and the Hereafter. Although he may affirm that the sandals were actually removed, he interpreted this as indicating that whoever abandons this world and the Hereafter has received that divine address.

This is akin to the claim that prophethood can be acquired. Hence, the leading figures among them aspired to prophethood. Al-Suhrawardī, who was executed, used to say:

“I shall not die until I am told: ‘Arise and warn.’”

Ibn Sabʿīn used to say:

“Āmina’s son was certainly hasty when he said: ‘There is no prophet after me.’”

Once the removal of the two sandals had been interpreted in this way, Ibn Qasī and others adopted that interpretation. Drawing on such statements, he composed his book on removing the two sandals and drawing light from where the feet stand.

This opened the way for heretics who profess divine indwelling, the unity of existence, and union. They eventually went so far as to identify the existence of created beings with the very existence of the Creator, glorified and exalted is He. Such was the position of Ibn ʿArabī, author of The Bezels, Ibn Sabʿīn, and similar heretics claiming affiliation with tasarruf and spiritual realization.

They are of the same kind as the heretics claiming affiliation with Shiism. These, however, made an outward show of statements drawn from Sufi masters and people of spiritual knowledge, thereby obscuring their true character for many scholars who profess learning and religion. This differs from those who outwardly professed Shiism, for the general public’s aversion