On Transcendence (al-Tanzīh)

Transcendence (al-tanzīh) is an expression for the singling-out of the Pre-eternal by His qualities, His names, and His Essence -- as He deserves [it], of Himself, for Himself, by way of originality and elevation -- not by the consideration that the originated [thing] resembles Him or is similar to Him.

So the Real (glory be to Him, exalted is He) is singled out [away] from that; and there is in our hands, of transcendence, nothing but the originated transcendence, [while] the pre-eternal transcendence is [merely] annexed to it -- because the originated transcendence has, set against it, a relation of its own genus, whereas the pre-eternal transcendence has, set against it, no relation of its genus.

because the Real accepts no opposite, and it is not known how His transcendence is. And for that we say: a transcendence beyond [all] transcendence. So His transcendence of Himself -- none other than He knows it; and nothing is known but the originated transcendence.

because its [tanzīh's] consideration, with us, is the stripping of the thing from a rule that could [otherwise] be ascribed to it, so that it is declared transcendent of it; and the Real had no essential likening (tashbīh dhātī) that would deserve [His] being declared transcendent of it -- since His Essence is the [already] transcendent in itself, by what its grandeur requires. So upon whatever consideration [it was], and in whatever disclosure-site He appeared or became evident -- whether likening-like, as in his saying (may God bless him and grant him peace): 'I saw my Lord in the form of a beardless youth' --

or transcendence-like, as in his saying: 'Light -- how should I see Him?' -- for the essential transcendence has a necessary rule, [as] necessary as the attribute is to the described; and He is, from that disclosure-site, upon what He deserves, of His Essence for His Essence, by the pre-eternal transcendence that is permissible to none but Him, and that none other than He knows. So He is singled out, in His names, His attributes, His Essence, His loci-of-manifestation, and His self-disclosures, by the rule of His pre-eternity, [away] from everything ascribed to origination -- even in any respect [whatever]. So His transcendence is not like the creaturely transcendence, nor His likening like the [creaturely] likening. Exalted is He, [and] singled out.

As for the one who said: 'transcendence refers to the purification of your [own] locus, not to the Real' -- he meant by this the creaturely transcendence, against which [creaturely] likening is set, [which is] general; because when the servant is qualified, of the qualities of the Real, by His attributes (glory be to Him, exalted is He), his locus is purified and freed of the deficiencies of the originated [things] by the divine transcendence -- so this transcendence returned to him [the servant].

And the Real remained as He [ever] was. And know that whenever I mention to you, in this book of mine or in others of my compositions, that 'this matter is for the Real and the creature has no share in it,' or 'this is particular to the creation and is not ascribed to the Real' -- my intent by that is that it is for the face named by that name, of the Essence; not that the Essence does not have that. So understand.

because this matter is built upon [the fact] that the Essence gathers the two faces of the Real and the creation: so the Real has of it what the Real deserves, and the creation has of it what the creation deserves -- with the abiding of each face in its rank, by what its essence requires, without [any] mixing.

So when one of the two faces appears in the other face, each of the two rules is existent in the other; and its exposition will come in the chapter on likening (al-tashbīh). Exalted is the One who is neither accident nor substance.

O substance by which two accidents stand! / O One who, in His rule, is two!

You gathered Your lofty beauties, so there became unified / for You -- with a difference in them -- two opposites.

You are nothing but the One of beauty, / for whom perfection was completed, without deficiency.

So whether You are hidden, or You appear, You are in / what You deserve, of the All-Glorified loftiness.

[As] transcendent, hallowed, exalted -- / in His might the Omnipotence [is free] of [all] origination.

The creature grasps nothing but its [own] like; / and the Real is transcendent of the beings.