How often has it appeared in their sayings that they are struck examples, coded indications, sketched images, metaphorical names, formal instruments, and walls built over hidden treasures—so that we may demolish the walls of belief and religious profession in them in private and among the believers, and build the walls of their performance over the treasures of inward gnosis among the persistent, denying Opposites [Al-Adhdad]. This was indicated by Al-Khidr—peace be upon him—through the demolition of the wall which is a metaphor for manifest knowledge [Zahir], and his rebuilding of it as well, to veil the treasure of secrets from the wicked folk, but not from the virtuous people of the treasure. That is like the indication regarding the wearing of the veil [khimar] for covering from the stranger, not from the relative; and like the indication of fasting by day, which is a metaphor for the concealment of the inward of manifestation, and breaking the fast by night, which is a metaphor for the publicizing of the inward in private retreats [khalwat], which are themselves likened to the curtain of night that hides the light of the sun from the eyes; and like the indication of loud recitation in the night prayer and its concealment in the day prayer, pointing to the explicit declaration in the inward during the veiling in the private retreat (likened to the night) and its concealment by the light of day (likened to disclosure); and like the indication of the curtain of the Kaaba, which is a metaphor for the Kaaba of Religion, and many other indications in the revealed Books and the narrations of the Infallibles. Since nothing was