and thus the affirmation of something that cannot be attained by analogy is realized. Even this single characteristic suffices for you to acknowledge the essence of prophethood. (Munkidh, 147)
Faith in prophethood is to accept that there exists a state beyond reason. At that point, an eye is opened to perceive things that the intellect cannot comprehend. Just as the ear cannot perceive colors, the eye cannot perceive sounds, and all the senses cannot comprehend intelligibles, so too what is perceived by the eye cannot be comprehended by the intellect. If (the philosopher) does not deem such a thing possible, we have already proven with evidence that it is indeed possible, even that it exists. If he does deem it possible, then we have demonstrated that there are states named as such, which the intellect not only never accepts as even a possibility, but rather the intellect denies and judges to be impossible. (Munkidh, 161)
The end of the stations of the walī (friend of God) is the beginning of the stations of the nabī (prophet).
The difference between prophethood (nubuwwa) and walāya (sainthood) is as follows: Prophethood is the kalām (divine speech) and revelation (waḥy) that comes from Allah, accompanied by a rūḥ (a breeze that settles in the heart, impossible to reject and bringing tranquility) from Allah. Allah completes His revelation with this rūḥ. Its acceptance is also from Allah; the prophet accepts the revelation by means of this. It is obligatory to affirm this kalām and revelation; whoever rejects them is a kāfir (disbeliever), for he has rejected the kalām of Allah.
Walāya, on the other hand, is the occurrence of a ḥadīth (inspired speech) through ilhām (inspiration) in the one whom Allah has chosen as a walī. This too comes from Allah, according to the language of Truth (ḥaqq), with undeniable correctness, but instead of rūḥ, there is sakīna (a state of tranquility and relief, but not as definitive as rūḥ). Allah casts this sakīna into the heart of the majdhūb (one enraptured by God), who then accepts it and finds peace.
Kalām belongs to the prophets (anbiyāʾ), and ḥadīth to the saints (awliyāʾ). Whoever rejects the kalām is a kāfir, for he opposes Allah and denies His kalām and revelation. But whoever denies the ḥadīth is not a kāfir. However, he suffers harm and this becomes a burden (vebāl) for him. His heart regresses in rank. (Gunya, II, 162)
Prophethood and walāya are above the limits of the intellect. The intellect either remains silent about them or affirms them. The intellect has brought nothing that would destroy tawhid (the oneness of God) or any of the pillars of the sharia (the sacred law). The sin of the listener in the field of denial is nothing but his weakness in affirmation. This attribute belongs to him. The Sufi is far removed from being attributed with this attribute. (Tadbīrāt, 117)
The secrets of the unseen (asrār al-ghuyūb) are of two kinds: manifest (ẓāhir) and hidden (bāṭin). The manifest ones are known by the people of the manifest if they observe and investigate. The hidden secrets, however, are not known by anyone.