How did you -asws see Him -azwj ?’ He -asws said: ‘Woe be unto you, O Zi’lab! The eyes do not see Him -azwj by the witnessing of the visions, but the hearts see Him -azwj by the realities of the Eman . My -asws Lord -azwj is the most Subtle of the subtles (but) He -azwj cannot be described by the subtleties; most Magnificent (but) cannot be described by the magnificence; Greatest of the greats (but) cannot be described by the greatness; most Majestic (but) cannot be described by the rudeness.
قَبْلَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ لَا يُقَالُ شَيْءٌ قَبْلَهُ وَ بَعْدَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ لَا يُقَالُ لَهُ بَعْدٌ شَاءَ الْأَشْيَاءَ لَا بِهِمَّةٍ دَرَّاكٌ لَا بِخَدِيعَةٍ فِي الْأَشْيَاءِ كُلِّهَا غَيْرُ مُتَمَازِجٍ بِهَا وَ لَا بَائِنٌ مِنْهَا ظَاهِرٌ لَا بِتَأْوِيلِ الْمُبَاشَرَةِ مُتَجَلٍّ لَا بِاسْتِهْلَالِ رُؤْيَةٍ نَاءٍ لَا بِمَسَافَةٍ قَرِيبٌ لَا بِمُدَانَاةٍ لَطِيفٌ لَا بِتَجَسُّمٍ مَوْجُودٌ لَا بَعْدَ عَدَمٍ He -azwj was before everything, nothing can be said to be before Him -azwj , and He -azwj is after everything, nothing can be said to be after Him -azwj .
It is not by thinking that He -azwj is Aware, nor by a strategy regarding the things. All of these without being mixed with these, nor is He -azwj apparent from these. He -azwj is apparent, not by the immediate explanation. He -azwj Shines, not by the initiation of sight. He -azwj is remote, not by a distance. He -azwj is near, not by approaches. He -azwj is Subtle, not by embodiment. He -azwj is existent, not after the non-existence.
فَاعِلٌ لَا بِاضْطِرَارٍ مُقَدِّرٌ لَا بِحَرَكَةٍ مُرِيدٌ لَا بِهَمَامَةٍ سَمِيعٌ لَا بِآلَةٍ بَصِيرٌ لَا بِأَدَاةٍ لَا تَحْوِيهِ الْأَمَاكِنُ وَ لَا تَضْمَنُهُ الْأَوْقَاتُ وَ لَا تَحُدُّهُ الصِّفَاتُ وَ لَا تَأْخُذُهُ السِّنَاتُ سَبَقَ الْأَوْقَاتَ كَوْنُهُ وَ الْعَدَمَ وُجُودُهُ وَ الِابْتِدَاءَ أَزَلُهُ He -azwj is a Performer, not by the desperation, and Evaluator, not by the movement, an Intender, not by thinking, a Hearer, not by an instrument, Seeing, not by tools.