and associating partners with Allah; they prohibit none of these. Indeed, in their view, nothing is forbidden to an accomplished exponent, nor is anything obligatory upon him.

It is well known that the unbelieving Tatars are better than these people, for these people are apostates from Islam—among the most loathsome apostates—and an apostate is worse in many respects than someone who has never been a Muslim. If Abū Bakr al-Siddīq fought the apostates for withholding zakat, then there is even greater reason to fight these people.

As for what he relates in al-Sham'a (The Candle) from the man whom he calls “the accomplished shaykh, the godly scholar, the seventh ghawth,” namely his statement, “Know that the world in its entirety is the dark center of Allah’s eye, which never sleeps,” and so forth, this must be addressed from several angles.

(First) To call someone who makes such a statement accomplished, learned, and godly is the very essence of misguidance and error. Indeed, neither Jews, Christians, nor idol worshippers say such a thing. If the person who said it had lost his reason, he would be treated like others in that condition: Allah has exempted him from accountability. But if he was of sound mind, this is an act of insolence toward Allah, who says:

“They say, ‘The Most Merciful has taken a son.’”

“You have certainly made a monstrous assertion.”

“The heavens almost rupture because of it”—to the end of the verses.

He also says:

“They say, ‘The Most Merciful has taken a son.’ Glory be to Him! Rather, they are honoured servants.”

“They do not precede Him in speech”—up to His words: “the wrongdoers.”

And He says:

“They have certainly disbelieved who say, ‘Allah is the Messiah, son of Mary.’ Say, ‘Who could prevent Allah in any way if He intended to destroy the Messiah, son of Mary?’”—up to His words: “And to Him is the final return.”