Azwāq is the knowledge of qualities (keyfiyyāt). These qualities are discussed only among those who are united in a particular technical terminology (iṣṭilāḥ). However, when there is no agreement in definition, they are no longer discussed even between two people of taste (ahl al-dhawq). This pertains only to knowledge about things other than Allah and those that can be known only by tasting (dhawq). For example, things that are tasted and sensed by the senses, as well as things that are known by tasting, benefiting from intellectual consideration. Regarding these, an expression close to it may be used. As for the taste (dhawq) concerning witnessing (mushāhada) of the Real (al-Ḥaqq), there is no terminology for it. For this is a taste specific to these mysteries. It is outside of this sensory and intellectual taste. For the things (ashyaʾ)—and I mean all that is other than Allah (mā siwā Allāh)—each has an example or likeness. Therefore, it is possible to define them for anyone who possesses any of the means of perception, such as the sense of taste, etc. However, there is nothing like unto the Exalted Real (Cenāb-ı Ḥaqq). For He is utterly unique. It is impossible (muḥāl) for any terminology to encompass or describe Him. What one person witnesses (mushāhada) of Him is not exactly the same as what another person witnesses of Him.
For this reason, the gnostics (ʿārifūn) know that a gnostic cannot transmit to another gnostic a particular aspect he has witnessed from his Lord. For the gnostics have witnessed from the One who has no likeness or equal. Transmission is only possible among equivalents (amthāl). If these two were in a common form, they could express them as they wished. If one of the things accepted it, it would be possible for the whole world to accept it. In this case, He does not manifest (tajallī) to two gnostics in the same form. However, Allah has elevated the ranks of some of His servants with degrees He has not given to others. Indeed, it would not be proper for Him to elevate His other servants with those degrees. They are the generality of the people of vision (ruʾyat). Therefore, for them, He manifests only in the form of equivalents. For this reason, the community unites upon a single creed regarding Allah. Each of these groups believes about Allah as the other group believes, such as the Ashʿarites, Muʿtazilites, Hanbalites, and those who agreed among the predecessors. Since these groups have agreed on a matter and not differed, it has been possible for them to establish terminology on the matter in which they agreed.
As for the gnostics (ʿārifūn) who are among the friends of God (ahl Allāh), they know that Allah does not manifest to two persons in the same form, nor in the same form twice to one person. Therefore, it is not possible for them to encompass the situation (i.e., to gather these different manifestations under a single concept). For each person has manifestations specific to himself. A person sees it from the aspect of his nafs (the lower self), that is, the manifestations come through the nafs, and thus it is not possible to determine the manifestation itself. For when the Real manifests to him in one form, He manifests in another form the second time. Thus, the servant learns in the second manifestation what he did not learn in the first manifestation from the Real (i.e., with each manifestation, he learns new things). (Futūḥāt, III, 373)