This
is the belief of the adherents of anthropomorphism. No; all the praises,
the descriptions and exaltations refer to the Holy Manifestations--that is
to say, all the descriptions, the qualities, the names and the attributes
which we mention return to the Divine Manifestations; but as no one has
attained to the reality of the Essence of Divinity, so no one is able to
describe, explain, praise or glorify it. Therefore, all that the human
reality knows, discovers and understands of the names, the attributes and
the perfections of God refer to these Holy Manifestations. There is no
access to anything else: "the way is closed, and seeking is forbidden."

Nevertheless, we speak of the names and attributes of the Divine Reality,
and we praise Him by attributing to Him sight, hearing, power, life and
knowledge. We affirm these names and attributes, not to prove the
perfections of God, but to deny that He is capable of imperfections. When
we look at the existing world, we see that ignorance is imperfection and
knowledge is perfection; therefore, we say that the sanctified Essence of
God is wisdom. Weakness is imperfection, and power is perfection;
consequently, we say that the sanctified Essence of God is the acme of
power. It is not that we can comprehend His knowledge, His sight, His
power and life, for it is beyond our comprehension; for the essential
names and attributes of God are identical with His Essence, and His
Essence is above all comprehension. If the attributes are not identical
with the Essence, there must also be a multiplicity of preexistences, and
differences between the attributes and the Essence must also exist; and as
Preexistence is necessary, therefore, the sequence of preexistences would
become infinite. This is an evident error.

Accordingly all these attributes, names, praises and eulogies apply to the
Places of Manifestation; and all that we imagine and suppose beside them
is mere imagination, for we have no means of comprehending that which is
invisible and inaccessible. This is why it is said: "All that you have
distinguished through the illusion of your imagination in your subtle
mental images is but a creation like unto yourself, and returns to
you."(121) It is clear that if we wish to imagine the Reality of Divinity,
this imagination is the surrounded, and we are the surrounding one; and it
is sure that the one who surrounds is greater than the surrounded. From
this it is certain and evident tha