Thus he claimed to know Allah better than the Seal of the prophets, and that his own preeminence lay in knowledge of Allah, whereas the Seal of the prophets surpassed him only in prescribing religious law. This is among the gravest forms of unbelief into which extremists among philosophers, Sufis, and speculative theologians fall. They claim to be more accomplished than the messengers in matters of knowledge, such as knowledge of Allah and the like, and that the messengers surpassed them only in prescribing general religious laws intended to put people’s worldly affairs in order.

They sometimes say that revealed laws are rules of justice instituted for worldly welfare. As for knowledge, realities, and lofty ranks in this world and the Hereafter, they consider themselves and their paths superior to the prophets and their paths.

It is necessarily known from the religion of the Muslims that this is among the gravest forms of unbelief and misguidance. This was among the causes of their denial of the realities proclaimed by the messengers concerning faith in Allah and the Last Day, and of their claim that what these people say on this subject is the truth. In dealing with the messengers’ reports, they sometimes reject them as false, sometimes distort them, sometimes leave their meanings to Allah, and sometimes claim that the messengers lied for the benefit of the public.

Nevertheless, most of those who make these claims regard the prophets and messengers as superior to themselves, except for the extremists among them, as mentioned above. These extremists are among the worst people in their statements and beliefs. There was among us a shaykh who was one of the most ignorant of people, yet a group of non-Arabs revered him, and he was said to be the Seal of the saints. He claimed that he explained knowledge in two ways, whereas the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, had explained it in only one, and that he himself was more perfect than the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.