His treatise is for us the Constitution (al-Dustur); to it we return in all matters, in its light we debate, and by it we judge—for he has left no room for any speaker to say more after him.'

'The Visual Form manifest as the Unveiled and the Vast (Anza' Batin) is, as our Sheikh (peace be upon him) said: "It is He"—in terms of affirmation, existence, vision, and certainty; yet "He is not it "—not at all, neither in terms of combination, nor confinement, nor encompassment.'

'Similar to what he [the Sheikh] provided in his answer to Ibn Shu'ba, which is his statement: "I say without concealment—and I seek refuge in God from addition or subtraction—that if the Absence [the Inward State] is Primordial (Qidam), then all Manifestation (al-Zhuhur) is originated (hadath), except for His manifestation through the "Unveiledness" (al-Anza'iyya) alone; for within it, the Lord manifested in His Primordiality."'

'Thus, may God ennoble his station, he explained that everything to which the name of "Manifestation" or "Vision" applies—regarding all other persons and appearances—is originated (muhdath), except for the Unveiled Form.'

He says: 'May God ennoble his station, he said in his answer to Ibn Shu'ba regarding the ninth question—when he [Ibn Shu'ba] had asked him: "Inform me, what should be the answer to one who