his followers in his own form, and they would believe it was him. Likewise, among those who believed that ʿAlī or Muhammad ibn al-Hanafiyyah was still alive, a jinn would come to some of their companions in his likeness. Similarly, one of the Rāfidah may sometimes see the one they await, when what he actually sees is a jinn.

This is a broad subject, and such occurrences are frequent. The more ignorant a people are, the more common these things are among them. They occur more among polytheists than among Christians, and they occur among Christians just as they do among those who have entered Islam. Such things lead some people to embrace Islam and others to repent—people who are more astray than those involved in these occurrences. Through them, they move to something better than their former condition. This is like a human shaykh given to lying and wickedness: some unbelievers may come to him, and he calls them to Islam. They embrace it and become better than they were, even if that man’s intention is corrupt. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said:

“Indeed, Allah supports this religion through a wicked man and through people who have no share of good.”

This is also like the arguments and proofs advanced by many proponents of speculative theology and reasoned opinion. These silence many adherents of falsehood and strengthen the hearts of many adherents of truth, even if they are themselves false, for other arguments are more false still. Good and evil have degrees. Thus, some people benefit from these arguments, moving from their former position to something better.