For the accomplished gnostic among them says:

“He sent from himself to himself a messenger who was himself. Thus he is the sender, the recipient, and the messenger.”

One of the most eminent ascetics and worshippers whom they have led astray says, despite his sincerity in glorifying and remembering Allah:

“Existence is one, and it is Allah; I do not see the One, nor do I see Allah.”

He also says:

“The Book and the Sunnah speak of the duality of existence, yet existence is one, with no duality in it.”

He repeats this just as Muslims repeat:

“Glory be to Allah, praise be to Allah, there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and Allah is the Greatest.”

In his view, this is the pinnacle of spiritual realization and knowledge.

Then one of the foremost speculative theologians who deny divine elevation comes along and considers such a man to have been among the best people on earth, or the very best. He takes a sheet containing the secret of that man’s doctrine and recites from it over the sick for healing, just as Muslims recite the Opening Chapter of the Quran, as trustworthy informants have told us. They even prefer that healing recitation to the Opening Chapter.