Some time before this incident, a group of them used to come in with one of their pious shaykhs, wearing iron shackles around their necks. He and his followers were known for certain practices. He would visit me from time to time, and I would address him in the kindest manner.

People then mentioned the innovated outward emblem they displayed, distinguishing themselves from other Muslims and treating it as worship and religion. They led people to believe that this was one of their divine secrets and the distinguishing mark of those endowed with divine gifts who followed their path—I mean the path of that shaykh and his followers. I therefore addressed him about this in the congregational mosque, saying:

“This is an innovation which neither Allah Most High nor His Messenger has prescribed. None of the early generations of this community practised it, nor did any of the shaykhs worthy of being followed. It is not permissible to make it an act of worship or a means of drawing near to Allah Most High, for worshipping Allah through what He has not prescribed is misguidance. Even wearing iron without intending it as worship has been deemed reprehensible by some scholars because of the hadith reported on this subject:

‘The Prophet, may Allah Most High bless him and grant him peace, saw a man wearing an iron ring and said, “Why do I see you wearing the jewellery of the people of the Fire?”’

“Allah Most High has described the people of the Fire as having shackles around their necks. Resembling the people of the Fire is therefore a reprehensible act.”

Someone remarked, “It is established in the Sahīh, on the authority of Abū Hurayrah, that the Prophet, may Allah Most High bless him and grant him peace, said at the end of the hadith about dreams:

‘I like fetters and dislike neck-shackles. Fetters signify steadfastness in religion.’

“If a neck-shackle is disliked in a dream, how much more so in waking life!”

At that gathering, I said to him what I have related above, or words to that effect, along with