Manuscript volume 4 · Page 166

وقد ثبت عند المحققين أنه ما في الوجود إلا الله، ونحن وإن كنا موجودين فإنما كان وجودنا به؛ ومن كان وجوده بغيره فهو في حكم العدم.

(الإشارة ووقاية أهل المعرفة)

والإشارة قد ثبتت وظهر حكمها، فلا بد من بيان ما هو المراد بها. فاعلم إن الله عز وجل لما خلق الخلق خلق الإنسان أطوارا؛ فمنا العالِم والجاهل، ومنا المنصف والمعاند، ومنا القاهر ومنا المقهور، ومنا الحاكم ومنا المحكوم، ومنا المتحكم ومنا المتحكم فيه، ومنا الرئيس والمرءوس،^[33] ومنا الأمير والمأمور، ومنا الملك والسوقة، ومنا الحاسد والمحسود.

وما خلق الله أشق ولا أشد من علماء الرسوم على أهل الله المختصين بخدمته، العارفين به من طريق الوهب الإلهي، الذين منحهم أسراره في خلقه وفهمهم معاني كتابه وإشارات خطابه؛ فهم لهذه الطائفة مثل الفراعنة للرسل عليهم السلام.

ولما كان الأمر في الوجود الواقع على ما سبق به العلم القديم كما ذكرناه، عدل أصحابنا إلى الإشارات كما عدلت مريم عليها السلام من أجل أهل الإفك والإلحاد إلى الإشارة. فكلامهم رضي الله عنهم في شرح كتابه العزيز الذي ﴿لا يَأْتِيهِ الْباطِلُ من بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ ولا من خَلْفِهِ﴾ [فصلت: ٤٢] إشارات، وإن كان ذٰلك حقيقة

It has been established among the people of realization that there is nothing in existence but God. Even though we exist, our existence is only through Him. Whatever exists through another has the standing of nonexistence.

(Allusion and the Protection of the People of Knowledge)

Allusion has been established and its effect made manifest, so its meaning must be explained. Know that when God, mighty and majestic, created the creatures, He created human beings in diverse conditions. Among us are the learned and the ignorant, the fair-minded and the obstinate, the subduer and the subdued, the judge and the one judged, the controller and the one controlled, the chief and the subordinate,^[33] the commander and the commanded, the king and the common people, the envier and the envied.

God created none more trying or severe toward the people of God than the scholars of outward forms. The people of God are devoted to His service and know Him by way of divine bestowal. He has granted them His secrets in creation and made them understand the meanings of His Book and the allusions of His address. The scholars of outward forms are to this company as the Pharaohs were to the messengers, peace be upon them.

Since what occurs in existence accords with what beginningless knowledge had already encompassed, as we have said, our companions resorted to allusion, just as Mary, peace be upon her, resorted to pointing when faced with people of falsehood and deviation. Thus their words, may God be pleased with them, in explaining His mighty Book, which “falsehood does not approach from before it or from behind it” [Fussilat 41:42], are called allusions, even though what they say is a reality