heretical hypocrites who deviate concerning Allah’s names and His signs—both those in His creation and those revealed in His clear Book—and make clear the distinction between the rightly guided people of knowledge and spiritual insight, whose understanding is sound and whose faith is certain, and these heretics who imitate those possessed of spiritual insight, just as pretenders to prophethood have imitated the prophets, and just as they have likened invented poetry and the tales of fabricators to Allah’s speech. This is so that it may become clear that these people belong to the same category as the disbelievers, hypocrites, and apostates: the followers of Pharaoh, the Qarmatian esotericists, and the followers of Musaylima, al-Ansī, and other such fabricators. It should likewise become clear that the people of knowledge and faith—the steadfastly truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous, whether they are the foremost, brought near to Allah, or those who follow a middle course, the people of the right—are followers of Abraham, Allah’s intimate friend; Moses, to whom Allah spoke; and Muhammad, who was sent to all humanity.

In His clear Book, which He made the judge between people concerning the truth over which they differed, Allah has distinguished truth from falsehood, guidance from misguidance, and believers from disbelievers. He, Most High, said:

“Do those who commit evil deeds think that We will make them like those who believe and do righteous deeds, equal in their life and death? How evil is their judgment!”

And He said:

“Or shall We treat those who believe and do righteous deeds like those who spread corruption on earth? Or shall We treat the God-fearing like the wicked?”

And He said:

“Shall We then treat those who submit to Allah like the criminals?”

“What is the matter with you? How do you judge?”

He has also explained the condition of those liars and wicked people who imitate the prophets and the people of knowledge and faith—those who are themselves deceived and deceive others. He has informed us that they receive visitations and inspiration, but from devils. He said:

“Indeed, the devils inspire their allies to argue with you. And if you obey them,