Separation in predicament (_al-tafriqat fi ´l-ḥukm_) refers to the actions of God, all of which are separate in this respect. The predicament of one is being (_wujúd_); of another, not-being (_`adam_), but a not-being that is capable of being; of another, annihilation (_faná_), and of another subsistence (_baqá_). There are some, again, who refer these terms to knowledge (_`ilm_) and say that union is knowledge of the Divine Unity and separation knowledge of the Divine ordinances: hence theology is union and jurisprudence is separation. One of the Shaykhs has said, to the same effect: “Union is that on which theologians (_ahl al-`ilm_) are agreed, and separation is that on which they differ.” Again, all the Ṣúfí mystics, whenever they use the term “separation” in the course of their expositions and indications, attach to it the meaning of “human actions” (_makásib_), e.g. self-mortification, and by “union” they signify “divine gifts” (_mawáhib_), e.g. contemplation. Whatever is gained by means of mortification is “separation”, and whatever is solely the result of Divine favour and guidance is “union”. It is Man’s glory that, while his actions exist and mortification is possible, he should escape by God’s goodness from the imperfection of his own actions, and should find them to be absorbed in the bounties of God, so that he depends entirely on God and commits all his attributes to His charge and refers all his actions to Him and none to himself, as Gabriel told the Apostle that God said: “My servant continually seeks access to Me by means of works of supererogation until I love him; and when I love him, I am his ear and his eye and his hand and his heart and his tongue: through Me he hears and sees and speaks and grasps,” i.e., in remembering Me he is enraptured by the remembrance (_dhikr_) of Me, and his own “acquisition” (_kasb_) is annihilated so as to have no part in his remembrance, and My remembrance overpowers his remembrance, and the relationship of humanity (_ádamiyyat_) is entirely removed from his remembrance: then My remembrance is his remembrance, and in his rapture he becomes even as Abú Yazíd in the hour when he said: “Glory to me! how great is my majesty!” These words were the outward sign of his speech, but the speaker was God. Similarly, the Apostle said: “God speaks by the tongue of `Umar.” The fact is that when the Divine omnipotence manifests its dominion over humanity, it transports a man out of his own being, so that his speech becomes the speech of God. But it is impossible that God should be mingled (_imtizáj_) with created beings or made one (_ittiḥád_) with His works or become incarnate (_ḥáll_) in things: God is exalted far above that, and far above that which the heretics ascribe to Him.