Al-Tawḥīd 1, narration 70

Translation

35. Abu al-`Abbas Muhammad ibn Ibrahim ibn Ishaq al-Taliqani (may Allah be pleased with him) said: Abu Ahmad `Abd al- `Aziz ibn Yahya al-Jaludi al-Basri said in Basra that Muhammad ibn Zakariyyah al-Jawhari al-Ghulabi al-Basri said: al-`Abbas ibn Bakkar al-Dibbi said: Abu Bakr al-Hudhali on the authority of `Ikrimah said While Ibn `Abbas was addressing the people, Nafi` ibn al-Azraq stood up and said: “O son of `Abbas! You give verdicts on ants and lice, so will you not describe to us the God that you serve,” So Ibn `Abbas bowed down his head in silence to exalt Allah, the Mighty and High. Al-Husayn ibn `Ali (AS) was sitting on the side, who said: “Come to me, O son of alAzraq!.” He replied: “I am not asking you.” Then Ibn `Abbas said: “O son of al-Azraq! Verily, he from the Household of Prophethood, and they (the household members) are the Heirs of (Prophetic) Knowledge.” Thus, Nafi` ibn al-Azraq turned towards al-Husayn (AS), so al-Husayn said to him: O Nafi`! Verily, he who bases his religion on analogy is still immersed in the world. He is straying away from the (right) path, transient in the deviation (from that which is right), is leading astray from the way, and is saying that which is not nice. O son of al-Azraq! I am describing my god with what He Himself has described Himself and I am presenting Him with what He presented Himself. He cannot be perceived with the senses and cannot be compared with the people. He is near but not attached. He is far, but not cut off. He is United, but not divided into parts. He is known by signs and attributed by symbols. There is not god but He, the Great, the Most High.

Translation: Sayed Ali Raza Rizvi — published with the edition, reproduced verbatim.