And some proponents of union say this. Most of them, however, are ignorant: they do not distinguish between the universal, absolute union espoused by the wicked al-Tilimsānī and his like, and union with particular beings, as espoused by the Christians and the extremists.

The early generations of the Muslim community and its foremost imams considered the unbelief of the Jahmiyyah greater than that of the Jews, as stated by ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Mubārak, al-Bukhārī, and others. This position was generally only hinted at; seldom was it stated explicitly that His essence was in a place. These proponents of union, however, are more vile and more deeply steeped in unbelief than those Jahmiyyah. Yet the early generations and the imams understood Islam and its realities better. Many people may not understand the severity of their condemnation of this doctrine until they reflect upon it and are granted the light of guidance. When the early generations discerned what lay beneath this teaching, they recoiled from it.

This accords with the saying:

“The speculative theologians of the Jahmiyyah worship nothing, while their devotees worship everything.”

This is because their speculative theologian has neither devotion nor worship in his heart, and so describes his Lord with the attributes of nonexistence and lifelessness. Their devotee, however, has devotion and worship in his heart. Since the heart turns only toward something existent, not something nonexistent, he finds himself needing to worship created things—either absolute existence or particular manifestations, such as the sun, the moon, human beings, idols, and other things.

The doctrine of these proponents of union encompasses every form of associating partners with Allah found in the world. They do not affirm the oneness of Allah—glorified and exalted is He—but only the oneness of what He and created beings have in common. Thus they set others equal to their Lord.