Al-Ḥaqq - The Ultimate Truth
Al-Ḥaqq is the one who stands in contradistinction to falsehood. At times things may become evident by means of their opposites. Anything of which one may speak is either absolutely false or absolutely true, or it is true in one respect and false in another. That which is incapable of existing by its essence is absolutely false. That which is necessary by its essence is absolutely true. That which is possible by its essence (and) necessary by something else is real in one aspect and false in another. In respect of its essence it has no existence and therefore is false; in respect of the other it acquires existence. In respect of its relation to the giver of existence, it does exist, and in that respect is true though in respect of itself it is false. For that reason “everything is bound to perish, except His eternal Self”, and He is like that (i.e. as He is) eternally and forever. He is not in one state to the exclusion of another, because everything except He is eternally and forever unqualified for existence in terms of its essence, but by virtue of Him it is so qualified. It is false in terms of its essence and true by virtue of one other than it.
From this you know that the absolute Ḥaqq is the One who really exists by virtue of His essence, that (essence) from which everything true derives its reality. It may also be said of the intelligible (concept), which existent reason has encountered in such a way that it (i.e. reason) corresponds with (the concept), that it is true. In respect of itself it (i.e. the intelligible) is called an existent, and in respect of its relationship with the reason which has apprehended it as it is, it is called “true”.
herefore the existent who is most deserving of being called the Ultimate Truth (ḥaqq) is God Most High and the knowledge which is most deserving of being called the Ultimate Truth (ḥaqq) is the knowledge (maºrifah) of God Most High; for it is true in itself, that is to say it corresponds with the object known eternally and forever. (Thus) one may speak of “a true assertion” and “a false assertion”. On this basis the assertion that is most true is the assertion that “there is no god save God”, because it is forever and eternally true by virtue of its essence and not of an other.
Man’s portion of this name consists of his seeing himself as something false and seeing God alone as true. If man is true, he is true not by virtue of himself but by virtue of God for he exists by virtue of Him and not of himself.
