We have discussed some of this in our refutation of the “advocates of union,” when discussing the statements of Ibn Sabʿīn and Ibn ʿArabī, and the principles of these heretical philosophers found in the writings of Abū Hāmid and others like him. These philosophers distort the words of Allah and His Messenger, taking them out of their proper contexts, as did the esotericist Qarmatians.

(The point) here is that, if knowledge descended upon hearts from the celestial soul, as these people claim, there would be no difference in this respect between someone who reflects, someone who reasons from evidence, and someone who empties his heart. Thus, likening this to the decorative work of the Chinese and Byzantine artisans is an invalid analogy.

Some who undertake these retreats have specific formulas of remembrance and a fixed diet, and experience known descents. Ibn ʿArabī al-Tāʾī and those who followed his path, such as al-Tilimsānī, have discussed these at length. They are satanic descents. I am familiar with them and have examined the matter in various ways, but this is not the place to elaborate on them. The purpose is merely to draw attention to this kind of thing.

Among the things they prescribe are hunger, sleeplessness, and silence, together with seclusion, without any limits set by the revealed Law. Rather, they prescribe unrestricted sleeplessness, unrestricted hunger, and unrestricted silence, together with seclusion, as Ibn ʿArabī and others have mentioned. These practices produce satanic states in them.

Abū Tālib has mentioned some of this, but he adheres more firmly to the Quran and Sunnah than these people do. Nevertheless, he cites many weak—indeed, fabricated—hadiths