and his saying "I am the worshipped" clarifies that he is the Ancient Lord to whom the directing of worship. For he - majestic is his praise - it is not permissible that he utters his speech in vain, and contradiction does not enter his saying. So when he said "I am the worshipper", if that were the reality, it would not have been permissible for him to say "I am the worshipped." Rather, the matter is as I clarified it: he is the worshipper from the perspective of the exoteric (zahir) for its people and in their view and their belief, and he is the worshipped from the perspective of the esoteric (batin) for its people and in their view and their belief [as] an actual reality. So let the observer reflect.