It is He—in affirmation, existence, beholding, and certainty—yet He is not it in the sense of totality, composite union, confinement, or encompassment 1 ."
He [al-Mufaddal] says: "I asked: 'O my Master, is that Image which was seen, which ascended the pulpits and rose, calling from its Essence to its Essence with the attribute of High-Exaltation (al-'Alawiyya) and speaking explicitly of Divinity (al-Lahutiyya)? You have told me that it is not the totality of the Creator, yet the Creator is not other than it.'"
He [the Imam] replied: "O Mufaddal, those are the Attributes of Light, the Garments of Manifestation, the Source of Allusion, and the Tongues of Expression. By them, He veiled you from Him, and through them, He directed you toward Him. He is not other than them; He is Veiled by Light, Manifest through Appearance, and Evident through Self-Disclosure (al-Tajanni)."
He [the Imam] says: "O Mufaddal, the Image is the Power of the Powerful and a Radiating Light. Your Master’s manifestation is a mercy for those who believe and affirm, and a torment for those who reject and deny. Beyond Him, there is no goal, and for Him, there is no end."
He says: "Verily, the Exalted One (al-'Ali al-Ahad), when He is manifest, appears to His creation through three Veils: He veils His