upbringing, and He displayed power among them, then became hidden from them. Then He manifested to them in the form of a youth of strength with a trimmed mustache, riding a lion in a state of wrath, and He displayed power among them. Then He manifested to them in the form of the Great Elder (al-Shaykh al-Kabir); and it is this which Daniel (peace be upon him) mentioned when he said: 'I saw the Ancient of Days in the form of an Elder... etc.'

He says: And that Unveiled Form (al-Surah al-Anza’iyya) is neither created (mukawwana) nor nominal (ismiyya); rather, it is the Primordial Unitary Essence (al-Dhat al-Qadima al-Ahadiyya).

He says: On the authority of Jabir bin Yazid, who said: I asked my Master al-Sadiq (may His might be exalted) about Monotheism (Tawhid). He replied: 'His manifestation is His existence, His existence is His vision ('iyanuhu), and His vision is His Monotheism. His Monotheism is the negation of attributes from Him as a distinction from His creation. His distinction from His creation is the testimony that the Attribute is other than the Object described (al-Mawsuf). Thus, the Attribute is the Name (al-Ism), and the Object described is the Gate (al-Bab); both of them bear witness to the Essential Meaning (al-Ma’na)—that He is their Lord, their Originator, and their Creator, and that they are two servants unto Him.'