This resembles the account narrated by those who relate:

“The people of the Suffah fought alongside the unbelievers when the Muslims were routed at Hunayn, or on some other occasion. They said, ‘We are with Allah; whoever Allah is with, we are with him.’”

And those who relate:

“On the morning after the Ascension, the Prophet found the people of the Suffah discussing a secret that Allah had commanded him to conceal. He asked them, ‘Where did you learn this?’

“They replied, ‘Allah taught it to us.’

“He said, ‘My Lord, did You not command me not to divulge it?’

“He replied, ‘I commanded you not to divulge it, but I Myself told them about it.’”

There are similar reports narrated by groups who profess religion despite their profound ignorance of Islam. Upon these reports they build corresponding forms of hypocrisy and religious innovation.

At times they dispense with the Messenger’s mediation, claiming that they can reach Allah Most High without going by way of any of the messengers whatsoever. This is greater disbelief than that of the Jews and Christians, for the latter dispensed with the mediation of one messenger, not that of the messengers altogether. If these people dispense entirely with the messengers’ mediation for themselves, this is more grievous disbelief than that of the former.

Yet they say, “This mediation is unnecessary only for the elite, not for ordinary people.” Thus, their disbelief is greater than that of the People of the Book insofar as they dispense with all prophetic mediation for themselves in certain circumstances, whereas the disbelief of the People of the Book is greater insofar as they reject Muhammad’s mediation altogether.

Indeed, those among the People of the Book who say that he is a messenger to the unlettered but not to the People of the Book are better than these people. For the former exclude from his message those who possess a scripture, whereas these people exclude from his message those who are left with nothing but imaginings