Another person you may advance to the initial stages of the rank of divine unity, introducing him to what their book entitled “The Lesson That Heals the Soul” contains: that there is no god, no attribute, and nothing possessing attributes. This will help you affirm divinity for the one entitled to it when that stage is reached.”

What they mean by this is that each of their missionaries advances, rank by rank, until he becomes a speaking imam, then turns into a spiritual god, as we shall explain their views on this later.

They said:

“Whoever you bring to this stage, instruct him (1) in accordance with what we have taught you about the true nature of the imam, and that Ismā‘īl and his father Muhammad (2) were among his deputies. This (3) will help you invalidate the imamate of ‘Alī and his offspring when that stage is reached, and return to affirming the truth.”

He then continues in this manner, little by little, until he reaches the ultimate goal, through a gradual process that he will describe from their accounts later.

The judge said:

“This, then, is the instruction they all give to the missionary who calls others to their doctrines. It provides every rational person with the clearest evidence of these people’s unbelief and heresy, and of their explicit rejection of the world’s having come into existence and of the One who brought it into existence, their denial of His angels and messengers, and their rejection of the resurrection, reward and punishment. This is the foundation common to them all. They merely engage in deception by mentioning the First, the Second, the Speaker, the Foundation, and other such things. Through these they deceive the weak, until, once someone responds to their call, they bring him to embrace the doctrines of eternal time and negation of the divine (4).