As for unrestricted indwelling—the belief that Allah Most High Himself dwells in everything—the adherents of the Sunnah and the early generations attribute this belief to the early Jahmiyyah, whom they would declare unbelievers on that account. As for the universal union introduced by these people, I know of no one who preceded them in it except those who denied the existence of the Creator, such as Pharaoh and the Qarmatians.

The reality of their position is that they regard the very existence of the Real as the very existence of creation, and hold that the existence of the essence of Allah, the Creator of the heavens and the earth, is precisely the existence of created things. Thus, in their view, it is inconceivable that Allah Most High created anything other than Himself, or that He is the Lord of the worlds, or that He is self-sufficient while everything besides Him is in need. Yet they have divided into three approaches. Most people who examine their words do not understand the reality of their position, for it is an obscure matter.

(The first)

They say that all entities were established in nonexistence, their essences being eternal, without beginning or end—even the essences of animals, plants, minerals, motions, and states of rest. They hold that the existence of the Real flowed forth upon those entities: their existence is therefore the existence of the Real, but their essences are not those of the Real. They distinguish between existence and being established: whatever you were in your state of being established is what you manifest in your existence.

They say:

“Allah, glorified be He, has given no one anything, made no one free of need, and made no one happy or wretched. Rather, His existence flowed forth upon the entities. So praise only yourself, and blame only yourself.”