الدليل على أن مذهب السلف هو الحق: أن نقيضه بدعة، والبدعة مذمومة وضلالة. - Al-Ghazali

"the Pilgrim of the Way rises first of all to a degree corresponding to that of a star. The effulgence of that star's light appears to him., It is disclosed to him that the entire world beneath adores its influence and the effulgence of its light. And so, because of the very beauty and superbness of the thing, he is made aware of something which cries aloud saying, "This is my Lord?"[1] He passes on; and as he be. comes conscious of the light-degree next above. it, namely, that symbolized by the moon, lo! in the aerial canopy he beholds that star set, to wit, in comparison with its superior; and he saith, "Nought that setteth do I adore!" And so he rises till he arrives at last at the degree symbolized by the sun. This, again, he sees is greater and higher than the former, but nevertheless admits of comparison therewith, in,

[1. See for this whole passage S. 6, 75-8.]

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virtue of a relationship between the two. [31] But to bear relationship to what is imperfect carries with it imperfection-the "setting" of our allegory. And by reason thereof he saith: "I have turned my face unto That Who made the heavens and the earth! I am a true believer, and, not of those who associate other gods with Allah!" Now what is meant to be conveyed by this "THAT WHO" is the vaguest kind of indication, destitute of all relation or comparison. For, were anyone to ask, "What is the symbol comparable with or corresponding to this That?' no answer to the question could be conceived. Now He Who transcends all relations is ALLAH, the ONE REALITY.

الحمد لله الذي تلطف بعباده فتعبدهم بالنظافة، وأفاض على قلوبهم تزكية لسرائرهم أنواره وألطافه، وأعدّ لظواهرهم تطهيرا لها الماء المخصوص بالرقة واللطافة، وصلى الله على النبي محمد المستغرق بنور الهدى أطراف العالم وأكنافه، وعلى آله الطيبين الطاهرين صلاة تنجينا بركاتها يوم المخافة، وتنتصب جنة بيننا وبين كل آفة.
كتب أسرار الطهارة

Whenever the time of Prayer approached, ‘Alī ibn Abī Ṭālib, may God be pleased with him and ennoble his countenance, used to quake and change colour. They asked him: ‘What is the