Fusus al-Hikam The Seals of Wisdom by Shaykh al ... - ImagoMundi

they are relationships. They are not non-existent in principle because what knowledge
establishes is called the "knower", and it is a state. The knower is an essence described
by knowledge, but it is not the same as the essence nor is it the same as knowledge.
There is only knowledge and the essence on which this knowledge is established. The
being of the knower is a state of this essence when it is described by this meaning. The
relationship of knowledge occurred to him, so he is called knowing. Mercy, properly
speaking, is a relationship from the Mercy-giver, and it is necessarily part of the
principle, so it is merciful. The One who brought it into existence in the one shown
mercy did not bring it into existence in order to be shown mercy by it; He brought it
into existence to show mercy to the one on whom it settled.
Allah is not in a place by events, so He is not in a place by bringing mercy into
existence. He is the Mercy-Giver, and the Mercy-Giver is only Mercy-Giver by the
establishment of mercy. He confirmed that He is the source of mercy. Whoever has not
tasted this matter and has no part in it, does not dare to say that He is the source of
mercy or the source of the attribute. Such a person says, "He is not the same as the
attribute nor other than it." In his view, the attributes of Allah with Him are not Him,
nor are they other-than-Him because he cannot deny them nor can he make them the
same as Him. Thus he (3) moves to this interpretation, and it is a good interpretation.
Yet there is another interpretation more appropriate to the matter than this one, and
more likely to remove ambiguity. It is to deny the sources of the attributes any existence
based on the essence of the one described. Rather, they are relationships and relative
ascriptions between the one described by them and their intelligible sources. Although
mercy is common to all of them, it is different in relationship to each Divine Name. (4)
For this reason, Allah is asked to show mercy by each Divine Name, so the mercy of
Allah and its indirect reference, which is that which encompasses everything, has many
branches according to the number of the Divine Names. It is not general in relation to
that particular divine name in the statement of the one who asks, "O Lord, have mercy!"
and other Divine Names, even the Avenger. So he says, "O Avenger, have mercy on
me!" That is because these Names indicate the designated Essence and, by their
realities, indicate different meanings. They call on Him by these Names in mercy with
respect to their indication of the Essence called by that Name and no other not by what
is indicated by that Name, separating it from another and distinguishing it. The Name is
not distinguished from another, and with him it is the indication of the Essence. It is
distinguished in itself from other-than-it by its essence, as it is generally agreed that, by
any expression, this Name is a reality distinct in its essence from other-than-it.
The whole is set forth to indicate one designated source. There is no disagreement that
each name has an authority which another does not have. That also must be taken into
account, as one takes into account their indications of the named essence.
For this reason, Abu'l-Qasim ibn Qasi said regarding the Divine Names that each Name
is, in its isolation, designated by all of the Divine Names since they preceded in
mentioning its description by all the Names, that is, by their indication of one source.
Although the Names based on it are many and their realities differ, i.e. the realities of
these Names, the mercy is obtained by two means. The first is the path of obligation,
and it is His word, "I shall prescribe it for those who are godfearing and pay zakat,"
(7:156) and He binds them by it through the attributes of knowledge and action. The
other path by which mercy is obtained is the path of divine graciousness which is not