preceded by the Lord is an attribute of a created being. As for that which the Lord transcends, it is impossible for Him: it is neither an attribute of His nor itself an attribute of a created being, although a created being may possess something analogous to it.

Second, their ambiguous statements should be interpreted in keeping with the rest of their words. These men are most often afflicted by those who profess union and indwelling, who regard the Lord as dwelling within created beings, bounded by their limits and speaking with their letters. They even regard Him as the one speaking through their tongues. Abū al-Qāsim mentioned this at the beginning of the Epistle when describing the innovations introduced by corrupt Sufis. He said:

“Scrupulousness has vanished, and its carpet has been rolled up; greed has intensified, and its bonds have grown strong. Reverence for the sacred law has departed from their hearts, and they have deemed indifference to religion the surest means to their ends. They have rejected the distinction between the lawful and the unlawful, and made it their creed to abandon reverence and cast off modesty. They have taken the performance of worship lightly and belittled fasting and prayer. They have raced into the arena of heedlessness and inclined to the pursuit of