so that neither is confused with the other. These people say about those who know Allah what the Christians say about Christ and the Shia about their imams. Many advocates of indwelling and antinomianism object to al-Junayd and other masters of spiritual knowledge who follow the Quran and Sunnah, rejecting their denial of indwelling and their affirmation of divine commands and prohibitions. Each believes that these masters have not attained complete knowledge of reality as he and his fellow advocates of indwelling and antinomianism have.

As for the “fourth group,” these are the early generations of this community and its leading scholars: the leaders in knowledge and religion, masters of learning and worship. They affirmed and believed in everything conveyed by the Quran and Sunnah, without distorting the words. They affirmed that Allah Most High is above His heavens, upon His Throne, distinct from His creation, and that His creation is distinct from Him. He is also with His servants generally through His knowledge, and with His prophets and allies by granting them victory, support, and all they need. He is also near and answers supplications. The verse concerning private conversation thus indicates that He knows them.

The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, used to say:

“O Allah, You are the Companion on the journey and the One who looks after the family in our absence.”

Thus, glorified is He, He is with the traveller on his journey and with his family in their homeland. This does not entail that His essence is mingled with theirs. Likewise, He says:

“Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and those with him”

—meaning that they are with him in faith, not that their beings are within his; rather, they keep his company.

His words:

“Those will be with the believers”

indicate that they share the believers’ faith and are allied with them. Allah Most High knows His servants and is with them wherever they may be. His knowledge of them is necessarily entailed by His being with them.

Similarly, the woman said: “My husband’s sword-belt is long, his ashes plentiful, and his house near the gathering place.” All of this