SECTION THE FIRST: OF THE RELIGION OF THE SONNITES.――The author of this book was informed by respectable persons of the Sonnites (the mercy of God be upon them!) and saw in their books, namely, in the doctrine presented by the imam _Mohammed Sheh eristanî_,[498] where it is said, that in sign of revelation the verses of the high prophet (upon whom be blessing!) show the right faith; that his religion will divide into seventy and three sects,[499] and that of this number one shall obtain salvation, and the rest shall share darkness and perdition. It was asked: “Upon what people shall the sun of salvation shine?” He answered: “It shall shine upon the people of the _Sonat_[500] and _Jamáât_.”[501] It was further asked: “Who are the people of Sonat[502] and Jamáât?” He said: “Those who walk the road upon which I am to-day a traveller, and by which my successor shall proceed.” The same book treats also of the _Sifátîah_,[503] a great number of which sect has from all times acknowledged the greatness of the divine nature, whose attributes are omniscience, power, life, hearing, sight, providence, command, majesty, bounty, profuse liberality, greatness, and magnificence; they make no difference between the _essential attributes_ and the _attributes of operation_; because in logic, according to their definition of the words, both these attributes are but one; they maintain that some of the attributes are proclaimed by the evidence of the blessed revelation; and these they call _attributes declarative_: for instance, the hand, the countenance; these they do not interpret in a particular sense, but they say, these attributes are found mentioned in the sacred book, on which account these attributes are called _declarative_. Whereas the sect called the _Mâtazalah_[504] deny the attributes, and the ancients maintain them by arguments; the latter are called _Sifátiah_, and the Mâtezalah are entitled _Mâtalah_; but these last employ exaggeration in their arguments to such a degree that they approach the boundary of a mere image. Some use more restriction with respect to the attribution, which is indicated by the actions _of God_. Information derived from the sacred book devolved equally to both sects; but some interpret these words in a manner that they may appear probable, whilst others are firm in their interpretation, saying: “We know by the application of the intellect that nothing can be like the Lord’s divine power, and that at all times nothing of what is created can be like him, and firmly convinced of it, we think these words are to be considered as a mere simile, such as: ‘_God seated upon his throne_,’ or such as ‘_I created you with my hand, and I preserve you_.’ Except these words, which are to be considered as a mere simile, we know no other meaning, and to know _thoroughly_ the meaning and interpretation of it, we feel ourselves perplexed; but, in spite of this perplexity, we deny the likeness of the created beings and the