9. `Ali ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn `Imran al-Daqqaq said: Muhammad ibn Ya`qub al-Kulayni said on the authority of Ahmad ibn Idris, on the authority of Muhammad ibn `Abd al-Jabbar, on the authority of Safwan ibn Yahya that Abu Qurrah, the traditionist, asked me to take him to Abu al-Hasan (`Ali) al-Rida ; therefore, I asked for his permission to visit him, and he granted it to me. So, he (Abu Qurrah) went to him, and asked him about the laws regarding the permissible and the forbidden, until he reached the subject of Divine Unity. Hence, Abu Qurrah said:

“It has been transmitted to us that Allah, the Mighty and High, divided vision and speech between two prophets; allocating speech to Musa and allocating vision for Muhammad .” Consequently, Abu al-Hasan replied: Who is it that brought the revelation from Allah, the Mighty and High, to both jinn and humankind? Vision comprehends Him not, and He comprehends (all) vision.1 And they do not comprehend Him in knowledge.1 Nothing whatsoever is like unto Him.2 Was it not Muhammad ? He said: “Of course?” He added: If that is the case, then how could he come to all of creation, saying that he was sent by Allah, call them by His Command, that vision comprehend Him not, and He comprehend all vision. And they do not comprehend Him in Knowledge. Nothing whatsoever is like unto Him, and then claim that “I have seen Him with my own eyes. I comprehend Him, and He has a human form.” Are people not ashamed of saying such things? The unbelievers can use this against us: claiming that Allah revealed one thing and the Prophet contradicted it! Abu Qurrah says: “Then He says: And certainly he saw Him in another descent.3 Hence, Abu al-Hasan replied: Verily, the verse after this verse stipulates what he saw, as He says, The heart was not untrue in (making him see) what he saw.4 He is saying that the heart of Muhammad was not untrue in what his eyes saw. Then He informs of what he saw and says: Certainly he saw of the greatest signs of his Lord.5 Thus, the signs of Allah, the Mighty and High, are other than Allah. As He has said: And they do not comprehend Him in knowledge. So, if the eyes saw Him, then they comprehended Him in knowledge, and recognition had taken place. Abu Qurrah enquired: “Do you claim that the prophetic traditions are false?” Abu al-Hasan responded: “Any prophetic traditions which contradict the Qur`an are false. According to the consensus of all Muslims, He cannot be comprehended in knowledge, vision comprehends Him not, and nothing whatsoever is like unto Him.”