Some of them say, “He is an angel.” Yet angels do not assist polytheists; these are only devils who have led them astray from Allah’s path. At places where partners are associated with Allah, there are incidents and accounts known to those who are there and those who have experienced them, too numerous to describe at length.

Those steeped in ignorance fall into two groups regarding these matters: one denies them altogether, while the other regards them as miraculous gifts granted to Allah’s allies. The first group says, “These are merely imaginings in their minds, with no existence in the external world.” When they repeat this to one group after another, some have already seen these things and witnessed their actual occurrence, or received numerous convergent reports of their occurrence from eyewitnesses whose truthfulness is beyond doubt. Such denials become one of the strongest reasons why these polytheists and innovators persist in their ways, having witnessed these things or learned of them through truthful reports.

Then, whenever these very deniers witness any of these things, they submit to the person through whom they occur, obey him, and believe him to be one of Allah’s allies. They do so despite knowing that he does not fulfil the duties Allah has prescribed—not even the five daily prayers—and does not refrain from what Allah has forbidden, whether indecencies or injustice. Indeed, he may be among those furthest removed from the faith and piety with which Allah describes His allies in His words, exalted is He:

“Unquestionably, the allies of Allah—there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.”

“Those who believed and were mindful of Allah.”

Thus they see someone who is among those furthest removed from faith and piety receiving disclosures of hidden matters