proof and demonstration, light and clarification, belongs to scholars who are eloquent and wise. As for knowledge of the attributes—which is knowledge of Him—it belongs to His allies, who behold Him with their hearts and to whom He unveils unseen things, showing them what He does not show others. They are granted unveiling through the light of certainty, the knowledge of certainty, the vision of certainty, and the reality of certainty. They are singled out for spiritual realities and favoured at His initiative with the hidden treasures of His gracious gifts to His chosen ones and allies. Each group has a station, each station its knowledge, and each kind of knowledge its governing principle.

Likewise, forms of knowledge have their respective principles and stations; no form of knowledge should therefore be taken beyond its proper station.”

He said:

“Abū al-Husayn al-Nūrī was asked, ‘How is it that intellects cannot comprehend Him?’

He replied, ‘How can one who has limits comprehend Him who has none? Or how can one who has an end comprehend Him who has none? Or how can one subject to modality comprehend Him who fashioned modality itself?’

Al-Wāsitī said, ‘Just as things subsisted and through Him passed away, so through Him did they know Him.’

Al-Shiblī said, ‘The Real is not known through anything other than Himself.’

Al-Nibājī said, ‘Blessed are those who know Him: He made Himself known to them before they knew Him.’”

He said:

“The imams of the religion and the shaykhs of the Muslims have spoken truly. Allah, glorified is He, is the One eternally known. He guides others to knowledge of Himself and makes Himself known to His creation through Himself. Intellects and understandings, knowledge and imaginings, have wandered in utter bewilderment in trying to conceive of Him, as have thoughts and inward reflections in trying to comprehend Him. For He is the Great One, whose greatness transcends every