His Manifestation is Mercy, and His Inwardness is Subtlety (Lutf) and Grace (Minna)1. It is only darkness, murkiness, and denial that have veiled the eyes from seeing Him.
And [know] that the Form is an Attribute 2, and the Attribute indicates its like (Mithl). And indeed, "Allah is only known by Allah," and "There is nothing like unto His Likeness."
Footnotes
1The Master (The Almighty) appeared as the Genus (Jins) while He is the Distinguisher of Genera (Mujannis al-Ajnas) and the Lord of Jinn and Mankind.This is because the creation did not have the capacity to know, find, or witness a form that was not similar to their forms; nor could they stand firm against the "Burning, Shimmering, Luminous Lights" that contradict their vision.So He showed us that He is similar to us (Mushakil), and a likeness to our ornament, while He is the High Exalted above shapes, and the Majestic Sanctified from likenesses.So we witnessed Him with our senses. And what is witnessed is sounder in the souls and more fixed in the illusion of the sensed.Thus, in His Theophany (Glorious is His Greatness), He was "to creation like creation"—a wisdom, mercy, and compassion for the one who knew Him; and a punishment and vengeance upon the one who denied Him.Because He is Wise and Just. It was not in His Justice, Grace, or Compassion to appear to creation through the "Overwhelming Illumination" (Al-Ishraq al-Mustalim), for that would be a cause for their annihilation.
2The Form is an Attribute, and the Attribute is the manifestation of the Described (Mawsuf), and it indicates its "Like" (Mithl)—which is Allah.As Al-Sadiq (Exalted be His Might) said: "If Allah had a 'Like' (Mithl), then He is 'Him' (Huwa)."Hence, the saying is correct: "Allah is only known by Allah," because the Form is not other than Him in Reality and Substance."And there is nothing like unto His Likeness": Meaning, nothing is like the Likeness of Him. It is a Form unlike [sensory] forms in its Reality.