she lay down under Balaam. So Balaam’s anger was aroused, and he struck the donkey with his staff.

Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said to Balaam: 'What have I done to you, that you have struck me these three times?' And Balaam said to the donkey: 'Because you have mocked me. If there were a sword in my hand, I would have killed you by now!'

The donkey said to Balaam: 'Am I not your donkey upon which you have ridden, from your beginning until this day? Was I ever accustomed to do so to you?' And he said: 'No.'

Then the Lord uncovered the eyes of Balaam, and he saw the Angel of the Lord standing in the way with his drawn sword in his hand; and he bowed his head and fell flat on his face."

I say: If the donkey saw Allah—let alone humans seeing Him—how then can one respond to the claimant who says: "No one has ever seen God," except through the Way of the People of Tawhid (Madhab Ahl al-Tawhid)? They are the ones who understand.

Among that which indicates that He—the Exalted—has never ceased to be Manifest (Zahiran) is His saying to David in the Psalms (Al-Zabur):

"O David, indeed I am the Lord whose Kingdom does not pass away, whose Authority is never extinguished, and whose Light is never put out."