heresy among the adherents of monism and unionism, such as Ibn ‘Arabī, author of al-Futūhāt al-Makkiyya (The Meccan Revelations), al-Fusūs (The Bezels), and similar works. For when his doctrine was set out—namely, that existence is one and that the Creator’s existence is the very existence of created things, even though the fixed entities in nonexistence are many—he said:

“This knowledge belongs only to the Seal of the Messengers and the Seal of the Saints. No prophet or messenger perceives it except through the lamp-niche of the Seal of the Messengers, and no saint perceives it except through the lamp-niche of the Seal of the Saints. Even the messengers, when they perceive it, perceive it only through the lamp-niche of the Seal of the Saints. For messengership and prophethood—by which I mean lawgiving prophethood and messengership—come to an end, whereas sainthood never comes to an end. Thus, the messengers, in their capacity as saints, perceive it only through the lamp-niche of the Seal of the Saints.”

He continued until he stated that the Seal of the Prophets occupies the place of a silver brick, whereas the Seal of the Saints occupies the place of two bricks: one gold and one silver. He thus occupies the place of the silver brick, which represents his outward aspect and the associated legal rulings. Since he sees the matter as it truly is, he must see it in this way. Inwardly, he occupies the place of the gold brick, for he draws from the same source as the angel who brings revelation to the messengers.

These and similar words contain much misguidance, such as his claim that all the prophets and messengers derive their knowledge of Allah from the Seal of the Prophets. This is a lie.