It is related from him — Exalted Glory — that when he commanded the wind to carry the carpet, and he ascended upon it with Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas, he stopped the carpet at [the cave of] the People of the Cave and said to them: 'These are the People of the Cave and the Inscription (ar-Raqīm); so greet them.' Abu Bakr stepped forward, greeted them, and called them, but they did not answer nor return the greeting. Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas stood, greeted them and called them, but they did not return his greeting nor answer him. When they saw that, they said: 'O Amir Al-Muminin, they did not return the greeting to us nor answer us; we think this place has no one in it and this is not the cave. You greet them.' Amir Al-Muminin — Exalted Glory — greeted them and they returned his greeting. They said to him: 'We see they recognized you and returned [the greeting] to you.' He said: 'Yes.' They said: 'We want to know the clarification of that.' He asked them: 'Why did you not return [the greeting] to the people?' They said: 'We were commanded not to speak except to a Prophet or a Successor (Waṣī), and you are the First and the Last, the Manifest and the Hidden, and you are, of all things, Knowing.'

It is related from him — Exalted Glory — that when he addressed the sun, it said to him: 'Glory be to You, O First, O Last, O Manifest, O Hidden, O You who are, of all things, Knowing and over all things Competent.'

It is related from the Messenger of Allah — Exalted Glory — that when he gave the banner to 'Ali — Exalted Glory — he said: 'You, O 'Ali, are the First and the Last, the Manifest and the Hidden, and you are, of all things, Knowing and over all things Competent.'"

The idolater said: "Is there any path to the gnosis of the Hidden?" The Muslim said: "It is only required of you to know the Manifest and to realize His gnosis through existence and establishment. As for the Hidden, He is absent; eyes do not see Him and thoughts do not fall upon Him. If you know the Manifest, are certain of Him, believe in what He manifested of miracles, dazzling powers, and clear wisdoms, and negate