The Discourse [ Hadith ]of Kumayl bin Ziyad and His Question About Reality

[8] So from that is what was narrated on the authority of Kumayl bin Ziyad, that he entered upon our master, the Commander of the Faithful, transcended his might, so he said to him: O our master, tell me something regarding Reality? Our master said to him: "It is the attraction of the attractions without a cause." So he said to him: O our master, increase for me? So he said to him: "The erasing of the illusory through the realization of the known." So he said to him: O our master, increase for me? So he said: "It is the disclosure of the unveiling of the divine glories without indication ." So he said to him: O my master, increase for me? So he said: "It is a light that shines from the dawn of eternity, so its traces gleam upon the structures of Monotheism." So he said to him: O our master, increase for me? So he said: "Extinguish the lamp, for the morning has already risen."

So these questions, the like of them has not been heard?! Along with that the questioner is Kumayl bin Ziyad, and he is from the orphans, and that when he used to ask him about the matter, he knows that he recognizes it, so he asks him about other than it,