Then this matter did not cease to increase in the least, and their shaikhs began to fabricate many stories for them and speak about their mystical occurrences. And this asserted their remoteness from the scholars. Rather, this asserted for them, their belief that they possessed the most complete forms of knowledge, such that they named it the hidden knowledge (al-‘ilm-ul-baatin). And they placed knowledge of the Religion as being knowledge that is apparent (al-‘ilm-ud-dhaair).

From them, were those whose severity in hunger brought them to fancy detestable illusions. Thus they claimed strong love and passion for the truth. So it is as if they imagined a figure with a beautiful appearance and thus fell madly in love with it. And these people were caught between disbelief and innovation.

Then these people divided into various orders and their beliefs grew corrupt. So from them, were some who held the view that Allaah was incarnate in His creation (hulool) and there were some who held the view that the Creator and creation were in reality one existence (Ittihaad). And the Devil did not cease to speak to them about different types of innovations until they made them aspects of the Sunnah.

And then there came Abu ‘Abd-ir-Rahmaan As-Sulamee, who wrote a book for them entitled As-Sunan, and who compiled for them Haqaa’iq-ut-Tafseer. He mentioned in it, amazing things about them (i.e. the Sufis) concerning their interpretation of the Qur’aan, based upon the mystical occurrences that befell them, without tracing that back to any of the sources where knowledge is derived from. And indeed, what brought them to take such things and place them as their views was their state of daze, due to their strict abstinence of food and their love for talking at great lengths of the Qur’aan.

Abu Mansoor ‘Abd-ur-Rahmaan Al-Qazaaz related to us that: Abu Bakr Al-Khateeb informed us that: Muhammad Ibn Yoosuf Al-Qattaan An-Naisaburee said to me that: ‘Abu ‘Abd-ir-Rahmaan As-Sulamee is not reliable. And he did not used to hear anything except for a few sounds, due to deafness. So when the ruler Abu ‘Abdillaah Ibn Al-Bai’ died, he began to narrate hadeeth on the authority of Al-A’asam from Taareekh Yahyaa Ibn Ma’een as well as other similar things. And he used to fabricate ahaadeeth for the Sufis.’

And Abu Nasr As-Siraaj wrote a book, which he named Lum’-us-Soofiyyah, and he stated in it such horrendous beliefs and hideous statements, which we will mention later in more detail, by the Will of Allaah.

Then Abu Taalib Al-Makkee wrote the book Quwat-ul-Quloob for them and he mentioned in it, concerning the prayers and supplications of the day and night, false ahaadeeth and that which cannot be traced back to any of the sources (of knowledge), as well as other fabrications. And he mentioned in it, false doctrines and words such as: ‘Some of the mukaashifeen (those to whom Allaah has disclosed secrets of the hidden dimensions) have stated...’ have been repeated in it numerous times. And these types of words are empty and pointless. Furthermore, he relates in it, on the authority of some of the Sufis, ‘that Allaah reveals aspects of the hidden matters to his saints in this world.’

Abu Mansoor ‘Abd-ur-Rahmaan Al-Qazaaz related to us that: Abu Bakr Al-Khateeb informed us that: Abu Taahir Muhammad Ibn Al-‘Ullaaf said: ‘Abu Taalib Al-Makkee entered the city of Basrah after the death of Abul-Husain Ibn Saalim and began to promote his writings. Then he traveled to Baghdad, and the people assembled around him in the gathering place of admonition to hear from him. So he began to speak and became confused, so he began to mix his words up. And someone who was present there, took into account that he said: ‘There is nothing that is more harmful to the creation than the Creator.’ So the people declared him an innovator and deserted him completely. And he was withheld from speaking to the people after that.’