Ugliness, in its manifestation and appearance, is in truth the expression of a particular form of creation—and this expression is perfect in its own beauty.
When we imagine the ugliest creature or phenomenon in existence and see it depicted in a painting, we praise the beauty of the painting that portrays it. How much more worthy of praise it would be if that creature or phenomenon were brought vividly to life before us.
In truth, ugliness is the face of conduct that strays from divine law, displayed in the most beautiful way possible by the All-Knowing, Creative Creator!
On the other hand, to understand and sense ugliness is a matter of knowledge—and knowledge is light and illumination!
From another perspective, ugliness is the score of those who lose, brought into view.
...وَ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّهُ اللَّهُ الَّذِي مَلَأَ الدَّهْرَ قُدْسُهُ وَ الَّذِي يُغَشِّي الْأَبَدَ نُورُهُ وَ الَّذِي يُنْفِذُ أَمْرَهُ بِلَا مُشَاوَرَةِ مُشِيرٍ- وَ لَا مَعَهُ شَرِيكٌ فِي تَقْدِيرٍ وَ لَا تَفَاوُتٌ فِي تَدْبِيرٍ صَوَّرَ مَا أَبْدَعَ عَلَى غَيْرِ مِثَالٍ وَ خَلَقَ مَا خَلَقَ بِلَا مَعُونَةٍ مِنْ أَحَدٍ وَ لَا تَكَلُّفٍ وَ لَا احْتِيَالٍ أَنْشَأَهَا فَكَانَتْ وَ بَرَأَهَا فَبَانَتْ فَ هُوَ اللَّهُ الَّذِي لا إِلهَ إِلَّا هُوَ* الْمُتْقِنُ الصَّنْعَةِ الْحَسَنُ الصَّنِيعَةِ الْعَدْلُ الَّذِي لَا يَجُورُ وَ الْأَكْرَمُ الَّذِي تَرْجِعُ إِلَيْهِ الْأُمُور...
*Al-Iḥtijāj ʿalā ahl al-lijāj (al-Ṭabrisī), vol. 1, p. 58*
And أَشْهَدُ أَنَّهُ اللَّهُ الَّذِي مَلَأَ الدَّهْرَ قُدْسُهُ I bear witness that He is Allah, whose holiness encompasses all time,
and الَّذِي يُغَشِّي الْأَبَدَ نُورُهُ whose light envelops eternity,
and الَّذِي يُنْفِذُ أَمْرَهُ بِلَا مُشَاوَرَةِ مُشِيرٍ who carries out His command without consulting any adviser,
and لَا مَعَهُ شَرِيكٌ فِي تَقْدِيرٍ has no partner in ordaining and determining all things,
and لَا تَفَاوُتٌ فِي تَدْبِيرٍ whose governance of the world is free of discord or inconsistency,
صوَّرَ مَا أَبْدَعَ عَلَى غَيْرِ مِثَالٍ whatever He brought forth from nothing, He fashioned without any model,
and خَلَقَ مَا خَلَقَ بِلَا مَعُونَةٍ مِنْ أَحَدٍ whatever He created, He created without anyone’s help,
and لَا تَكَلُّفٍ وَ لَا احْتِيَالٍ without effort or burden, and without contrivance or trickery.
أنْشَأَهَا فَكَانَتْ وَ بَرَأَهَا فَبَانَتْ He brought it into being, and it came to be; He created it well, and it appeared.
So هُوَ اللَّهُ الَّذِي لا إِلهَ إِلَّا هُوَ He is Allah, there is no deity worthy of worship but Him.
الْمُتْقِنُ الصَّنْعَةِ
Perfect in the craft of creation,
الْحَسَنُ الصَّنِيعَةِ
Exquisite in His works,
الْعَدْلُ الَّذِي لَا يَجُورُ just, and never unjust,
and الْأَكْرَمُ الَّذِي تَرْجِعُ إِلَيْهِ الْأُمُور the most generous, to whom all affairs return.
*Al-Iḥtijāj ʿalā ahl al-lijāj (al-Ṭabrisī), vol. 1, p. 58*