Chapter on (the Issue) that only He is proof of His Own Existence

قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع‌ اعْرِفُوا اللَّهَ بِاللَّهِ وَ الرَّسُولَ بِالرِّسَالَةِ وَ أُولِي الْأَمْرِ بِالْأَمْرِ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَ الْعَدْلِ وَ الْإِحْسَانِ. وَ مَعْنَى قَوْلِهِ ع اعْرِفُوا اللَّهَ بِاللَّهِ‌[2] يَعْنِي أَنَّ اللَّهَ خَلَقَ الْأَشْخَاصَ وَ الْأَنْوَارَ وَ الْجَوَاهِرَ وَ الْأَعْيَانَ فَالْأَعْيَانُ الْأَبْدَانُ وَ الْجَوَاهِرُ الْأَرْوَاحُ وَ هُوَ جَلَّ وَ عَزَّ لَا يُشْبِهُ جِسْماً وَ لَا رُ

1. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from the people he mentioned from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from Muhammad ibn Humran from al- Fadl ibn al-Sakan from Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.) who has narrated the following. “Imam Ali (a.s.) has said, ‘Recognize Allah by Allah’s Own-Self, recognize the Messenger through his message a

سُئِلَ‌ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع بِمَ عَرَفْتَ رَبَّكَ قَالَ بِمَا عَرَّفَنِي نَفْسَهُ قِيلَ وَ كَيْفَ عَرَّفَكَ نَفْسَهُ قَالَ لَا يُشْبِهُهُ صُورَةٌ وَ لَا يُحَسُّ بِالْحَوَاسِّ وَ لَا يُقَاسُ بِالنَّاسِ قَرِيبٌ فِي بُعْدِهِ بَعِيدٌ فِي قُرْبِهِ فَوْقَ كُلِّ شَيْ‌ءٍ وَ لَا يُقَالُ شَيْ‌ءٌ فَوْقَهُ أَمَامَ كُلِّ شَيْ‌ءٍ وَ لَا يُقَالُ لَهُ أَمَامٌ دَاخِلٌ فِي الْأَشْيَاءِ لَا كَشَيْ‌ءٍ دَاخِلٍ فِي شَيْ‌ءٍ وَ خَارِجٌ

The Commander of the Faithful (as) was asked: "How did you come to know your Lord?" He said: "By what He has introduced Himself to me." It was asked: "And how did He introduce Himself to you?" He said: "He is not similar to any image, nor can He be perceived by the senses, nor can He be compared to people. He is close

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع إِنِّي نَاظَرْتُ قَوْماً فَقُلْتُ لَهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ جَلَّ جَلَالُهُ أَجَلُّ وَ أَعَزُّ وَ أَكْرَمُ مِنْ أَنْ يُعْرَفَ بِخَلْقِهِ بَلِ الْعِبَادُ يُعْرَفُونَ بِاللَّهِ فَقَالَ رَحِمَكَ اللَّهُ.

“I debated certain people and said to them, ‘Allah, Glory be to Him, is far Glorious, Majestic and Honorable than being defined by means of His creatures. In fact, the existence of the creatures is proved through the existence of Allah.’” The Imam (a.s.) said, “May Allah bestow up on you blessings.”