to the One they worship, seek, and love. Yet they lack the strength, alongside this, to witness all the created things sustained by Him and the names and attributes that rightfully belong to Him.

If such people neglect no obligation, this does not harm them. If they leave a recommended act because they are occupied with something better, they should not be moved from their station. If, however, what occupies them is not equal to the recommended act they have left, then turning to that better act is preferable, if possible. Otherwise, performing the righteous deeds within one’s capacity is better than becoming preoccupied with something beyond one’s ability that prevents one from doing other good deeds.

If they neglect an obligation or commit a forbidden act while able to know and act otherwise, they are held accountable for it. But if this occurs when they have lost discernment for an excusable reason—such as losing their reason through a cause that is not forbidden, becoming intoxicated through a cause that is not forbidden, or suffering an incapacity involving no negligence—then no blame attaches to them. If, however, they remain morally accountable, grounds for blame exist. They are then subject to Allah’s judgment, as are all other believers: whether the sin is minor or major, whether it is accompanied by good deeds that erase it, and the other rulings concerning sins.

This applies so long as they do not pass into the third category: the annihilation of the unbelievers. This consists in regarding the existence of created things as identical to the existence of the Real, or one’s own existence as identical to His, as we have explained elsewhere when discussing the doctrines of those who uphold divine indwelling and union. This is unbelief, and whoever holds it is an unbeliever once the proof has been established against him. But if he is ignorant or relying on an interpretation, and the proof has not been established against him,