say that the speech addressed to Moses was an emanation flowing into his heart from the Active Intellect, and that prophethood can be acquired.

“The third category” consists of those who say that Moses is superior, but that someone practising spiritual discipline may hear the address that Moses heard. Moses, however, was its intended recipient, unlike this person. This is found in the accounts of the author of Mishkāt al-Anwār (The Niche of Lights). The author of Khalʿ al-Naʿlayn (The Removal of the Sandals) and others like them followed the same path.

As for his words at the beginning of the poem, addressed to his interlocutor:

“Adhere to the revealed law, O jurist, and pray,”

this suggests: you are bound to follow the revealed law, whereas we have another path to Allah. Whoever claims to have a path to Allah that leads to His pleasure, honour and reward, other than the law with which Allah sent His Messenger, is likewise an unbeliever. He must be called upon to repent; if he does not repent, he is to be beheaded. Such are a group who dispensed with religious obligations and claimed that a servant can reach Allah without following the messengers.

“Another group” believes that the elite among Allah’s close friends have no need to follow Muhammad—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—just as al-Khidr had no need to follow Moses. These people fail to understand that Moses was not sent to al-Khidr, whereas Muhammad—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—is a Messenger to everyone, in both outward and inward matters. Moreover, what al-Khidr did did not contravene the law of Moses; rather, it accorded with it. Moses simply did not know the circumstances that made those actions permissible. Once he learned them, it became clear that those actions accorded with his law rather than contravening it.