lute brightness, and mysterious life; that he is pure,
and free from all colors, figures, shapes, and without
a prototype; that the interpretation of the eloquent
and the indications of the learned are deficient in
the account of that light which is without color and
mark; that the understanding of the learned and the
wisdom of the sage is too weak for entirely compre-
hending the pure essence of that light, and as, con-
formably to these words :

'' I was a hidden treasure ; but I wished to be known, and I created
" the world for being known."

The essence of God the most High and Almighty
showed his existence, so that, except him, there is
no real being. In this employment of manifestation,
he entered Into contemplation, whence the sage
calls him the first intelligence; because this lord of
expansive creation considered every being according
to the scope of propriety; and when the Almighty
Being of expansive creation had examined every
form inasmuch as by his power It was possible that
such a form'might appear, he fixed his contempla-
tion in this employment of manifestation, so that
what is called " the perfect spirit" is nothing else
but himself. From Sabjana the information has
been received and found in books that Abul Hassen
Suri said: God Almighty rendered his spirit beau-
teous, then called it " truth," and made revela-
tions, and brought forth names to the creatures;