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Some of the Virtuous have inquired about a statement by Imam Ibn Taymiyyah, May Allāh have mercy on him, regarding whether it indicates a preference for the Shia (Rafidah) over the Jews and Christians, and if his wording suggests a form of inclination toward them in certain circumstances. Here is the text of his statement: Ibn Taymiyyah, May Allāh have mercy on him, said in "Minhaj as-Sunnah" (6/375): "...This is a well-known matter regarding their assistance to the disbelievers against the Muslims and their preference for the appearance of disbelief and its people over Islam and its followers. Even if it were assumed that the Muslims were oppressive sinners and displayed various innovations that are greater than insulting Ali and Uthman, a rational person would consider the better of the two goods and the worse of the two evils. Do you not see that Ahlus-Sunnah, although they speak about the Khawarij, the Rafidah, and others among the innovators in the way they do, do not assist the disbelievers in their religion nor do they prefer the emergence of disbelief and its people over the emergence of a lesser innovation." End of quote. It should be noted that Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah provided detailed explanations regarding the Rafidah and stated in several places that there are Muslims among them. For instance, he mentioned, May Allāh have mercy on him, while discussing the Rafidah's claim about the infallibility of the Imams: "This is a characteristic of the Imami Rafidah that no one else shares with them, neither the Zaydi Shia nor other sects of Muslims, except for those who are worse than them, like the Ismailis, who claim the infallibility of the Banu Ubayd, who trace their lineage to Muhammad ibn Ismail ibn Ja'far, asserting that the Imamate after Ja'far belongs to Muhammad ibn Ismail rather than Musa ibn Ja'far. Those are heretical hypocrites, and the twelve Imami Shia are much better than them; for the Imami Shia, despite their great ignorance and misguidance, contain individuals who are Muslims both inwardly and outwardly, and they are not heretical hypocrites, but they have erred and followed their desires. As for those (meaning the Ismailis), their major imams, who are aware of the true nature of their esoteric call, are heretical hypocrites, while their common people who are unaware of their reality may be Muslims." Minhaj as-Sunnah (2/452) This clearly supports the assertion of Islam of some individuals among the ignorant Rafidah. When this statement is combined with other statements of his, it becomes evident that Ibn Taymiyyah is discussing individuals or groups among the Rafidah and Khawarij who have not exited the realm of Islam. Although they are innovators and misled, a Muslim would not be pleased to see disbelievers triumph over them, just as he would not be content for Allāh to expose the people of disbelief over them. Therefore, he, May Allāh have mercy on him, said in the context in question: "They do not assist the disbelievers in their religion, nor do they prefer the appearance of disbelief and its people over the appearance of innovation instead." The issue remains regarding who among them is a heretical disbeliever, such as one who prefers Ali ibn Abi Talib, may Allāh be pleased with him, and their Imams over the Prophets, as their Imam al-Majlisi states: "Know that what he, may Allah have mercy on him, mentioned about the virtue of our Prophet and our Imams, may Allah's peace be upon them, over all creations, and that our Imams are better than other Prophets is what cannot be doubted by anyone who follows their narrations with submission and certainty. The reports on this matter are too numerous to count, and we have only mentioned a small portion of them here, scattered throughout the chapters..." - until he said - "And this is the cornerstone of the Imamate, and only an ignorant person of the reports would deny it." (Bihar al-Anwar, 298/26-297). Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allāh have mercy on him, said in response to this false claim: