and affirmation alike.” He cited the hadith, then said:

“His words, ‘Light—how could I see Him?’ admit of two meanings. The first is: ‘How could I see Him when He is light?’ The second is: ‘I saw Him; indeed, I saw Him, and He is light.’ He is light whom eyes do not perceive as they perceive created beings, as ʿIkrimah said—meaning, on the authority of Ibn ʿAbbās—‘When Allah manifests Himself in His light, nothing can perceive Him.’”

He said: “The evidence for the validity of this second interpretation is that the foremost authority of his age in knowledge and transmitted reports, Muhammad ibn Bashshār Bundār, narrated this report to us. He said: ‘Muʿādh ibn Hishām narrated to us, saying: I was told by