In the Name of Allāh, the Compassionate, theMerciful.

All Praise belongs to Allāh Who concealed Himself inthe very essence of the radiance of His Existence.And, in His Wisdom, He manifested knowledge aboutHimself via self-specification (ta‘ayyun) in a form worthy of Him. And,through His Essence, He manifested Himself in HisConcealment thereby making His Oneness manifestthrough this very contrast. And He is the Apparentwithin the essence of nothingness (‘adam) and he is theConcealed within the essence of pre-eternity(qadm). Blessingsand Peace be upon the wisest of all people – awisdom evident prior to the manifestation ofcreation in this world – Muhammad, the Blessings andPeace of Allāh be upon him, the best of allworshippers and servants of Allāh, and upon hisfamily and companions, the people of loyalty whowere on the path of guidance.

May Allāh perfect the light of faith within you andmake you the best among the people of gnosis(ahl ‘irfān). Knowthat, from pre-eternity to post-eternity, sheerexistence (wujūd maḥḍ)differs from sheer non-existence (wujūd ‘adam) to such anextent that their coming together can never bevisualised neither intellectually nor in terms oflegislation (shar’)nor in terms of intuition (kashf). The meaning of pure, absoluteexistence is that whose non-existence can never befathomed by the intellect, legislation or intuition.This existence relates to the existence of Allāh.The meaning of sheer non-existence is that whoseexistence can never be fathomed by the intellect,legislation or intuition. This relates to anypartner with Allāh.

If we know the innate opposition between sheerexistence and sheer non-existence, then we shouldalso know that between these two categories is abarrier (ḥijāb) thatis named both possible non-existence (‘adam ul mumkin) andpossible existence (mumkin) owing to the occurrence of both.Such occurrence must have its share of purenon-existence and pure existence. As to its share ofsheer non-existence, it means that the mind shouldnot be able to conceive of its existence at all.This is the meaning of the statement, “The fragranceof existence is not exuded by it at all”. Therefore,understand and do not err in terms of thesedivisions.