meaning, leaned toward them slightly—by adhering to, believing in, and practicing their exoteric laws.

God has warned the believers against even a slight inclination toward it [the exoteric] and threatened double punishment for it. How then if one inclines fully toward their exoteric law (shari'ah) and their corrupt creed? May God protect us and the believers.

Then He pointed to the Way (Sunnah) of God and the Way of the Messengers—meaning the True Esoteric Religion—stating that you will find no alteration in it. This indicates that this shifting exoteric way is not their way; rather, their way is the esoteric one that never changes.

To demonstrate that it is not permissible for the believer to believe in any of the exoteric aspects, for by doing so, doubt arises within him, leading to an inclination toward the hypocrites about whom He Almighty informed in Surat an-Nisa: