and, second, their essences—or posits for them an existent, absolute reality additional to their actual existent identity—has made a grave error. He has confused the abstract concepts free of particular determination and the essences abstracted from external existence that he derives from the mind with what actually exists in external reality. He has failed to realize that what the mind conceives and postulates extends beyond what actually exists in itself. The mind conceives of nonexistent things, impossible things, and things subject to conditions; it postulates things that have no existence whatsoever, whether possible or impossible. From particular things it abstracts attributes that are absolute within it, and from existing things, essences conceived within it.

But this view involves even greater ignorance and disbelief in Allah Most High. Its proponent does not distinguish between manifestations and that which manifests, and regards multiplicity and distinction as existing only in the human mind while a person is veiled from witnessing reality. Once his veil is lifted, he sees directly that there never was anything other, that the seer is the very thing seen, and that the witness is the very thing witnessed.