The topic of divine reflection (tajalli) is also very important…

Since Allah exists absolutely in every point and instance of existence, it follows that Allah does not have a reflection!

Reflection (tajalli) denotes manifestation, visualization or materialization. All of this, however, implies duality. We know that existence is ONE and everything transpires within this ONE. Hence, a reflection of this ONE cannot be conceivable.

The word reflection is employed only because of the inadequacy of language, as no word can duly contain the ONE.

In order for anything to have a reflection, it must first have a center, a core, an essence from which meanings can be reflected to the place of reflection, like the rays that permeate from the core of the sun. As such, Allah must also have a core in order to have a reflection. This is impossible! Allah is not a localized material entity to have a core. A reflection needs a central point from which it can originate, without this central point one cannot talk about a reflection.

Beyond this commonly accepted definition of the word reflection, its actual meaning pertinent to our topic is: The projection of the Names as the world of acts during the observation of the qualities and meanings of the Names by Allah, in Allah’s knowledge.

In the past certain masters employed the word reflection to denote this reality. My first book, published in 1967, is also named Tecelliyat which literally means reflections in the general sense. Such words are also used to aid those with the innate capability and aptitude to discover the essence of this truth.

Having made this clarification, let us now continue our exploration… Can Allah be worshipped? Who will worship Allah?

Muhammad (saw) said the following in regards to Allah:

“Allah WAS. And nothing other than Allah EXISTED.”

Upon hearing this, the listeners relayed these words to Hadhrat Ali, to whom Muhammad (saw) referred as the gate of knowledge and awaited an explanation. Hadhrat Ali’s response was:

“And it still is as it always was” (“Al an kemaa kan” in Arabic).

We can conclude from this that Allah is now what Allah was then, i.e. nothing about Allah has changed from then to now!

Taking a deeper look… The word al in Arabic means the in English. It denotes specificity rather than generalization. If one says book it means a book, as in any book. But when we say the book (al kitab) we are making a reference to a specific and known book. Hence, to say al an where an means instant, the reference is made to a specific and known instant. Hence we can restate the meaning of this phrase as:

The instant (that we are in now) is that instant! which means The instant at which Allah WAS and nothing other than ALLAH existed is this very instant NOW!

The concept of time is essentially only applicable to engendered existence. Only something that is created can have a beginning and end, a past, present and future… Allah is far beyond such concepts. Thus, it is inapplicable to think Allah was in such a state in the past but is in another state now! Allah is forever in the same state of perfection at all times.

In this sense, even if words such as was are employed in reference to Allah, it is up to us to construe this correctly as beyond the concept of time, applicable to ALL times or even timeless.

All of this alludes to the reality that the moment we are in now is the very moment that Allah IS, and nothing other than Allah is!

Nothing has come into existence from Allah!

The proof? The proof is within the chapter al-Ikhlas.