As for the “first category,” it occurs frequently in the writings of the Qarmatians and the philosophers who oppose the Muslims concerning the foundations of their religion. Whoever knows that Allah is pleased with the earliest forerunners and that they are pleased with Him knows that everything these people say to the contrary is false. Whoever acknowledges that the five daily prayers are obligatory upon everyone so long as they retain their reason knows that anyone who interprets a text as exempting some people from this obligation has fabricated a falsehood. Likewise, whoever knows that wine and indecent acts are forbidden to everyone so long as they retain their reason knows that anyone who interprets a text in a way that makes these things lawful for some people is fabricating a falsehood.

As for the “second category,” it often causes confusion for some people. The meaning may be correct, since the Quran and Sunnah substantiate it; the question, however, is whether the wording they cite actually conveys it. This falls into two subdivisions:

The “first” is to claim that this meaning is intended by the wording. This is fabricating a falsehood against Allah. Thus, whoever says that what is meant by His words, “slaughter a cow,” is the soul; by “Go to Pharaoh,” the heart; by “and those with him,” Abū Bakr; by “stern against the disbelievers,” ‘Umar; by “merciful among themselves,” ‘Uthmān; and by “You see them bowing and prostrating,” ‘Alī—has spoken falsely about Allah, whether deliberately or mistakenly.

The “second subdivision” is to treat this as a matter of drawing lessons and reasoning by analogy