Section One: The Concept of the Lord's Image

In this chapter is the point of disagreement between us and the "detractors" (those who fall short) regarding the "Image of the Lord": whether it is a Name of God or the Meaning (He). There is no disagreement among the Unitarians that our Master Amir Al-Mouminine (may his glory be exalted) is the Inaccessible Unseen who appeared to creation in the image of human-likeness; every creature sees Him according to its own capacity.

That is, according to the inner self of that person. And He (Glorified is He) appears by His Names as an Essence (a universal meaning) after He removes their luminous bodies and appears in their exact forms.

As for the knowing believers, they see Him as Amir Annahl (Glorified is He). But as for those whose hearts are not purified, they see the image of the Name known in their time, whether it be My Master al-Hasan, or al-Husayn, or al-Sajjad (may their glory be exalted). For He is the One who travels among the "Domes" (the Names) as He wills (Glorified is He).

We will present some reports from the books of the inner on the nature of this Power (the Image)—may our Lord be exalted above images and bodies, but [this is] as an establishment of the proof and as an intimacy for creation. So He appeared among them in their forms, and this is the essence of justice. His vision was an illusion in the eyes of the beholders, in an Anza'iyya form [divested] from materials and humanity, and hidden/lined with Divinity.

And we will briefly mention some reports on the subject of the Lord's appearance in His Anza'iyya form, because the space does not allow for mentioning all the texts, due to their abundance. Understanding this matter is necessary to resolve some of the obfuscations regarding the "resemblance" that occurred at Karbala.