Quote by Al-Niffari: “If you want to know Him, do not seek Him from His creation.”

This profound statement suggests that to truly understand the divine, one must look beyond the material world and its manifestations. It encourages a direct, inner seeking rather than relying on external signs or interpretations from others to find God.

In a world where religious authority was often mediated through scholars and texts, Al-Niffari stressed the importance of personal, direct spiritual experience. He encouraged looking inward rather than relying on intermediaries.

Arab Sufi mystic born in the early 10th century in Niffar, Mesopotamia, whose Mawaqif (Standings) and Mukhatbat (Addresses) are among the most intense and enigmatic mystical texts in Arabic literature. Little is known of his life, but his ecstatic prose influenced many later Sufi writers.