The Beauty of the Divine Essence

Your Essence appeared through the signs of the attributes, and all those attributes were made visible by the Essence. Yet the sun of the Essence remained hidden behind a veil, so how did the shadows of created things appear? By His perfection everything in existence becomes a display, and His beauty is manifest both within them and from them. He revealed Himself and yet hid within His own appearing; His lights are the very veils and coverings over Him. Through Him all the worlds unveiled themselves and came into view, and their unveiling springs from Him and returns openly to Him. His absence never truly parts Him from the eye that sees; the one who seems hidden is in fact present. From His veiled face a brilliant light still shines, and our eyes and our inner sight are never shut off from it. If you looked past the complaints and thanks of all people, you would see Him in every one who complains and every one who gives thanks. All beauty is the beauty of the one I love, and His beauty shines openly in every act of love. Beauty is a truth that comes from Him alone, and toward Him it returns from every patient lover. O cypress of the garden, O pure and slender branch, at the sway of your form my heart takes flight. What would Tayba, Sal', the sacred valley, the winding path and the mountain barrier be without you? What are these ruins without you? What is this settled land without the one who dwells there? My Mayya, my Salma, my Layla of the sanctuary are nothing but mirrors of your beauty and its displays. All lovely faces are thrones and reflections, landmarks and vistas of your beauty. You are the Beautiful; beauty truly belongs to you, in every thing seen, and you are the one who sees. O You outwardly manifest in your light, I am the hidden one; O You the First through your appearing, I am the Last.