Among them is also what appeared in the eighteenth chapter of the book (Al-Haft wa al-Azilla), from the Master al-Sadiq to Mufaddal—peace be upon them both—by his saying: "O Mufaddal, there is no [true] face for the believer in every time, period, age, and era until he knows Allah, His Gates [Abwab], and His Veils [Hujub]. If he knows Allah as he knows His Gates and Veils, then he has perfected Gnosis and reached the degree of the Secure and Grateful, and has found rest from the shackles and burdens."

Similarly, what appeared in the book (Etiquettes of Abd al-Muttalib) regarding the prohibition of the sciences the outward, by his saying: "Do not incline toward outward science so long as you obtain inward sciences." Then he also said in this book also: "Let none of you seek the sciences of the general public [Al-Amma], for they will drive you out of your religion and the knowledge of your Lord."

What points to this meaning is what was established by the philosopher-scholar Hamza ibn Ali ibn Shu'ba al-Harrani—may Allah sanctify him—in the book (Proof of the Gnostic), by his saying: "If someone asks: 'Why did he [the Prophet] perform it and urge it?' The answer: We have informed you that he established an outward [form] and made it a guide to the inward. Had he not done this, we would have known neither outward nor inward."