There is only His very Entity through report,
And only other than He through eyesight.
Where, then, are those reflecting upon His Essence?
They have mounted a tremendous danger concerning Him.
The affair opposed itself for them, so
They possess no knowledge of Him through consideration.
If ‘He’ is said, they are told, ‘Not He,’
For He is the One you seek through reflection.
If ‘Not He’ is said, they are told, ‘He,’ for He
Is the very One you witness within forms.
(A Visionary Event)
I was shown a spring of fresh milk, the like of which I had never seen in whiteness or fragrance, within a pool, juma. I entered it until it reached my breasts, flowing abundantly, and wondered at this. I heard strange divine speech saying, ‘Whoever prostrates before other than God at God’s command, seeking nearness to God in obedience to God, has become felicitous and been saved. Whoever prostrates before other than God without God’s command, seeking nearness to God, has become wretched.’
(Being-With and the Direction of Prayer)
God, mighty and majestic is He, says, ‘The
Notes
Translator’s note: ‘Pool’ is a contextual rendering of the supplied rare word جومة, transcribed juma; the precise kind of receptacle is uncertain.
