Shaykh al-Islām—may Allah sanctify his soul—was asked about a group of people who profess spiritual poverty. They claim that the Quran has an inner meaning, and that this inner meaning has another inner meaning, continuing through seven levels. In support of this, they relate a hadith in which the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, supposedly said:

“The Quran has an inner meaning, and that inner meaning has another inner meaning, continuing through seven levels.”

They interpret the Quran in ways other than those known from the Companions, the Successors, and the leading jurists. They claim that ‘Alī said, “If I wished, I could fill so many camel-loads with commentary on the Opening of the Book.” They say, “This is knowledge peculiar to us, for it is knowledge bestowed directly by Allah.”

They also make statements to the effect that the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, gave each group instructions suited to it: he instructed some to retain their wealth and others to spend it, some to earn a living and others to refrain from earning.

They say, “Our shaykhs have mentioned this in al-‘Awārif and other works by authoritative scholars.” Sometimes they mention that