Of course, the one who said here, "And what is weak in this: 'Indeed, God is a Body, not like bodies,'" is our Master Abu al-Hasan al-Rida (may his glory be exalted), no other. "And that is that He is 'Affirmed,' [but] nothing resembles Him. And He is as He described Himself: One, Eternally Self-Sufficient, Light."

Here he affirmed the third school of thought, which we spoke of previously: that He is Affirmed, [but] negated from Him are dimensions, outlines, and forms. And he said at the end: "One, Eternally Self-Sufficient, Light," as is famously [attributed] to Hisham ibn al-Hakam (upon him is peace).

Hisham did not make that statement except for a statement that preceded from the Imam, and from hearing this creed from his Master, until a group of the companions came to believe in it. It will also be clear to every gnostic that the Imam answered with dissimulation, being considerate of the questioner.

From Zurara, he said: I asked our Master Abu 'Abdillah (may his glory be exalted) about the saying of God: {And when your Lord took from the children of Adam from their loins...} until {They said, "Yes"}. He said: "Muhammad (may his glory be exalted) was the first to say 'Yes.'" I said: "Was it a vision of sight?" He said: "Yes. Then He established the Gnosis in their hearts, and they forgot that Covenant, but they will remember it later. Were it not for that, no one would have known who his Creator is nor who his Provider is."¹

"So it was a vision of sight"

This is the essence of justice. For how can the Creator (Glorified is He) be known without seeing Him? Our Masters' reports are unanimous: "Know God by God." So how can I know God if He is "devoid" (God forbid!) of His appearance, and how do I affirm His Essence?!