 'Umar has erred and contradicted the Companions.
But the most dangerous of them are the Rafidah, the followers of Khomeini. These are the most dangerous of them. Likewise, the Nusayriyyah, the followers of Hafez al-Asad and his group in Syria, are the most dangerous. The Batiniyyah in Syria, the Batiniyyah in Iran, and the Batiniyyah in India, who are the Isma'iliyyah—these three groups are the most severe and the most dangerous of them. They are disbelievers. These are disbelievers because, may Allah protect us from that, they harbor evil toward the Muslims. They consider the Muslims more dangerous to them than the disbelievers. They hate the Muslims more than they hate the disbelievers. They consider the blood and wealth of the people of the Sunnah to be lawful for them. Even if they show courtesy in some places where they show courtesy, they believe that their imams know the unseen, that they are infallible, and that they worship other than Allah through calling for aid, slaughtering animals for them, and making vows for them. This is their state regarding their imams.
The Rafidah, who are the Twelver sect, and who are called the Ja'fariyyah, and who are now called the Khomeiniyyah, call to falsehood. They are among the worst of the sects. Likewise, the Nusayriyyah sect is among the worst of the sects, and likewise the Isma'iliyyah sect. These are Batiniyyah... They consider the imamate of Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, 'Umar, and 'Uthman to be invalid. They consider the Companions to be disbelievers who apostatized from Islam, except for a small number of them, such as 'Ali, al-Hasan, al-Husayn, and 'Ammar ibn Yasir, and two or three or four of the rest of those whom they consider to have supported only 'Ali. As for the rest of the Companions, in their view, they are apostates who have exited Islam and wronged 'Ali, among other things they say. May Allah grant us safety.
Along with their exaggeration regarding the People of the House, and their claim that they know the unseen, and that it is obligatory to follow their imamate, and that all these imamates after 'Ali and before 'Ali are invalid, and that they have no true authority except the authority of 'Ali and al-Husayn only. As for the authorities from the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to our day, they are all invalid according to the Rafidah. May Allah grant us safety.
The intended meaning: That the Shi'ah are divided into categories; they are not one single category. Among them are the Zaydiyyah, who are known in Yemen. These people have the preference [of 'Ali], but they are not disbelievers, except for those among them who worship idols and exaggerate regarding the People of the House, and call to them other than Allah. As for merely preferring 'Ali over Abu Bakr al-Siddiq and over 'Umar, this does not constitute disbelief, but it is an innovation and an error. It is obligatory to prefer Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, then 'Umar, then 'Uthman over 'Ali. 'Ali is the fourth (may Allah be pleased with him and grant him satisfaction). This is the truth upon which the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them and grant them satisfaction) agreed.
So the one who prefers 'Ali over them has erred, and he is not a disbeliever. Rather, the disbelievers among them are the Rafidah, the Nusayriyyah, and the Isma'iliyyah, who exaggerate regarding the People of the House, worship them other than Allah, and consider their worship to be permissible, and believe that their imams know the unseen, among other things they say. May Allah grant us safety.
So the conclusion: That one should look into their beliefs in detail, and it is not said that all the Shi'ah are disbelievers. No, rather, there is a detailed distinction among them, and they are many categories.

Question : How is their Hajj to the House of Allah the Sacred carried out based on this belief?

Answer: It is necessary to look into their matter in the future, and that the state be guided to all good and they be assisted.

Question : Why do they get angry at the naming of Abu Bakr, 'Uthman, 'Aishah, Hafsa, and Umm Habiba...?

Answer: It is well known, meaning they consider Abu Bakr al-Siddiq a disbeliever, they consider 'Umar a disbeliever, and they consider 'Uthman a disbeliever. They consider that they wronged 'Ali, and they accuse 'Aishah, among other false beliefs of theirs. May Allah grant us safety.
The intended meaning: The statement of the one who said: "There is no difference between the Shi'ah and the Sunnah," this statement is false and erroneous. The Shi'ah have a detailed distinction among them, and it is not permissible to say that they are like the Muslims, and that they are equal. This is an error. Rather, there is a detailed distinction among them. Likewise, the Sufis are divided into categories; there is a detailed distinction among them; they are not on the same level.