their states and desires, they single out certain individuals—as indeed happens—because of the mistaken impression that such an individual enjoys a distinctive status under certain aspects of the divine creative decree. We shall discuss them, Allah willing, when addressing false indwelling. I have mentioned them here only because I wished to discuss everything containing an element of union or indwelling with some basis in truth. I therefore drew attention to this so that the point at which they go astray might be recognized.

Once the true nature of these matters is understood, the true meaning of the Prophet’s saying, peace and blessings be upon him, becomes clear:

“The truest words ever spoken by a poet are the words of Labīd: ‘Indeed, everything apart from Allah is vain.’”

For bātil (the false or vain) is the opposite of haqq (the true or right), and Allah is the Manifest Truth. Haqq has two meanings: first, that which exists and is established; second, that which is intended and beneficial, as in the Prophet’s saying:

“The Witr prayer is right and proper.”

Bātil likewise has two meanings:

First, that which does not exist. If something does not exist, believing that it exists and reporting its existence are false. Belief and a report depend upon the thing believed in and reported: they are true if it is true, and false if it is false. Thus, if the thing believed in and reported is false, the belief and the report are likewise false; this is falsehood.

Second, that which is neither beneficial nor useful, as in the Most High’s saying:

“We did not create the heaven and the earth and everything between them in vain.”

And the Prophet’s saying:

“Every amusement indulged in