allusion, then reflect upon my words with the ears of your heart and contemplate my speech with your understanding and core. Know that every knower, scholar, and worshiper is unable to go beyond the knowledge of the Exterior (al-Ẓāhir) who manifested power and brought clear wisdom, signs, miracles, and evident proofs.’

The King said: ‘I would like you to clarify for us in this Meaning (Ma‘nā) clear proofs from the reports transmitted from the Truthful Ones, reaching our Pure Masters, which cannot be refuted by the arguments of the practitioners of falsehood.’ My Master said: ‘We have been narrated in this Meaning (Ma‘nā) that which indicates the truth of what I have said:

From al-Mufaḍḍal ibn ‘Umar, from him is Peace, that he said: I was present with our Master Ja‘far b. Muḥammad al-Ṣādiq, Exalted Glory, when a questioner asked him about that manifestation (ẓuhūr) and the heard speech. He said: "They are the houses of Light, the attributes of manifestation, the mine of indication, and the tongues of expression. He veiled you with them from Himself and called you through them to Himself. They are not Him in terms of total union, nor containment, nor encompassment. Everyone sees Him according to his deeds and attains Him in proportion to his understanding."

In another narration, it is reported from our Master Abū Shu‘ayb, from him is Peace, that he said: I heard my Lord al-Ḥasan al-Askarī, Exalted Glory, saying: "We are the manifest of Allah and we are not other than His interior. We belong to Him, and from us His sun shone. No time preceded us, and there is no goal behind us for a seeker within us. We eternalize eternity and complete every number. Oneness (al-waḥdāniyyah) is our Meaning (Ma‘nā) even if our names differ. Pre-eternity is the light of our essence even if our attributes are many. Whoever limits us has denied us, and whoever likens us has associated partners with us. We are the niches of Light