fire” [Nūh 25], meant that their sins had carried them onward until they drowned in the seas of knowledge of Allah; that the inhabitants of the Fire feel no pain there, but that punishment (ʿadhāb) is derived from sweetness (ʿudhūbah), so they find it sweet; and that when the wind bearing punishment came upon ʿĀd, they expected good, and it brought them relief and what they found sweet.

They also claimed that the words of the Most High,

“Indeed, those who disbelieve—it is all the same to them whether you warn them or do not warn them—they will not believe” (6) [al-Baqarah 6],

refer to the elect among Allah’s allies who conceal their knowledge of true reality. Thus, whether you warn them through the religious law or do not warn them, they will not believe in it, because they have already come to know true reality and will not accept anything that contradicts it.

These interpretations, and still more extreme ones, are found in books whose authors are revered and regarded as superior to the prophets. Knowledge of these interpretations of the Quran is treated as knowledge peculiar to the allies of Allah Most High.

Yet it is well known that Allah has made the verses they found ambiguous perfectly clear and has explained His intended meaning, which scholars and laypeople alike have understood. The Most High said:

“For it is not the eyes that are blind, but the hearts within the breasts” (46) [al-Hajj 46].

He also said:

“Have you seen the one who has taken his own desire as his god