for these places are inhabited by jinn and frequented by devils. They sometimes appear to certain people, but remain hidden from sight most of the time. The ignorant therefore suppose that they are human beings, whereas they are actually men from among the jinn.
As Allah Most High said:
“And some men from humankind used to seek refuge with some men from among the jinn, so they increased them in burden.”
[Surah al-Jinn: 6]
These beings, as well as the shaykhs who claim to be them, are believed in by misguided groups (1). Yet the shaykhs who claim to be the Men of the Unseen do not cause as much corruption as those who assert the existence of an infallible imam. Rather, the harm and evil caused by the latter are greater, for they claim to call (2) people to an infallible imam, yet the only sword-wielding imams whose aid they can enlist are unbelievers, sinners, hypocrites, or ignorant men (3). Their leaders never fall outside these categories.
The Ismailis are worse still, for they call people to the infallible imam, but the ultimate end (4) of their call is men who are heretics, hypocrites, and sinners. Some of them are inwardly worse than Jews and Christians.
Thus, those who call people to the infallible one do not call them to an infallible ruler, but to an unbelieving or tyrannical ruler. This is well known to everyone acquainted with their circumstances.
Allah Most High has said:
“O you who believe, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those who possess