know that we understand nothing about the power of God nor His majesty by speech
nor by figures nor by word, but by faith and piety and the fear of God and
purity of spirit. If there be any man who hopes to understand anything of the
majesty of God, let him seek the protection of Him whom he can never understand,
and every one who thinks he will tell the exact power of God. Verily He is able
to stretch the water of the ocean in the hollow of His hand, and verily God, may
His name be blessed, and His fame be exalted! is more glorious in power, and
greater ...than that minds or eyes can understand Him; He understands and is not
understood; and thus ...is due to the High God and His Word and His Spirit.
Verily everything relating to God is very wonderful.
We do not say that God begat His Word as any man begets; God forbid! but we
say that the Father begat His Word as the Sun begets rays, and as the mind
begets the word, and as the fire begets heat; none of these things existed
before what was begotten of them. God, may His name be blessed! never existed
without Word and Spirit, but God was ever in His Word and His Spirit; His Word
and His Spirit were with God and in God before He made the creatures. We do not
say how this is. Verily everything relating to God is majesty and might. As no
man can understand anything of God, neither can he understand the Word of God
and His Spirit. Thus God said in the Law, "Let us create man in our image
and likeness." God, may His name be blessed! did not say "I create
man," but said " We create man," that man may know that God by
His Word and His Spirit created all things, and gave life to all things. He is
the wise Creator. You will find it also in the Coran, that "We created man
in misery, and we have opened the gates of Heaven with water pouring down, and
have said, And now are ye come unto us alone, as we created you at first"
He said also,
"Believe in God, and in His Word; and also in the Holy Ghost,
but the Holy Ghost has brought it down a mercy and a guidance from thy
Lord," but why should I prove it from this and enlighten [you] when we find
in the Law and the Prophets and the
