The lifting of exoteric obligation (Taklif) from the gnostic believers in periods of seclusion (Khalwat).

I asked: "Is it mandatory for us to know these degrees?"

He said:

"Yes. Whoever knows this Esoteric (Bāṭin) has had the exoteric deed dropped from him; he has no need to perform any of it. But he is obligated to perform the exoteric as long as he does not know these degrees."

And he does not reach it except through gnosis (ma‘rifah). Thus, if he reaches it and knows station after station and degree after degree, servitude (‘ubūdiyyah) falls away from him. He has emerged from the boundary of trial (miḥnah) into the boundary of freedom (ḥurriyyah) by his arrival and gnosis.

I said, "My Master, is that in the Book?"

He said: "Yes. Have you not heard Him—the Almighty—saying: {And that to your Lord is the finality} (An-Najm: 42)? [It means] to knowing Him. For if a man knows his Lord, he has arrived. Nothing is more profound to God than Unicity (Waḥdāniyyah) and Gnosis.

Verily, the shackles and burdens (al-āṣār wa al-aghlāl) were placed only upon the negligent (al-muqaṣṣirīn).