God forgives not that anything should be associated with Him. But He forgives other than that to whomever He wills. Whoever associates anything with God then he has indeed invented a tremendous sin. Ordinary people have been asked to abandon the outward association of anything [with God] shirk jalī while the elect have been asked to abandon hidden association shirk khafī. Those who seek access to Him with their actions thinking that it is from them or imagining that His decrees سبحانه are caused by what they do and do not do or pay heed to a created thing or look to themselves then their homeland is shirk according to the people of realities ahl al-ḥaqāÌiq. God forgives not that anything should be associated with Him. Also included among [those who associate partners with God] is anyone who imagines that his opposition has occurred in some way other than [God's] preordination taqdīr.
