He said: "O Mufaddal, those are the houses of light, and the shirts of manifestation, and the tongues of expression, and the mine of indication. He veiled you by them from Him, and that is from them to Him. They are not Him, nor is He other than them. Concealed by the light, manifest by the epiphany (tajalli). Each sees Him according to his recognition and attains according to the measure of his obedience. So among them is he who sees Him near, and among them is he who sees Him far. O Mufaddal, indeed the Form is an illuminating light and the power of an All-Powerful. The manifestation of your Master is a mercy for whoever believed in Him and acknowledged, and a punishment upon whoever denied and rejected.

There is no goal beyond Him, and no end for Him."

I said: "My Master, then the One (al-Wahid) who is Muhammad?" So he said: "He is the One when named, and Muhammad when described." I said: "O my Master, so upon what separated such and such, other than the meaning such and such, his name was described?" ¹ So he said: "Have you not heard his saying: My exoteric is Imamate and legateship, and my esoteric is an unseen that is not perceived?"

I said: "O my Master, so what is the esoteric (batin) of the Mim (الميم)?"

So he - majestic is his praise - said: "The light of the Essence. And it is the first of being, and the origin of creation, and a kingdom (malakut) for every created being. It is connected to the light, separated to witness the manifestation. If it is far, it is near, and if it distances, it answers.