Divine Unity and‬‬ Negation of Anthropomorphism

‬‬ One day, the Commander of the Faithful `Ali ibn Abu Talib (AS) gave a sermon after `Asr (afternoon) prayer. The people were astonished by the beautiful words with which he praised Allah, Exalted be His Majesty. Abu Ishaq said: I asked Harith, “Did you not memorize it?” He answered, “I wrote it down.” So he dictated it to us from his script:
All praise belongs to Allah who does not die, and Whose wonders shall never come to an end. He exercises His (Universal) Power everyday, creating things that did not exist before; Who does not beget any who could claim to share in His Glory and Might; and Who is not begotten to die so that He could leave an heir behind. He is beyond all imagination; hence, He cannot be regarded as a visible shape. He is too far beyond the reach of sight to leave any mental impression of Him. His Beginning has no beginning, and His End has no end. Time does not outlast Him. Excess and loss cannot affect Him. He cannot be described in terms of when, what and where. He is Hidden among the hidden. He is Manifest in the mind through His Signs, and through His Wisdom in His Creation.
When questioned about Him, the prophets did not describe Him in terms of any limit, scope, extent or in terms of constituents. Rather, they described Him in terms of His Functions, and they led people towards Him through His Signs. The minds of the intellectuals do not dare deny His Existence. There can be no denying the Might of the Creator of the heavens and the Earth, and all that is between them. He is totally distinct from His Creation. Nothing resembles Him. He brought His Creation into existence so that He would be obeyed and worshipped. He gave human beings the strength to serve Him, and he rebutted their excuses through the best of arguments. Thus, whoever meets his doom does so knowingly and justifiably. It is through His Grace that redemption is secured by the redeemed, and it is Allah’s Grace that prevails in this life and the life to come.
Then, Allah, to Whom all praise is due, inaugurated the function of this worldly life with His Own Praise, and wound up the function of this worldly life, and the next life, with His Own Praise. As He Himself says: And judgment shall be given between them with justice, and it shall be said: All praise is due to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. All praise is due to Allah Who, despite having no body, has adorned Himself with the Robes of Greatness and Grandeur, and has covered Himself with the Mantle of Awe and Reverence, without having any corporal form. He occupies the Celestial Throne unceasingly. He is far above His Creation, without being far, and without being in mutual contact with them. Neither has He any limit which may end in any limit, nor is there anything like Him through which He can be recognized. Whoever claims to be holy, except Him, is bound to be humiliated. Whoever magnifies himself is bound to be humbled. All things bow before His Greatness and are obedient to His Lordship and Might.
The function of the eyes becomes tired in searching for Him. The imagination is unable to reach His Attributes. He existed before any beginning, and nothing preceded Him. He is the Last of All, and there is no last for Him at all. With His Might He holds sway over all things. He observes all places without making any movement. No touch can ever touch Him nor can any sense ever sense Him. And He it is Who is Allah in Heavens and Allah in the Earth; and He is the Wise, the knowing. Whatever He intended to create He planned for it soundly and correctly without there being any example of it before, and without being tired thereby (in creating whatever He wanted to create). He started whatever He needed to start, and made whatever He wanted to make. He intended to create two weights, the jinn and humankind, so that they should recognize His Lordship on the basis of all these means (of revealed wisdom in His Creation referred to above), and be able to obey Him (consciously).
We glorify Allah with all words of praise for the bounties He has bestowed. And we seek guidance from Him in our righteous affairs. Furthermore, we seek refuge from Him against our misdeeds. We solicit His Forgiveness for our past sins. We bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and that Muhammad (sw) in His Servant and Messenger whom Allah raised with truth, who leads to Allah, and who guides towards Him. Thus, He rescued us from misguidance through him, guiding us to the right path, and through him freed us from ignorance. Hence, whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, he indeed achieves a mighty success, and has secured divine blessings in abundance. And whosoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger surely suffers a manifest loss, and deserves a humbling chastisement.
Hence, strive to listen, obey counsel with sincerity, and share the burden with others effectively and gracefully. Help yourself by sticking to the right path, and in avoiding wicked deeds. Give to others what is right, and take from others what is right. Cooperate with me (the Imam) by means of these tasks. Seize the idiotic oppressor, tie him, and bind him. Promote the good, and prohibit the evil. Learn to appreciate the worth of illustrious people. May Allah keep us secure and steady on the right path, and keep us constant in abstaining from evil! I beg Allah for our forgiveness!

I heard‬‬ ‫‪Abu al-Hasan al-Rida (AS) say this about the Unity (of Allah) in the presence of al-Ma`mum, Ibn Abu Ziyad said: their freed slave and maternal uncle to some of them,‬‬ ‫‪Ahmad ibn `Abd Allah al- `Alawi also related it to me, on the authority of al-Qasim ibn‬‬ ‫‪Ayyub al-`Alawi that‬‬: When al-Ma`mum wanted to appoint al-Rida (AS) to the Caliphate, he gathered the Hashemites and said: ”I want to appoint al-Rida as the Caliph after me.” The Hashemites envied him because of this and said: “Are you going to hand over political and religious authority to an ignorant man who has no idea of how to run the Caliphate? Have him summoned before us so that you can see his ignorance, and then you can judge what we affirm.” Therefore, he sent someone to summon him. The Hashemites said to him (AS): “O Abu al-Hasan! Go up to the pulpit, and give us an example of how we should serve Allah.” Hence he (AS) climbed up the pulpit, sat down, and lowered his head for some time without saying anything. He (AS) then rose up, stood up straight, praised Allah and extolled Him, and sent blessings on the Prophet and his Household (AS).
He (AS) then said: The best of service is to acknowledge the existence of Allah. The foundation of acknowledgement of Allah is to process His unity. Allah’s Unity is established through the denial of descriptions, since all intellects bear witness that descriptions are created, and whatever is created requires a Creator, who is neither an identifier or identified. Every identifier and identified is connected, and connection is evidence of occurrence. Whatever occurs cannot be eternal. Hence, anyone who describes Allah in anthropomorphic terms has not described Allah’s Essence. Furthermore, anyone who describes Allah by means of reason has not described Him. Anyone who equates Him with anything has not described the Reality. Anyone who limits Allah has not recognized Him. Anyone who seeks to point Him out has not approached Him. Anyone who describes Allah in human terms has not described Him. Anyone who divides Allah into parts has not drawn near Him. And anyone who imagines Allah has intended other than Him. Everything which is known is in itself created. Every existence other than Him is caused. The existence of Allah is inferred through His Creation. The existence of Allah is acknowledged by means of the intellect. The existence of Allah is proven through nature. Allah placed the creation as a veil between the Creator and the created. Allah differs from creation by means of His Distinction. He gave a beginning to everything so that everything would know that He had no beginning, and so that everything would know that those who have a beginning are incapable of giving a beginning to others. He gave movement to everything so that everything would know that He is devoid of movement, because movement is a manifestation of need. His Names are interpretations. His Actions are instructions. His Essence is a fact. The Core of His Essence is a distinction between Him and His Creation. And His Elapses [ghubur] are limitations for all but Him.
Verily, whoever describes Allah is ignorant of Him. Anyone who attempts to encompass Him has totally missed Him. And anyone who thinks that He can be grasped in His Entirety has totally mistaken Him. Anyone who asks, “How is He?” has compared Him. Anyone who asks, “Why does He exist?” implies that He is caused. Anyone who asks, “How long has He existed?” has subjected Him to the limits of time. He who asks, “In what is He?” implies that He is contained. He who asks, “What is His Extent?” has limited Him. He who asks, “How far does He reach?” has raised Him, and whoever raises Him, implies that He has a limit. Whoever gives Allah an extent implies that He has parts. Whoever claims that Allah has parts has described Him. Whoever describes Him has disbelieved in Him. Allah is not subject to change like creation is subject to change. In the same way, He is not limited like the limitations of the limited. He is One, but not in the sense of a number. He is Apparent, but not in the sense of pursuit. He is Evident, but not in the sense of sight. He is Hidden, but not in the sense of pursuit. He is Far, but not in the sense of distance. He is Near, but not in the sense of closeness. He is Subtle, but not in the sense that He has a body. He is Existent, but not in the sense that He comes from non-existence. He is a Doer, but not by means of compulsion. He is the Appraiser, but not by means of thought. He is the Controller (of the Universe), buy not by means of movement. He is the One who Wills, but not by means of soliciting. He is the One who Wills, but not in the sense that He is eager. He is the Perceiver, but not by means of touch. He is All-Hearing, but not by means of any instrument. He is All-Seeing, but not by means of any tool.
Time cannot be associated with Him. Space does not contain Him. Slumber does not seize Him. Attributes do not limit Him. Tools do not bind Him. His Essence supersedes time. His Existence supersedes non-existence. His Eternity supersedes beginning. By giving senses to other, He proves that He is devoid of sense. By creating substance, He proves that He is not a substance. By giving contrasts, He proves that He has no contrast. By establishing pairs in creation, He proves that He has no partner. Light is the opposite of darkness like certainty is the opposite of uncertainty. Dryness is the opposite of wetness as cold is the opposite of heat. By creating similarity, Allah points out that He is the Creator. By creating difference, Allah points out that He is the Differentiator. As the Mighty and High has said: "And of everything We have created pairs that you may be mindful." (51:49) Therefore, He differentiated between the prior and the subsequent to prove that nothing precedes Him, and that nothing succeeds Him. Everything that has an instinct bears witness that the One who gave them their instinct ha no instinct. Everything that is different bears witness that the One who made them different is devoid of differences. Everything that is subjected to time bears witness the One who subjected them to time is not subject to time. Everything that is veiled bears witness that the only veil which exists between them and the One who veiled them is themselves.
Allah was Lord even when there were no subjects. He was the One and Only True God even when no creation existed. He was All-Knowing even when there was nothing to be known. He was the Creator even before the creation existed. He was the All-Hearing even when there was nothing to be heard. He did not earn the title of Creator merely because of creation. He did not earn the title of Creator merely because he gave the created a beginning. And how could it be otherwise when the conjunction `since’ [mudh] does not make Him obscure? The word `may’ [qad] does not approach Him. The expression `perhaps’ [la`alla] does not veil Him. The conjunction `when’ [mata] does not set a time limit for Him. The expression `at the time when’ [hina] does not comprise Him. The word `with’ [ma`a] does not unite Him with anything. Verily, particles bind together, and tools point to things similar to themselves to show their effectiveness. The conjunction `since’ prevents Him from being without beginning. The word `may’ prevents Him from being eternal. The conjuction `if not’ [law la] prevents Him from being Complete; thus indicating division. Difference is manifest through opposition, making its Creator evident to the intellect while being concealed fro sight. When Allah is imagined, other than Him is imagined. Difference points to Him. Through difference, verification is introduced, and through difference, the intellect confirms the belief in Allah Through verification faith is complete. There is no profession of faith without recognition, and no recognition without sincerity. There is no sincerity in anthropomorphism. And there is no negation (of Truth) through the affirmation of anthropomorphism.
Hence, whatever is found in creation is not found in the Creator, and whatever is possible in creation is impossible to the Creator. Motion and stillness do not occur in Him. And how can something He executed occur in Him? And how can something He originated return to Him? If this were the case, His Essence would have contrast, His Essential Being would be divided into parts, and He could not be called “without beginning.” And since the creator differs from the created, if He is restricted with the word `behind’ then He will be restricted with the word `in front.’ If you seek to complete Him, then you imply that He is deficient. How can He be Eternal if it is implied that He has a beginning? How can He give existence if He has been created? If any sign of creation exists in Him that would deny Him. If any sign of creation existed in Him, He would surely be subject to change. However, there is no evidence that He is subject to change. There are no answers to questions about Him. No reverence for Him can be found in meaning. There was no injustice in manifesting Himself to creation. The Eternal cannot be divided into “two” and the One without a Beginning cannot have a beginning. There is no god but Allah, the Greatest, and the Most High. Whoever gives partner to Allah is a liar, who is lead far astray, and who is in manifest loss. May Allah bless the Prophet Muhammad and His Noble and Pure Progeny!

Commander of the Faithful (AS) roused the people to was with Mu`awiyah for the second time. When the people gathered around him, he stood up and addressed them in the following terms: All praise be to Allah, the One and Only who is sought by all, the Unique and the One Who was not created out of anything nor created anything out of pre-existing matter. On the contrary, He created everything through His Might which is manifest in all things. And verily, everything came into existence because of Him. He has no attribute which can be comprehended, nor has He any limit which can be established. In linguistic embellishment, the tongue is crippled when it comes to describing His Attributes. And circumlocution with respect to His Attributes leads to a blind alley. The sharpest of intellects are unable to comprehend His Kingdom. All comprehensive explanation is rendered ineffective in delving deep into His Kingdom. Unseen veils impede even the lowest level of understanding of His Hidden Knowledge. The keenest insights are at a loss when attempting to comprehend the most superficial layer of His Subtleties. Thus, hallowed be Allah who can neither be reached by the most intrepid intellect nor conceived by the deepest insight. Exalted be He who is not subject to time, length, or limit. Purified be He whose Beginning has not beginning, whose End has no end, and who will never be annihilated. Glorified be He! He is as He has described Himself, and the describers cannot reach His Descriptions. He delineated the boundaries of all things at the time of their creation, and completely eradicated the possibility of Him resembling things or of things resembling Him. He cannot be contained by things which could describe Him. He has never been separate from things that can describe Him. He has never bin distant from things which could raise questions as to His whereabouts. Rather, He, the Glorified, has encompassed all the things through His Knowledge, strengthened them, and enumerated them in His Memory. Nothing is hidden from Him behind the veils of the atmosphere, the deep slumber which occurs in darkness, and whatever exists in the highest Heavens, and the lowest Earth. Everything that exists has a custodian and a keeper. All things are surrounded by other things. And He encompasses them all. He is the One, the Unique, and the Besought. He is not subject to time. He does not tire from creating thins. Whatever He willed, He said: “Be” and it was. He created everything without precedent, without fatigue, and without planning. Anything which makes something makes it out of something. Allah, however, made His Creation out of nothing. Every scholar acquired knowledge after being ignorant while Allah was never ignorant, and never acquired knowledge. He encompassed all things through His Knowledge even before they were created. Hence, His Knowledge did not increase through their creation. After they came into existence, He knew as much about them as He knew before they came into existence. He never created anything to strengthen His Control. He never created anything out of fear of decay or loss. He never created anything to oppose an adversary. He never created anything to match an equal. He never created anything to become the equal of a dominating partner. He never did anything of the like because all of creation is nurtured by Him, and all things that exist are His Humble Slaves and Servants. Glorified be He who never feels weary from creating, and sustaining. And glorified be He who was not prevented from creating more out of inability or laziness. He knew what He created, and created what He knew. Whatever He created was not the result of deliberation or based on new knowledge. Nor does any doubt arise in Him regarding the things He has not created. What He created, and what He did not create, was the result of His Inviolable Decision. His Firm Knowledge, and His Exact Command. He made Himself Unique in His Lordship, and Specific in (His) Oneness. He earmarked glory and praise for Himself, made Himself Peerless in Unity, Grandeur and Sublimity. He remains Matchless in Praise, and Exalted in His Glory. He is far above parenthood. And he is purified and sanctified against the feminine touch (i.e. sexual relations). He is far too Great and too Mighty to seek the proximity of any participant. Thus, nothing He has created can oppose Him. There is no equal to Him in His Possessions, and there is no partner for Him in His Kingdom. He is the One, the Unique, and the Besought of all. He is the Eternal, the Everlasting, and the Lord of Space. He has always been, and always will be. He is Unique in Eternity. He existed before time and will exist after the end of all affairs. He will never come to an end nor be exhausted. This is how I describe my Lord. Thus, there is no god but Allah. He is the Greatest of the Great. Glorified and Exalted be He. He is the Mightiest of the Mighty. He is far, far, above what the unjust claim about Him. And Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn al-Saqar al-Sa`igh also said this sermon that Muhammad ibn al- `Abbas ibn Bassam said: Abu Zayd Sa`id ibn Muhammad al-Basri related to me that `Umrah bint Aws related to me that My grandfather al-Husayn ibn `Abd al-Rahman related to me on the authority of his father, on the authority of Abu `Ad Allah Ja’’far ibn Muhammad (AS), on the authority of his father on the authority of his grandfather (AS) that the Commander of the Faithful (AS) addressed this sermon when he roused the people to the war with Mu`awiyah for the second time.

Messenger of Allah (SA) said in some of his sermons: All praise is due to the Allah Who is Unique in His Beginning, and is Greatest in Divinity in His Eternity. He is the Great Absolute with Grandeur and Might. He innovated what He instigated. And He originated what He created without example prior to creating anything. The One without a Beginning raised us through the benevolence of His Lordship. With His knowledge He rendered. Due to the judgment of His Omnipotence He created all of creation. With the light of morning He made the dawn. Therefore, there is no substitute for His Creation, and none can modify what He makes. There is no hastening his Judgement, and no resting from His Call. There is no decline to His Realm, not an interruption to His Time. He is the First Existence, and is Forever Permanent. He is covered by His light, not by His Creation, in the high-aspiring horizon, the lofty might, and the high realm. He is far from everything, yet He is close to everything. Hence, He is Evident to His creation without being seen. He is the Highest Prospect. He liked to be qualified with Oneness so He covered Himself with His own Light. He is Distinctive in His Sublimity, and is Hidden from His Creation. He sent Messengers to His Creation as His Decisive Argument and Witnesses over them. Between the Messengers, He sent Prophets to His Creation, to give glad tidings (to the believers) who would be granted eternal life after having received the Evidence from Allah. He also sent Prophets to His Creation as warners of impeding doom to those who would be destroyed after having received the Evidence (from Allah). He did all of this so that servants may know their Lord. As a result, they recognized His Lordship after having denied it. They professed the Unity of His Divinity as a result of Diving Guidance.

A man came to al-Hasan ibn `Ali (AS) and said to him: “O son of the Messenger of Allah! Describe your Lord to me so that I can understand Him better.” Therefore, al-Hasan ibn `Ali (AS) bowed his head in silence for quite a while, before lifting it up and saying: All praise is for Allah, who has no beginning, nor end. He neither has a face through which He may be perceived, nor a back that He may be restricted. He cannot be limited with (the word) `till what,’ nor with an appearance so that He may have parts. He cannot be described with variation so that He may have an extent. He can neither be perceived by intellects and imaginations, nor by thoughts and concepts. Reason and intellect cannot describe Him by means of the questions: `when,’ `from what did He begin,’ `on what’ does He reveal or `in what’ does He conceal? We cannot say `why not’ as He does not shun (His Creation). He created the creations; therefore, He was Original and unprecedented. He originated what He unprecedented and unprecedented what He originated. He did what He intended, and intended what He extended. Such is Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.

I asked Abu al-Hasan (`Ali) al-Rida (AS) about Divine Unity. He responded: “It is what you already follow.”

“They are bound to the belief in the Unity of Allah, the Mighty and High.”

Praise be to the One! There is no god but He. He is the Eternal, and the Originator without beginning. He is the Eternal, who does not tire. He is the Living, who does not die. He is the Creator of the seen and the unseen. He is the Knower of Everything without being taught. Such is Allah who has no associate.

A man stood up in the presence of (`Ali) al-Rida (AS) and said to him: “O son of the Messenger of Allah! Describe your Lord for us as there are some people who differ with us.” Hence, al-Rida (AS) said: Verily, he who describes his Lord by analogy is still ambiguous in the world. He is straying from the straight path. He is transient in the deviation (from that which is right). He is lead astray from the way. And he says things that are not proper. I am describing Him the way He described Himself, without relying on images. It is possible to describe Him without recurring to anthropomorphism. He is Close in His Farness, and is without an equivalent. He cannot be compared to His Creation. He does not oppress anyone in His Judgment. The creation is critical of what they know. And they pursue what He has embedded in His Book. He is Aware of everything they do. They do not intend anyone but Him. He is Near, but He is not attached. He is Far, but not cut off. He is Ascertained, ut is not exemplified. He is United, and not divided into parts. He is Known by His Signs, and is proved by His Symbols. Hence, there is no god but He, the Great, and the Most High.

messenger of Allah (SA) said: “Anyone who attributes Him with the shortcomings of His Servants had done Him an injustice. The Compiler of this book says: The tradition is long. We have taken from it the required passage. I have transmitted al of it in the commentary of the Qur`an.

O He Who existed before anything existed! O He Who created everything! O He Who will remain after everything perishes! O He besides Whom there is no god! O He Who is served in the highest of the heaves! O He Who is served in the lowest of the Earths! And O He Who is served between them, and below them!

I heard Abu `Abd Allah al-Sadiq (AS) say “Praise be Allah who begets not so He may be inherited, nor is He begotten so He may be associated.”

“O Commander of the Faithful! Describe for us your Lord, Blessed and Exalted be He, so that we can increase our love and understanding of Him.” Hence, the Commander of the Faithful (AS) became angry, and called all to attend. Thus, the people gathered until the mosque was packed. Then he stood up, with his face flushed, and addressed the congregation as such: All praise be to Allah for Whom refusal to give does not enrich, and for Whom munificence does not make poor! All who give lose, expect He. He is full of beneficial bounties and plentiful gifts. All of creation depends on His Generosity for their sustenance. He has prepared the way for those who seek Him. He is as Generous when He is asked, as He is when He is not asked. Time does not affect Him as this would imply that He is subject to change. His Essence would not be affected, and His Wealth would not be diminished, even if He gave away all of the silver and all of the gold found in the mines in the mountains, and all of the pearls which the shells of the ocean produce for His Servants. His Wealth would remain great and unaffected, even if He answered the demands of every beggar because He is the Most Generous. Giving does not decrease His Wealth, not do the request of His Supplicants make Him miserly. His Command, when He intends anything, is only to say to it: Be, so it is.1 The Angels are incapable of approaching the nobility of His Throne. They are confused when they attempt to understand Him and the greatness of His Might and Majesty. Although they are close to His Realm, they know nothing about His Affair except what He informs them. They are so close to the sanctity of His Realm, that they recognize the limitations with which they were created saying: Glory be to Thee! We have no knowledge but that which Thou hast taught us; surely Thou art the Knowing, the Wise. Then what is your opinion, O questioner, about the One I have described in such terms? Praise and glory be to Him. He has no beginning, and is not subject to change. His Essence does not change states. Long stretches of day and night have no affect on Him. He originated the creation without any example which He could follow, and without any specimen prepared by any deity that was before Him. Attributes do no encompass Him so that we can comprehend Him, much less comprehend Him by means of limitations. He is Still. There is nothing whatsoever like unto Him. Exalted is He from the attributes of the created. Eyes cannot perceive Him so that He may be described by sight. His Essence is only known to Himself and cannot be recognized by His Creation. His Greatness surpasses the greatest conjectures of the most imaginative. He is Higher than anything that could be conceived by the feeble minds who seek to understand His Inner Greatness. He does not have a likeness. Nothing He creates is similar to Him. To the ones that recognize Him, He is above compeers and opponents. The ones who give partners to Allah are liars as they compare Him to their own kind. They embellish Him through their imaginations with the ornaments of creation. They divided Him in parts through speculation. They use their intellects to assess Him on the basis of creation, giving Him different strengths. How can this be done when it is impossible for the intellect to measure His Extent? Misleading dreams have gone astray in perceiving His Essence; because He is higher than the limits of human reasoning. Even the Angels, who are close to His Realm of Glory, cannot encompass Him. Exalted is He from having a parallel with which He may be resembled. He is the Subtle [al-Latif]. He prevents the imagination from finding Him in the depth of His Realm. He prevents the minds which are free from evil thoughts from comprehending His Being. He prevents the hearts who long to embrace His Attributes from going beyond description, and securing knowledge of His Divinity. He turns back those who cross the dark pitfalls of the unknown in their search for Him. Glorified be He! All those who seek to comprehend him return defeated, admitting that His Knowledge cannot be understood through such random efforts. They admit that not an iota of His Honor can enter the intellect of the greatest thinkers. They admit that He is far from the most powerful strengths of limited beings because He is other than His Creation. Therefore, He has no peer in His Creation. Verily, things are compared to their equal. However, if something has no equal, how can it be compared with something which is completely different from it? He is the Originator who had nothing before Him, and He is the Last who has nothing after Him. Eyes cannot perceive Him due to the magnificence of His Power. Eyes are concealed with veils, and cannot penetrate their density. Eyes cannot penetrate the Veils of the Possessor of the Throne, and they cannot reach the One who Governs Everything through His Will. The pride of all tyrants cringes except the Majesty of His Greatness. All slaves surrender to Him, and all faces fear His Wrath. The signs of His Wisdom are apparent from everything He has created. Everything He created is His Proof, and is linked to Him. It is a silent creation, it is His Proof that speaks through planning. He has fixed limits for everything He has created and has set everything firm. He has put everything in its place through the gracefulness of His Planning. He has fixed the direction for everything. Nothing surpasses or falls shorts of the position He has willed. Nothing disobeys His Command to move, when He intends it to move. He does so without effort, and without challenge to His Order. Thus was completed the creation, and it bowed in obedience to Him. It was time for His creation to respond to Him. The laziness of any slug or the inertness of any excusefinder did not prevent them from doing so. So He straightened the curves of things, and completed the traces of their limits. With His Power He created coherence n their contradictory parts, and joined together the factors of similarity. Then He distinguished their colors, and separated them in varieties which differ in quantities, properties, and shapes. All of this was a new creation. He made them firm, shaped them as He intended, and invented them. Through His Knowledge He organized everything into species. His Planning perceives the splendor of its destiny. O questioner! Know that he who describes our Sublime Lord by means of limbs and extremities knows nothing about His Nature. Verily, his heart did not profess with certainty that He is devoid of partners. It is as though he has not heard people renouncing their false gods by saying: By Allah! We were certainly in manifest error, when we made you equal to the Lord of the worlds.1 Whoever equates our Lord with anything has given Him a partner. Whoever gives Him a partner is an unbeliever as is stated in His Unambiguous verses, and as is indicated by His Clear Arguments. This is because Allah cannot be conceived by the limits of human intelligence. If He could be, He would be subject to change. Nor can Allah be conceived by means of intellectual efforts. If He could be, he would be limited, and an object subject t alteration. He is the Producer [al-Munshi’] who created everything without a need for imagination, without the urge of a hidden impulse, without any past experiment, and without the assistance of any partner who may have helped Him in creating wonderful things. Those who compare Him to His Creation divided Him into parts: some are limited, some vary in size, and others fall into different categories. He, the Mighty and High, Exists on His Own Accord, and is not dependent. People have not honored Him with the honor that He deserves. In order to demonstrate that He cannot be compared to His Creation, that He has no equals, and that He is far above the analogies of the unbelievers who give him limitations, He said: Any they have not honored Allah with the honor that is due to Him; and the whole Earth shall be in His grip on the Day of Resurrection and heavens rolled up in His right hand; glory be to Him, and may He be exalted above what they associate (with Him).2 When describing Allah, limit your selves to the Divine Attributes which the Qur`an has provided, and seek light from the effulgence of its guidance. Leave to Allah that knowledge which Satan has prompted you to seek, and which neither the Qur`an enjoins you to seek, nor is there any trace of it in the actions or sayings of the Prophet and other Imams of Guidance. This is the extreme limit of Allah’s claim upon you. Know that those who are firm in knowledge refrain from opening through the veils of the unseen. The firm in knowledge, acknowledge their ignorance, and refuse to seek justification for their belief by means of the unseen. Hence, they say: We believe in it, it is all from our Lord.3 Allah, the Mighty and High praises them for admitting that they cannot obtain forbidden knowledge. They do not engage in deep discussions regarding the knowledge which is hidden from them and remain firm in their faith. Be content with this, and do not limit the Greatness of Allah on the basis of the limits of your own intelligence; otherwise, you will be destroyed.

I wrote to Abu Al-Hasan (`Ali) al-Rida (AS) asking him about Divine Unity. Therefore, he replied to me in his own writing. Ja`far says: Verily, Fath took out the letter for me so I read it myself in Abu al-Hasan’s (AS) writing: In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. All praise be to Allah, who gave human beings a natural predisposition to recognize their Lord and to praise Him. Allah guides humankind towards Himself through His Creation, and who proves that He is Eternal by bringing creatures into existence. He has made them resemble each other to prove that there is nothing that resembles Him. He has made His Signs as witnesses to His Might. His Essence is independent from His Attributes. Eyes are prevented from seeing Him. Imagination is incapable of encompassing Him. There is no duration for His Being, nor is there any limit for His Continuation. Human senses do not encompass Him. No screen (of non-understandability) can conceive Him. The only screen between the Creator and the created is creation itself. The reason why the created have been screened from the Creator is to prevent the created from conceiving of their Creator in terms which are unworthy. This is because the adjectives which apply to the created are not suitable for the Creator. The other reason (that Allah cannot be understood) is that there is a world of difference between the Creator and the created, the Sustainer and the sustained (the Ruler and the ruled), and the Confiner and the confined. He is One, but not in a numerical sense. He is the Creator, but not in the sense of movement or action. He is the All-Hearing, but not through any auditory organ. And He is the All-Seeing, but not by visual means. He is a Witness, but without mutual contact. He is Manifest, but not in the sense of being distant. He is Hidden, but not in the sense of being behind a curtain. He is Apparent, but not in the sense of being in front of anything. Penetrating eyes have called miserable trying to perceive the truth about Him. His Existence dwarfs and cripples the imagination (in its attempt to grasp Him). The first step in accepting faith is acknowledging the existence of Allah. And the most perfect way of acknowledging Him lies in recognizing His Unity. And the peak of His Unity lies in negating that His Attributes are part of His Essence, since attributes are separate from the entity they describe in the same way that the entity is independent of and separate from the attributes which describe it. If united, the entity and its attributes produce plurality (as opposed to unity). Plurality nullifies eternity. Hence, whoever ascribes attributes to Allah has actually measure Him. And whoever measures Him has actually nullified His Eternity. Whoever asks how He is, seeks to describe and explain Him. Whoever asks what He is, actually induces Him. Whoever asks where He is, actually vacates Him (from other places). Whoever asks how long He will exist, actually confines Him (to a limited time). He was the Knower before there was anything to know. He was the Creator when there was no creation. He was the Lord when there was nothing over which to rule. He was the One God when there was nothing to serve. Such is a description of our Lord. And He is far above what the narrators have said about Him.

I asked Ja`far ibn Muhammad (AS) regarding Diving Unity; hence, he said: He is the One, the Needless, the Eternal, and the Independent. He has no protection to which He may adhere, But he is the Protector of All things. He is the Knower of the unknown. He is known (even) to the ignorant. He is related to uniqueness. His Creation is not in Him, nor is He in His Creation. He is not sensed nor felt, and eyes cannot perceive Him. He is Elevated, yet He is Near. He is close, yet He is far. He is disobeyed, yet He forgives. He is obeyed, so He rewards. The Earth does not encompass Him. His Heavens do not carry Him. Verily, He carries all things by means of His Omnipotence. He is related to perpetuity and eternity. He does not forget nor waste time. He does not make mistakes or play. There is no separation for His Intent. His Judgment is His Reward, and His Command is accomplished. He does not beget to be inherited, not is He begotten to have an associate. And there is none like unto Him.

Allah is the Goal of those who seek to reach him, and the seeker differs from the Goal. He is United in His Lordship. He described Himself as Limitless. Hence, the one remembering Allah is other than Allah. And Allah is other than His Names. Every identifier differs from the identified, and is thus a creation. Do you not see what His Word says: the might belongs to Allah, the reverence belongs to Allah, and He said: And Allah’s are the best names; therefore, call on Him thereby.1 And He said: Say: Call upon Allah or call upon, the Most Compassionate Allah; whichever you call upon, He has the best names.2 Therefore, the names of Allah are subjoined to Him, and this is the purest expression of Divine Unity.

17. `Ali ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn `Imran al-Daqqaq (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Muhammad ibn Abu `Abd Allah al-Kufi Abu al-Husayn said: Musa ibn `Imran related to me on the authority of al-Husayn ibn Yazid, on the authority of Ibrahim ibn al-Hakam ibn Zuhayr, on the authority of `Abd Allah ibn Jarir al- `Abdi that All praise is for Allah who is neither sense, nor felt, nor touched, and who cannot be perceived with the five senses. He cannot be imagined. He cannot be described by tongues. Everything that can be sensed is created. And Allah is the Most High. Wherever He is searched He is found. All praise is for Allah who was before the ward `was’ (was created). The word `was’ was not there to describe Him. In fact, He was the First Being. No creator has made Him. Exalted be His Praise! Rather, He created things before they existed; therefore, they were as He made them. He knows what has existed, and what will exist. He was there when nothing was there, and when nothing could be heard. Thus, He existed when there was no existence.

I heard him say that “Whoever fears Allah is feared, and whoever obeys Allah is obeyed.” So I politely went over to him and greeted him. Hence, he (AS) returned my greetings and then added: O Fath, he who pleases the Creator does not consider the displeasure of the creation. And he who displeases the Creator deserves that that displeasure of creation overpowers him. Verily, the Creator can only be described by means of the attributes He has given Himself. And how could He be described when he made the senses incapable of conceiving Him, the concepts incapable of describing Him, and the eyes incapable of perceiving Him? He is far above the attributes of the attributers and the descriptions of the describers. He is distant in His Closeness and close in His Distance. Thus, He is near in His Farness and Far in His Nearness. Since He created conditions, the question `how’ cannot apply to Him. He ionized space; therefore, the question `where’ cannot apply to Him. IN doing so He is the Inventor [Mubdi’] of conditions and space. O Fath! Everybody is nourished with food except the Creator, the Sustainer. Verily, He created bodies, yet He has neither body nor image. He does not have parts, not does He have an end. He does not increase or decrease. He is not composed of any substance that would be found in a body. He is the Subtle, the All-Knowing, the All-Listening, and the All-Hearing. He is the One, the Unique, and the Needless. He begets not, nor is He begotten, and there is nothing equal unto Him. He is the Producer of All things. He gave shape to all bodies and made all images. IF it were as the anthropomorphist say, then the Creator could not be distinguished from the created, the Sustainer from the sustained, or the Originator from the originated. However, He is the Producer. He differs from created bodies, images and things in that He resembles nothing. I asked: “if Allah is One and humankind is one, do they not resemble each other in oneness?” Hence, he (AS) replied: You have said something impossible. May Allah secure you! Verily, the resemblance is limited to meaning. Names are one, and they indicate what is named. When it is said that the human being is one, it means that he is one as opposed to two. But, in fact, the human being is not truly one because his body parts are different and his colors are different. He is composed of many parts which are not the same. His blood is other than his flesh. His flesh is other than his blood. His nerves are other than his veins. His hair is other than his skin. His darkness is other than his paleness. Likewise is the rest of creation. Thus, the human being in only “one” in name but not “one” in meaning. Allah, Exalted be His Majesty, is One and there is none other than Him. There is no variation, contrast, increase, or decrease in Him. As for the human being, he is created from different parts and different substances. He is only “one” in combination. I enquired: As for your statement regarding “the Subtle,” kindly explain it to me, I know, of course, that His Subtlety differs from that of others. However, I would appreciate it if you could explain it to me in greater detail. Therefore, he (AS) answered: O Fath! I said: He is Subtle in subtleness of His Creation and in His Knowledge of microscopic matter. Do you not see His Stamp on the various types of plants, both soft and rough? And do you not contemplate the subtle creation of creatures like the gnat and the mosquito and those insects which are even smaller than these two and are almost invisible to the naked eye? In fact, they are almost invisible due to their tiny size, making it virtually impossible to differentiate the male from the female, and the young from the old. Thus, when we see the smallness of creatures in their refinement, their instinct to reproduce, and their fear of death; when we see the creatures that exist in the depths of the oceans, and in the branches of trees; when we see what exists in deserts and wastelands, and that each species has a means of communication through which they are understood by their offspring; when we see how creatures feed their offspring, and how creatures are distinguished by color, red with yellow, and white with red; then, and only then do we come to appreciate the subtlety of the Creator. Verily, everything has a precursor. Allah, the Creator, the Subtle, and the Sublime created everything out of nothing. I asked: “May I be your ransom! Is there a creator other than the Sublime Creator?” He (AS) replied: Verily, Allah, the Blessed and High says: Blessed be Allah, the best of creators.1 He has certainly acknowledged that there are creators among His Servants, including Jesus, the son of Mary [Isa ibn Maryam] (AS). He created from clay a figure of a bird by the will of Allah. Then he breathed into it, and it became a bird, by the will of Allah. And Samiri made for them the body of a calf that mooed. I enquired: “Undoubtedly `Isa created from clay a bird as a proof of his Prophethood, while Samiri made the body of calf to refute Musa’s (AS) Prophethood. Was that Allah’s will? Certainly this is astonishing.” He answered: Woe unto you, O Fath! Verily, Allah has two intents or two wills; the definite [hatm] intent, and the determined [`azm] intent. He forbids with desire, and orders without desire. Have you not seen that He banned Adam (AS) and his wife from eating from the tree while He wanted them to. Had he not willed it, they would not have eaten it, and if they had not eaten it, they would have defied Allah’s will. He ordered Ibrahim (AS) to slaughter his son Isma`il (AS) and desired him not to slaughter him. If He did not will for him to slaughter him, then Ibrahim (AS) would have defied Allah’s will, the Mighty and High. I said: “You have relieved me. May Allah relieve you! Except that you asked: `The All-Hearing and the All-Seeing, does He hear with an ear and see with an eye?” Consequently, He (AS) replied: Most certainly He hears what He sees and sees what He hears. He sees, but not with an eye like the eyes of the created. He hears, but not like the listeners listen. He hears in the sense that nothing is hidden from Him, not even the movement of a black particle on a hard rock in the dark of the night, in the depth of the Earth or in the depth of the oceans. We say: He is Seeing but not like the created. And when He comprehends all languages, and does not confuse one from another. We say: He hear, but not like others hear. I commented: “May I be your ransom! I still have one last question.” He (AS) said: “Proceed for the sake of Allah, for the good deeds of your father!” I asked: “Would He know the things that He has not made; that if He did make them, how would they be?” He answered: Woe to you! Your questions are defiantly difficult. Have you not heard Allah say? If there had been in them any gods except Allah, they would both have certainly been in a state of disorder. And His Word: And some of them would certainly have overpowered others. And He said relating an account of the people of Hell: Take us out; we will do good deeds other than those which we used to do.4 And He said: And if they were sent back, they would certainly go back to that which they are forbidden. He certainly knew what would have happened if other things had happened. I then got up to kiss his hand and feet, but he (AS) brought his head nearer: hence I kissed his face and head. I left with so much contentment and joy that I am incapable of describing what was clarified for me of virtue and fortune. The Compiler (may Allah be pleased with him) of this book says: Verily, Allah, the Blessed, the High, forbade Adam and his wife from eating from the tree while knowing that they would both eat from it. However He, the Mighty and High, decided that He would not prevent them fro eating from the tree through determination [jabr] and power [qudrah], in the same fashion that He had prohibited them from eating by order and rebuke [zajr]. Thus, this is the meaning of His Will in these two case. If He, the Mighty and High, prohibited fthem from eating by determination, and thenthey ate from it, they would have defied His will, as al- ‘Alim1 (the Learned (AS) has said. “Exalted is Allah, the Most High, from inability.

O Allah! The imaginations of the imaginative are astonished; the curiosity of the curious has failed; the descriptions of the describers are ruined; and the words of the vain doers have faded in their attempts to perceive You. The eyes cannot reach You with indication or perception. They are far from the mark, so far from the mark! O First One, O Unique, O Incomparable! You are Exalted above everything in Might and Pride! And You are Lofty behind every depth and end with Power and Pride.

“I have come to you concerning an issue that nobody could explain to me. I have asked three different persons, and each of them gave me a different answer.” Abu Ja`far (AS) said: “What is it?” Hence he explained: “What is the first thing that Allah, the Mighty and High, created from His Creation? Some of those whom I asked said: `Omnipotence.’ Some said: `Knowledge.’ And others said: `the Spirit.” Therefore, Abu Ja`far (AS) replied: They have said nothing! Let it be known that Allah, may His Remembrance be Exalted, was there when nothing but Him was there. He was Honorable when there was no honor, because He was there before His Honor and this is His Word: Glory be to your Lord, the Lord of Honor, above what they describe.1 He was the Creator when there was no creation. Thus, the first thing He created in creation was water, the element from which all things are form. So the questioner enquired: “Did He crate the (first) thing from something or from nothing?” Consequently, He (AS) answered: He created the thing from nothing which existed before it. And if He had created the thing from something, then nothing would be discontinuous. Thus, other that Allah would have existed along with Him. In fact, Allah was there, and there was nothing with Him. Hence, He created the thing from which all things originate, and that is water.

I heard Abu al-Hasan al-Kadhim (AS) saying the following prayer while he was in prostration: “O He who is so High that nothing is above Him! O He who is so near that nothing is without Him! Forgive me and my Companions!”

“None but Allah can create something out of nothing. None but Allah can transfer one substance into another. None but Allah can transfer existence into non-existence.”

Messenger of Allah (SA) said: Allah, Exalted be His Sublimity, said: He who interprets My Words on the basis of his own personal opinion does not believe in Me. He who compares Me to My Creation does not believe in Me. And he who uses analogy [qiyas] in religion is not of My Religion.

Messenger of Allah (SA) said: “Divine unity is half of faith And increase your sustenance by means of charity.”

I heard `Ali ibn Musa al-Rida (AS) that “He who compares Allah with His creation is an infidel and he who limits Him spatially is an unbeliever. And he who attributes to Him what is forbidden is a liar.” Then he (AS) recited this verse: Only they forge the lie who do not believe in Allah’s communications, and these are the liars.

species may be compared to Him, nor a shape so that the shapes may be compared to Him; nor like other things so that descriptions may apply to Him. Intellects have floated away in the waves of His Perception. Imaginations are astonished when contemplating His Eternity. Intellects are prevented from understanding His Omnipotence. The minds have drowned in the depths of the orbit of His Realm which possesses power over the bestowal of blessings, and which forbids with magnificence. He is Sovereign over all thins. He never declines nor is encompassed by an attribute. The obstinate fixed stars surrender to Him through their orbit. The firm causes submit to Him in the utmost heights of their section as a witness from all species over His Lordship. The inability of beings bears witness to His Omnipotence. The coming into being of beings bear witness that He is without a beginning. And the death of beings bears witness that He is Everlasting. Thus, there is no refuge for them from His Reach; there is no fleeing His Encirclement; there is no hiding from His Decree; and there is no avoiding His Omnipotence. The composition of nature is proof. Creation out of nothing is proof that He has no beginning. The creative power is sufficient as an admonition. Thus, there is no limit connected to Him, no likeness of Him, and there is nothing hidden from Him. Exalted is He, the Most High, from the attributes of created things! I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, with faith in His Lordship, and in contrast to those who deny Him. And I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger, the Inhabitant of the Best Resting Place, the Fruit of the Most Noble Lions and Purified Wombs, the Product of the Most Dignified Lineage and Best Birth place which is inaccessible to others and which has the most honorable foundation. He was chosen by Allah as His trustworthy Friend from the Tree of Prophethood. The tree possesses fine wood, an upright trunk, high branches, blooming twigs, ripened fruits, and a precious interior. In nobility was the tree planted, and in sanctity it grew, branching off, and producing honorable fruits. Hence, the tree was given prestige, and was made lofty by the Prophet Muhammad (SA). Eventually, Allah, the Mighty and High, honored him with the Trusted Spirit [al-Ruh alAmin], the Open Light [al-Nur al-Mubin], and the Evident Book [al-Kitab al-Mustabin]. He made Alboarak [buraq] subservient to Muhammad (SA) and the Angels greeted him. The devils were frightened of him. Through him, Allah destroyed the idols, and the gods that were served other than Him. His practice [Sunnah] is sensible, his conduct [sirah] is just, and his judgment is true. He complied with what his Lord ordered him, and fulfilled his responsibilities. He clearly preached Divine Unity, and made known to creation that there is no god but Allah, the One, the Only, who has not associates. Eventually, he purified the concept of Diving Unity, attributing all Lordship to Him. Through Divine Unity, He made apparent his proof, and with Islam elevated his status. Allah, the Mighty and High, chose for His Prophet (SA) the spirit, the status, and the expedition. May Allah bless him, and his Purified Progeny, as He has blessed all of the Prophets who preceded him!

`He was there’ then it is based on the eternity of His Existence. And if it is said: `He is still there’ then it is due to negating His non-existence. Thus, praise be Him and Exalted is He from the words of he who serve s other than Him and take a god other than Him, the Elevated, High. We extol Him with the praise that He approved for His creation, and made mandatory upon Himself to accept it. I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, Alone, without associates, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and His Messenger. The two witnesses elevate the statement, and multiply the deeds. The scale of actions becomes lighter when these two witnesses are removed form it, and it becomes heavier when these two are places in it. With these two is the achievement of Paradise, escape from Hell, and crossing of the Bridge (al-Sirat). With the two witnesses people may enter Paradise, and with sending blessings [salawat] people attain mercy. Therefore, increase the blessings you send to your Prophet (SA) and his Progeny (AS): Verily, Allah and His Angels bless the Prophet; O you who believe, send blessings unto him and salute him with a salutation worthy of respect. O people! There is no honor greater than Islam, no nobility more respectful than piety, no refuge safer than godliness, no intercessor better than the repentance, no treasure more beneficial than knowledge, no respect higher than forbearance, no value more emphatic than manners, no relation lower than anger, no beauty more attractive than intellect, no bad deed worse than lying, no protection more effective than quietness, no dress more beautiful than health, and no absence closer than death. O people, whoever has walked on the surface of the Earth will certainly fall to its depth. The night and day are speedy in demolishing lives, and for every spark of life there is nourishment. For every seed there is a consumer, and you are the nutrients of death. Most certainly he who recognizes time does not neglect to get prepared (for the Hereafter). No one escapes death, neither the rich through wealth, nor the poor through poverty. O people! Whoever fears his Lord refrains from oppression. He who does not guard his tongue, obscene language overtakes him; and he who does not know the difference between right and wrong belongs to the animal kingdom. How small is suffering compared to tomorrow’s need (the Day of Judgment)! How far it is! Your ignorance (of God) is caused by your defiance, and your sins. How close it: the comfort from exhaustion and the misery from ease. Calamity is not calamity if it is followed by Paradise and the welfare is not welfare if it is followed by Hell. Every ease other than Paradise is inconsiderable and every tribulation other than the Hell is relief.

I entered the presense of al-Ma`mum while `Ali ibn Musa al-Rida (AS) was with him. AlMa`mum said to him: “O son of the Messenger of Allah (SA), do you not say that the Prophets are infallible?” He (AS) replied: “Certainly.” He says that he asked him (AS) about some verses from the Qur`an. Among his questions was: “Then tell me about the Word of Allah, the Mighty and High, regarding Ibrahim (AS): So when the night overshadowed him, he saw a star; said he: Is this my Lord?”1 Hence, (`Ali) al-Rida (AS) responded: Ibrahim (AS) was faced with three types of people: the first worshiped Venus, the second worshipped the moon, and the third worshiped the sun. This was when the came out of the den in which he was hiding. So when the night overshadowed him, he saw the planet Venus, and said: this is my Lord, as a denial and inquiry So when it set, he aid: I do not love the setting one,2 because setting is one of the attributes of the created [muhdath] and not from the attributes of the Eternal [qadim]. Then when he saw the moon rising, he asked: Is this my Lord? He said this as both denial and inquiry. So when it set, he said: If my Lord had not guided me I should certainly be of the erring people.3 Then when the day began and he saw the sun rising, he said: This is my Lord. This is greater than Venus and the moon. He (AS) said this as denial and inquiry and not as information and approval. So when it set, he said to all three types of people from the worshippers of Venus, the moon and the sun: O my people! Surely I am clear of what you set up (with Allah). Surely I have turned myself, being upright, wholly to Him who originated the Heaven and the Earth, and I am not of the polytheists.4 Verily, Ibrahim (AS) intended to clarify for them the invalidity of their religion, and prove to them that worshipping Venus, the Moon, and the Sun was wrong. Rather, service belongs only to their Creator, the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth. The argument he brought forth was inspired by Allah, the Mighty and High: And this was Our argument which we gave to Ibrahim against his people.5 Al-Ma`mum said: “For Allah’s sake continue, O son of the Messenger of Allah!” The Compiler of this book says: The tradition is detailed; we have extracted from it the required passage. I have transmitted all of it in the book `Uyun Akhbar al-Rida (AS). 29. Muhammad ibn al-Hasan ibn Ahmad ibn al-Walid (may Allah have mercy on him) said: Muhammad ibn Yahya al-`Attar said on the authority of al-Husayn ibn al-Hasan ibn Aban, on the authority of Muhammad ibn Auramah, on the authority of Ibrahim ibn al-Hakam ibn Zuhayr, on the authority of `Abd Allah ibn Jarir al-`Abdi saying that Abu `Abd Allah al-Sadiq (AS) used to say: All praise be to Allah who cannot be sensed, felt or touched, as He cannot be perceived by the five senses. Imagination cannot grasp Him. Tongues cannot describe Him. Everything that can be sensed is a creation. All praise be to Allah who was when there was nothing but He. He made all things according to a design. He knows what has been and what will be.

I heard Abu Ibrahim Musa ibn Ja'far al-Kadhim (as) speaking to a Christian monk. He said to him in some of their debate: “Indeed, Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, is too exalted and greater to be confined by a hand or foot or movement or stillness, or to be described by height or shortness, or to be comprehended by imaginations, or to be encompassed by the qualities of minds. He revealed His exhortations, promises, and warnings, commanding without lips or tongue, but as He willed to say ‘Be,’ and it was a decree as He intended in the Tablet.”

“He who compares Allah with His Creation is an infidel; and he who denies His Omnipotence is an unbeliever.”

I entered into the presence of My Master Musa ibn Ja`far (AS) and said to him: “O son of the Messenger (SA)! Teach me about Divine Unity.” Hence, he (AS) said: O Abu Ahmad! When it comes to Divine Unity, do not go beyond what Allah, the Exalted, has mentioned in His Book, otherwise you will perish. Know that Allah, the Exalted, is One, Unique, Everlasting. He begets not so He may be inherited, nor is He begotten so He may have an associate. He has not taken a wife, a son or an associate. He is the Living that does not dies. He is the Omnipotent that is never powerless. He is the Subduer who is never overwhelmed. He is the Clement who does not hasten. He is the Eternal who does not perish. He is the Permanent who does not pas away. He is the Firm who does not decline. He is the All-Sufficient who is never in need. He is the Almighty who is never abased. He is the All-Knowing who is never ignorant. He is the Just who never oppresses. He is the Magnanimous who is never miserly. Verily, He is He whom intellects cannot anticipate. He is not located in imaginations. He is not encompassed by region. He is not contained in any place. Vision comprehends Him not, and He comprehends (all) vision; and He is the Knower of subtleties, the Aware.1 Nothing whatsoever is like unto Him, and He is the all-Hearing, the all-Seeing.2 Nowhere is there a secret counsel between three persons but He is the Fourth of them, not (between) five but He is the Sixty of them, nor less than that nor more but He is with them where so ever they are.3 He is the First who has nothing prior to Him, and the Last who has nothing after Him. He is without beginning, and the rest are creations with beginnings. Exalted is He, the Mighty, the Great, from the attributes of creation!

O Commander of the Faithful! Since when has our Lord existed?” `Ali (AS) replied: It is certainly said `when was it’ for a thing that was not there and then was there. However, our Lord, the Blessed and Exalted, had existed, does exist and will exist without occurrence. He existed without quality. He has always existed with eternity and without quality. He has always existed. There is no beginning for Him. He is prior to the beginning. He is without a beginning and an end [ghayah]. He is the End and there is no end to Him. He is the End that ends all. Thus, He is the End of all Ends.

`Umarah ibn Zayd related to me on the authority of `Amar ibn Muhammad ibn Sa`sa`ah ibn Sawhan that My father related to me on the authority of Abu alMu`tamar Muslim ibn Aws who said I attended a gather of `Ali (AS) in the Mosque of al-Kufah. There a man stood up whose color was pale, as if he was a Yemeni Jew, and said: “O Commander of the Faithful! Describe your Creator, and praise Him for us such that we may see Him.” Hence, `Ali (AS) praised his Lord, and exalted His Greatness, the Mighty and High, in the following words: All praise be to Allah, who is the First not from something, nor hidden in something, and who does not vanish nor unite with something. He is not an imaginary delusion. He is neither a shape that He may be watched, not a body so He may have parts. He is not with an end that He may terminate. He is not accidental [muhdath] so He may be seen. He is neither covered that He may be uncovered, not is He with veils so He may be comprised. He was there, but no space was there to carry Him in its sides, nor any carrier to life Him with its power. Neither has He come into being after not being there. In fact, the imaginations are baffled to assume a shape for the One who formed all things and is still without space, and does not decline with the variation of time. He does not transform from one quality to another. He is far from the supposition of hearts. He is Exalted above all things and varieties. He is the Single, and the Knower of the Unseen. Thus, the meanings of the creation are negated from Him, and their secrets are not hidden from Him. He is the Known without quality. He is not perceived through the senses and not compared with people. Eyes do not perceive Him. Thoughts cannot encompass Him. Intellects cannot assess Him, and imaginations cannot imagine Him. Hence, any likeness of Him conceived by the intellect is limited. And how could He be described with shapes and praised with eloquent tongues? He neither occurred in things, so it may be said that He is in them, nor left them, that it may be said that He is obvious. Neither is He free from them so it may be said `where.’ He is neither so close to them as to stick to them, nor so far from them as to be split. But He is in the things without quality. He is closer to us than our jugular vein, and further ways than what is most far. He has neither created things with the origin of eternity, nor from prior examples. In fact, He created what He created, and made it strong. He imagined what He imagined and beautified it. Thus, praise be Him who is Unique in His Elevation. Hence, nothing can refuse to Him His decree. Nor does He gain anything through the obedience of His Creation. His Response to callers is quick. The Angels in the Heavens and the Earth are submissive to Him. He addressed Moses with words without limbs, instruments, lips or uvulas. Praise be Him and Exalted is He from attributes. Thus, whoever supposes that the God of the Creation is limited then he is ignorant of God, the Creator. The Compiler of this book says: The sermon is detailed; we have extracted from it the required passage.

“O son of `Abbas! You give verdicts on ants and lice, so will you not describe to us the God that you serve,” So Ibn `Abbas bowed down his head in silence to exalt Allah, the Mighty and High. Al-Husayn ibn `Ali (AS) was sitting on the side, who said: “Come to me, O son of alAzraq!.” He replied: “I am not asking you.” Then Ibn `Abbas said: “O son of al-Azraq! Verily, he from the Household of Prophethood, and they (the household members) are the Heirs of (Prophetic) Knowledge.” Thus, Nafi` ibn al-Azraq turned towards al-Husayn (AS), so al-Husayn said to him: O Nafi`! Verily, he who bases his religion on analogy is still immersed in the world. He is straying away from the (right) path, transient in the deviation (from that which is right), is leading astray from the way, and is saying that which is not nice. O son of al-Azraq! I am describing my god with what He Himself has described Himself and I am presenting Him with what He presented Himself. He cannot be perceived with the senses and cannot be compared with the people. He is near but not attached. He is far, but not cut off. He is United, but not divided into parts. He is known by signs and attributed by symbols. There is not god but He, the Great, the Most High.

He who anthropomorphizes Allah with His Creation is an infidel. Verily, Allah, the Blessed and the Exalted, does not resemble anything and nothing resembles Him. Everything that is imagined is other than Him. The Compiler (may Allah have mercy on him) of this book says: The proof that nothing resembles Allah, the Glorified, in His Creation in any dimension, is that there is no dimension for any of His Actions except that it has a beginning [muhdathah]. Therefore, it Allah, High be His Praise, resembles anything from His Creation, then that would certainly give Him a beginning… At the same time, two things which are intellectually similar require one ruling due to their similarity. And the proof had been established for Allah, the Mighty and High, being without beginning [qadim], It is impossible that He may be Eternal in one dimension, and have beginning another. Another proof that Allah, Blessed and Exalted be He, is without beginning is that if He had a beginning then there must have been someone that gave Him a beginning, because an action requires an agent. And surely the word about one who gave beginning to Him is like the word about Him. And in this (case) there is existence of an eternal before an eternal that has no prior (to Him). This is impossible. Hence, it is correct that there must be an Eternal Creator. And if it is so, then whatever demands the eternity of that creator and indicates upon him, also demands the eternity of the Creator we believe in and indicates upon Him.

I entered into the presence of My Master `Ali ibn Muhammad ibn `Ali ibn Musa ibn Ja`far ibn Muhammad ibn `Ali ibn al-Husayn ibn `Ali ibn Abu Talib (peace be on them), when he saw me, he said: “Welcome, O Abu al-Qasim! You are our true lover.” So I said to him: “O son of the Messenger of Allah! I intend to present to you my religion. If it is acceptable then I will remain firm on it until I meet Allah, the Mighty and High.” Thus, he said: “Tell me, O Abu al-Qasim.” Hence, I explained: Verily, I proclaim: Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, is One God. There is nothing whatsoever like unto Him. He is beyond the two limitations; the limitation of annulment and the limitation of anthropomorphism. Verily, He has neither body nor an image, neither an accidental quality nor a substance. In fact, He is the Creator of bodies, images, accidental qualities, and substances. He is the Lord of Everything, their Master, their Creator, and is the One who gave them beginning. Verily, Muhammad (SA) is His Servant and His Messenger, the Seal of the Messengers; hence, there is no Messenger after him till the Day of Judgment. I profess: Verily, the Imam, the Caliph and the Legal Guardian [wali al-amr] after him (SA) is the Commander of the Faithful `Ali in Abu Talib (AS) then al-Hasan, then al-Husayn, then `Ali ibn alHusayn, then Muhammad ibn `Ali, then Ja`far ibn Muhammad, then Musa ibn Ja`far, then `Ali ibn Musa, then Muhammad ibn `Ali, then you, O my Master. So he (AS) said: “And after me is al-Hasan my son and what shall happen to people for the one after him?” He said: I asked him (AS): “And what is that O Master?” He replied: “Because he cannot be seen and it is not permissible to mention him with his name until he reappears. Then he will fill the Earth with peace and justice like it will be filed with injustice and oppression.” Then I asked him: I acknowledge and declare: Verily, to befriend them is to befriend Allah, to bear enmity towards them is to bear enmity with Allah, to obey them is to obey Allah, and to disobey them is to disobey Allah. And I affirm: Verily, the Ascension (of Muhammad (AS) to the Heavens) [Mi’raj] is true, the questioning in the grave is true; Heaven is true, and Hell is true. The Bridge (Sirat) is true,and the Balance is true. And there can be no doubt about the coming of the Inevitable Hour and that Allah shall raise the dead from their graves. And II assert that the obligations after the guardianship [Wilayah] are the prayers [Salat], alms [Zakat], fasting [Sawm], Hajj, Jihad, as well as enjoining good and forbidding evil. Thus, `Ali ibn Muhammad (AS) said: “O Abu al-Qasim! By Allah, this is the religion of Allah, which he wishes for His Servants. Remain firm in this (religion). May Allah keep you firm on the established word in this life and in the Hereafter.”