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ABD AL-KARIM AL-JILI: Tawid, Transcendence and Immanence – Dr Nicholas Lo Polito [University of Birmingham] - The Cave and the Inscription

SECTION 15

(80) The Throne is the macrocosm and it is there that the All Compassionate sits.

While the human being is the microcosm where God [also] resides. Because He created Adam in His image. And look at this small nice human world, how it is greater and more honourable than the great world. And contemplate how the great is small and the small is great, although each has its [proper] place and status. If you knew this mystery you would know the meaning of His saying, “The heart of My faithful servant contains Me.” But regarding his saying, “There is a time for me with God when no favourite being or sent prophet contains me”, it is clear that nobody at this time contains him except for God. How many sent prophets, favourite kings and knowledgeable authorities have contained the Throne – which is the whole great world – and did not realise it or care about it? For the greatness of this fine humanity, and its honour and its superiority over the great world has become manifest. It appeared that the great world is like a drop in the ocean, but the ocean – although large – is [founded] on this drop and made of it. A dot on each part of the circle has its own special portion [of the whole circle] and it contributes to the [composition of] the circle. Also, it cannot be counted and therefore cannot be divided.

(81) So the dot is the Name “God” and the ocean is the Name “All Compassionate.” God - may He be exalted – says, “Say! Call upon God or call upon the All Compassionate: by whatever name you call upon Him [it is well], for to Him belong the fair Names”.

We have explained to you that the dot with every part of the circle has a relation and a contribution. And there is no doubt that these relations and contributions are also to the circle as a whole. So each [dot], when to it we refer these relations and contributions, is worthy. As with all the fair Names, if by them you call upon or describe the Name of God, they refer to Him.  As for [the name] “All Compassionate” [it refers] only to one of God’s - may He be exalted - manifestations in which He appears [in a manner] appropriate to the classification of oneness. As for the circle it has the essence (_Ayn) of the dot because the dot appears in each of its parts. Therefore the circle is made of nothing [else] but the dot.

 (82) You [should] know that [the name] “All Compassionate” is a verbal noun and whenever this quality is present in an adjective it is because of the prevalence of this characterisation in the described object. Which refers to the strength of the conspicuousness of this characterisation in the described [object]. Which is why His Name “All Compassionate” is a noun that appears in [this] life and the next. This is different from His Name “Most Merciful” as mercy in the next [life] is more conspicuous than in [this] life. As [reported] in the Hadith, “God created Mercy and made it into one hundred parts. He withheld with Him ninety-nine parts – in the next [life] not to be made manifest until the day of resurrection - and sent its one part to all His creatures - in [this] life, who by [these mercies] communicate and exchange mercy.” The mystery of His Name “Most Merciful” is the end of the world in God - may He be exalted - and the return of creation to the Truth; for indeed all ends in God. Is not everything moving towards God? For whom is the kingdom of today? For God the one, the victorious.