Therefore, whoever merely transmits the very wording of the Torah, the Gospel, the Qur’an, or the utterances of the other prophets is not obliged to explain its meaning.

By contrast, one who claims to have understood what the prophets said and then rephrases it in different language must be told:

“If you have truly grasped what they said, then there is but a single meaning which they expressed in one set of words and you have rendered in another, like an interpreter. In that case you both perceive and comprehend what you are saying.

But if you say, ‘I have not understood their speech, or I have not understood what I myself have said,’ you have openly confessed your own ignorance and misguidance; you belong to those who have failed to fathom the words of the prophets—peace be upon them—and have not understood what they themselves said.

Had such people simply said, ‘We do not understand the prophets’ words,’ and then remained silent, they would merely resemble their peers among the masses who are ignorant of the prophets’ meanings.

Instead, they fabricate novel expressions and doctrines of their own invention, command the people to believe in them, and declare, ‘This is faith and true monotheism.’ Yet at the same time they admit, ‘We cannot picture what we have said, we do not understand it, and we do not comprehend it.’ Such individuals speak about Allah without knowledge; they forge lies against Allah, against the Books of Allah, and against the prophets of Allah. They utter concocted falsehood and blatant disbelief, while still protesting, ‘We do not comprehend it.’ This, beyond any doubt, is precisely the condition of the Christians.

In this matter two groups of people have gone astray: an extremist faction that has exceeded all bounds in