of 'Allah', then you closed your palm upon 'Allah' who created the heavens and the earth—would it be closed [on Him]?" I said to him: "These are but the letters of the Name of Allah — Exalted Glory —." He said to me: "Tell me about these letters which are the Name of Allah — Exalted Glory —; are they a name for a Meaning (Ma'nā) or for non-meaning? Or is the Name the Named One (al-Musammā)?" I said to him: "Nay, it is a name for a Meaning."

He said to me: "Who is the Meaning for whom these letters are a Name?" I said to him: " An unseen that cannot be perceived, and an end that cannot be reached." He said to me: "I did not ask you 'what is He' for you to say 'an unseen that cannot be perceived.' I only told you to inform me 'who is He'?" I said: "Indeed He is Subtle (Laṭīf); no vision reaches Him and He is not known by a report." He said: "By what then did you know Him?" I said to him: "By the reports coming from the truthful ones." He said to me: "You have just now recanted that [previous] word and necessitated by this word of yours that He is known through reports. So, inform me now about this reporter who reported to you regarding the gnosis of Allah — Exalted Glory — and guided you to Him: did you know him by a look or by a report?" I said to him: "Rather, by a report."

He said: "O my son, this answer continues into an infinite chain. But make known to me about this reporter who reported to you of His gnosis: was he well-informed (khabīr) regarding Him or not well-informed?" I said to him: "Nay, well-informed." He said to me: "You have done well, since you asked regarding Him one well-informed. Likewise Allah — Exalted Glory — said: «If you invoke them, they do not hear your supplication; and if they heard, they would not respond to you. And on the Day of Resurrection, they will deny your association. And none can inform you like [one] well-informed»¹. And Allah — Exalted Glory — said: «He who created the heavens and the earth and what is between them in six days and then