these people. Indeed, even the children of kings who have no religion retain some protective zeal for the religion of their fathers and forebears. How, then, could a descendant of the master of Adam’s children, whom Allah sent with guidance and the religion of truth, show such hostility towards his religion? Thus, we find all those who can be trusted to uphold Islam, inwardly and outwardly, opposed to these people. The only exceptions are heretics who are enemies of Allah and His Messenger, or ignorant people who do not know what His Messenger was sent with. This is further evidence of their disbelief and the falsity of their claimed lineage.

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As for the questioner’s statement that “they possess esoteric knowledge,” their very claim to such knowledge is the strongest proof and evidence that they are heretical hypocrites who believe neither in Allah, nor in His Messenger, nor in the Last Day. For this esoteric knowledge they claim is disbelief by the agreement of Muslims, Jews, and Christians; indeed, most polytheists also regard it as disbelief. Its substance is the claim that the divine scriptures have hidden meanings that contradict what believers know concerning commands, prohibitions, and revealed accounts.

As for “commands,” people know beyond doubt, as part of the religion of Islam, that Muhammad, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, commanded them to perform the prescribed prayers, pay the obligatory zakah, fast the month of Ramadan, and perform pilgrimage to the Ancient House.