(76) It has been narrated from the Messenger, may His might be glorified, that he said: "Paradise is forbidden to the children of fornication." Paradise is Gnosis, and whoever has no spiritual fatherhood is a child of fornication, and Gnosis is forbidden to him. Even if he narrates and affirms it, it is but scattered dust and a proof against him, not for him, unless he affirms the recognized and well-known spiritual fatherhood.
Regarding the meaning of the saying: "Men shall not overcome them," this may happen to a believer in his youth by way of deception or fright, and that would be due to a sin he committed in a previous "garment" (reincarnation) other than his current one, or a crime he committed against his fellow believer—such as tearing his veil, looking at his private matters, aiding an opponent against him, or boasting over him by associating with opponents. Thus, he was recompensed for what he did by having the "structure" (haykal) of the accursed opponent overcome his own pure structure, treading upon him, humiliating him, and subduing him, as a matter of justice from the Creator.
It has another inward meaning: "Men shall not overcome them"—these "men" are the censured ones, the possessors of outward knowledge (ilm al-zahir). They shall not overcome a believer with their knowledge, nor shall he fall under their opinion, nor join their congregation, nor listen to their discourse. If he does that, the accursed opponent has overcome the loyalist.
(77) And his saying, may His might be glorified: "And they do not stretch out their hands to ask."
The "hand" here signifies knowledge. It is said of a man who bestows a favor upon another: "So-and-so has a hand (a favor/influence) over so-and-so." You say to a man who has been gracious to you: "Your hands (favors) have always been continuous upon me and with me." The believer does not stretch out his hand to the knowledge of the opponent (al-didd), nor does he take from him or narrate from him, unless he is practicing pious dissimulation (taqiyya) out of fear; in that case, let him shield himself with it as a veil.