two contradictory assertions—they do not do so. Thus, these people are in a worse condition than the Tatars and their like. This is why they have no good final outcome: they are not God-fearing people who distinguish between what is commanded and what is forbidden, or between truth and falsehood. The good final outcome belongs only to the God-fearing. Each of them maintains his position only insofar as he possesses power. It is well known that his power does not last; rather, he uses it to perform deeds that bring about his ruin.
There is no doubt that these people fall under the words of Allah Most High:
“Those who disbelieve and turn others away from the way of Allah—He has rendered their deeds worthless.”
And His words:
“That is because those who disbelieve follow falsehood.”
And His words:
“As for those who disbelieve, their deeds are like a mirage in a lowland which a thirsty person thinks is water, until, when he reaches it, he finds nothing there, but finds Allah there, who settles his account in full.”
And His words:
“The deeds of those who disbelieve in their Lord are like ashes scattered by a fierce wind on a stormy day. They can gain nothing from what they have earned.”
And His words:
“Deaf, dumb and blind, they do not understand.”
And His words:
“We have certainly created for Hell many of the jinn and mankind. They have hearts with which they do not understand, eyes with which they do not see, and ears with which they do not hear. They are like cattle; rather, they are even further astray.”
[There is no doubt that truth is of two kinds: truth as an existing reality, to which truthful reports relate; and truth as an objective to be sought, to which wise commands and righteous deeds relate. The opposite of truth is falsehood. Falsehood in the second sense is illustrated by the words of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace:
“Every amusement in which a man engages is futile, except shooting with his bow, training his horse, and playing with his wife, for these are worthwhile.”
When an existing reality is reported contrary to what it is, the report is a lie.] (*)
These people do not distinguish between truth and falsehood: between the existing reality that should be believed and the nonexistent falsehood that should be denied in reports