And none of the shaykhs mentioned in these works is known to have held the Bātinī doctrine that contradicts the outward meaning of revelation. Rather, their teachings affirm the opposite. Indeed, in refuting even minor innovations and upholding the Sharia inwardly and outwardly, their statements, their firmness, and their loyalty and enmity on that basis display much that is lacking among many leading jurists.

The most discerning shaykhs devote greater attention to refuting the Jahmiyyah than many of the most discerning jurists, especially those fully accomplished in Sufism, who are people of hadith. They would advise a person to record hadith and practise Sufism. These are among those most attentive to the words and deeds prescribed by the Sharia, most careful to preserve what its outward meaning indicates while fully realizing its inward meaning. Thus they bring together the outward and the inward.

As for what he reported about them when he said, “As for the Sufis