contradicts the outward meaning and displays some Jahmī tendencies, let alone the materialist esotericists. They believe more firmly than others, inwardly and outwardly, in what the Messenger—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—has conveyed, and hold outward deeds, together with inward deeds, in greater esteem than others.

Nevertheless, among them one finds the same kinds of religious innovation and hypocrisy found in other groups: some consider inward deeds sufficient without outward deeds, while others claim that the Quran has an inward meaning contrary to its outward meaning, along with other such kinds of hypocrites and heretics. Such people stand in relation to the Sufis who are masters of the spiritual path and are held in good repute within the Muslim community as the hypocrites, heretics, philosophical dialecticians and their like found among the jurists stand in relation to the leading jurists who are held in good repute within the Muslim community.

Just as those leading jurists are free of the innovations of the speculative theologians, let alone those of the esotericist philosophers and their like, so too are the Sufi shaykhs free of the innovations of those who practise Sufism, let alone