78:0 In the name of God, the All-Merciful, the Ever-Merciful.
This is the name of a King whose servants are beautified by obeying Him and whose servitors are adorned by worshiping Him. He is not beautified by the obedience of the obedient nor adorned by the worship of the worshipers. The adornment of the worshipers is the waistcoat of their obedience, the adornment of the recognizers is the robe of their recognition, the adornment of the lovers is the crown of their friendship, and the adornment of the sinners is washing their faces with the rain of heedfulness.
This is the name of a Lord whose name is heart-brightening, whose love is world-burning. His name is the adornment of sessions and His praise is the capital of the indigent. His laudation is the finery of tongues, His craving the worth of hearts, His encounter the ease of spirits, His approval the joy of secret cores. The indications of tawḥīd are His signs, the waymarks of solitariness His banners, the marks giving witness to the Shariah His allusions, the covenants of the Haqiqah His good news. His Essence and attributes are eternal and uncreated. He alone has ability without “but,” He alone has knowledge without “if.” His ability is such that He is able for every work, His knowledge such that He knows everything. He is obtained in recognition and present in perception, distant in the ruling power of tremendousness, near through proofs and bounty, apparent in the explication of kindness, and hidden from the perception of supposition.
“I know not Your measure and am incapable of what is worthy of You. I wander in my misery, day by day in the loss. How then is someone like me?! But such am I. I lament at gazing into the darkness—will anything remain of me? I do not know. My eyes look to a day when You remain and I am not. Who will be like me if I see that day? And if I see it, I will sacrifice my spirit to it.”
