T o  C o n c l u d e : The comprehensiveness of the grammatical Arabic language and the miraculousness of the Qur’an’s words make them untranslatable.  I can  say even that their  translation  is impossible.  Anyone  who  doubts  this should refer to the Twenty-Fifth Word. What they call translations are abbreviated, deficient approximations. How can such approximations be compared with the living, true meanings of the Qur’an’s verses, which have many aspects of ramification?

Ninth Matter

[An   important,   confidential    matter,   and   a   mystery   related   to sainthood.]

The largest  group in the World of Islam, the people of truth and moderation, called  the Ahl al-Sunna  wa’l-Jama‘at  or Sunnis,  have  preserved  the  truths  of the Qur’an and faith by following to the letter the illustrious practices  (T. sünnet; Ar. sunna) of the Prophet (UWBP) within the bounds of moderation. The great majority of the saints have emerged from within this sphere. Others have appeared outside it and on a path opposed to some of the Sunnis’ principles and rules. Observers of this latter group of saints have divided into two groups:

One group has denied their sainthood because they oppose the Sunnis’ principles. This group has even gone so far as to declare some of those saints unbelievers.

The other group consists of their followers. They accept their sainthood and say: “The  truth  is  not  restricted  to  the  Sunnis’  way.”  They  have  formed  a  group  of innovators and have taken the path of misguidance. They do not know that everyone who is rightly-guided cannot be a guide. Their shaikhs are to be excused for their mistakes because they are ecstatics, but their followers may not be excused.

As for the middle group, they do not deny the saints’ sainthood, but do not accept their  ways  and  paths.  They  say:  “Any  things  they  say  that  are  opposed  to  the principles [of religion] are either metaphorical utterances the meaning of which is not known, or they [the saints] are in error, being overcome by their inward states.”

Unfortunately, intending to protect the Sunni way, the first group, especially literalist  scholars,  have  denied  saints  of  great  importance  and  been  compelled  to accuse them of misguidance.  While the saints’ supporters,  which form the second group, have abandoned the right path due to their excessive good will towards shaikhs of that sort; they have fallen into innovation, and even misguidance.