As for those in whose hearts is deviation, they follow that which is unspecific of it} (Aal ‘Imran: 7). So the people of the exoteric follow nothing but the ambiguous sayings; as for the firm verses—which are the Praised Names referred to by His Almighty's saying: {And to God belong the best names, so invoke Him by them} (Al-A'raf: 180)—they do not believe in them at all.

As for the substances (al-Jawahir) upon which falls the name that is also applied to accidents (al-A'rad), they are ignorant of them and do not believe in them whatsoever; rather, they exchange the interpretation (al-Ta'wil) which is better for that which is inferior. Moreover, they did not interpret the instance of His Almighty's address with blameworthy names except [as referring to] praised persons, nor [did they interpret] the praised names except [as referring to] the fleeting, accidental sensory things.

And he pointed to them in the seventh chapter of the Gospel of (Luke) by his saying: Then the Lord said: “To what then shall I liken the people of this generation? And what are they like? They are like children sitting in the marketplace calling to one another and saying: We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed for you, and you did not weep. For John the Baptist has come neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say: He has a demon.