But no such act can be performed if there be any possibility of doubt or any difficulty in distinguishing the true claimant from the impostor, for in that case the principle of allegiance (_bay`at_) would be nullified. It is possible, moreover, that something of the same kind as a miracle (_karámat_) may be performed by a pretender to saintship who, although his conduct is bad, is blameless in his religion, inasmuch as by that miraculous act he confirms the truth of the Apostle and manifests the grace of God vouchsafed to him and does not attribute the act in question to his own power. One who speaks the truth, without evidence, in the fundamental matter of faith (_ímán_), will always speak the truth, with evidence and firm belief, in the matter of saintship, because his belief is of the same quality as the belief of the saint; and though his actions do not square with his belief, his claim of saintship is not demonstrably contradicted by his evil conduct, any more than his claim of faith could be. In fact, miracles (_karámát_) and saintship are Divine gifts, not things acquired by Man, so that human actions (_kasb_) cannot become the cause of Divine guidance. I have already said that the saints are not preserved from sin (_ma`ṣúm_), for sinlessness belongs to the prophets, but they are protected (_maḥfúẕ_) from any evil that involves the denial of their saintship; and the denial of saintship, after it has come into being, depends on something inconsistent with faith, namely, apostasy (_riddat_): it does not depend on sin. This is the doctrine of Muḥammad b. `Alí Ḥakím of Tirmidh, and also of Junayd, Abu ´l-Ḥasan Núrí, Ḥárith Muḥásibí, and many other mystics (_ahl-i ḥaqá´iq_). But those who attach importance to conduct (_ahl-i mu`ámalát_), like Sahl b. `Abdalláh of Tustar, Abú Sulaymán Dárání, Ḥamdún Qaṣṣár, and others, maintain that saintship involves unceasing obedience (_ṭá`at_), and that when a great sin (_kabíra_) occurs to the mind of a saint he is deposed from his saintship. Now, as I have stated before, there is a consensus of opinion (_ijmá`_) among Moslems that a great sin does not put anyone outside the pale of faith; and one saintship (_wiláyat_) is no better than another. Therefore, since the saintship of knowledge of God (_ma`rifat_), which is the foundation of all miracles vouchsafed by Divine grace (_karámathá_), is not lost through sin, it is impossible that what is inferior to that in excellence and grace (_karámat_) should disappear because of sin. The controversy among the Shaykhs on this matter has run to great length, and I do not intend to record it here.