and through these statements the Christians went astray, following what was ambiguous, as Allah related concerning them in the Quran when the delegation from Najrān came to the Prophet, may Allah Most High bless him and grant him peace, and debated with him concerning Christ.
In the authentic hadith narrated by al-Bukhārī from Abū Hurayrah, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah Most High bless him and grant him peace, said:
“Whoever shows hostility to a friend of Mine has openly challenged Me to war. Nothing brings My servant nearer to Me like fulfilling what I have made obligatory upon him. My servant continues to draw near to Me through voluntary acts of worship until I love him. When I love him, I become his hearing with which he hears, his sight with which he sees, his hand with which he grasps, and his foot with which he walks. Through Me he hears, through Me he sees, through Me he grasps, and through Me he walks.”
In this hadith, he explained that when the servant draws near to the True One, glory be to Him, through the recommended voluntary acts that Allah loves, after fulfilling the obligatory acts, the True One loves him in this manner. Those who claim that this is closeness through voluntary acts, whereas closeness through obligatory acts means that the two are one and the same, are mistaken. Allah does not accept a voluntary act until the obligatory act has been performed. Thus, this closeness encompasses both obligatory and voluntary acts. These meanings, and others like them, are the foundations of the teaching of those who follow the Islamic spiritual path—the followers of the prophets and messengers.
I have learned that some people have discussed the doctrine of the advocates of union with God in your presence. I had previously written you a letter in which circumstances led me, without prior intention, to make a subtle allusion to the condition of these people. By Allah, I did not intend any particular individual by it. Rather, the shaykh is a rallying point for the believers, and we must assist him in religious and worldly affairs in a manner that befits him. As for these advocates of union, someone has sent word to this supplicant requesting that the true nature of their position be disclosed.