So if you verify what preceded of speech, you would know how the one of weak faculties, falling short of knowledge, does not know the Deity except in a Form (Surah) that he makes possess
ed of an Outline (Takhtit) 1.
So, by mere witnessing, he has encompassed the Deity, restricted Him, spatialized Him, limited Him, counted Him, affirmed His existence [as a physical object], and specified Him.
And he separated Him from the Intellect, and separated the Intellect from the Soul—which is the Gate. And this is error and the belief of the ignorant. I seek refuge in Allah from that.
Footnotes
1By Allah, O Master Muhammad ibn Shu'ba (Sanctified be his secret), I have sought refuge in Allah from some of our brothers in this age who do not sanctify (Tanzih) the Meaning (Ma'na) from the Form falling under the sense of sight.Some of them even say to it: "There is no god but You (Anti - feminine singular)" (addressing the form). Yes, they are astray and ignorant."Weak of Faculties": Meaning the Intellectual and Psychic faculties. Necessarily, he falls short of the Knowledge of Sanctification (Tanzih), Abstraction (Tajrid), and Negation and Affirmation.This person's Gnostic vision does not exceed the boundaries of the Visible Form possessing configuration, shape, color, and transition from state to state.So by mere witnessing of the Deity [in form], he has:Encompassed Him: Surrounded Him from His sides.Restricted Him: Made a container for Him.Limited Him: Made a limit at which He ends.Spatialized Him: Made a place to contain Him.Counted Him: Made Him multiple in His Essence (as his eyes see Him in states and raiments).By separating the Meaning from the Light, and the Light from the Radiance, he has applied Multiplicity (Ta'addud) upon Him.The Truth: The Light, the Radiance, and the Shadow are a Single Reality, but the Names and Attributes apply to the possessors of views, each according to what concerns him.