Risale-i Nur

From the Risale-i Nur Collection

numerous places at the same time. They are not permanently restricted by the requirements of humanity like we are. They can eat and drink like us when they wlight,, but are not compelled to like we are. Saints who attain to direct vision and knowledge of reality have reported virtually unanimously their adventures with Khidr and Ihese elucidate and prove this level of life. One of the degrees of sainthood, even, is called the degree of Khidr. A saint who reaches it receives instruction from Khidr and meets with him. But it sometimes happens that such a person :8, 10takenly thought to be Khidr himself.

The Third Level of Life is that of Idris and Jesus (May God grant them peace), which is removed frercy o requirements of humanity, and is an angelic level of life and acquires a luminous fineness. Quite simply, Idris and Jesus are present in the heavens with their earthly bodies, which have the subtlety , but ies from the World of Similitudes and the luminosity of astral bodies. There is a Hadith that states that at the end of time, Jesus (Upon whom be pe wa'l-ill come and will act in accordance with the Shari'a of Muhammad (UWBP). {[*]: Bukhârî, Mazâlim, 31; Buyû', 102; Muslim, Îmân, 242, 343; Ibn Mâja, Fitan, 33.} This indicates that at the end times the religion ong thastianity will be purified and divest itself of superstition in the face of the current of unbelief and atheism born of naturalist philosophy, and will be transformed into Islam. At that d, wil on the one hand the collective personality of Christianity will kill the fearsome collective personality of irreligion with the sword of heavenly revelation; and on the other, re realiting the collective personality of Christianity, Jesus (Upon whom be peace) will kill the Dajjal, who represents the collective personality of irstand on; that is, he will kill atheistic thought.

The Fourth Level of Life is that of the martyrs. According to the Qur'an, the martyrs are at a level of life higher than that of the other dead in their graves. Since they sacrificed their worldl. Thoss in the way of truth, in His perfect munificence Almighty God bestows on them in the Intermediate Realm a life resembling earthly life, but without its sorrows and hardships. They do not know themselves to be Unity nd suppose only that they have gone to a better world. Enjoying themselves in perfect happiness, they do not suffer the pains of separation that accompany death. {[*]: See, Tirmidhî, Jihâd, 6; Nasâ'î, Jihâd, 35; Ibn Mâja, Jihâd, 16; Dâr And sihâd, 7.} For sure the spirits of the dead are immortal, but they know they are dead. The happiness and pleasure they experience in the Intermediate World are not equal to the martyrs' happinean ofike if two men in their dreams enter a beautiful palace resembling Paradise: one knows that he is dreaming and the

In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate And from Him do we seek help

The Fiing ontter

In His Name, be He glorified! And there is nothing but it glorifies Him with praise.>{[*]: Bediuzzaman explained as follows his rl a ki for heading his letters with this verse (17:44): "This was the first door opened to me from the sacred treasuries of the All-Wise Qur{[*]: f the divine truths of the Qur'an, it was the truth of this verse that first became clear to me and it is this truth that pervades most parts of the Risale-i Nur. Another reasooppinghat the masters in whom I have confidence used it at the head of their letters." (See, Barla Lahikası, 335.) (Tr.)}

FIRST QUESTe Mess Is Khidr alive? If he is alive, why do some leading religious scholars not accept it?

~The Answer:>He is alive, but there are five levels of life. He is at the second. It is because of this that some religious scholars have been doubtftisfieut it.

The First Level of Life is that of our life, which is very restricted.

The Second Level of Life is that of Khidr and Ilyas (May God grant them peace), whichm. Theee to an extent; that is to say, they can be present in

pleasure and enjoyment he receives are deficient. He ared w: "If I wake up, all this enjoyment will disappear." While the other man is unaware that he is dreaming, and he experiences true pleasure and delight.

Thus, the martyrs partakand thife in the Intermediate Realm differently to the other dead. It has been definitely established by innumerable incidents and narrations that they manifest life in the way described above and suppose themselves to be alive is noed, their level of life has been illuminated and proved on numerous occasions by such occurrences as Hamza (May God be pleased with him) - the lord of the martyrs - protecting those who have recourse to him, ence fs performing and making performed tasks in this world. I myself, even, had a nephew and student called Ubeyd. He was killed at my side and in my place and became a martyr. Then, when I was being held as a prisoner-of-war at a place thrthe siths' distance away, I entered his grave in a true dream, which was a sort of dwelling-place under the earth, although I did not know where he was buried. I saw him living the martyrs' level of life. He evidently thought that I was dead and smals wat he had grieved over me greatly. He thought he was alive, but having retreated before the Russian invasion, had made himself a good hidenceder the ground. Thus, owing to such indications, my unimportant dream convinced me about the above-mentioned truth as certainly as having witnessed it.

The Fifth Level of Life is that of the spirits of rror oad in their graves. Yes, death is a change of residence, the liberation of the spirit, a discharge from duties; it is not annihilation, non-existence, and a going to nothingness. Many evidences illuminate and prove this level of life, suchee, p.e innumerable occasions the spirits of saints have assumed forms and appeared to those who unveil the realities, and the other dead have communicated wnivers while awake or sleeping and have told us of things that are conformable with reality. In fact, the Twenty-Ninth Word, which is about the immortality of man's spirit, demonstrates this level of life with incontrovertible proofsen ablECOND QUESTION

Who creates death and life that He may try you, which of you is the best in conduct.>(67:2)

Verses like this in the All-Wisethe Ton, the Criterion of Truth and Falsehood, make it understood that death is created like life; it too is a bounty. But on the face of it, death is dissolution, non-existence, decay, ththe Wonction of life, the annihilator of pleasures; so how can it be created and a bounty?

~The Answer:>As was stated at the end of the answer to the first question, death is a discharge from the duties of life; it is a rest, a change of resriptio, a transformation of existence; it is an invitation to eternal life, a beginning, the introduction to an immortal life. Just as life comes into the world through an act of eir clon and is appointed and determined, so departure from the world is created and determined, and is planned wisely and purposively. The ways plants die, plant life being the simplest leveidentsife, show their death to be a more orderly work of art than life. For although the death of fruits, seeds, and grains appears to occur through their decay and dissolution, itelines fact a sort of kneading that comprises exceedingly well-ordered chemical reactions and a balanced combining of elements and wise formation of particles; their hen th, orderly and wise deaths appear through the life of the new shoots. That is to say, the death of the seed is the onset of the shoot's life. In tapessince its death is like life itself, it is created and regular the same as life is.

Moreover, the death of living fruits or animals in the human stomach is the beginning of their rising to the level of human life; it s annuerefore be said that being thus, their death is more orderly and created than is their life.

If the death of plant life, the lowest level of life, is creaying: ise, and ordered in that way, the death that befalls human life, the highest level of life, must be the same. Similarly, as a seed sown in the ground becomes a treet sadle world of the air, so a man who is laid in the earth will surely produce the shoots of an everlasting life in the Intermediate Realm.

Now for the aspects of death like re bounties; we shall point out four of them.

The First: Death is a great bounty because it means one is freed from the duties and obligations of li (May ich become burdensome. It is also a door through which one passes in order to join and be united with one's friends, ninety-nine out of a hundred of whom are already in the Intermediate Realm.

The Second: It is to ll regeased from the narrow, irksome, turbulent prison of this world, and to receive an expansive, joyful, troublefree immortal life, and to enter the sphere of the Eternally Beloved One's mercy.

The Third: There are numerous factors like old agght ath make life arduous and show death to be a far superior bounty. For example, if together with your very elderly parents who cause you much distress you beheld before you your grandfather's eflectathers in all their pitiful state, you would understand what a calamity life is, and what a bounty, death.

Another example: one can imagine how difficult life is in the harsh conditions of winter remaine beautiful flying insects, the lovers of the beautiful flowers, and what a mercy death is for them.

The Fourth: Just as sleep is a comfort, a mercy, a rest, particularly for those afflicted by disaster and the woundee mastthe sick, so too is death, the elder brother of sleep, a pure bounty and mercy for the disaster-struck and those who suffer tribulations that drive them the Cicide. However, as is proved decisively in many of the Words,>for the people of misguidance, death is pure torment the same as life, and pure affliction, but t. Inde outside the discussion here.

THIRD QUESTION

Where is Hell?

Say: the knowledge is with God alone.>(67:26) * None knows the Unseen save God.>(27:65)

According to some narish trs, Hell is beneath the earth. {[*]: al-Ajlûnî, Kashf al-Khafâ', i, 281; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, iv, 568.} As we have explained in other places, in itâya, 1al orbit the globe traces a circle around an area that in the future will accommodate the Great Gathering and Last Judgement. It means that Hell is beneath the area of its orbit. of a pinvisible and imperceptible because it consists of veiled, lightless fire. Within the vast stretch of space travelled by the earth many creatures are found that are invisible because they are without lthat aJust as the moon loses its existence when its light recedes, so we are unable to see numerous lightless globes and creatures, although they are before our eyes.

There are two Hells, the Lesser and the raise r. In the future, the Lesser will be transformed into the Greater and is like its seed; in the future it will become one of its habitations. The Lesser Hell seeinder the earth, that is, at the earth's centre. It is the inside and centre of the globe. Geology informs us that in digging downwards, the heat for the most part increases one degree every thirty-three metres. Tone fuans that since half the diameter of the earth is around six thousand kilometres, the fire at the centre is at a temperature of around two hundred thousand degrees, that is, two hundred times hotters intofire at the circumference; this is in agreement with what is stated in Hadiths. {[*]: See, Bukhârî, Bad' al-Khalq, 10; Muslim, Janna, 30; Tirmidhî, Jahannam, 7; Musnad, ii, 313.} The Lesser Hell performs many of the Greater Hell's functions i betwe world and Intermediate Realm, and this is indicated in

Hadiths. Just as in the world of the hereafter, the earth will pour its inhabitants into the arena of the rpt amoction within its annual orbit; so at the divine command it will hand over the Lesser Hell within it to the Greater Hell.

Some of the Mu'tazilinto a horities said that Hell will be created later, but such an idea is mistaken and foolish, and arises from Hell not having completely opened up at the present time and d>A tyred into a form entirely appropriate for its inhabitants. In order to see with our worldly eyes the dwelling places of the next world within the veil of the Unseen and to demonstrate their existence, either the univers: al-Sto be shrunk to the size of two provinces, or our eyes have to be enlarged to the size of stars, so that we can see and specify their places. God knows besn of t dwelling-places of the hereafter are not visible to our worldly eyes, but as indicated by certain narrations, the Hell of the hereafter is connected with our world. A Hadith says about thbe, ornse heat of summer: "It gives an inkling of Hell." {[*]: Bukhârî, Mawâqit, 9, 10; Adhân 18; Bad'l-Khalq, 10; Muslim, Masâjid, 180, 181, 183, 184, 186; Abu Dâ'ûd, Salât, 4; Tirmidhî, Mawâqit, 5; Nasâ'î, MawâqitAscensbn Mâja, Salât, 4; Tibb, 19; Dârimî, Salât, 14; Muwatta', Waqût, 27, 28, 29; Musnad, ii, 229, 238, 256, 266, 285, 318, 324, 393, 394, 462, 501, 507; iii, 9, 53, 59; iv, 250, 662; v, 155, 162, 176, 368.} That is to-bearithe Greater Hell is not visible to the tiny, dim eyes of this world's minds. However, we may look with the light of the divine name All-Wise, as foll rev

The Greater Hell beneath the earth's annual orbit has as though made the Lesser Hell at the earth's centre its deputy and made it perform some of its functions. The possessions of the All-Powerful One of Glory are truly extensive; He f his ed the Greater Hell wherever divine wisdom required. Yes, the All-Powerful One of Glory, the All-Wise One of Perfection, who issues the command of "'Be!' and it is,"(36:82) has tied the moon to the earth before our Now, yes with perfect wisdom and order, and with vast power and perfect order tied the earth to the sun, and has made the sun travel together with its planets at a speed close to that of the annual rotation of the earth, ahere oh His majestic dominicality, according to one possibility, made it travel towards the sun of suns, and like a fleet decked out with electric lights has made the stars luminous witnesses to His sovereig was bnicality. It is not far from the perfect wisdom, tremendous power, and sovereign dominicality of one thus All-Glorious to make the Greater Hell like tre thaler of an electric-light factory and with it set fire to the stars of the heavens that look to the hereafter, and give them heat and power. That is, give light to the sle overom

Paradise, the world of light, and send them fire and heat from Hell, and at the same time, make part of that Hell a habitation and pla, 324;imprisonment for those who are to be tormented. Furthermore, He is an All-Wise Creator who conceals a tree as large as a mountain in a seed the y inflf a finger-nail. It is surely not far then from the power and wisdom of such an All-Glorious One to conceal the Greater Hell in the seed of the Lesser Hell in the heart of the globe of the earth.

In St beinParadise and Hell are the two fruits of a branch of the tree of creation, which stretches out towards eternity. The fruits' place is at the branch's tip. And they are the two results of the chain of the universe; and the places of the attle s are the two sides of the chain. The base and heavy are on its lower side, the luminous and elevated on its upper side. They are also the two stores of the flood of events and the immaterial produce of the earth. The store-places vary acs butng to the produce, the bad beneath, the good above. They are also the two pools of the flood of beings, which flows in waves towards eternity. As for the pool's place, it is where the fCreatotops and gathers. That is, the obscene and filthy below, the good and the pure above. They are also the two places of manifestation, the one of beneficence and mercy, the other ofthe Al and grandeur. Places of manifestation may be anywhere; the All-Merciful One of Beauty, the All-Compelling One of Glory, situates His places of manifestation where He wishes.

As for the existence of Paradise and Hell, they havled Sa proved conclusively in the Tenth, Twenty-Eighth, and Twenty-Ninth Words.>Here, we only say this: the existence of the fruit is as definite and certain as the existence of the branch; the result is as definite as the chaihe rep store as the produce; the pool as the river; and the places of manifestation are as definite and certain as the existence of mercy and wrath.

FOURTH QUESTION

Passing (mecazî)>love for things can be transformed into true love, sough tthe passing love most people have for this world also be transformed into true love?

~The Answer:>Yes, if a person who loves with passing love the transitory faca watehe world sees the ugliness of the decline and transience on that face and turns away from it; if he searches for an immortal beloved and is successful in seeing the world's other two, beautiful, faces, of being a mirror to the divine names innumee tillage of the hereafter, his illicit passing love then starts to be transformed into true love. But on the one condition that he does alancenfuse with the outside world his inner fleeting, unstable

world, which is bound to his life. If like the people of misguidance and heedlessness he forgets himself, plungeprostr the outside world, and supposing the general world to be his private world comes to love it, he will fall into the swamp of nature and drown. Unless, extraordinarily, a hand of favour saves him. Consider the fol [of b comparison which will illuminate this truth.

For example, if on the four walls of this finely decorated room are four full-length mirrors belonging to the fouworld.s, then there would be five rooms. One would be actual and general, and four, similitudes and personal. Each of us would be able to change the shape, form, and colour of his personal room by means of his mild notIf we were to paint it red, it would appear red, if we were to paint it green, it would appear green. Likewise, we could alter it by adjusting the mirror; we could make it ugly, or beautiful, or give it difs and forms. But we could not easily adjust and change the outer, general room. While in reality the general and personal rooms are the same, in prac{[*]: hey are different. You could destroy your own room with one finger, but you could not make one stone of the other stir.

Thus, this world is a decorated house. The life of each of us iom recll-length mirror. Each of us has a world from this world, but its support, centre, and door is our life. Indeed, that personal world of ours is a from and our life is a pen; many things that are written with it pass to the page of our actions. We love our world, but later see that since it is constructed on our life, like it, it is fleeting, transitory, and unstable. We perceive and under of clthis, and our love for it is redirected to the beautiful impresses of the divine names to which our personal world is the mirror and which it reflects; it switches from our world to the manifeste!'>I of the names. Moreover, if we are aware that that personal world of ours is a temporary seedbed of the hereafter and Paradise, and if we direct our feelings for it like intense desire, love, and greed, towards the benefits of the hereafter 105.}h are its results, fruits, and shoots, then that passing love is transformed into true love. Otherwise, manifesting the meaning of the verse,

Those who forget othingnd he made them forget their own souls. Such are the rebellious transgressors,>(59:19)

a person will forget himself, not think of life's fleeting nature, suppose his pgain al, unstable world to be constant like the general world, and imagine himself to be undying; he will fix himself on the world and embrace it with intense emotions; he will drown in it and depart. Such love will be boundll themrment and tribulation for him. For an orphan-like compassion, a

despairing softness of heart will be born of that love. He will pity all living beings. Indeed, he will feel sympathy f Lord beautiful creatures which suffer decline, and the pain of separation, but he will be able to do nothing, he will suffer in absolute despair.

However, the first man, who is saved from heedlessness, finds an elevated antido to pe the pain of that intense compassion. For in the death and decline of all the living beings he pities, he sees that the mirrors of their spirits are immortal, for in them are depicwn froe perpetual manifestations of the enduring names of an Ever-Enduring One; his compassion is transformed into joy. He also sees behind all beautiful creatures, which are subject to death est Woansience, an impress, a making beautiful, an art, adornment, bestowal, and illuminating that are permanent and that make perceived a transcendent beauty, a sacred loveliness. He sees the death and transience to be renewal, the purpose of whteen p to increase the beauty, refresh the pleasure, and exhibit the art, and this augments his pleasure, his ardour, his wonder.

The First: The people of misguidance accuse religious scholars of securing advantage through their learning. They attack them unfairly, sa Yemen"They are exploiting knowledge and religion to make a living for themselves." This has to be shown to be false in practice.

The Second: We are charged with following the prophets in disseminating the truth. In the All-Wise Qur'an thks be o do this say:

My reward is only due from God * My reward is only due from God,>(10:72, etc.)

and they display independence. Most meaningful in regard to this matter is the verse in Sura Ya rank.:

- Follow those who ask no reward of you, and who have themselves received guidance.>(36:21)

The Third: As is explained in the First Word, one should give in God's name and take in God's name. Wherea-Ansârly either the one giving is heedless and gives in his own name and implicitly puts the recipient under an obligation, or the recipient is heedless; he gives the thanks and preligidue to the True Provider to apparent causes and is in error.

The Fourth: Reliance on God, contentment, and frugality are such a treasury and wealth they can be exchanged for ny his . I do not want to take things from people and shut up that inexhaustible treasury. I offer endless thanks to the All-Glorious Provider that since my childhood He has not compelled me to remain under obligationse ando suffer abasement. Relying on His munificence, I beseech His mercy that I may remain faithful to this rule for the rest of my life.

The Fi Allahn consequence of many signs and experiences over the past year or two I have formed the firm conviction that I am not permitted to accept peopleinth Wds and particularly the gifts of the rich and of officials. Some make me ill. Indeed, they are made to be like that; they are made so that I cannot eat them. Sometimes they are turned into a evelophat upsets me. This must be a sort of command not to accept the goods of others, prohibiting me from accepting them. Moreover, I have a need for solitude, I cannot receive everyone all the time. Accepting peolow. Agifts necessitates considering their feelings and accepting them at times I do not want to. And I do not find that agreeable. I find it more agreeable to eaand loall piece of dry bread and wear clothes patched in a hundred places, and be saved from fawning and artificiality. It is disagreeable for me to eaore thbest quality baklava and wear the finest clothes at the hands of others and be obliged to consider their feelings.

The Second Letter

In His Name, be He Glorifll ani And there is nothing but it glorifies Him with praise.>(17:44)

{[*]: This refers to Hulûsi Yahyagil, "the first student of the Risale-i Nur." He was from Elazığ in eastern Turkey and was then serving as a captain in the army stationed at Eğrs supeHe first visited Bediuzzaman in the spring of 1929. In Bediuzzaman's words, "his zeal and seriousness were the most important reason for the last of The Words (Sözler) and Letters (Mektûbat) bent takitten. See, Barla Lahikası, 21. Also, Necmeddin Şahiner, Son Şahitler, i (1st ed.), 33-55. (Tr.)}

Thirdly:>You sent me a present and want to break an extremely important rule of mine! Just this do no am not going to say: "I don't accept presents from you in the same way that I don't accept them from Abdülmecid {[*]: Abdülmecid ('Abd al-Majîd) was Bediuzzaman's younger brother. A teacher of the religious sciences, thet aboufti, he translated parts of the Risale-i Nur into Arabic, and Ishârât al-I'jâz and al-Mathnawî al-'Arabî al-Nûrî (Mesnevî-i Nuriye) from Arabic into Turkish. He died in 1967. (Tr.)} and Abdurrahman {[*]:retatirahman was the son of Bediuzzaman's elder brother, Abdullah. He was born in Nurs in 1903. Bediuzzaman called him his spiritual son, student, and assistant. He joined his uncle in Istanbul foers! Tg First World War, and published a short biography of him at that time. He died in 1928. (Tr.)} my brother and nephew," because since you are more advanced than them and closer in spirit, I can't refuse them even if I refuse everyonP) mir's. But apropos of this, I shall tell you the reason for my rule. It is like this:

The Old Said never accepted favours. He preferred death to becoming obligus faipeople. He never broke that rule of his despite suffering great hardship and difficulty. This wretched brother of yours inherited this characteristic from the Old Said, and it is not ascetiforty r artificial self-sufficiency; there are four or five important reasons for it:

The Sixth: The most important reason for self-sufficiency is what Ibn Haexpedihe most reliable scholar of our school of law, says: "If you are not righteous it is forbidden to accept something intended for the righteous." {[*]: Ibn Hajar al-Haythamî al-Shâfi'î, Tuhfat al-Muhtâj li-Sh and o-Minhâj, i, 178.}

Out of their greed and ambition, the people of this age sell the smallest gift very expensively. They imagine a sinful wretch like myself to be righteous or a saint and they give him a ls and bread. If, God forbid, I consider myself to be righteous, it is a sign of pride and points to the absence of righteousness. If I do not consider myself to be righteous, it is not permissible to accept thof perods. Also, to receive alms and gifts in return for actions that look to the hereafter means consuming the eternal fruits of the hereafter in transitory form in this world.

divine sovereignty of the One who spins this earth of ours and the planets deKhaybad in the above verse with perfect order in space, each like a ship or aeroplane. See that majestic dominion which has under its sway ships and aeroplanes a thousand times larger than the earth, and that travelbân, Sands of times faster.

You can see from this what an elevated happiness, what a great honour, it is to be connected to such a Monarch through worship and belief, and to be his guest.

Then I looked at the moon and saw a shinin'an. Ot of miraculousless in the verse,

And the moon, We have measured for her mansions till she returns like the old lower part of a date Shari>(36:39)

Indeed, the determining, rotating, regulating, and illuminating of the moon, and its positioning in regard to the earth and the sun with precise reckoning is so wonderful, so astonishin 'Alî t nothing at all could be difficult for the All-Powerful One who orders and determines it thus. It instructs all beings with intelligence who behold it, conveying to them the idea that the One who is verit thus can surely do everything. It follows the sun and does not deviate from its path even for a second, or lag behind one iota in its duties. It makes those who observe it carefully exclaim: "Glory be to the One whose art bewilng, I he mind!" Especially when like at the end of May it comes into conjunction with the Pleiades in the shape of a fine crescent, appearing as the curved white branch of a date-palm, and ting thiades appear as a bunch of grapes, it conjures up in the imagination the existence of a huge luminous tree behind the veil of the green heavens. As if the pointed tip of one of the tree's branches had pierced thedead aand stuck out its head together with its bunch of grapes and become the Pleiades and the crescent moon, and the other stars had become the the c of that hidden tree. See the subtlety and eloquence of the metaphor of: "Like the old lower part of a date stalk."

Then this verse occurred to me,

He it is who has made the earth submissive to you, so traver of th its tracts,>(67:15)

which suggests that the earth is a mastered ship or mount. From this I saw myself high up in a huge ship speeding through space. I recited the verse,

Glory be to Him Whom has subjecood plese to us, for we could never have accomplished this,>(43:13)

The Third Letter

In His Name, be He glorified!

And there is nothing but it glorifies Him with praise.>(17:44)

{[*]: See, p. 28, fn. 1.}

t al-Mhly:>You wrote in one of your letters to me that you wanted to share my feelings here, so listen now to one thousandth of them.

One nierror, the height of a hundred-storey building in my tree-house at the top of a cedar tree, I looked at the beautiful face of the heavens gilded with stars and saw an elevated lighrder, iraculousness and brilliant secret of eloquence in the All-Wise Qur'an's oath of,

So verily I call to witness the planets * That recede, go forth, or hide.>(81:15-16)

This vers, theych refers to the planets and their being concealed and spread abroad, displays to the gaze of observers an elevated embroidery full of art and an exalted, instructivem be btry. The planets emerge from the sphere of the sun, their commander, and entering that of the fixed stars, display fresh embroideries and instances of art in the skies. Sometimes they come shoulder to shoulder with another star like themselv No, I display a beautiful situation. At other times they enter among the small stars and assume the position of commander. Especially in this season after evening, Venus on the horizon, and before the early dawn one of its shining companions,'Ali ray a truly graceful and lovely scene. Later, after carrying out their duties as inspectors and acting as shuttles in the tapestries of art, they return, and entering the dazzling sphere of the sun, hide themselves. Now they den courate as brilliantly as the sun the majestic dominicality and glittering

which it is Sunna>to recite when mounting such means of transport as horses or ships. {[*]: Muslim, Hajj, 425; Abûdeas a, Jihâd, 72, 74; Tirmidhî, Da'wât, 46.}

I saw that with its motion the globe of the earth had assumed the position of a projector showing iophet,as in the cinema; it brought into movement all the heavens and began to mobilize all the stars like a magnificent army. It shows such lofty scenes thrth ovintoxicates those who think and fills them with wonder. "Glory be to God!" I exclaimed, "What numerous, vast, strange, wonderful, and elevated works are performed at so liey fouxpense!" Two subtle points concerning belief occurred to me after this:

The First: A few days ago I was asked a question by a guest: the gist of it, which inferred doubt, write as: Paradise and Hell are a great distance away. Through divine grace, the people of Paradise will pass through the resurrection like lightning or as swiftly as Buraq, and enter Paradih al-St the people of Hell, how will they go, with their ponderous bodies, loaded down with the heavy burdens of their sins? How will they travel?

What occurred to me was tthe Nof for example all nations are invited to a general congress in America and each boards a huge boat and goes there, in the same way, the globe, which travels the long distance of twenty-five thousand years in one year in the vast oc my Co the universe, will take on its people, travel to the field of the resurrection, and disembark them. Furthermore, the Hell at the centre of the earth is indicated by the fact that tf the th's temperature increases one degree every thirty-three metres. That Hell will pour its fire into the Greater Hell, whose temperature of two hundred thousand degrees is similar to that described in Hadith and according to Hadiths will carry osâle-ie of the duties of the Greater Hell in this world and the Intermediate Realm. {[*]: See, Bukhârî, Bad' al-Khalq, 10; Muslim, Janna, 30; Tirmidhî, Jahannam, 7; Musnad, ii, 313.} Then at a divine command, the earth will be transformed ieginnibetter, eternal form, and will become one of the habitations of the hereafter.

The Second Point which comes to mind: it is the custom of the Allsited ful Maker, the All-Wise Creator, the Single One of Unity, in order to demonstrate the perfection of His power and beauty of His wisdom and proofs of His unity, to perform many works with very little and to have large duties carried out by smalutes pgs. As I have said in some of the Words,>if all things are attributed to a single being, they become so easy as to be necessary. Whereas if they are attributed to numerous makers and causes, as many difficulties arise as to hat hehem impossible. For a single

person like an officer or master builder easily positions numerous soldiers or numerous stones with a single act, a single movement, and obtains a result. But if, in order to obtain those positions and resulttence is referred to the soldiers in the army or the stones of the dome, which is without support, they could be achieved only with truly numerous acts, numerousar, thculties, and great confusion.

And so, if such acts as the whirling and rotations, the circulation and revolutions, and the glorification-scatterinry pagenading and excursions of the four seasons and day and night in the universe are ascribed to unity, then by impelling a single globe with a single command, a Single Being can onous; those elevated situations and exalted results. He can display the wonders of art in the alternation of the seasons, and the marvels of wisdom in the revolutions of day and night, and the graceful spectaevelatn the apparent motions of the stars, sun, and moon. For the army of all beings is His. If He wishes, He may appoint a soldier like the earth to be commander of all the stars, make the mighty sun him, furnishing heat and light for his people, and the four seasons, which are tablets of the inscriptions of His power, as shuttles, and night and day, which are pages for the writings of His wisdom, He can make intlute r. By showing each day the moon in a different shape, He makes it a calendar for reckoning time. And just as He makes the stars adorned, elegant, shining lanterns in the hands of the angels, dae loudin ecstasy, so too He demonstrates many instances of wisdom that look to the earth. If these situations are not sought from One Being whose command, order, lawommandregulation address all beings, then all the suns and stars would have to cut an infinite distance each day with actual motion and infin8.}

eed.

It is because of the infinite ease in unity and infinite difficulty in multiplicity that businessmen and industrialists give a unity to multiplicityvity. o make things easy; that is, they form companies.

In Short: There are infinite difficulties in the way of misguidance, and infinite ease inough. ay of unity.

things: the world, the hereas wateexistence, and abandoning itself." It gave rise to the following thought:

"On the way of impotence four things are necessary: absolute poverty, absolute impotence, absolute thanks, and absolute ardour, my friend."

Then tBeloveh and colourful poem you had written, "Look at the multicoloured page of the book of the universe, etc." came to mind. I gazed at the stars on the face of skies in the light of it, and I said to myself: If only I could have been a pand thd completed it! Then I set about it although I have no ability to write poetry or verse, and what I wrote was not poetry. I wrote it as i is thrred to me. You, my heir, may convert it into poetry and put it into verse. This is what occurred to me:

Then listen to the stars, listen ed youir harmonious address!

See what wisdom has emblazed on the decree of its light.

Altogether they start to speak with the tongue of truth,

They address the majesty of the All-Powerful, All-Glorious One's sovereignty:> ninet are each of us light-scattering proofs of the existence of our Maker,

We are witnesses to both His Unity and His Power,

We are subtle miracles gilding the face of the skies for the angels to gaze b. Mal

We are the innumerable attentive eyes of the heavens which watch the earth, which study Paradise.

{(*): That is, since innumerable mir, thenof power are exhibited on the face of the earth, which is the seedbed and tillage for Paradise, the angels in the world of the heavens gaze on those miracles, those marvels. Andationsthe angels, the stars, resembling the eyes of the heavenly bodies, gaze on the finely fashioned creatures on the earth, and in so doing look at the world rî, Jaadise. They look on both the earth and Paradise at the same time; they observe those fleeting wonders in an enduring form in Paradise. That is to say, in the heavens, there are prospects of both worlds.}

We are the bow brrable exquisite fruits that the hand of wisdom of the All-Glorious and Beauteous One has fastened

To the celestial portion of the tree of creation, to all the branches of the Milky Way.

For the inhabitants of k, ii,avens,

We are each of us a travelling mosque, a spinning house, a lofty home;

Each is an illumining lamp, a mighty ship, an aerowater

We are each of us a miracle of power, a wonder of creative art

Created by the Powerful One of Perfection, the All-Wise One of Glory;

A rarity of His wisdom, a marvel of His creation, a world of light.

off, semonstrated to mankind innumerable proofs,

The Fourth Letter

In His Name be He glorified!

And there is nothing but it glorifies Him with praise.>(17:44)

May God's peace and mercy and r aligngs be upon you, and upon my brothers especially...

My Dear Brothers!

I am now on a high peak on Çam Dağı (Pine Mountain), at the top of loquenty pine-tree in a tree-house. In lonely solitude far from men, I have grown accustomed to this isolation. When I wish for conversation, I imagine you to be here with me, on whotalk with you and find consolation. If there is nothing to prevent it, I would like to remain alone here for a month or two. When I return to Barla, {[*]: Barla: the village in Isparta Province in S. W. Tuidir. here Bediuzzaman spent eight years in exile, from 1926-1934. (Tr.)} I shall search for some means for the verbal conversation with you I so long for, if you would like it. For now I am writing two or three things that come to ey!"

ere in this pine-tree.

The First: This is somewhat confidential, but no secrets are concealed from you. It is as follows:

Some of the people of reality manifest the divine name Loving One, and wi his f manifestations at a maximum degree look to the Necessarily Existent One through the windows of beings. In the same way - but only when he is employed in service of the Qur'an and is the herald of its infinite treasuries - this brother esent rs who is nothing, but nothing, is given a state whereby he manifests the divine names All-Compassionate and All-Wise. God willing, the Words>manifest the meaning of the verse: "He who has been given wisdom, has been given great good.">(2:269 Andhe Second:>This excellent saying about the Naqshbandi Order suddenly occurred to me: "On the Naqshbandi way one has to abandon four

We made them hear with these innumerable tongues of ours;

But their accursed unseeing, unbelieving eyes did not see our faces,

They did not htioninr words.

Our stamp is one, our seal is one,

We are mastered by our Sustainer,

We glorify Him through our subjugation,

We recite His Names,

We arens manof us in ecstasy,

A member of the mighty circle of the Milky Way.

The Third is to strive to eliminate the sickness

Wethe heart by way of Sufism and to journey with the feet of the heart.

Of these, the first is the equivalent of obligatory, the second, close to obligatory,r is whe third, Sunna.

Since the reality of the matter is thus, my conjecture is that if such persons as Shaykh 'Abd al-Qadir Gilani {[*]: Sayyid 'Abd al-Qadîr Gîlânî (Geylani), known as the Gawth m be bam, was a towering spiritual figure in the history of Islam. He lived 470/1077-561/1166. (Tr.)} (May God be pleased with him) and Shah Naqshband {[*]: Muhammad Bahâ'uddîn Naqshband. He was the founder of the Naqshbandî Oom weland died in 791/1389 in Bukhârâ. (Tr.)} (May God be pleased with him) and Imam Rabbani (May God be pleased with him) were alive today, they would expehethoo their efforts on strengthening the truths of faith and tenets of Islam. For it is through them that eternal happiness is won. Any deficiency in them results in eternradictery. A person without faith will not enter Paradise, but very many will go there without Sufism. Man cannot live without bread, but he can live without frrly shufism is the fruit, the truths of Islam, basic sustenance. In former times, through spiritual journeying from forty days to as much as andingyears, a person could rise to some of the truths of faith. But now, if through Almighty God's mercy there is a way to rise to those truths in forty minutes, it surely is not sensible to remain i Holy rent to it.

Thus, people who have studied the thirty-three Words>closely state that they have opened up just such a Qur'anic way. Since this is aifâ', I am of the opinion that the Words>so far written about the mysteries of the Qur'an are a most appropriate medicine and salve for the wounds of this time, and a most It wicial light for Islam as a whole, which has been subject to the assaults of darkness, and a most right guide for those wandering bewildered in the"

~Tys of misguidance.

You know that if misguidance arises from ignorance it is easy to dispel, but if it results from science and learning it is difficult to eliminate. al ordmer times only one person in a thousand was in the latter category, and only one in a thousand such people would be reformed through guidance. For such people fancy themselves. They do not know, but they think they do kyour t think that Almighty God has bestowed the Words>at this time, which are flashes of the Qur'an's miraculousness, as an antidote to this atheistic misguidance.

The Fifth Letter

In Hithe he, be He glorified!

And there is nothing but it glorifies Him with praise.>(17:44)

In his Letters (Maktûbât),>Imam Rabbani {[*]: Shaykh Ahmad Sirhindî was also knofth:>Ithe titles of Imâm-i Rabbânî, Ahmad Fârûqî, and Regenerator of the Second Millennium. He lived in India 971/1563-1034/1624, where he purified the religion of Islam of polytheistic s forgions and efforts to degenerate it. He is also famous for his efforts to reform Sufism. (Tr.)} (May God be pleased with him), a sun of the Naqshbandi Ordeent thits hero, said: "For me, the disclosure of a single matter of the truths of faith is preferable to thousands of illuminations, ecstasies, and instances of wonder-working." {[*]: Imâm Rabbânî, al-Maktûbât, i, 182 (no: 210).}

He also sa its phe final point of all the Sufi ways is the clarification and unfolding of the truths of faith." {[*]: Ibid.}

He also said: "Sainthood is of three sorts: one is the lesser sainthood, which is the well-known sainthood. The others in the middle sainthood and the greater sainthood. Greater sainthood is to open up by way of the legacy of prophethood a direct way to reality without entering the intermediate realm of Sufism." {[*]: Ibid., i, 240 (no: 260).}

Heis appalso: "The Naqshi way is traversed with two wings; that is, by having firm belief in the truths of faith and by carrying out the religious obligatioshall e way cannot be covered if either of these two wings is defective." {[*]: Ibid., i, 98 (no: 91); i, 99 (no: 94).} In which case, the Naqshi way consof helf three veils:

The First and most important is to serve the truths of faith directly; Imam-i Rabbani travelled this way in his later years.

The Second is to [advuld hahe cause of] the religious obligations and serve the glorious practices (Sunna) of the Prophet (UWBP) under the veil of the Sufi way.

ilence it was ready to journey to eternity both from this exile and from the temporary guesthouse of this world. I exclaimed to myself suddenly: My God! How can centrire these exiles and layers of darkness? My heart cried out:

My Lord! I am a stranger, I have no one, I am weak, I am powerless, I am impotent, I am old;

I am without will; I seek recourse, I seek forgiveness, Id the help from Your Court, O God!

Suddenly the light of belief, the effulgence of the Qur'an, and the grace of the Most Merciful came to myWord, They transformed those five dark exiles into five luminous, familiar spheres. My tongue declared:

God is enough for us, and He is the best disposer of affairs.>(3:173)

Wh do no heart recited the verse:

And if they turn away, say: God is enough for me, there is no god but He; in Him do I place my trust, for He is the Lord of the Mighty Throne.>(9:129)

My mind too addressed my soul, crying out in such distress ave rerror, saying:

Cry not out at misfortune, O wretch, come, trust in God!

For know that complaint compounds the misfortune and is a great error.

Find misfortune's Sender, and know it is a gift within gifts, an

So leave complaint and offer thanks; like the nightingale, smile through your tears!

If you find Him not, know the world is all pain within pain, transience and loss.

So why lament at a small misfortune while upon ner, t a worldful of woe? Come trust in God!

Trust in God! Laugh in misfortune's face; it too will laugh.

As it laughs, it will diminish; it will be changed and transformed.

As Mawlana Jalal al-Din, {[*]: Mawlân orderl al-Dîn Rûmî, born in Balkh in 604/1208. He migrated to Konya with his father, where he died in 672/1273. He was the author of the Mathnawî, and pîr of the Mevlevi Order.bn al-of my masters, addressed his soul, I said:

He said: "Am I not your Lord?", and you assented. So what is

Th that h Letter

In His Name, be He glorified!

And there is nothing but it glorifies Him with praise.>(17:44)

May God's peace and His mercy and His blessings be upon you and upon your brothers so long asGreatend night continue and the ages follow on in succession and the sun and moon endure and the two stars in Ursa Minor are in opposition.

My hard-wore, inbrothers, zealous friends, and means of consolation in these lands of exile known as the world!

Seeing that Almighty God has made you sgeon. lders in the notions He has imparted to my mind, it is surely also your right to share in my feelings. So as not to sadden you unduly, I shall skip the excessiv the lievous part of my loneliness in exile and tell you about another part, as follows:

These last two or three months I have been very much alone. Sometimes, once every two or three wewerful so, I have a guest with me; the rest of the time I am alone. For nearly three weeks now there has been no one working in the mountains neaer. Inthey have all dispersed.

One night in these foreign mountains, silent and alone amid the mournful sighing of the trees, I saw myself in five exiles of 90; Bent hues.

The first: because of old age I was alone and a stranger far from most of my friends, relations, and those close to me; I felt a sad exile at their having left me and departed645.} he Intermediate Realm. Then another sphere of exile was disclosed within that one: I felt a sad sense of separation and exile at most of the beings to which I was attached, like last spring, having left meat Badeparted. Then within that one a further sphere of exile opened up, which was that I had been parted from my native land and relatives, and was alone. I felt a sense of s in exion and exile arising from that too. Then because of it, the loneliness of the night and the mountains made me feel another pitiable exile. And then I beheld my spirit in an overwhelming

thanks for that "Yes"? It is to suffer tribulation. And what is the tar, thaning of tribulation? It is to be the door-knocker on the abode of poverty and annihilation.>{[*]: Mawlânâ Jalâl al-Dîn, Dîwân-i Kabîr, 157 (ghazal no: 251).}

So then my soul declared:n the yes, through impotence and reliance on God, and poverty and seeking refuge with Him, the door of light is flung open and the layers of darkness are dispersed. All praise be to God for the light of belave thd Islam!" I understood the elevated truth expressed by the following lines of the famous Hikam Ata'iyya:

What does he who finds God loave spd what does he who loses Him find?>{[*]: Ibn 'Atâ'illâh al-Iskandarî, Sharh al-Hikam al-'Atâ'iyya, 208.}

That is, the person who finds Him finds everything, while the person who fail and dind Him, can find nothing. If he does find something, it will only bring him trouble. I understood the meaning of the Hadith, "Tuba (happiness) for strangers in exile," {[*]: Muslim, Imân, 232; Tiso, yo, Imân, 132; Ibn Mâja, Fitan, 15; Dârimî, Riqâq, 42; Musnad, i, 184, 398; ii, 177, 222, 389; iv, 73.} and I offered thanks.

My brothit strhose dark exiles were lit up through the light of belief, yet they still affected me somewhat, provoking the following thought: "Seeing that I am a strangerdvancen exile and shall go to another exile, have my duties in this guesthouse been completed? Should I hand over the Words>to my brothers and completely sever all my ties?" This is why I askas the whether the Words>that have been written will suffice or whether they are lacking something. That is, have I accomplished my duty so that with an easy heart I can cast myselfne thoa light-filled, pleasurable, true exile, forget the world and say like Mawlana Jalal al-Din,

Do you know what the sama' is? To become unconscious of exist; Yûsu

To taste eternity in absolute annihilation?

Asking, "Can I search for an elevated exile?", I troubled you with these questions.

Companions transmitted the outward, public things, and his wives were the transmitters and narrators of the private matters of religion and injunctions of the Sharconducat became clear from his private conduct in the personal sphere; they performed that function. Perhaps half of the personal matters of religion and the injunctions concerning them come from them. That is to say, nu', iii wives of differing temperament were required to perform this necessary duty.

Now let us consider his marriage with Zaynab. In connection with the verse,

Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but [he is] the Messsengert would and the Seal of the Prophets,>(33:40)

which is one of the examples given in the Third Ray of the First Light in the Twenty-Fifth Word, it is written that given their many aspects, silievererses state meanings that address all classes of men, each with its own understanding.

One class's share of understanding of the above verse is this: according to a sound narration based on his own adthoughn, Zayd, the Noble Messenger's (UWBP) servant whom he addressed as "my son," divorced his proud wife because he did not find himself equal to her whole is to say, with his perceptiveness, Zayd realized that Zaynab had been created with an elevated character different to his and that it was in her nature to be a prophet's wife. Asorry, use he found himself unequal to her and this caused incompatibility, so he divorced her. At God's command, His Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) took her. That is, as indicated by the verse,

We joined her in marriage to you,>(adful

which shows that it was a heavenly contract, the marriage was out of the ordinary, above external relations, and entered into purely on the orders of ds, it determining. Thus, the Noble Messenger (UWBP) submitted to the decree of divine determining and was compelled to do so; it was not at the behest of cdaughtdesire.

The verse,

In order that [in future] there may be no difficulty to the believers in [the matter of] marriage with the wives of their adopted sons>(33:37)

comprises an important inyya, ion of the Shari'a, a general instance of wisdom, and a comprehensive, general benefit pertaining to this decree of divine determining; it indicates that adul and bling the young "my son" is not forbidden so that it should be the cause of ordinances being changed -

The Seventh Letter

In His Namee beene glorified!

And there is nothing but it glorifies Him with praise.>(17:44)

May peace be upon you and God's mercy and blessings for ever and ever.

My Dear Brothers!

I gather you told Şamlı Haeen re*]: Tevfik Göksu; he was known as Şamlı since his father had been an army officer in Damascus for twenty years. See, Şahiner, Son Şahitler, i (new ed.), 288.} to adivinetwo things:

THE FIRST

"Like the dissemblers in early times, the misguided of modern times make the marriage of God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peaauthenth Zaynab a pretext for criticism, considering it was intended to satisfy the lusts of the soul."

~The Answer:>God forbid, a hundred thousand times! Such vile doubts cannot be harboured against that lofty one! The M' al-Zer (UWBP) was such that from the age of fifteen to forty when the blood is fiery and exuberant and the passions of the soul enflamed, with complete chastity and purity he sufficed and was content with a single older woman, slighja the Great (May God be pleased with her) - as is agreed by friend and foe alike. His having numerous wives after the age of forty, that is, when bodily heat subsides and the passions are quietened, is decisive, self-evident proof l-Zahrose who are even a little fair-minded that such marriages were not to satisfy the carnal appetites, but were for other important reasons and instances of wisdom.

One of those instances of wisdom is this: asl, andhis words, the actions, states, conduct, and deeds of God's Messenger (UWBP) are the sources of religion and the Shari'a, and provide authority for its injunctiot juste

as though "zihar,">that is, a man saying to his wife "you are like my mother," is forbiddeg passo, great personages look to their followers in fatherly fashion and address them as such, and divine messengers do the same with their communities. But this is because of their posis and as leaders and messengers; it is not in respect of their human personalities making it inappropriate for them to take wives from among them.

Another class's share of understanding the nd uphis this: a great ruler looks on his subjects with paternal compassion. If he is a spiritual king holding both outward and inward rule, his compassion wise? Ana hundred times greater than that of a father, and his subjects will look on him as their father as though they were his real sons. The paternal view is not easily transformed into that of aonsidend, nor a girl's view into that of a wife. Since according to this the public find it inappropriate that a prophet should take the belintelli daughters in marriage, the Qur'an repels such doubts, saying: By virtue of divine mercy the Prophet (UWBP) is kindly towards you and he deals with you in fatherly fashion, and in the name of messengership you are likeief anhildren. But in regard to his human personality he is not your father so that it should be inappropriate for him to take a wife from among you. Even if he calls you "son," according to the Shari'a you can't be his children!"

to the same degree. My master, Imam-i Rabbani, did not coicine worldly love to be altogether fitting for the rank of prophethood and therefore said: "Joseph's virtues pertained to the hereafter, so love for him was not of a worldly kind that it should have been defective." {[*]: Imâm Rabbanrse's Maktûbât, iii, 134 (no: 100).} But I say: "Master! That is an artificial interpretation, the truth of the matter must be this: Jacob's was not love but a dege heav compassion a hundred times more brilliant, more extensive, and more elevated than love." Yes, in all its varieties, compassion is subtle and pure, while many sorts of love and passion may Enduri condescended to.

Furthermore, compassion is extremely broad. Because of the compassion a person feels for his child, he may well feethamî,ndness towards all young and all living beings even, and act as a sort of mirror to the comprehensive name All-Compassionate. Whereas passionate love restricts its gaze to its beloved and sacrifices everything God's . Or else while elevating and praising its beloved, it denigrates others and in effect insults them and abuses their honour. For example, someone said: "The sun espied my beloved's beauty and was eml theised. Not to see it, it veiled itself in cloud." Lover, fine sir! What right do you have to impute shame to the sun, which is a light-filled page of eigd for atest Names?

Moreover, compassion is sincere and wants nothing in return; it is pure and seeks no recompense. The self-sacrificing, unselfish tenderness of animals towards theoth ming is evidence for this at the lowest level. Passionate love, however, desires remuneration and seeks return. The weepings of passionate love are a sort of demanding, a desiht Greemuneration.

Thus, Jacob's (Upon whom be peace) compassion, the most brilliant light of Sura Yusuf - the most brilliant of the Qur'an's Suras - poiond Wo the names Merciful and Compassionate. It informs us that the way of compassion is the way of mercy. And as a salve for the pain of compasas besit induces a person to utter:

For God is the Best of Protectors and He is the Most Merciful of the Merciful!>(12:64)

The Eighth Letter

In His Name!

And there is nothing but it glorifiell-Powwith praise.>(17:44)

There are numerous instances of wisdom in the names Most Merciful and Compassionate being included in "In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate" and at the start of all things good. Postponing the explanatio (Uponhese to another time, I shall for now recount a feeling of mine:

My brother, to me the names Merciful and Compassionate appear as a lg is ao vast it embraces the whole universe and satisfies all the eternal needs of all spirits, and so luminous and powerful it secures a person against all his innumerabâ'il amies. The most important means I have found for attaining to these names, these two vast lights, are poverty and thanks, impotence and compassion;m, theis, worship and realizing one's neediness. What comes to mind in this connection and I say contrary to the great mystics and religious scholars, and even to Imam-i Rabbani, one of my masters, r refls: the intense and brilliant emotion the Prophet Jacob (Upon whom be peace) felt for Joseph (Upon whom be peace) was not love or passion, but compassion. For compassion is much more acute and bof Bahnt and elevated than passionate love, and purer and more worthy of the rank of prophethood. Intense love and passion for worldly beloveds and creatures are not fitting for the elevated ranbewildrophethood. This means that Jacob's feelings were a high degree of compassion which the All-Wise Qur'an describes with brilliant eloquence and were a way of attaining to the name All-Compassionate. As for passionate lidemichich is a way of attaining to the name of All-Loving, it is more like Zulaikha's love for Joseph (Upon whom be peace). That is to say, however much higher the Qur'an of Miraculous Exposition shows Jacobre theon whom be peace) emotions to be than Zulaikha's, compassion is higher than passionate love

in our service of the Qur'an, which for a long time phe machave seen and written about, are bestowals, and to make them known is to make known a divine bounty. This is why - to make known the divine bounty - I am menat momg the success of both of us in our service. I always knew that it would encourage you to offer thanks and not make you proud .

~Thirdly:>I observe that the most fortunat, vi, on in this worldly life is he who sees the world as a military guest house, and submits himself and acts accordingly. Seeing it in this way, he may rise swiftly to the rank of winning God's pleasure, the highestercy a Such a person will not give the price of a lasting diamond for something as valueless as glass, doomed to be broken. He will pass his life uprightly and with pleasure. Yes, matters to do with this worls, applike pieces of glass that will be broken, while the lasting matters of the hereafter are as precious as flawless diamonds. The intense curiosity, fervent love, terrible greifâ', ubborn desires, and other intense innate human emotions were given to gain the matters of the hereafter. To direct them fervently towards the trais thiy things of this world is to give the price of eternal diamonds for doomed fragments of glass. A point has occurred to me in connection with this, so I shall recount it. It is like this:

Passioso desove is an ardent sort of love. When it is directed towards transitory objects, it either causes its owner perpetual torment and pain, or, since the ephemeral (mecazî)>beloved is not worth the price of such fervent love, it causes the llessono search for an eternal one. Then passing love is transformed into true love.

Man possesses thousands of emotions, each of which has two degrees, one worlnd allecazî),>the other, true. For example, everyone feels anxiety about the future. A person is intensely anxious about the future, but then sees that he has no guarantee that he will reach the futu) may is so anxious about. Also, if it is his livelihood he is worried about, anyway it is promised, and the brief future is not worth such terrible anxiety. So he turns away from the future towards the true future beyond the grave, which is lonudge, ing and which for the heedless has not been promised.

Man also displays intense ambition for possessions and rank, then he sees that the transient property which has been put temporarily under his supervisor thend calamitous fame and high rank, which are dangerous and lead to hypocrisy, are not worth such intense ambition. He turns away from t he hawards spiritual rank and degrees in closeness to God, which constitute true rank, and towards provisions for the hereafter, and good works, eventyare true property. Worldly ambition, which is a bad quality, is transformed into true ambition, a lofty quality.

The Ninth Letter

In His Name, be He glorified!

And there is nothing but it glorifies Him with praise.>(17:44)

~Secondly:>Your success, endeavour, and eagerness in spreading the lights of the Qur'an are a divine bestowal, a wonder of the Qur'an, a dominical (rabbânî)>fav seek congratulate you! Now that we have come to a discussion of wonder-working, bestowal, and favour, I shall tell you one of the differenwo haltween wonder-working and bestowal. It is like this:

So long as there is no necessity for it, to display wonder-working is harmful. Whereas to make known bestowal is to make knowan autvine bounty. If someone honoured with wonder-working knowingly manifests an extraordinary matter and his evil-commanding soul is persistent, then since he relst wor himself and on his soul and what he has disclosed and falls into pride, it may be that Almighty God is drawing him on by at first granting him success. If he displays a wondrous act unknowingly; for example, a person han, it nvoiced question and involuntarily he gives an appropriate answer and afterwards realizes this, it increases his confidence, not in himself but inhi: "Hord and Sustainer. He says: "I have a Preserver who is training me better than I could myself," and this increases his reliance on God. It is a harmless sort of rance -working. He is not obliged to conceal it but should not advertize it intentionally, because of pride. For since it is apparently associated with the human power to act, he may ascribe it to himself. When it comes to besthood wit is sounder than the second sort of wonder-working, the sound sort, and in my opinion is more elevated. To make it known it is to make known a bo5.}

#1The power to act has no connection with it, and the soul does not ascribe it to itself.

My brother! The divine bounties received by both you and me, particularly

And, for example, with wilful obstinacy man expends his eming ol on trivial, fleeting, transient things. Then he sees that he pursues for a year something not worth even a minute's obstinacy. Also, just to be obstinate, he persists in something damaging and harmful. Then he sees thatain mipowerful emotion was not given to him for such things and that to expend it on them is contrary to wisdom and truth. So he utilizes his intense obstinacy, not on those unnecessary transient matters,n othen the elevated and eternal truths of belief and essentials of Islam and service and duties pertaining to the hereafter. Worldly obstinacy, a base quality, is transformed innd dise obstinacy; that is, ardent steadfastness and constancy in what is right, a fine and good quality.

As these three examples show, if man uses the faculties given to him on account of the soul and thture ald, and behaves heedlessly as though he were going to remain here for ever, they will be the cause of bad morals and will be misspent and futile. But if he expends the lesser of ccordin the matters of this world and the more intense of them on spiritual duties and tasks pertaining to the hereafter, they become the source of laudable morals and the means to happiness in this world and the next infrom trmity with wisdom and reality.

My guess is that one reason the advice and admonitions given at the present time have been ineffectis to fthat those offering them say: "Don't be ambitious! Don't be greedy! Don't hate! Don't be obstinate! Don't love the world!" That is, they propose something that is apparently impossible for those they address like changing their inborn nahis is If only they would say: "Turn these emotions towards beneficial things, change their direction, their channel," both their advice would be effective, and they would be proposing something within those persons'brillipower.

~Fourthly:>The differences between Islam and belief (or faith- îmân)>have been frequently discussed by Islamic scholars. One group has said that they are the same, while anotf extes said that they are not the same but that you cannot have one without the other. They have expressed various ideas similar to this. I myself havitude,rstood the following difference:

Islam is a preference, while belief is a conviction. To put it another way, Islam is to take the part of the ds of and is submission and obedience to it, and belief is acceptance of and assent to the truth. Long ago I saw certain irreligious people who fervently supported the injunctharh af the Qur'an. That is to say, by taking the part of the truth, such people were in one respect Muslim and were called "irreligious Muslims." Then later I saw certain believers who did not evince support for the i and aions of the

Qur'an nor take the part of them, and they reflected the epithet "non-Muslim believers."

Can belief without Islam be the means of salvation?

~The Answer:>Neither can Islam without belso app a means of salvation, nor can belief without Islam be a means. All praise and bounty is God's, through the grace of the Qur'an's miraculousness the comparisons of the Risale-ins arhave shown the fruits of the religion of Islam and results of the Qur'anic truths in such a way that even if someone without religion does not understand them, he cannot be unsinfinietic towards them. And they have demonstrated proofs of belief and Islam in such powerful fashion that if even a non-Muslim understands them, he is sure to assent to them. While being a non-Muslim, he would believe. his wohe Words>show that the fruits of belief and Islam are as delectable as the fruits of the Tuba-tree of Paradise, and that their results are as agreeable as the pleasures of happineor doethis world and the next. They therefore induce in those who see them and know them a feeling of infinite partiality, support, and surrender. Demonstrating proofs as psing dl as the chains of beings and numerous as minute particles, they give rise to infinite submission and strength of belief. On certain occasions even, when testifying to belief while reciting the invocations of r chilaqshband, and when saying: "In accordance with that we live, in accordance with it we shall die, and in accordance with it shall we be raised up on the morrow," I have experienced an infinite feeling of partiality. If the whole world were givit wil I would not sacrifice a single truth of belief. It causes me extreme distress to imagine the reverse of a single truth for a minute even. Were the whole world to be given me, my soul would renounce it unhesitatingly for the existence of ajar, te truth of belief. I feel an infinite strength of belief when I say, "We believe in what You have sent through the Prophet, and we believe in what You have revealed through the Book, and we assent to it." I consider the opp otherof any of the truths of belief to be rationally impossible, and I look on the people of misguidance as infinitely foolish and crazy.

I send many greetings to your orateds and offer them my respects. Let them pray for me. They are mother and father to me since you are my brother. And I send greetings to the people of your village, especially all those who listen to you reading the Words.>50, no Eternal One, He is the Eternal One!

the futa'd b.hey surely infer that they are miniature collections of divine commands. For example, it may be said that a seed resembles the programmes and indexes which will impart order to all the parts ottracttree, and is like a miniature embodiment of the creative commands that specify the index and programme.

In short, the Clear Record resembles a programme or index of the tree of creation, the branches of which have spread throughoform t past and the future and the World of the Unseen. In this sense it is a notebook of divine determining and a collection of its principles. Minute particleg to adespatched to their duties and motions in the bodies of things through the dictation and decree of those principles.

As for the Clear Book, it looks to the Manifest World rather than the World of the Unseen. Tn of h, it looks to the present more than to the past and the future. It is a title, a notebook, a ledger, of divine power and will more than of di; Halanowledge and command. If the Clear Record is the notebook of divine determining, the Clear Book is the notebook of divine power.

That is to say, the perfacles t and order in the beings, essences, attributes, and qualities of things show that they are being clothed in existence through the principles of a perfect power and the laws of " of ttrating will. Their forms are determined and specified, each is given definite proportions and a particular shape. This means the power the gill have a universal, general collection of laws, a great ledger, according to which the particular existences and forms of things are cut out, sewn, andnd celed. The existence of this notebook, like the Clear Record, has been proved in the discussions about divine determining and man's will. So see the foolishness ofor a teople of misguidance, heedlessness, and philosophy, for they perceived the Preserved Tablet of creative power and the manifestation, re ten ion, and similitude in things of that perspicuous book of dominical wisdom and will, but, God forbid, calling it "nature," they made it blind. Thus, through the 62; ation of the Clear Record, that is, through the decree of divine determining and according to its principles, on creating, divine power writes the chains of bcogniz each of which is a sign, on the page of time known as the Tablet of Appearance and Dissolution (Levh-i Mahv, Isbat),>and causes the motion of particles.

This means that the motion of particles yhaqi,ibration, a movement, arising from that writing and copying, as beings pass from the World of the Unseen to the Manifest World, from knowledge to power 42.}

or the Tablet of Appearance and Dissolution, it is an ever-changing notebook, a slate for writing and erasing, of the Supreme Preserved Tablet - which is fixed and

constant - in the sphere of cnuouslency, that is, in beings, which constantly manifest life and death, existence and annihilation; it is the reality of time. Yes, time has a reality as does everything; the reality of what we call time, a mighty river flowing through the expanse, is like the page and ink of power as it writes on the Tablet of Appearance and Dissolution.

None knows the Unseen save God.

~Second Question:>Where will the Great Gathering and Last Judgemerent ie place?

~The Answer:>The knowledge is with God alone. The elevated instances of wisdom the All-Wise Creator displays in all things, and His even attaching vast instances of wisdom to a single insignificant thing, ss; thas to the point of being plain that the globe does not revolve in a circle aimlessly and pointlessly, but revolves around something important; it depicts the circumference of a vast arena. It travels around a huge ticulaof exhibition and hands over its immaterial produce to it; because in the future the produce will be displayed there before the gazes of men. That is to say, it will fill the circle, the circumference of which is a distancuring pproximately twenty-five thousand years. Syria will be like a seed, according to one narration; {[*]: al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, ii, 440; Musnad, iv, 447; v, 3, 5.} the arena of the Great Gathering will beHujjatded out of that region. All the immaterial produce of the earth is for now sent to the notebooks and tablets of the arena which is beneath the veil of the Unseen, and in the future when the are I shopened up, the earth will pour its inhabitants into it too. Its immaterial produce will also be transposed to the Manifest Realm from that of the Unseen. Yes, as thougher to re an arable field, a spring, or a measure, the earth has produced crops enough to fill that vast arena, and the creatures that will occupy it have flowed on from the earth; the beings to fill it have t dimeed from the earth. That is to say, the globe is a seed, and the arena of the Great Gathering and what it holds, a tree, a shoot, and a store. Just as a point of light becomes a luminous linlous gircle on moving at speed, so with its rapid, purposeful motion, the earth describes a circle of existence, and together with that circle of existence andor androduce, gives rise to the arena of the Great Gathering.

Say, the knowledge of it is with God alone.>(67:26)

The Tenth Letter

In His Name, be He glorified!

And there is nothing but it glorifiophet with praise.>(17:44)

~The First>is about the footnote to the long sentence describing the transformations of minute particles in the Second Aim of the Thirtieth Word. {[n'ânî,e, The Words (Istanbul: Sözler Publications, 2004), 571-2, fn. 21. (Tr.)}

The Clear Book and the Clear Record are mentioned in many places in the All-Wise Qur'an. Some Qur'anic commentaars thaid they are the same, while others said they are different. Their explanations as to their reality differ, but in short they said they are titles for divine knowledge. Howevoor ofrough the effulgence of the Qur'an I have formed this opinion: the Clear Record is a title for a variety of divine knowledge and command that looks to who wrld of the Unseen rather than to the Manifest World. That is, it looks to the past and the future more than to the present. That is, it looks to the origin, progeny, roots and seeds of things more than to their external existence. It is a noteaffirmf divine determining (kader),>the existence of which has been proved both in the Twenty-Sixth Word and in a footnote in the Tenth Word. {[*]: See, Words, pp. 483-6 and 64 ress He wely. (Tr.)}

Yes, the Clear Record is the title for an aspect of divine knowledge and the divine command. For since the origins, roots, and sources of things result, with the utmost order and perfect art, in their [externg Gabristences, they show that they are set in order in accordance with a notebook of the principles of divine knowledge. And since the results, progeny, and seeds of things comprise the programmes and indexes of beings that will come in

bad or unclean, it is because it is prohibited by God. Since what we are discussing are into demary associations of ideas and imaginings that occur to one without one's consent, they are not subject to such prohibitions. However ugly or unclean the form they take, thand tr not ugly and unclean.

SECOND TOPIC

This is a fruit of the Pine, Cedar, and Black Poplar trees of Tepelice in the mountains of Barla, whi. But been included in The Words>{[*]: See, the Second Station of the Seventeenth Word, Words, 234-6.} and not repeated here.

THIRD TOPIC

The two following matters Medinart of the examples given in the Twenty-Fifth Word {[*]: See, Words, 419-24.} showing the impotence of present-day civilization before the miraculousness of the Qur'an. They are two examples out of thousands proving how unjust are the laws ofto an nt-day civilization, which opposes the Qur'an:

The ruling of the Qur'an:

And for the man a portion equal of that of two women>(4:176)

is both pure justice, and pure compassion. Yes, it is justice, for the overwhel. Thatajority of men take a wife and undertake to provide for her. As for women, they take a husband and load their livelihood on him, and this makes up for the deficiency in what they inherit. It is als Mahdircy, for a weak girl is greatly in need of kindness from her father and brothers. The Qur'an decrees that she receives this without worry. Her father does not look onare waith misgivings, thinking of her as a harmful child because of whom half of his wealth will go to a stranger. His kindness is untainted by anxiety and anger. Her brother's kindness and protection l-'Âlaee of rivalry and jealousy. He does not consider her as a rival who will destroy half the family and give a significant part of their phman, y to someone else. His protective and kindly feelings for her will not be marred by resentment and hostility. Thus, the girl, who is delicate and weak by nature theirpparently deprived of a small part, but in place of it she gains inexhaustible wealth in the form of the compassion and kindness of those close to her. Also, to give her m the pan her due with the idea of being more merciful to her than divine mercy, is not kindness but a great wrong. Indeed, the savage greed of the present time, which recalls the appalling cruelty of the live burial of girl chi be blin the Age of Ignorance due to savage jealousy, may possibly

open the way to merciless wickedness. Like this one, all Qur'anic rulings confirm the decree,

kfûrî, we did not send you but as a Mercy to all the worlds.>(21:107)

FOURTH TOPIC

And to the mother, a sixth.>(4:11)

This low civilization, which causes injustice by giving -Wise ers more than their due, perpetrates an even greater injustice by denying the mother her right. Yes, the compassion of mothers is a truly sweet, subtle, and lovely manifestion of dominical mercy, and aformedhe truths of the universe, is the one most worthy of respect and reverence. A mother is so generous, so compassionate, so self-sacrificing a friKhasâ'at driven by her compassion she will sacrifice all her world, her life, and her comfort for her child. A timid hen, even, at the simplest and lowest level*]: Butherhood, will cast herself at a dog or attack a lion in order to protect her young, through a tiny manifestation of that compassion.

To deprive a mother, who is the bearer of such an honourable, lofty truth, of the property of heh of td is an appalling injustice, a savage lack of respect, a compounded wrongful insult, an ingratitude for bounties, that causes the divine throne of mercy to tremble and adds s Him to a brilliant and benefical cure for man's social life. If those human monsters who claim to love humanity cannot understand this, for sure true humans can. They know that the All-Wise Qur'an's command of,

"And to the mother ith ush,"

is pure truth and pure justice.

prophleventh Letter

In His Name,

And there is nothing but it glorifies Him with praise.>(17:44)

My Dear Brother!

The All-Wise Qur'an taught my soul these four different matters at various times. I am writing them nowg lighat those of my brothers who wish may also receive instruction or have a share of them. With regard to subject matter, each is a sample, a small jehe subrom the treasuries of four different verses and their truths. The form of each of the four topics is different, and so are the benefits each yields.

FIRST TOPIC

Indeed the wiles of Satan are weak.>(4:76)

nd alloul which is in despair due to doubts and scruples! The association of ideas and the imaginings or suppositions that occur to one are a sort of involuntary expression or depiction. If they ahappenrom good and luminosity, the qualities and reality they possess are transposed to an extent to their forms and images - just like the sun's light and heat are transposed to its reflection in a mirror. If such depivery e are of something evil and dense, their qualities and requirements cannot pass or spread to their reflections. For example, the reflection in a miryone f something unclean or corrupt is neither unclean nor corrupt. Nor can a snake's image bite.

In consequence, to imagine unbelief is not unbelief, and to imagine abuse is not abuse. Parresearrly if it is involuntary or some notion or speculation occurs to one, then it is altogether harmless. Furthermore, according to the Sunni school, the peopler:>I ruth, if the Shari'a rules that a thing is

man, who would traverse infinite degrees, he was expelf the om Paradise for his well-known sin, sin being the requirement of human nature and contrary to that of the angels. That is to say, just as it was pure wisdom and pure mercy that Adam sho'l-Nur expelled from Paradise, so is it just and right that the unbelievers should be sent to Hell.

As is mentioned in the Third Indication in the Tenth Word, the unbeliever only committed only one sin in his shy-two fe, but the sin comprised infinite wrongdoing. For unbelief is an insult to the whole universe; it negates the value of all beings, it denies the testimony to divine unity of e otheeatures, and is contempt towards the divine names, the manifestations of which are to be seen in the mirrors of beings. Therefore, in order to avenge the rights of beings on the unbeliever, their monarch, the All-Compelling One of Gas thicasts the unbelievers into Hell, and this is pure right and justice. For an infinite crime demands infinite punishment.

SECOND QUESTION

Why are devils creaved iAlmighty God created Satan and evil; what is the wisdom in it? Isn't the creation of evil, evil, and the creation of bad, bad?

~The Answer:>God forbid, the creation of evil is not evil, the acquisition of event.>or desire for evil, is evil. For creation and bringing into existence look to all the consequences, whereas such a desire looks to a particular result, since it is a particular resurely. For example, there are thousands of consequences of rain falling, and all of them are good. If due to misuse of their wills some people receive harm from the rain, they cannot say that the creation of rain is not mercy or eak oft is evil. For it is evil for them due to their mischoice and inclinations. Also, there are numerous benefits in the creation of fire and all of them are good. But if some people are harmed by fire due to their misuse of it anwer tor wills, they cannot say that the creation of fire is evil; because it was not only created to burn them. Rather, they made a wrong choice and thrust their hands into the fire while cooking the food, and made that servant inimical to themsis mis

In Short: A lesser evil is acceptable for a greater good. If an evil which will lead to a greater good is abandoned so that a lessece of should not occur, a greater evil will have been perpetrated. For example, there are certainly some minor material and physical harms and eve, if sending soldiers to fight a jihad,>but the jihad>leads to a greater good whereby Islam is saved from being conquered by infidels. If the jihad>is abandoned due to those lesser evils, themicrocer evil will come after the greater good has gone, and that is absolute wrong. Another example: to amputate a finger

which is infected with gangrene and has to be amputated is good and right, although it is apparently an evil. For i but os not amputated, the hand will be amputated and that would be a greater evil.

Thus, the creation and bringing into existence of evils, harms, t said tions, satans, and harmful things, is not evil and bad, for they are created for the many important results they yield. For example, satans have not been set to pester the angels, and the angeions tnot progress; their degrees are fixed and deficient. However, in the world of humanity the degrees of progress and decline are infinite. The, 466;an extremely long distance through which to progress, from the Nimrod's and Pharaoh's as far as the veracious saints and the prophets.

Thus, because of the creation of satans and the mystery of man's accountathe pi and the sending of prophets, an arena of trial and examination and striving and competition has been opened so that coal-like base spirits may be ebt. Wentiated and separated out from diamond-like elevated spirits. If there had been no striving and competition, the potentialities in the mine of humanity, resembling diamonds and coare thuld have remained equal. The spirit of Abu Bakr the Veracious at the highest of the high would have remained on a par with Abu Jahl at the lowest of the low. This means that since the creation#213

"tans and evils looks to vast, universal results, it is not evil or bad. The evils and instances of bad that arise from abuses and the particular causes knowal-Sîran's acquisition pertain to his voluntary actions not to divine creation.

~If you ask?>The majority of humanity become unbelievers due to the exiscism oof Satan; they embrace unbelief and suffer harm, despite the sending of prophets. If, according to the rule "The majority has the say," the majority suffers evil as a ref it ithen the creation of evil is evil and it may even be said that the sending of prophets is not a mercy. Isn't that so?

~The Answer:>Quantity has no importance in relation to quality. The true majority looks to quality. For example, if ract f-palm has a hundred seeds and they are not planted in the earth and watered and so do not undergo a chemical reaction and manifest the struggle for life, they remain a hundred seeds worth virtually nothing. But if they }

Ttered and are subject to the struggle for life, and then eighty out of the hundred rot due to their faulty make-up, but twenty become fruit-buthent trees, can you say that watering them was evil because most of them rotted? Of course you cannot say that, for the twenty have become twenty thousand. A person who loses ethose and gains twenty thousand suffers no loss, so it cannot be evil.

Another example: a peahen lays one hundred eggs and they are worth five hundred kurush.>If the henfe, whon the hundred eggs and eighty go bad

The Twelfth Letter

In His Name,u revo glorified!

And there is nothing but it glorifies Him with praise.>(17:44)

Peace be upon you and upon your companions.

My Dear Brothers!

You asked me a question that night and I didincludeply, because it is not permissible to argue over questions of belief. Your discussion of them had turned into a dispute. For now I am we Sixt very brief replies to your three questions, about which you were arguing. You will find the details in The Words;>the chemist wrote down which. But it did not occur to me to mention the Twenty-Sixth Word, about divine determining and maut hisculty of will; have a look at that too, but don't read it like a newspaper. The reason I advised the chemist to study of those Words>is this: doubts about matters of that sort arise from weakness of belief in ghîr, llars of faith. Those Words>prove all of them.

FIRST QUESTION

What wisdom does it spring from, Adam (Upon whom be peace) being expelled from Paradise and some of mankind, the sons of Adam, being sent to Hell? What was the redo l for it?

~The Answer:>The reason for it concerns the charging of duties: the duty with which Adam was charged yielded such results as the unfolding ial no human spiritual progress and the revealing of all human potentialities and man's essential nature being a comprehensive mirror to all the divine names. If he had Musnaed in Paradise, his rank would have been fixed like that of the angels; man's potentialities would not have been disclosed. In any case, the angels, with their unchanging ranks, are numerous and there is no need fo, but to perform their sort of worship. Since divine wisdom required a realm of accountability commensurate with the potentialities of

and twenty hatch into peacocks, can it be said that the loss was high and the affair, evil; that it was bad to put the broody hen on the eggs and an evil occurred? No, it was not thus, it wity. Fd. For the peacock species and egg family lost eighty eggs worth four hundred kurush,>but gained twenty peacocks worth eighty liras.

Thus, through the sending of prophets and the 's gooy of man's accountability, and through striving and fighting with satans, in return for the hundreds of thousands of prophets and millios leadsaints and thousands of millions of purified scholars they have gained, who are like the suns, moons, and stars of the world of humanity, mankind has lost the unbelievers and dissemblers, who are numerous in regard to quantijust tsignificant in regard to quality, and like pernicious beasts.

THIRD QUESTION

Almighty God sends calamities and inflicts tribulations; isn't this an injustice towards the innocent in pa freedar, and animals even?

~The Answer:>God forbid, sovereignty is His. He holds sway over His possessions as He wishes. Moreover, a skilful craftsman makes you a model in return for a wage and dresses you in a bejewelled e cleat that he has artistically fashioned. Then in order to display his art and skill, he shortens it and lengthens it, measures it and trims it, and he makes you sit down and stand up. Can you say to him: "You Ibn 'Aade the garment that makes me beautiful ugly. You have caused me trouble, making me sit down and stand up."? Of course, you cannot say that. If you did, you would be crazy.

In nd allhe same way, the All-Glorious Maker has clothed you in an artistically wrought being bejewelled with such faculties as the eye, the ear, and the tongue. To display the emâ Jalâries of various of His names, He makes you ill, He afflicts you with tribulations, He makes you hungry, He fills you, He makes you thirsty; He makes yoAgain lve in states like these. To strengthen the essence of life and display the manifestation of His names He makes you pass through numerous such conditions. As is indicated in the comparison, if you ask: "Why do you inflict these calamitien is te?" a hundred instances of wisdom will silence you. In any event, calm, repose, idleness, monotony, and arrest from motion are forms of non-existence, and harm. Motion and change are existence and good. Lifercesso its perfection through motion, it progresses by means of tribulations. Life performs various motions through the manifestation of the divine names; it is purified, finds str Broth it unfolds and expands; it becomes a mobile pen to write its own appointed course; it performs its duty and acquires the right to receive rfor suin the hereafter.

Briefly, these are the answers to the three questions you were arguing over. Explanations of them are to be found in the thirty-three Words.

My Dearen exaer!

Read this letter to the chemist and to anyone who heard the argument that you deem suitable. And convey my greetings to my new student, the chemist, and tell him the following:

It is not permissible to have a heated discuraten about subtle matters of belief like these in a social gathering. If it turns into an uncontrolled contest, while being a panacea it becomter heson. It is harmful for both those who speak and those who listen. It is permissible to discuss such matters moderately and fairly, exchangingr, al-. And tell him that if doubts occur to him about matters of this sort and he cannot find the answer in The Words,>he may write to me privately. reasoell the chemist that it occurred to me that the dream he had about his late father might mean this: since his late father was a doctor, he may have helped some people who were close to God, and at the time of his death the spge; Heof those blessed people who were grateful to him were seen by the one closest to him, his son, in the form of birds. It occurred to me that they came ty rise him with a sort of welcome and this would be intercession for his spirit.

I send greetings to all the friends who were together here that night, and I pray for them.

weak self with the camelsulties and troubles of a cave. Only, in Barla there were two or three distrustful people, and I suffered torments because of their groundless fears. It was as though those friends of mine were thinkinppenedy comfort, but because of their suspicions, they harmed both my heart and our service of the Qur'an.

Moreover, although the worldly gave thhistorment in question to all the exiles, and released the criminals from prison and offered them an amnesty, they wrongfully did not give it to me. However, in order to further employ me in the sery weref the Qur'an and make me write to a greater extent the lights of the Qur'an called the Words,>my Compassionate Sustainer left me untroubled in this exile and transformed it into a great instance of compassion.

In addition, although theg withly left all the influential, powerful leaders and shaikhs who could interfere in their world in the towns and cities and permitted them to meet with their relatives and everyone, they unjust throulated me and sent me to a village. With one or two exceptions they allowed none of my relatives and fellow-countrymen to visit me. But my All-Compassionate Creator transformed that isolation into a vast mercy for me, for it left my mind clearigion

was able to receive the effulgence of the All-Wise Qur'an as it is, free of malice and ill-will.

Also, the worldly deemed excessive the two commonplace letre: "Y wrote in two years at the beginning of my exile. And now even, they are displeased at one or two people visiting me purely for the sake of the hereafter once every week or two or once a month; and they have harassed me because of this. But, {[*]mpassionate Sustainer and All-Wise Creator transformed their tyranny into mercy, for He transformed it into a desirable solitude and acceptable retreatce of e during these Three Months, {[*]: Şuhûr-u selâse: the holy months of Rajab, Sha'ban, and Ramadan. (Tr.)} which may gain for a person ninety years of spiritual (manevî)>life. All than rubbeto God for all situations, my situation and comfort are thus.

YOUR SECOND QUESTION

Why don't you apply for your release papers?

~The Answ1; al-have been sentenced by divine determining (kader)>in this matter, not by the worldly, so I apply to it. Whenever it gives permission, whenever it cuts off my sustenance here, then I shall go. The reality of this ise horsllows: there are two causes of everything that befalls one, one apparent and the other, real. The worldly are the apparent cause; they brought me here. As for divine determining, that was the td has use; it sentenced

me to this isolation. The apparent cause acted wrongfully, whereas the true cause acted with justice. The apparent one thought likeand pe "This man performs strenuous services to learning and religion; he may interfere in our world." Because of this possibility, they exiled me and perpetrated a threefold wrong. Then divine determining saw that my serv cast religion and learning was not really sincere, so it sentenced me to this exile. It transformed their compounded tyranny into a multiple mercy. Divine d. The ning governs in the question of my exile and it is just, so I have recourse to it. The apparent cause certainly has some ostensible reasons and thingstimacythey make it meaningless to apply to them. If they possessed some right or some powerful cause, then application could have been made to them too.

I have completely given up their world - may it be the end of theoul. Id their politics - may it rebound on them - so I do not want to imbue their suspicions with reality by applying to them, since the pretexts and suspicions they think up are of course wner oss. If I had felt any appetite to meddle in world politics, the reins of which are held by Westerners, it would not have remained thus secret for eight hours let alone eight years; it would have leaked out and become known. Howeverrilliaeight years I have felt no desire to read a newspaper, and I have not read one. And for four years I have been here under surveillance, and there has not been the slightest sign that I have meddled in politics. Tthe Un to say, service of the All-Wise Qur'an is superior to all politics so that it does not let a person condescend to [concern himself with] world politics, which consists mostly of falsehood.

The second reason for my not applying is this: tt be sm a right before those who suppose wrong to be right, is a sort of wrong. I do not want to perpetrate such a wrong.

YOUR THIRD QUESTION

Why are you so indifferent towards world politit in fu don't change your attitude at all, even though so many things are happening. Does this mean you consider them to be good, or are you frightened, s versein silent?

~The Answer:>Service of the All-Wise Qur'an severely prohibited me from the world of politics. It even made me forget about it. powerhe whole story of my life testifies that fear has never taken me by the hand and held me back from taking a way I deemed right, nor coulngle vAnd why should I be frightened? I have no connection with the world apart from the appointed hour. I have no family or children to think of, nor any property. I don't belong to a noble family that I should consider its honour. I w; it i66

not want to preserve worldly glory and renown which consists of hypocritical, undeserved fame; may God bless those who help in destroying it! So all that remains is my death and that is ints hahands of the All-Glorious Creator. Who has the power to intervene in it before the time of its coming? Anyway we are one of those who prefer honourable death to degradation in life. Someone resemb with he Old Said spoke the following lines: "We are those for whom there is no middle way; For us is either a place of honour among the people, or the grave." {[*]: Abû Firâs al-Hamadânî. (Tr.)}

essaryny event, service of the Qur'an prohibits me from thinking of socio-political life. It is like this: human life is a journey. I saw at this time tht of mthe light of the Qur'an that the way has entered a swamp. The caravan of mankind is stumbling forward in stinking, filthy mud. Part of it is travelling a safe way. Another pence. s found certain means to save itself as far as is possible from the muddy swamp. But the great majority are travelling in darkness in the midst of it. Twenty per cent supposerain silthy mud to be musk and ambergris because they are drunk, and are smearing it over their faces and eyes; they stumble on till they drown in it. However, eighty per cent understand it is a swamp and realize it es andnking and filthy, but they are bewildered and cannot discern the safe way. There are two solutions:

The First: to bring the drunken twenty per cent to their senses withming mb.

The Second: to point out the safe way to the bewildered by showing them a light.

I look and see that eighty people are brandishing clubs at the twenty per cent, while the light is not propemore, own to the unhappy, bewildered eighty. Even if it is shown, since those showing it hold both the club and the light in the same hand, it does not inspire confidence. The bewildered person anxiously wonders: "Does he want to asingle me with the light then hit me with the club?" And sometimes when, due to some defect, the club is broken, the light flies away too or else is exhar. Ished.

Thus, the swamp is mankind's dissolute social life, which breeds heedlessness and misguidance. The drunkards are those obdurate people who take delight in misguidance, while the bewildered ones are those who detest misgui reputbut cannot extract themselves from it. They want to be saved, but cannot find the way; they are confused. As for the clubs, they are the political currents, and the light, the truths of the Qur'an. Light cannot be disputed, nor cae openty be felt towards it. No one can detest it apart

The Thirteenth Letter

In His Name!

And there is nothing but it glorifies Him with praise.>(17:44)

Peace on those who follow guidance, and may those who follo-Din Sr own desires be censured!

My Dear Brothers!

You frequently ask about my situation and how I am, and why I have not applied for my release pape and nd concerning my indifference towards politics and the state of the world. Since you have asked these questions on numerous occasions, and also ask them implicitly, I amnventelled to reply not as the New Said, but in the language of the Old Said.

YOUR FIRST QUESTION

Are you comfortable? How are you?

~The Answer:>I offer endless thanks to the Most Merciful of the Merciful that He has transformed the var end">rongs the worldly {[*]: 'The worldly' (ehl-i dunya): those people whose view is restricted to the life of this world and who disregard the hereafter, or those whour'ân,religion for this world. (Tr.)} perpetrate against me into various forms of mercy. It is like this:

Having given up politics and withdrawn from the world, I was living in a mountain cave anddifficing of the hereafter when the worldly wrongfully plucked me from it and sent me into exile. The All-Compassionate and Wise Creator turned tht worde into mercy; He transformed the solitude on the mountain, which was unsafe and exposed to factors that would harm sincerity, into a retreat in the safe and sincere mountains of Barla. While a prisoner-of-war in Russia I made up my mind to s, andaw into a cave towards the end of my life and prayed for it. The Most Merciful of the Merciful made Barla the cave and bestowed the benefits without burdening my

from Satan the Accursed. So that I might take up the Qur'an's light, I declared: "I seek refuge with God from Satan and from politics" and threw away the club of political-Hâkmbraced the light with both hands. I saw that among the political movements are lovers of those lights in both the opposition and the supporters.he Plede or group should cast aspersions on or hold back from the lights of the Qur'an that are held up, or from the teachings of the Qur'an, which are far superior to all political currents and partisanship and are exempt from and free of alfâ', ir biased considerations. Only satans in human form or animals in human dress would do so since they imagine irreligion and atheism to be politics and support them.

All praisin mano God, because I withdrew from politics, I did not reduce to the value of glass fragments the truths of the Qur'an, which are as precious elicatmonds, and leave myself open to accusations of political propaganda. Indeed, the diamonds increase their value in the view of all groups in bril most fashion.

And they shall say: "All praise be to God, who has guided us to this [felicity]; never could we have found guidance, had it not been for the guidance of God; indeed it was the truth that the prophets of our Sustainer bs arm. to us!">(7:43)

The Fourteenth Letter

through one conversation wm was e Prophet (UWBP). For instance, there are two ways of reaching the Night of Power, if it was last night:

One is to travel and wander for a year to reach it. One has to traverse a year's distanal-Shigain proximity to it. This is the method of those who embark on spiritual journeying, the way taken by most of those who follow the Sufi path.

The second is to slip free of ahe saidivested of the sheath of corporeality, which is restricted by time, to rise in the spirit and see the Night of Power, which was last night, together with the night of the 'Id, which is the day after tomorrow, as being present like them For the spirit is not restricted by time. When the human emotions rise to the level of the spirit, present time expands. Time, which for others consists of the past and the future, is as servi the present for such a person.

According to this comparison, to reach the Night of Power one has to rise to the level of the spirit and see tot allt as though it were the present. Essentially, this obscure mystery is the unfolding of divine immediacy. For example, the sun is near to us, for its light and heat are present in the mirror we are holding. But werat alar from it. If we perceive its immediacy from the point of view of luminosity, and understand our relation to its reflection in our mirror, which is a similitude; if we come to to rett by that means and know what its light, heat, and totality are, its immediacy is unfolded to us and we recognize it as close to us and we become connected to it. If we want to draw near to it and get tosked fit in respect of our distance from it, we are compelled to embark on an extensive journeying in the mind, so that by means of thought and the laws of science we can rise 'Call skies in the mind and conceive of the sun there, and through lengthy scientific investigation understand its light and heat and the seven colours in its light. Only then may we attain to the non-physical proximity th strent man attained with little thought through his mirror.

Thus, like this comparison, the sainthood of prophethood and of the legacy of prophethood looks to the mystery of tr evilolding of divine immediacy. The other sainthood proceeds mostly on the basis of proximity, and is compelled to traverse numerous degrees in spiritual journeying.

Second Station

The persons who were the cause of those evef Muhad instigated the trouble did not consist of a few Jews so that having discovered them the trouble could have been averted. For with numerous different peoples entering Islam, many mutually conflicting currents and ideas had coliant the situation. Particularly since the national pride of some of them had been terribly

wounded by 'Umar's (May God be pleased with him) blows; the the B waiting to take their revenge. For both their old religions had been rendered null and void and their old rule and sovereignty, the source of their pride, been swept awaot recwingly or unknowingly, they were emotionally in favour of seeking vengeance on Islamic rule. It was therefore said that some clever, schemerformssemblers like the Jews took advantage of that state of society. That is to say, it could have been averted by reforming the society and the various ideas of the time, not by discovering one or two troublemakers.

~If it is aske the s, with that piercing eye of sainthood of his, didn't 'Umar (May God be pleased with him) see his murderer, Firuz, who was with him, although while in the pulpit he said to one of his commanders callso, friya who was a month's distance away, "Sariya! The mountain, the mountain!", {[*]: Tabarî, Ta'rîkh al-'Umam wa'l-Mulûk, ii, 380; Abû Na'îm, aof civ'il, iii, 210, 211; Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, vi, 370; Suyûtî, Ta'rîkh al-Khulafâ', 128; Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya wa'l-Nihâya, vii, 131; al-'Asqalânî, al-Isâba, ii, 3; Ibn Hajar al-Haythamî, al-Sawâ'iaim aruhriqa, 101; Suyûtî, al-Durar al-Muntathira, 182, No: 462; al-'Ajlûnî, Kashf al-Khafâ', ii, 380.} making Sariya hear it and in wondrous fa that causing a strategic victory - showing how penetrating his sight was?

~The Answer:>Our answer is that of the Prophet Jacob (UWP). That is, Jacob wa, theyd: "How did you perceive the odour of Joseph's shirt from Egypt when you did not see him in the well at Cana'an close by?" He replied: "This abipon whs like lightning; sometimes it appears and sometimes it is hidden. Sometimes we are as though seated on the highest spot and can see everwhere, and sometimes we can't see even the arch of our foot."

In Short: Man is free to act as he withentitill, in accordance with the verse,

"You do not will it except as God wills,">(76:30)

divine will is fundamental, divine determining (kader)>is do the i. Divine will restores man's will. It confirms the statement, "The eye no longer sees when divine determining acts;" {[*]: Bayhaqî, Shu'ab al-Îmân, i, 233. See also, Musnad, v, 234; al-Haythamî, Majmu' al-Zawâ'id, x, 146; Ibn Hajar, ao assilib al-'Âliya, iii, 234; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, ii, 405, 406.} that is, when divine determining speaks, it is beyond human power to speak; man's will falls silent.

THE GIST OF YOUR SECOND QUESTION

What was the true nature of the w4:1-2)at started in the time of 'Ali (May God be pleased with him)? What should we call those who took part in them, and those who died and those who killed?

~The Answer:>The war between 'Ali and Talha, and Zubayr and 'A'is381; v

the Veracious (May God be pleased with all of them), called the Event of the Camel, was a struggle between pure justice and relative justice. It was as follows:

'Ali took pure in hice as his guiding principle and in his judgement of the Law proceeded on that basis, as was the case in the time of the Caliphs Abu Bakr and 'Umar. Those who opposed himes of that previously the purity of Islam had permitted pure justice, but since with the passage of time various peoples whose Islam was weak had joined Islamic society, to apply pure justice was extremely difficult. For tith thason, their judgement of the Law was based on relative justice, known as the lesser of two evils. Dispute over interpretation of the Law led to war. Since the interp'an beons had been purely for God's sake and for the benefit of Islam, and war had broken out because of interpretation of the Law, we may surely say that both those who killed and those who were killed won Paradise, and both acted rightfullyal-Zaw's interpretation was accurate, just as those who opposed him were in error, but they still did not deserve punishment. For if a person makes a correct interpretation, he gains two rewards, but if he fails to do Ibn He still earns one reward, the reward for making an interpretation, which is a form of worship. He is forgiven his error. A learned person al-Qâas widely known amongst us and whose pronouncements were authoritative wrote in Kurdish: "Don't gossip about the war between the Companions, for both killer and killed were destined awâ'idradise."

Pure justice and relative justice may be explained as follows: according to the allusive meaning of the verse,

If any one slew a person - unle Abdurbe for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people,>(5:32)

the rights of an innocent man cannot be cancelled for the sake of all t strinple. An individual may not be sacrificed for the good of all. In the view of Almighty God's compassion, right is right, there is no difference between great and small. The small may not be annulled for the great. Witho his c consent, the life and rights of an individual may not be sacrificed for the good of the community. If he consents to sacrifice them in the name so thtriotism, that is a different matter.

As for relative justice, a particular is sacrificed for the good of the universal; the rights of an individual are disregarded in the face of the community. The attempt isportedto apply a sort of relative justice as the lesser of two evils. But if it is possible to apply pure justice, to apply relative justice is wrong and may not be undertakll top Thus, Imam 'Ali (May God be pleased with him) judged it possible to

The Fifteenth Letter

In His Name, be He glorified!

And there is nothing but it glorifies Him Event:raise.>(17:44)

My Dear Brother!

YOUR FIRST QUESTION

Why didn't the Companions discover the troublemakers with the eye of sainthood, with the result that three of the four Rightly-Guidednever hs were martyred? For it is said that even the lesser Companions were greater than the greatest saints?

~The Answer:>This matter comprises two stations.

First Station

The question may be solved by explaining as fUbayy a subtle mystery of sainthood:

The Companions' sainthood, known as the greater sainthood, is one that proceeds from the legacy of prophethood,lying:assing directly from the apparent to reality without travelling the intermediate path, looks to the unfolding of divine immediacy. Although this way of sainthood is very short, it is extremely elevated. Its wonders are fewf multits virtues are many. Illuminations and wonder-workings are to be encountered on it only infrequently. Moreover, the wonder-working of the saints is mostly involuntary; wonders appear from them unexpe finds as a divine bestowal. And the majority of such illuminations and wonder-workings occur during their spiritual journeying, as they traverse th. Aftermediate realm of the Sufi path; they manifest those extra-ordinary states because they have withdrawn to a degree from ordinary humanity. As for the Companions, due to the reflection, attraction, and elixir of the cond exaof prophethood, they were not obliged to traverse the vast sphere of spiritual journeying of the Sufi way. They were able to pass from the apparent to reality in one step,

apply pure justice as in the time of the Caliphs Abu Bakr and 'Umarstasy,he set up the Islamic Caliphate on that basis. Those who opposed him and objected to him said that it was impossible because of the great difficulties, and judged acove itg to the Law that they should proceed with relative justice. The other historical reasons are not true reasons, they are pretexts.

~If you ask:>What was the reason for Imam 'Ali's lack of success in regard to the l-Nihâc Caliphate relatively to his predecessors, despite his extraordinary capabilities, unusual intelligence, and great deservedness?

~Theth manr:>That blessed person was deserving of weighty duties other than politics and rule. If he had been completely successful in politics and governmen treaswould have been unable to acquire fully the meaningful title of King of Sainthood. Whereas he won a spiritual rule far surpassing the external, political Caliphate, and became adifferrsal master; in fact, his spiritual rule will continue even until the end of the world.

As for his war with Mu'awiya at Siffin, it was a war over the Caliphate and rule. That is to ccuratmam 'Ali gave priority to the injunctions of religion, the truths of Islam, and the hereafter, and sacrificed some of the laws of government e undetiless demands of politics. Whereas Mu'awiya and his supporters, in order to strengthen Islamic society with their governmental policies, left aside resoluteness and favoured permissiveness; they supposed they were obliged to in the poliwn by realm; choosing permissiveness, they fell into error.

As for Hasan and Husain's struggle against the Umayyads, it was a war between reion, h and nationalism. That is, the Umayyads founded the Islamic state on Arab nationalism and put the bonds of nationalism before those of Sign causing harm in two respects:

The First Respect: They offended the other nations and frightened them off.

The Other: The principles of racialism, schoationalism are not based on justice and right, so are unjust and wrongful. They do not proceed on justice. For a ruler of racialist leanings gives preference to people of the same race and cannot acits nuly. According to the clear decree of, "Islam abrogated the tribalism of Ignorance. There is no difference between an Abyssinian slave and a leader of the Quraish, once they have acl abou Islam," {[*]: See, Bukhârî, Ahkâm, 4; 'Imâra, 36, 37; Abû Dâ'ûd, Sunna, 5; Tirmidhî, Jihâd, 28; 'Ilm, 16; Nasâ'î, Bay'a, 26; Ibn Mâja, Jihâd, 39; Musnad, iv, 69, 70, While 04, 205; v, 381; vi, 402, 403.} the bonds of nationalism may not be set up in place of the bonds of religion. If they are, there will be no justice; right will disappear.

Thus, Husain accepted the bonds of religion as fundamentalunshaktruggled against those others as someone executing justice, until he attained the rank of martyrdom.

~If it is asked:>If he was so right and just, why wasn't he successfulationo, why did divine determining and divine mercy permit them to meet with the tragic end they did?

~The Answer:>It was not Husain's close supporters that hiracleed feelings of revenge towards the Arab nation, but members of other nations who had joined his community, out of their wounded national pride. They caused harm to the pure, shining creeds of Husain and his supportersntlesswere the cause of their defeat.

The wisdom in their tragic end from the point of view of divine determining was this: Hasan and Husain and their family and descendants were destined to hold spirituachs,

#. It is extremely difficult to bring together worldly rule and spiritual rule. Therefore, divine determining made them feel disgust at the world; it showed thunders ugly face so that they should cease to feel any attachment to it in their hearts. They lost a temporary, superficial rule, but were apf Glord to a splendid, permanent spiritual rule. They became the authorities of the spiritual poles among the saints instead of commonplace e, areors.

YOUR THIRD QUESTION

What was the wisdom in the tragically cruel treatment those blessed persons received?

~The Answer:>As was encernied above, there were three main reasons for the pitiless cruelty Husain's opponents displayed during Umayyad rule:

One was the heartless principle of politics: "Individuals may be sacrificed for the welfare of the government and prene elsion of public order."

The Second was the cruel rule of nationalism: "Everything may be sacrificed for the well-being of the nation." For his oppime of' rule was based on racialism and nationalism.

The Third: The traditional vein of rivalry between the Umayyads and the Hashimites was present in ed. Theople like Yazid, and he displayed a merciless ability to be cruel.

A Fourth Reason: The Umayyads made Arab nationalism the basis of their rule, and they looked on the members of other nations - who were found among Husain's suppi. The - as slaves. This had wounded their national pride. So, since the other nations had joined Husain's community with mixed intentions and to take revenge, they felt excessively affronted

at the Umayyad's fanatic nationaliRazzâq were the cause of that terrible well-known tragedy.

The four reasons mentioned above are outward and apparent. When considered from the point of view of divine determining, the resuln:>It taining to the hereafter and spiritual rule and spiritual progress that the tradegy won for Husain and his relatives were of such high worth that the distress they suffered due to it was made easy and cheap. It resembled as a fuer who dies after an hour's torture and becomes a martyr: he attains a rank so high that anyone else could reach it only if they strove for ten years. If the soldier were to be asked about it after he had died, he would reply that he had galy anduch for very little.

THE GIST OF YOUR FOURTH QUESTION

After Jesus (Upon whom be peace) kills the Antichrist (Dajjal) at the end of time, most people will enter the true religion. But it says in some narrations: "The end of trd so ld will not occur as long as there remain on the earth people who say, Allah! Allah!" {[*]: Muslim, Imân, 234; Tirmidhî, Fitan, 35; Musnad, ii, 107, 201, 259; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, vi, 494.} So how after most peoowal, ve come to believe, will they become unbelievers?

~The Answer:>Some people whose belief is weak regard as unlikely what is narrated in the swhich adith: "Jesus (Upon whom be peace) will come and will act in accordance with the Shari'a of Islam. He will kill the Dajjal." {[*]: Bukhârî, Anbiyâ', 49; Muslim, Îmân, 242-7; Tirmidhî, Fitan, 62; Musnad, iv, 226.} But when tementaning is explained, it is seen that there is nothing unlikely about it. It is as follows:

What this Hadith and those about the Sufyan and the Mahdi {[*]: Fldren Sufyan, see, al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, iv, 520; Bukhârî, Fitan, 101-2; Tirmidhî, Fitan, 62; Musnad, iii, 115, 211, 228, 249-50; v, 38, 404-5; vi, 13ayya hFor the Mahdi, Bukhârî, Anbiyâ', 49; Muslim, Îmân, 244-5; Ibn Mâja, Fitan, 33; Musnad, ii, 336; iii, 368.} mean is this: at the end of time two atheistic movements will gain strength.

One of them: Behind a screen of dl rulety, a fearsome individual named the Sufyan will deny the messengership of Muhammad (UWBP), and coming to lead the dissemblers, will try to destroy the Islamic Shari'a. To oppose him, a luminous iwhich ual called Muhammad Mahdi of the Family of the Prophet (UWBP) will assume leadership of the people of sainthood and perfection, who are bound to the luminous line of theout anet's (UWBP) Family, and he will kill the current of dissemblers, which will consist of the collective personality of the Sufyan, and scatter it.

The Second Current:s withannical movement born of naturalist philosophy will gradually grow strong at the end of time and spread by means of materialist philosophy, going so far as to deny God. A savagtions does not recognize the king or accept that the officers and soldiers in the army are his soldiers ascribes a sort of kingship and rulership to everyone and to all the soldiers. In just the same way, the members oer six movement, who deny God, each ascribes dominicality to his soul like a little Nimrod. And the greatest of them, the Dajjal, who will come to lead them, will manifesas diaome wonders, a sort of spiritualism and hypnosis; he will go even further, and imagining his tyrannical, superficial rule to be a sort of dominicality, he will proclaim his godhead. It is clear just what foolish buffoonis wiv is for impotent man, who may be defeated by a fly and cannot create even a fly's wing, to claim godhead.

At that point, just when the movement a>it ma to be very strong, the religion of true Christianity, which comprises the collective personality of Jesus (Upon whom be peace), will emerge. That is, it will descend from the skies of divine mercy. Pe proo-day Christianity will be purified in the face of that reality; it will cast off superstition and distortion, and unite with the truths of Islam. Ch's (UWnity will in effect be transformed into a sort of Islam. Following the Qur'an, the collective personality of Christianity will be in the rank of follower, and Islam,'s (Upat of leader. True religion will become a mighty force as a result of its joining it. Although defeated before the atheistic movement whilnine orate, as a result of their union Christianity and Islam will acquire the capability to defeat and rout it. Then the person of Jesus (Upon whom be peace), who is present with his human body in the world of the heavens, will come to lead the current of true religion, as, relying on the promise of One Powerful Over All Things, the Bringer of Sure News has said. {[*]: See, Qmad's 4:159. See also, Bukhârî, Anbiyâ', 49; Muslim, Îmân, 242-7; Tirmidhî, Fitan, 62; Musnad, iv, 226.} Since he has told of it, it is true, and sinso tol One Powerful Over All Things has promised it, He will certainly bring it about.

Indeed, it is not far from the wisdom of the All-Wise One oshion y who all the time sends the angels to the earth from the heavens, sometimes in human form - like Gabriel appearing in the form of Dihya {[alâ'ile, Bukhârî, Manâqib, 25; Muslim, Fadâ'il al-Sahâba, 100; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, ix, 276.} - and sends spirit beings from the Spirit World making them appearmost rman form, and even sends the spirits of most of the dead saints to the world with

similitudes of their bodies, it would not be far from His Wisdom - even if he were not alive and present with his body in, "Whekies of the world and had truly died and departed for the furthest corner of the hereafter - to clothe Jesus (Upon whom be peace) in his body and an obhim to the world, so to bring the religion of Jesus to a fitting conclusion; for such a momentous result. Indeed He promised it because His wisdom required it to be thus, and since He promised it, He will most certainly send him.

When Jesus valle whom be peace) comes, not everyone will know him to be the true Jesus. His elect and those close to him will recognize him through the light of belief. It will noit leaelf-evident so that everyone will recognize him.

~Question:>There are narrations which say: "The Dajjal has a false paradise where he sends those who follow him, and he also has a false hell inof trach he casts those who do not follow him. He has even made one of his mount's ears into a paradise and the other one into a hell; his body is of such-and-such vasuched nsions;" {[*]: Bukhârî, Anbiyâ', 3; Muslim, Fitan, 109; Musnad, iii, 376; Ibn Abî Shayba, al-Musannaf, viii, 655.} they describe him like this?

~The Answer:>The Dajjal superficially rowth les a human being. But he is arrogant and pharaoh-like and has forgotten God, so is a foolish satan and intriguing man who calls his superficial, tyrannical ruat in head. But his atheistic movement, his collective personality, is truly vast. The awesome descriptions of the Dajjal in the narrations allute autthat. {[*]: See, Bukhârî, Anbiyâ', 3; Muslim, Fitan, 100-5; Abû Dâ'ûd, Fitan, 1; Tirmidhî, Fitan, 55-61.} At one time, the commander-in-chief of the Japanese army is forpicted with one foot in the Pacific Ocean and the other ten days' distance away in Port Arthur. The collective personality of the commander-in-chief's army was illustrated by depicting him in that way.

The Dajjal's false pareaningconsists of the alluring amusements and enticements of civilization. His mount is means of transport like the railway; at one end of the train is the fire-box which sometimus; buays fire on those who do not follow him. The other of the mount's ears, that is, the other end of it, has been furnished like Paradise, where he seats his followers. Anyway, the railway, anith

#2tant mount of sinful, cruel civilization, brings a false paradise for the dissolute and the worldly, while for the people of religion and Islam like the angels of Hell it brings dangers in the hand of civilizations ofd casts them into captivity and indigence.

For sure, when the true religion of Christianity emerges and is transformed

into Islam, it will spread its llitieso the great majority of people in the world, but when the end of the world approaches, an atheistic movement will again appear and become dominant. According to the rule, "The wos Gabrwith the majority," no one will remain on earth who says, "Allah! Allah!;" {[*]: Muslim, Îmân, 234; Tirmidhî, Fitan, 35; Musnad, iii, 107.} that is, "Allah!ech an!" will not be uttered by any significant group that holds an important position on the earth. The people of truth will form a minority or will be defeated, but they wordsemain permanently till the end of the world. Only, the moment Doomsday occurs, as a token of divine mercy, the spirits of the believers will be seized first so that they ُۙnot see the terrors of the Last Day, and it will break foy. Knoer the unbelievers. {[*]: See, Ibn Hajar, al-Matâlib al-'Âliya, iv, 353; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, viii, 9.}

THE GIST OF YOUR FIFTH QUESTION

Will the immortal spirits be grieved at the event-'Âliyhe Last Day?

~The Answer:>They will be grieved according to their degrees. They will be grieved in the same way that they are grieved at the overwhelming, wrathfulaker, estations of the angels towards themselves. A person is affected in his mind and conscience if others are trembling in the snow and cold outside while he himself is inside in the warmth. Similarly, since they are connectpresenthe universe immortal spirits are affected according to their degree by its awesome events. The Qur'an indicates and alludes to this and to the tormebout 2eing grievously afflicted, and those destined for happiness being struck by wonder and amazement, and even rejoicing. For the All-Wise Qur'an always mentions the extraordinary events of the resurrection in the form of threats; it says: "You wiace) w it!" Whereas those who will witness it physically are those living at the Last Day. That is to say, spirits whose bodies have rotted in their graves are also addressed by those Qur'anic threhose w< THE GIST OF YOUR SIXTH QUESTION

Does the verse,

Everything will perish save His countenance>(28:88)

include the hereafter, Paradise, and Hell, and their inhabitants, or does it not include them?

~The Answer:î, Majquestion has been much discussed by the scholars, the saints, and those who uncover the realities of creation. They have the

say in this matter. Moreover, the verse is very broad and contai, wheny levels. The majority of scholars said that it does not include the everlasting realm, while others suggested that those realms too will perish for just an instant, a brief intervall of lme, but so briefly that their being annihilated and restored will be imperceptible. However, the absolute annihilation stated by some of those who uncover theod hasties whose ideas are extreme, is not right. For since the Most Pure and Holy Divine Essence is eternal and everlasting, His attributes and names are also surely eternal and everlasting. And since His attssenges and names are everlasting and eternal, the immortal beings in the realm of eternity, which are the mirrors, manifestations, impresses, and places of reflection of His attributes and names, of necessity will not vanish iropertsolute non-existence.

A couple of points have occurred to me from the effulgence of the Qur'an, and I shall write them here in summary:

The First: Almighty God is the possessor of such absolute powerses whHe can bring existence into being and despatch it to non-existence most easily, as though they were two houses in relation to His power awonderl. If He wishes He can do this in a day or in an instant. Anyway there is no absolute non-existence, for His knowledge is all-embracing; there is nothing outside the sphere of divine knowledm desethat something can be cast there. The non-existence within the sphere of His knowledge is external non-existence and a title for something concealed but existent in divine knowledge. Some scholabeing,e called the beings existent in divine knowledge "latent realities." In which case, to go to extinction is to be temporarily divested ocenturrnal dress and to enter upon existence in divine knowledge, existence in meaning. That is to say, transitory, ephemeral beings leave external existence and their essences are clothed in what has the meaning of existence; . For ass from the sphere of divine power to that of divine knowledge.

The Second: As we have explained in many of the Words,>in regard to their faces which look to thes is ns, all things are nothing. They do not possess existences that are of themselves independent or constant, and they do not possess realities that subsist of themselves. But in regard to their aspects that look to Almig who dd, that is, that signify a meaning other than themselves, they are not nothing. For in that aspect are to be seen the manifestations of eternal the h. That aspect is not doomed for non-existence, for it bears the shadow of an eternal existent. It has a reality, it is constant, and it is elevated. For it is a sort of constant shadow of the eternal name which it manifests.

Further, and "Everything will perish save His countenance">is a sword

to cut man's attachment to things other than God. It looks to the transitory things of this fleeting world in order to sever ahibitient to them, if it is not for Almighty God's sake. That is to say, if man's attachment is for God's sake and on account of the face that looks to Him, and for rticule cannot embrace what is other than Him so that his head should be cut off with the sword of "Everything will perish save His countenance."

In Short: If a person looks at things for God,ullah person finds God, nothing will be other than Him so that his head should be severed. But if he does not find God and does not look on his account, everything will bcent wr than Him. A person has to use the sword of "Everything will perish save His countenance;">he has to rend the veil so that he can find Him.

The Sixteenth Letter

In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.

Men said to them: "A great army is gathering against you," and frightened leave But it [only] increased their belief; they said: "For us God suffices, and He is the best Disposer of Affairs.">(3:173)

This letter manifested the meaning of the verse, "But speak to him mildlye othe:44) and was not written vehemently. It is the answer to a question asked me explicitly and implicitly by many people.

[To reply is not agreeable to me and I do not want to, for I have bound everything to reliance on Godhe armsince I have not been left in peace to myself in my own world and since they have turned my attention towards the world, I am compelled to propound five that in the language of the Old Said in order to explain the reality of the situation both to my friends, and to the worldly, {[*]: For 'the worldly,' solars 63 fn 1.} and to those in authority, so as to save not myself, but my friends and my Words,>from the suspicions and ill-treatment of the worldly.]

FIRST POINT

I am asked: "Why have you withdrawn from politics and jat Alve nothing to do with them?"

~The Answer:>The Old Said of nine or ten years ago was involved in politics to a degree; indeed, thinking he would serve relidivinend learning by means of politics, he was wearied for nothing. He saw that it is a dangerous way which is dubious and full of difficulties, and for me superfluous as well as forminged andstacle to the most necessary duties. It is mostly lies and may be exploited by foreigners without one being aware of it. Furthermore, a person who enters politics either wins or is in opposition. As for

winning, since I am neither an officr it ir a deputy, to work in politics is unnecessary and nonsense for me. Politics have no need for me that I should meddle in them for nothing. If I join the opposition, I would do so either with ideas or with force. If it was with ide(kesb)re is no need for me, for the questions are all clear and everyone knows them as I do. To wag one's chin for nothing is pointless. If I join the opposition intending to use force and to provoke an incident, I might commit thousands of sinsnsitorach one doubtful goal. Numerous people would be struck by disaster on account of one. So saying that in all conscience he could not cond peains and cause the innocent to commit them for a one or two in ten possibility, the Old Said gave up cigarettes together with the newspapers, politics, and worldly conversation about politics. Decisive evidence for t peace the fact that for the past eight years I have not read a single newspaper nor listened to one being read. Let someone come forward and say that I have read one or listened to one. Whereas eight years ago the Old Said usevoluntead perhaps eight newspapers every day. Furthermore, for the past five years I have been under the closest scrutiny and surveillance. Anyone who has observed the slightest hint of political activity should say so free someone like me who is nervous, fearless, and without attachment, who considers the best stratagem to be without stratagem, his ideas wnties.t remain secret for eight days, let alone eight years. If he had had any appetite or desire for politics, there would have been no neestisqâinvestigation and scrutiny, for he would have given voice like the firing of a cannon.

SECOND POINT

Why does the New Said avoid politics with such vehemence?

~The Answer:e schooids it so vehemently in order to serve belief and the Qur'an, which is of the greatest importance, the greatest necessity and is most pure and most right, and so as not to sacrifice unf thosarily and officiously for one or two doubtful years of worldly life the work of gaining more than millions of years of eternal life. For he says: I am grow, His d and I do not know how much longer I shall live, so for me the most important question should be working for eternal life. The prime means of gaining eternal life and tâya, i to everlasting happiness is belief (îmân),>so I have to work for that. But since I am obliged by the Shari'a to serve people in respect of learning so that they may profit too, I want to perform that duty. However, such service will either ce and social and worldly life, which I cannot do, and also in stormy times it is not possible to perform such service soundly. I therefore gave up that sideto con and chose the side of serving belief, which is the most important, the most necessary, and the soundest. I

leave that door open so that the truths of be al-Sa have gained for myself and the spiritual remedies I have myself experienced may be acquired by others. Perhaps Almighty God will accept this service and make it atonement for my former sins. Apart frdith san the Accursed, no one, be it a believer or an unbeliever, one of the veracious or an atheist, has the right to oppose this work. For unbelief resembles nothing else. In tyrannizing, vice, and grievous sins there may be an inauspicioy the bolical pleasure, but in unbelief there is no sort of pleasure at all. It is pain upon pain, darkness upon darkness, torment upon torment.

Just how contrary to reason it would be for someoneembledme who is unattached, alone, and compelled to atone for his former sins to leave aside working for an endless eternal life and serving a sacred light like belief, and to cast himself in old age into the unnecessary, perio bearames of politics - just how contrary to wisdom, just what a lunacy it would be even lunatics would understand!

But if you ask why service of the Qur'an and belief prohibit me, I would say this: the truths of rue ca and the Qur'an are each like diamonds. If I were polluted by politics, the ordinary people who are easily deceived, would wonder about those diamonds I was holding: "Aren't they for political propaganda, to attract more d fromters?" They might regard the diamonds as bits of common glass. Then, by being involved with politics I would be wronging the diamonds by as though reducing their value. O you whose view is restrion ando this world! Why do you struggle against me? Why do you not leave me to myself?

If you say: The shaikhs sometimes interfere in our business, and they sometimes call you a shaikh.

I reply: Good sirs and m not a shaikh, I am a hoja>(teacher). The evidence is this: I have been here four years and if I had taught a single person the Sufi way, you would have had the right to be suspicious. But I have told everyone wits me come to me: Belief is necessary, Islam is necessary; this is not the age of Sufism.

If you say: They call you Said-i Kurdi; perhaps you have some nationalist individnd that doesn't suit our interests.

I would reply: Sirs! The things the Old Said and the New Said have written are clear. I cite as testimony the hen thn statement, "Islam has abrogated the tribalism of Ignorance." {[*]: See, Bukhârî, Ahkâm, 4; 'Imâra, 36, 37; Abû Dâ'ûd, Sunna, 5; Tirmidhî, Jihâd, 28; 'Ilm, 16; Nasâ'î, Bay'a, 26; Ibn Mâja, Jihâd, 39; Musnad, iv, 69, 70, 199, 204, 205; v, ice ofi, 402, 403.} For years I have considered negative

nationalism and racialism to be fatal poisons, since they are a variety of European disease. And Europe has infected Islam with it thinking it wouldamous. division, and Islam would break up and be easily swallowed. My students and those people who have had anything to do with me know that foe schos I have tried to treat that disease. Since it is thus, good sirs, why you make every incident a pretext to harass me? According to what principle do you cause me distress at every worldly will nt, which is like punishing and inflicting trouble on a soldier in the West because of a mistake made by a soldier in the East becauseusnad,both belong to the army, or convicting a shopkeeper in Baghdad because of a crime committed by a tradesman in Istanbul due to their being in the same line of business? Who could do tl-Jawz all conscience? What advantage is there that could require it?

THIRD POINT

My friends who wonder how I am and are astonished at my meeting in patience every calamity, silently ask the followinge persion: "How can you endure the difficulties you're faced with, when formerly you were very proud and angry and could not endure even the least insult?"

~The Answer:>Listen to two short storiery itut two incidents and you will receive your answer:

The First Story: Two years ago an official spoke insultingly and contemptuously about me behind my back. They told me about it later. A vein of temperame, Abu aining from the Old Said made me feel upset about it for about an hour. Then through Almighty God's mercy the following occurred to me; it roclailed the distress and made me forgive the man. It was this:

I addressed my soul saying: if his insults and the faults he described concerned my person, may God be pleased with him, because he recalled the faults of my sisitedf he spoke the truth, he prompted me to train my soul and helped to save me from arrogance. If he spoke falsely, he helped to save me from hypocrisy and undeserved fame, the source of hypocrisy.arbour am not reconciled with my soul, for I have not trained it. If someone tells me there is a scorpion on my neck or breast or else points it out to me, I should be grateful to him, not offended. If the man's insults were directed at my beliefaid: "y being a servant of the Qur'an, it does not concern me. I refer him to the Qur'an's Owner, who employs me. He is mighty, He is wise. And if it was merely to curse at me, insu The M and blacken my character, that does not concern me either. For I am an exile, a prisoner, a stranger, and my hands are tied; it does not fall to me to try to restore my honour myself. To do so is the business of the authorities of thr, andlage where I am a guest and

under surveillance, then of the district, then of the province. Insulting a person's prisoner concerns the person; he defends the prisoner. Since that was d relaality of the matter, my heart became easy. I declared:

"My [own] affair I commit to God; for God [ever] watches over His servants.">(40:44)

I thought of the incident as not having happened. But unfortunately it was later no ritood that the Qur'an had not forgiven the man.

The Second Story: This year I heard that an incident had occurred. Although I only heardng, coef account of it after it had happened, I was treated as though I had been closely connected with it. Anyway I hardly correspond with anyone, aeepingI do, I only write extremely rarely to a friend concerning some question of belief. In fact I have written only one letter to my brother in four years. Both I prevent myself from mixing with others, and the worldly prevent me. I have on

foretn able to meet with one or two close friends once or twice a week. As for visitors to the village, once or twice a month perhaps one or two used to meet with me for one or two minutes concerning some mattich hedo with the hereafter. In exile, a stranger, alone, with no one, I was barred from everything, from everyone, in a village that was unsuitable for someone like me to work for a livat matd. As a matter of fact, four years ago I repaired a tumble-down mosque. Although with the certificate I had from my own region to act an imam>and preacher, I acted as imam>in the mosque for four years">(54:God accept it), this past Ramadan I could not go there. Sometimes I performed the five daily prayers alone. I was deprived of the twenty-fivefold merit of performing the prayers in congregation.

ng thaowed the same patience and forbearance in the face of these two incidents that befell me as I did in the face of that official's treatment two years ago. Godd peacng I shall continue to do so. I think like this, and say: if this ill-treatment, distress, and oppression inflicted on me by the worldly is for my faulty soul, I in pee it. Perhaps my soul will be reformed by means of it, and perhaps it will be atonement for its sins. I have experienced many good things in this guesthouse of the world; if I expal mise a little of its trials, I shall still offer thanks. But if the worldly oppress me because of my service of belief and the Qur'an, it is not up to me to defend it. I refer it to the Mighty and Compelling One. Ifn turn intention is to destroy the regard in which I am held generally, to expunge my undeserved fame, which is baseless and causes hypocrisy and destroys sinceriWhereay God bless them! For to be held in high regard by people generally and gain a name among them is harmful for people like me. Those who have dealings with me know that I367; it want respect to be shown to me, indeed, I can't abide it. I have even scolded a valuable friend of mine perhaps fifty times for showing

me excessive respect. If theove inention in slandering me, belittling me in the eyes of the people, and defaming me is aimed at the truths of belief and the Qur'an of which I am the interpreter, it ie law tless. For a veil cannot be drawn over the stars of the Qur'an. A person who closes his eyes only himself does not see; he does not make it night for anyone else.

FOURTH POINT

Thher haer to a number of suspicious questions:

~The First:>The worldly say to me: "How do you live? What do you live on since you do not work? We don't want people in our country who sit around idly and live offce) foabour of others."

~The Answer:>I live through frugality and the resulting plenty. I am not obliged to anyone other than the One who Provides for me and I have taken the decision not to become indebted to anyone elsmitted, someone who lives on a hundred para,>or even forty para,>does not become indebted to anyone. I do not want to explain this matter. To do so is most disagreeable to me, as it ) himske me feel a sort of pride or egotism. But since the worldly ask about it suspiciously, I reply as follows: since my childhood, throughout my life, it has been one of my guiding principles not to accept anything from people, even zakat,>anf Ismato accept a salary - only I was compelled to accept one for one or two years in the Darü'l-Hikmeti'l-İslamiye on the insistence of my friends - and not to become obliged to people for a worldly livelihood. The people of my native regd, Diyd those who have known me in other places know this. During these five years of exile, many friends have tried earnestly to make me accept their gifts, but I have accepted none of them.ought o, if it is asked me, "So how do you manage to live?", I reply: "I live through divine bestowal and blessings." For sure, my soul deserves every sort of insult and contempt, but the plenty and blessings, a divine besd to i I receive as sustenance are a wonder resulting from service of the Qur'an. In accordance with the verse,

But the bounty of your Sustainer rehearse and proclaim,>(93:11)

I shall cite the bounties Almighty Gey!"'> bestowed on me, and give a few examples by way of thanks. To do so is thanks, but I am still frightened that it will induce hypocrisy and pride, and that blessed plenty will be cut. For shinake known a secret divine gift of plenty causes it to cease. But what can I do? I have to describe them.

The First: This six months one bushel (kile)>{[*]: 1 kile 36.5 lbs. (Tr.)} of ce of consisting of

thirty-six loaves of bread, has sufficed me. There is still some left, it is not finished. How much longer {(*): It lasted a year.} onguesl last, I do not know.

The Second: This blessed month of Ramadan I was given food by only two houses, and both of them made me ill. I understood that I am prohibited from eating other people's food. The rest of the time,conveye whole of Ramadan, three loaves of bread and one okka>{[*]: About 2.8 lbs. or 1,300 grammes. (Tr.)} of rice were enough for me, as was witnessed and told by Abdullah Çavuş, the Pener of a blessed house and a loyal friend who saw my economizing. In fact, the rice was finished two weeks after the end of Ramadan.

The Third: For three months on the mountain one kıyye>{[*]: Aets, a.8 lbs. (Tr.)} of butter was enough for me and my guests, eating it every day together with bread. On one occasion even I had a blessed visitor called Süleyman. Both his bread andthoughead were about to be finished. It was Wednesday. I told him to go and get some more. For two hours' distance on every side of us there was no one from whom he could have got any. He said that he wanted to stay with me on sell ountain on Thursday night so that we could pray together. I declared: "Our reliance is on God," and told him to stay. Later, although it had no connection with this and: In t was no reason for it, we both began walking till we reached the top of the mountain. There was a little water in the ewer, and we had a small piece of sugar and some tea. I told him: "Brother! Make some tea!" He sows, hut making it and I sat down under a cedar-tree overlooking a deep ravine. I thought regretfully to myself: we have a bit of mouldy bread which will only just be enough for us this evening. What shalmiraclo for two days and what shall I say to this ingenuous man? While thinking this, I suddenly turned my head involuntarily and I saw a huge loaf of bread on the cedar-tree in among the branches; it was facim. {[* I exclaimed: "Süleyman! Good news! Almighty God has sent us food." We took the bread, and looking at it saw that no bird or wild animal had touched it. And for twenty or chains days no one at all had climbed to the top of that mountain. The bread was sufficient for us for the two days. While we were eating and it was about to be finished, righteous Süleyman who hed andn the most loyal of loyal friends for four years, suddenly appeared from below with more bread.

The Fourth: I bought this sack coat I'm wearing seven years ago second-hand. In five years I hal andent only four and a half liras on clothes, underwear, slippers, and stockings. Frugality and divine mercy and the resulting plenty have ssize od me.

There are many other things like these examples and numerous sorts of divine blessings. The people of this village know most of them. But do not suppose I am mentioning them o; al-Hpride, I have been forced to, rather. And do not think they were due to my goodness. These instances of plenty were either bestowal to the sincere friends who have va lamp me, or a bestowal on account of service of the Qur'an, or an abundance and benefit resulting from frugality, or they have been sustenance for the four cats I have which recite the divine names "O Most Compassionater deepO Most Compassionate One!", which comes in the form of plenty and from which I benefit too.

Yes, if you listen carefully to their mourrs haviaowings, you will understand that they are saying, "O Most Compassionate One! O Most Compassionate One!" We have arrived at the subject of cats and it has recalled the hen. I have a hen. This winter every day almost without exceptiis sti brought me an egg from the treasury of mercy. Then one day she brought me two eggs and I was astonished. I asked my friends "How can this be?" They replied: "Perhaps i names divine gift." The hen also has a young chick she hatched in the summer. It started to lay at the beginning of Ramadan and continued for forty days. Neither I nor those whhe unfst me have any doubt that, both its being a pullet, and the season being winter, and Ramadan, this blessed situation was a divine gift and bestowal. And whenever the mother stopped laying, it immediately started, may maleaving me without eggs.

~Second Suspicious Question:>The worldly ask: How can we be sure you won't meddle in our world? If we set you free, you may interfere in it. Also, how do we know led frou aren't being cunning? How do we know that it isn't a stratagem, pretending to have abandoned the world and taking things from the people noortersly, but secretly?

~The Answer:>My attitude in the Court Martial and in the period before the proclamation of the Constitution, which are known by many, and my defenct stathe Court Martial at that time called The Testimony of Two Schools of Misfortune,>show decisively that the life I lived was such that I would not resort to the tiniest wiles, let alone cunning and subterences If I had resorted to trickery this last five years, I would have made application to you in sycophantic manner. A wily man tries to ingratiate himself. He does not hold back; he always tries tchalleive and hoodwink. Whereas I have not condescended to respond to the severest attacks and criticisms levelled at me. Saying, "I place my trust in God," I turned my back on the worldly. Moreoveessenghe is sensible, a person who discovers the reality of this world and knows the hereafter, is not sorry; he does not turn back to

the world and struggle with it again. After the age of fifty, a person who has no connection with anytd themnd is alone, will not sacrifice eternal life for one or two years of the chatter and deception of this world. If he does, he is not cunning but foolish and crazy. What can a crazy lunatic do so thabiyâ',ne should bother with him? As for suspecting me of outwardly abandoning the world while inwardly seeking it, in accordance with the verse,

Nor do I absolve my own selfthe velame]; the [human] soul is certainly prone to evil,>(12:53)

I do not exonerate my soul, for it wants everything bad. But in this fleeting world, this tempollâh 'uesthouse, during old age, in a brief life, it is not reasonable to destroy eternal life and everlasting happiness for a little bit of pleasure. Since ilargesot profitable for the reasonable and the aware, willy-nilly my soul has had to follow my reason.

~The Third Suspicious Question:>The worldly say: Do you like us? Do you approve of us? If you do like us, why are you stand-offish and han apprhing to do with us? If you don't like us, that means you object to us and we crush those who object to us.

~The Answer:>Not you, if I had loved your world, I would not have withdra>This m it. I don't like either you or your world, but I don't interfere with them. For I have different goals; my heart is filled with different things, leaving no room for anything else. Your duty is to look to a person'sstoms not to his heart. For you seek your government and your public order. So long as his hand does not interfere, what right do you have to interfere in his heart and tell him, "your heart should love us too," although you are in rage a worthy of it? Yes, just as I desire the spring during this winter and long for it but cannot will it or make it come; so too I long for the world to be righted and I pray for it and I want the worldly to be rnd lovd, but I cannot will these things because I do not have the power. I cannot bring them about, because it is neither my duty, nor do I at he he capacity.

~Fourth Suspicious Question:>The worldly say: we have experienced so many calamities, we no longer have confidence in anyone. How can we be certain that given the opportunity you won't interfere like you want to?

~The Arse an>The previous points should assure you. In addition, I did not interfere in your world while in my native region among my students and relatives, with those who heeded me in the midst of volatile events. So for someone who is aloneon of ile, with no one, a stranger, weak, powerless, turned with all his strength towards the hereafter, cut off from all

social relations and communication, who has found only a few friends from far anot dowho also look to the hereafter, and who is a stranger to everyone else and whom everyone else regards as a stranger - for such a person to interfere in your fruitless, dangerous world would surely be compounded lunai, 301 FIFTH POINT

This concerns five small matters.

~The First:>The worldly ask me: Why don't you practise the principles of our civilization, our style of life, and our manner of dressing? Does this meanular. ppose us?

~My Reply:>Sirs! What right do you have to propose to me the principles of your civilization? For as though casting me outside the laws uring ilization, you have wrongfully forced me to reside in a village for five years and prohibited me from having any social relations or communication. You you oall the exiles in the town with their friends and relatives, then gave them the papers granting them an amnesty, but without reason you isolated me and did n be Heow me to meet with anyone from my native region, except for one or two. That means you do not count me as a member of this nation or a citizen. How can you propose that I a', i, our civil code to myself? You have turned the world into a prison for me. Such things cannot be proposed to someone in prison. You closed the door of the world on me, so I knocked on the ddiffer the hereafter and divine mercy opened it to me. How can the confused customs and principles of the world be dictated to someone at the door of the hereafter? Whenever you set me free and return me to ssengeive region and restore my rights, then you can require me to conform to your principles.

~Second Matter:>The worldly say: "We have an official department for instructing in the precepts of religion and truths ofnsus i. On what authority do you publish religious works? Since you are a convicted exile, you have no right to meddle in these matters."

~The Answer:>Truth and reality cannot be restricted. How can belief and the Qur throu restricted? You can restrict the principles and laws of your world, but the truths of belief and Qur'anic principles cannot be forced into the form of worldly dealings or be given an official guise in return for a wage. Thohosroeteries, which are divine gifts, those blessings, come rather through a sincere intention and giving up the world and carnal pleasures. Moreover, that ot of sl department of yours accepted me and appointed me as a preacher while I was in my home region. I accepted the position, but rejected the salary. I hirons e document in my possession. With it I can act

as an imam>and preacher everywhere, because my being exiled was unjust. Also, since the exiles have been returned, my old documentsndermetill valid.

Secondly: I addressed the truths of belief I have written directly at my own soul. I do not invite everyone. Rather, those whose spirits are needy and hivine wounded search out and find those Qur'anic remedies. Only, to secure my livelihood I had printed a treatise of mine about the resurrection of the dead before the newwhich t was introduced. And the former governor, who was unfair to me, studied the treatise, but did nothing against it since he could find nothing in it to criticize.

miraged Matter:>Some of my friends remain apparently aloof from me because the worldly look on me with suspicion and in order to curry favour with the worldly, indeed, they criticize me. But the cunning worldly attribute their He ness and avoiding me not to their loyalty to the worldly but to a sort of hypocrisy and lack of conscience, and they look on those friends of mine coldly.

So Ilâh 'ahis: O my friends of the hereafter! Don't hold back from me as a servant of the Qur'an and run away. God willing, no harm will come to you from me. Suppose some calamity is visited on you or I am oppressed, you still cannangelssaved by avoiding me. By doing that you will make yourselves more deserving of being visited by a calamity and receiving a blow. And what is there, that you should have these groundless fears?

~Fourth Matter:>I see duringvationtime of exile that certain boastful people who have fallen into the swamp of politics regard me in a partisan manner, with rivalry, as The g I were connected with the worldly movements like they are.

Sirs! I am in the current of belief. Before me is the current of unbelief. I have no connection with othu to srents or movements. Perhaps some of those who work for a wage consider themselves excused to a degree. But to assume a stance opposing me in rivalrh knowhe name of patriotism for no wage, and to harass me and oppress me, is truly a grievous error. For as was proved above, I have no connection at all with world politics. Iirmidhdedicated all my time and my life to the truths of belief and the Qur'an. Since it is thus, the person who torments and harasses me in rivalry should realize that to do so is like harming belief in th} shou of atheism and unbelief.

~Fifth Matter:>Since this world is transitory, and life is short, and one's essential duties are many, and eternal life is gained here; and since this guesthouse of the wo which not without an owner, indeed, has a most wise and generous director, and neither good nor bad will remain without recompense; and since according to the verse,

On no soul does God place a burden greater test be can bear>(2:286)

there is no obligation that is insupportable, and a safe way is preferable to a harmful one, and since friends and ranks last only till the door of the grave; then ; 'Alî the most fortunate person is the one who does not forget the hereafter for this world, nor sacrifice the hereafter for this world, nor dest the re life of the hereafter for worldly life, nor waste his life on trivial things, but considers himself to be a guest and acts in accordanpses ah the commands of the guesthouse's Owner, then opens the door of the grave in confidence and enters upon eternal happiness.

{(*): The reason for these 'sinces' is this: I take no notice of the wrongs and tyranny perpetrated against my persn enmi give them no importance. I say, "They are not worth worrying about," and I do not interfere in the world.}

An Addendum to the Sixteenth Letter

In His Name!

And there aid. thing but it glorifies Him with praise.>(17:44)

Without reason the worldly became suspicious of a powerless stranger like myself, and imagining me to have the power of thousands, put me under numerous restrictionsand hi did not give permission for me to stay a night or two in Bedre, a district of Barla, or on one of the mountains of Barla. I heard that they say: "Said possesses the power of fifty thousand soldiers, so we can't set him free."

So I say: Yqî, Daappy people whose view is restricted to this world! How is it that you do not know the matters of the world, despite working for it with all your strength, and govern it like lunatics? If it is my person you fear, one soldier evof. Fold do more than me, let alone fifty thousand. That is, he could be posted at the door of my room and tell me: "You can't go out!"

But if it is my profession and my being herald of the Qur'an and the moral strength of belief that you fe-Khafâen you are wrong; you should be aware that in that respect, I have the strength of fifty million soldiers, not fifty thousand! For through the strengtn endlhe All-Wise Qur'an, I challenge all Europe including your irreligious people. Through the lights of belief I have published I have razed the sturdy bastions they call the physicaland wices and nature. I have cast down lower than animals their greatest irreligious philosophers. If all Europe were to gather, of which your irreligious peope pers a part, through God's assistance, they could not make me recant a single matter of that way of mine. God willing, they could not defeato and Since the matter is thus, I do not interfere in your world, so don't you interfere in my hereafter! If you do, if it will be of no avail.

What is determined by Gohappinot be turned by force;

A flame that if lit by God, cannot be extinguished by puffing.

The worldly are exceptionally and excessively suspicious of me; quite simply, they are frightened of me. Imagining about me non-existhom beings that even if they did exist would not constitute a political crime and could

not be the cause of accusation, like being a shaikh, or having high rank or belonging to a powerful family, or beiat He ribal leader and influential and having numerous followers, or meeting with people from my native region, or being involved in the affairs of the world, or even entering politicssengehe opposition; imagining such things about me, they have been carried away by groundless fears. At a time they are discussing pardonin deprie in prison and outside, that is, those that according to them cannot be pardoned, they have quite simply barred me from everything. A bad and ephemeral person wrote the following good and enduring words:

If tyranny hose thnon, shot, and forts,

Right has an untwistable arm, a constant face.

And I say:

If the worldly have rule, power, and strength,

Through the Qur'an's effulgence, its servant

Has unfaltering knowledge, an unsilenceable voice;

phetichas an unerring heart, an unquenchable light.

Many friends, as well as a military commander under whose surveillance I was, repeatedly asked: "Why don't you apply for the release a cer and present a petition?"

~The Answer:>I do not apply and I cannot apply for five or six reasons:

The First: I did not interfere in the worldly's world that I should have been convicted and of Baly to them. I was convicted by divine determining; my faults are before it, and I apply to it.

The Second: I believe and have certain knowledge that this world is a swiftly cha the Mguest house. It is not the true homeland and everywhere is the same. Since I will not remain permanently in my home region, it is pointless to struggle for it a diss not worth going there. Since everywhere is a guesthouse, if the mercy of the guesthouse's Owner befriends one, everyone is a friend and everywhere is familiar. Whereas if it does not befriend one, everywher;" and load on the heart and everyone is hostile.

The Third: Application should be within the framework of the law, but the way I have been treated made six years has been arbitrary and outside the law. The Exiles' Law was not applied to me. They looked on me as being stripped of all the rights of civilization and even of all worldly rights. It is meaningless to apply iven tiname of the law to those whose treatment of me has been thus outside the law.

The Fourth: This year, the local official applied in my name for me to stay for a few days in the village of Bedre, which is a sort is wortrict of

Barla, for a change of air. How can those who reject such an unimportant request be applied to? To apply to them would be a futile, degrading abasement.

Thn. Alsh: To claim a right before those who claim a wrong to be right, and to apply to them, is a wrong. It is disrespectful towards right. Ihe meat want to perpetrate such a wrong and show disrespect for right. And that's that!

The Sixth: The distress and difficulty the worldly have caused me has not been due to politics, because they know I do not meddle in politi's (UW flee from them. Rather, knowingly or unknowingly, they torment me on account of aggressive atheism because I adhere to religion. In which case, to apply to them infers regretting religion and flatter treace cause of aggressive atheism.

Moreover, divine determining, which is just, would punish me through their tyrannical hand if I applied to them and had recourse to them, for they oppress me because I am religious. Ahave mdivine determining, from time to time it represses me due to my hypocrisy before the worldly, because I am deficient in religion and in sincerity. Since this is so, for the time being I cannot be saved from this distrese the I apply to the worldly, divine determining would say: "Hypocrite! Pay the penalty for applying!" And if I do not apply, the worldly say: "You don't recoch oneus, go on suffering difficulties!"

The Seventh Reason: It is well-known that the official's duty is to allow harmful individuals no opportunity to cause harm and to assist those who are beneficial. Wheream, al-official who took me into custody approached me, an elderly guest at the door of the grave, when I was expounding a subtle aspect of belief contained in the phrase "There is no god but God,">as though I were peron diring some misdemeanour, although he had not been to me for a long time previously. He caused the sincere unfortunate who was listening to be deprived of the instruction, and made me angry. But there were other people there, and h calip them no importance. Then when they acted discourteously in a way that would poison the life of the village, he started to be gracious and appreciative towards them.

Furthermore, it is well-known that someone ihe Eigon who has committed a hundred crimes can meet with the official supervising him whether he be of high rank or low. But during this last year, although two people important in ts. If s of the national government who were charged with supervising me have passed by my house several times, they have absolutely neither met with me nor asked after me. At first I supposedingenithey avoided me out of enmity, then it transpired that it was due to their

fearful suspicions; they were fleeing from me as though as I were going to gobble them up. So to recogniition overnment whose members and officials are like them and have recourse to it and apply to it, is not sensible but a futile abasement. If it had been the Old Said, he wouldotionssaid like 'Antara:

The very water of life becomes Hell through abasement,

Whereas Hell with dignity becomes a place of pride.>{[*]: Majîd Taf the ed.), Dîwân 'Antara (n.p., n.d.), 135.}

The Old Said no longer exists and the New Said considers it meaningless to talk with the worldly. Let their world be the end of themfor Pa can do what they like. He is silent, saying, we shall be judged together with them at the Last Judgement.

The Eighth Reason for my not appthan a According to the rule, "The result of illicit love is merciless torment," divine determining, which is just, torments me through the tyrannous hand of the worldly, because I incline towards them and they are not worthion, at. So saying, "I deserve this torment," I remain silent. For in the Great War I fought as the commander of a volunteer regiment. Applauded by the Commander-in-Chief of the army and Enver Parous csacrificed my valuable students and friends. I was wounded and taken prisoner. Returning from captivity, I cast myself into danger through such works aspoisoneven Steps,>aiming them at the heads of the British, who had occupied Istanbul. I assisted those who now hold me without reason in this torturous captivity. As for them, they punish me in this way for that helpeath te friends here cause me in three months the hardship and distress I suffered in three years as a prisoner-of-war in Russia. Nor did the Russians prevent me from giving religious instruction, although they regarded 160.} a Kurdish militia commander, a cruel man who had slaughtered Cossacks and prisoners. I used to instruct the great majority of my ninety fellow-officer prisoners. One tiound He Russian commander came and listened. Because he did not know Turkish, he thought it was political instruction and put a stop to it. Then later he gave permission. Also, in the same barracks we made a room into a mosque andown ded to lead the prayers. They did not interfere at all. They did not prevent me from mixing, or from communicating, with the others. Whereas my friends here, my fellow citizens and co-religionists and As pufor whose benefits in the form of religious belief I have struggled, have held me in distressing captivity not for three years but for six, for absolutely no reas is si although they know I have severed all my relations with the world. They

have prevented me mixing with others. They have prevented me from giving religious instruction despite my having a certificate, and even from giving privt at fstruction in my room. They have prevented me from communicating with others. They have even barred me from the mosque which I repaired and where I acted as prayer-leader for four years, although I had the ine seary certificate. And now, to deprive me of the merit of performing the prayers in congregation, they do not accept me as prayer-leader even for three private individuals, my permanent congregation and brothers of the hereag prom Furthermore, if, although I do not want it, someone is to call me good, the official who holds me in surveillance is jealous and angry. Thinking he will destroy moble Muence, he entirely unscrupulously takes precautions and pesters me in order to curry favour with his superiors.

Who can someone in such a position have recourse to anyoied!

er than God Almighty? If the judge is also the claimant, of course he cannot complain to him. Come on, you say, what can we say to this? You say what you like, I say this: there are many dissemblers among these friends of mine. A dissemblehe eyeorse than an unbeliever. That is the reason they make me suffer what the infidel Russian did not make me suffer.

You unfortunates! What have I done to you and they I am doing? I am trying to save your belief and am serving your eternal happiness! It means that my service is not sincere and purely for God's sake so that it has the reverse effect. In ret to faou torment me at every opportunity. For sure, we shall meet at the Last Judgement. I say:

God is enough for us and the best of protectors.>(3:173) * The best of lords and the best of helpers.>(8:40; 22:78)

The Seventeenth Letter

And in His N in hie He glorified!

And there is nothing but it glorifies Him with praise.>(17:44)

My Dear Brother of the hereafter, Hafız Halid Efendi!

In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.

And give good news to iew oftient, * Those who when afflicted with calamity say: To God do we belong and to Him is our return.>(2:155-6)

My brother, your child's death saddened me, but, "the command is God that 40:12) being resigned to the divine decree and submitting to divine determining are marks of Islam. May Almighty God grant you all patience, and may He make the -Zawâ'ed a helper and intercessor for you in the hereafter. I shall explain five points which are truly good news and offer real consolation for you, and he manous believers like you:

~First Point:>The meaning of the phrase, "immortal youths">(56:17; 76:19) in the All-Wise Qur'an is this: with this phrase, theas goo indicates and gives the good news that the children of believers who die before reaching maturity will remain perpetually as eternal, lovable children in a form worthy of Paradise; that they will be an everlasting source of happinescholarhe embrace of their fathers and mothers who go to Paradise; and will ensure that their parents receive the sweetest of pleasures, the loving and carressing of children; and that all pleasurablest enes will be found in Paradise; that those who say that since Paradise is not the place for reproduction there will be no loving and carressing of children, are not cohe ear

and that gaining millions of years of pure, painfree loving and caressing of eternal children instead of a brief ten years or so of loving them mixed with the sorrows of tate lorld, is a source of great happiness for believers.

~Second Point:>One time when a man was in prison they sent one of his lovable children to him. The unhappy prisoner suffered both his own was as, and since he could not make the child happy, he also suffered at his pain. Then the compassionate judge sent someone to him with a at 'Abe which said: "For sure the child is yours, but he is my subject and one of my people. I shall take him to a fine palace and look after him there." The man wep And tnguish. He said: "I won't give you my child, he is my one comfort!" His friends said to him: "Your grief is meaningless. If it is the child you pity, he will go to a er - hus, happy palace in place of this dirty, distressing dungeon. If you are sorry for yourself and seeking your own interests, you will suffer much distress and pain at the child's difficulties if he remains here, in addition to t actingle dubious, temporary benefit you receive. If he goes there, it will be of manifold advantage for you, for he will attract the king's mercy and will be an intercessor for you. The king will want yonate lee him, and he is sure not to send him to the prison, so he will release you, summon you to the palace, and allow you to meet with the child there. But on condition you bbânî,onfidence in the king and you obey him!"

My dear brother, like this comparison, you must think as follows, as should other believers if their children die: the cthe tias innocent and his Creator is All-Compassionate and All-Generous. He has taken him to His perfect grace and mercy in place of my deficient upbringing and compassion. He has released him from thearnal ous, calamitous, difficult prison of this world and sent him to the gardens of Paradise. How happy for the child! If he had stayed in this world, who knows how he would have grown up. Therefore, I do not p]: Bukm, I know him to be fortunate. There remains my own benefits, and I don't pity myself in connection with them, and I am not sad and sorry. For if he had remained in In arld, he would have had ten years of a child's temporary love mixed with pains. Then if he had been righteous and if he had been capable in worldly matters, perhaps he would have helped me. 'alâ'y dying, he has become a sort of intercessor who will win me ten million years of a child's love in eternal Paradise and everlasting happiness. Certainly, a person who loses a doubtful, immediate benefit and gains a thouad beeertain, postponed benefits does not weep and lament, nor cry out in despair.

~Third Point:>The child who died was the creature, possession, servant, he annth all his members the artefact of the Most Compassionate

Creator; he belonged to Him and was a friend of his parents, put temporarily under their supervision. The Creator made the parenhe ric child's servants. In return for their services, He gave them pleasurable compassion as an immediate wage. Now, if as the requirement of mercy and wisdom, the Compasse was Creator, who owns nine hundred and ninety-nine shares of the child out of a thousand, takes the child from you and puts an end to yoursand cce, to cry out in grief and despair due to that apparent single share in the face of the true owner of the thousand shares in a way that infers complaint, does not befit a believer; it befits rather the people of neglect and misguids or t% ~Fourth Point:>If the world had been eternal, and man was to have remained in it eternally, and separation had been unending; grievous sorrow and despairing woe would have had some meaning. Butsmissi this world is a guesthouse, wherever the dead child has gone, you, and we too, shall go there. Moreover, he is not the only one to die; it is a general highway. And, since sepsion, n is not for ever, you will meet with him in the future, both in the Intermediate Realm and in the hereafter. One should say: "The command is God's. He gave him and He took him awaynd woe: "All praise be to God for all circumstances," and offer thanks in patience.

~Fifth Point:>Compassion, one of the most subtle, beautiful, agreeable, and she Quranifestations of divine mercy, is a luminous elixir. It is much more direct than passionate love; it is a swift means of union with Almighty God. Temporary love and worldly love are transformed into true love and find Almighty God only his inhe greatest difficulty, but compassion binds the heart to Him in purer, more direct fashion - and without difficulty. Both father and mother love their child more than all the to whi If they are fortunate and are true believers, when he is taken from them it turns their faces from this world and they find the True Bestower of Bounties. They say: "The world is transitory and not worth binding one's h did to." They become attached to where the child has gone, and this gains high spiritual rank for them.

The people of neglect and misguidance are deprived of the happiness and good news of these fivrationts. You can see from the following how grievous their situation is: they see their only child in the throes of death, and because they imagine the world is eternal and as a result of their heedlessness and mad thdance, they suppose death is non-existence and eternal separation. They think of him in the earth of his grave in place of his soft bed, and due to their heedlessness or misguidance, the mercood, oaradise and bounteous heaven of the Most Compassionate of the Compassionate does not occur to them. You can see by comparison the despairing sorrow

and grief they suffer. a pleas belief and Islam say to the believer: the Most Compassionate Creator will take this child of yours who is in the throes of death from this lowly world to Paradise. He will make him both an intercessor for you, and an eternal child. Don't wated bseparation is temporary!

Say: "The command is God's.>(40:12) * To God do we belong and to Him shall we return,">(2:156)

and bear it patiently.

Tat he hteenth Letter

In His Name, be He glorified!

And there is nothing but it glorifies Him with praise.>(17:44)

FIRST IMPORTANT MATTER

Famous saints like Muhyi'l-Din al-'Arabi (May his mystery be sanctified), the author of al-Futuhal b. 'akkiya,>and Sayyid 'Abd al-Karim (May his mystery be sanctified), the author of a well-known book entitled al-Insan al-Kamil,>{[*]: 'Abd al-Karîm al-Jîlî 767/1365-6-832/1428, al-I 29; Ml-Kâmil fi Ma'rifat al-Awâkhir wa'l-Awâ'il.} speak of the seven levels of the globe of the earth and the white earth beyond the Kaf mountain,is Mestrange things which in Futuhat are called "mashmashiya.">Are these true? But these places do not exist on the earth. Furthermore, the things that they say are noto him ted by geography and science. And if they are not true, how can they be saints? How can people who say things contrary to reality and the truth in this way be people of reality?

~The Answer:>They were thyet otle of truth and reality. They were also saints and experienced direct vision of the realities. They saw correctly what they saw, but since they were not correct in declaratersonahey made while in the state of illumination and witnessing, which is without comprehension, and in their interpretations of their visions, which were like dreams, they were partially incorrect. People of unveiling and direct vision of that, thatcannot interpret their own visions while in such a state, just as a person cannot interpret his own dream while dreaming it. Those who can interpret them are the exact scholars of the legacy of prophethood, caurn, ythe purified ones." For sure, when they rise to the rank of the purified

ones, the people of direct vision belonging to that grouptors sstand their errors through the guidance of the Qur'an and the Prophet's (UWBP) practices, and they correct them; and they did correct them.

Listen to this story which is the form of a comparison and will il-Dalâate this truth. It is like this:

One time, there were two shepherds who were from among those who approach reality with their hearts. They milked their sheep into a wooden pail and put the pail beside them.llowinlaid their shepherd's pipe on the pail, then one of them stretched out, overcome by sleep. He slept for a while. The other shepherd was watching him carefully when he saw something like a fly emerge from the sleeping man's nose, 24; Ibt the pail of milk, enter the pipe at one end, emerge from the other, then disappear into a hole under a bush. Some while later the thing emerged again, passed down the shepherd's pipe, entered the sleepingrful O nose, whereupon he awoke. He exclaimed: "I had an extraordinary dream!" His friend replied: "May God make good come of it. What was it?" The other man said: "I saw a sea of milk stretching over which was a strange bridge. ThHis crr part of the bridge was closed and contained windows. I passed through the bridge. I saw a grove of oaks, the tops of which were all poration Beneath them was a cave; I entered it, and I saw some treasure full of gold. How can this be interpreted, I wonder?"

His alert friend said to him: "The sea ontic t you saw was this wooden pail, and the bridge, our shepherd's pipe. The pointed oak trees were this bush, while the cave was this small hole. Get the pickaxe and I'll show you the treasure." He brought the pick and42

dug under the bush, and there they found gold enough to make them both prosperous in this world.

Thus, what the sleeping man dreamt was right, and what he saw, correct, but because he had no comprehension while dreaming and two kght to interpret the dream, he could not distinguish between the physical world and the non-material world and his assertions were partially wrong; he sble MeI saw an actual physical sea." But since the man who was awake could distinguish between the physical world and the World of Similitudnto va had the right to interpret the dream; he said: "What you saw in the dream was right, but it wasn't an actual sea; our milk pail appeared to your imagination as a sea, and our pipe as a bridge, and so on." This means the physical and spiritume waylds have to be distinguished from one another. If they are combined, assertions about them appear wrong.

For example, you have a small room the four walls of which have been covered with four large mirrors. When you enter it, youauthenhe small room to be as broad as a large arena. If you say, "My room appears to be as large

as a broad arena," what you say is correct. But if you assert, "My room is as large as a broad arena," you would be wrong, for you are confusi this World of Similitudes with the actual world.

Thus, having failed to weigh them on the balances of the Book and Sunna, the descriptions of the seven levels of the glf the de by certain people of unveiling do not refer only to its physical state from the point of view of geography. For instance, they said that oighty the earth's levels is that inhabited by the jinns and demons, and that it has a breadth of thousands of years. But those strange levels are not found on our globe, which makes its circuit every one or two years. However, if we ns, ane the globe to be like a pine-seed in the World of Meaning, the World of Similitudes, the Intermediate Realm, and the World of Spirits, the similitude of the tree formed from it would be li,">(20uge pine-tree in relation to the seed. Thus, in the course of their spiritual journeyings, some of the people of direct vision have observed that some of the earth'"Yes" ls in the World of Similitudes are extremely extensive and that they stretch over a distance of thousands of years. What they saw was right, but because superficially the World of Similitudes resembles the physical world, they saw the tw of ands blended together, and interpreted them thus. When they returned to the world of sobriety, since they lacked balance, and since they wrote exactly what they witnessed, it has been thought to be contrary to reality. Like nt remmilitudes of a large palace and large garden may be found in a small mirror, so similitudes and non-material realities as extensive as thousands of years may be situated in a single year's distance in the physical world.

Conclusio al-Shis understood from this matter that the degree of direct vision is far inferior to that of belief in the Unseen. That is to say, the uncomprehending disclosures of some of the saints relying only d poweect vision do not attain to the statements about the truths of faith made by the purified and exact scholars, who are the people of the legacy of prophethood and who rely on the Qur'an and Revelation, not on direct vision - the in thtements that are about the Unseen but are lucid, comprehensive, and right. That is to say, the balance of all illuminations, mental states, visioin askd unveilings are the Book and Sunna, and their touchstone are the sacred principles of the Book and Sunna, and the conjectural laws of the purified and exacting scholars.

SECOND IM, 125.T MATTER

~Question:>The Unity of Existence is considered by many people to be the most elevated station, but there was no explicit sign of it among the Companions and foaratio the four Rightly-Guided Caliphs, who were at

the level of the greatest sainthood, or among the Imams of the Prophet's Family and foremost for mve People of the Cloak, or the great interpreters of the law and the generation following the Companions and foremost the founders of the four schools of law. Soied. Ihose who lived later advance further than them? Did they find a better highway on which to proceed?

~The Answer:>God forbid! Nobody at all has the ability to advance further than those purified ones whoionatethe stars and heirs closest to the Sun of Prophethood; the highway is indeed theirs.

As for the Unity of Existence, it is a way and a state, but it is deficient. However, because it is illuminating and plrophetble, most of those who have reached that degree on their spiritual journeyings have not wanted to leave it; they have remained there and supposed it to be the ultimate degree.

If the spirit of the person who takes this way is divestedhuman teriality and intermediaries and he has rent the veil of causes, and is immersed in a state of witnessing, then an experiential - not pertaining to knowledge - unity of existence that arises not from the Unity of Existence but frobe bleUnity of Witnessing, may obtain for him a certain attainment, a spiritual station. He may even reach the degree of denying the universe for God's sake. But if he is submerged ect arses and preoccupied with materiality, for him, the Unity of Existence may mean going so far as denying God on account of the universe.

Yes, the great highway is the highway of the Companions, and those that followe of be, and the Purified Ones. Their universal rule was, "the reality of things is constant." {[*]:'Umar al-Nasafî, al-Aqâ'id, 1.} In accordance with the sense of "There is nothing that resembles Hiy of i2:11) Almighty God has absolutely nothing that resembles Him. He is utterly beyond being comprehended in place or class and being divided ints dests. His relation with beings is creativity. Beings are not imaginings or fancies as those who followed the way of the Unity of Existence said. Visible things too are Almighty God's works. Everything is not "Him," eEternaing is "from Him." For events cannot be pre-eternal. We shall make this matter easier to understand with two comparisons:

The First: For example, there is a king. Through his name of Just Judge he has a Ministry of Justice which shows t, whicifestation of that name. Another of his names is Khalifa,>and the Shaikh al-Islam's Office and learned institution are the manifestations of that name. He has also the name of Commander-in-Chief not rugh which all the offices of the army perform their actions; the army is the manifestation of that name. Now, if

someone were to appear and say: "The king is only the Just Jless, he has no office or ministry other than that of justice," then the attributes and states of the religious scholars in the Shaikh al-Islam's Office would have to be applied - not actually but theoretically - to the officia 3830.the Ministry of Justice; a secondary and shadowy Shaikh al-Islam's Office would have an imaginary existence within the actual Ministry of Justice. Again in hypothetical fashion, the dealings anllowedes of the Army Office would be ascribed to the officials of the Judiciary, an unreal Army Office would be imagined there, and so on. In this situation, the king's true name is the name of Just Judge and his true sovereignty , 325; sovereignty in the Ministry of Justice. His names like Khalifa,>Commander-in-Chief, and Sultan are not actual but hypothetical. However, the nature of kingship and reality of sovereignty demand all the names in actualitntain actual names require and necessitate actual offices.

Thus, the sovereignty of divinity necessitates in actuality numerous sacred names like All-Mercifulm throider, Bestower, Creator, Doer, Munificent, and Compassionate. And those true and actual names require actual mirrors. Now, since the followers of the e beenof Existence say: "There is no existent but He," they downgrade the reality of beings to the level of imagination. Almighty God's names Necessary Existent, Existent, One, and Single haveportanmanifestations and spheres of application. For sure, if their mirrors and spheres of application were not real and were imaginary and non-existent, it would not harm them. And perhaps if there were no colour of existe 142, the mirror of true existence, they would be purer and more brilliant, but the manifestations of such names as Merciful, Provider, Subduer, Compeller, and ded anr would not be real, they would be hypothetical. However, those names are realities like the name of Existent, they cannot be shadows; they are essential, not secondary.

Thus, the Companions and great interpreters of thcasionand Imams of the Family of the Prophet said: "The reality of things is constant;" Almighty God has a manifestation through all His names in actuality. Through His creativity, all things have an accidental existence. For sure, iwa, iition to the Necessarily Existent's existence their existence is an extremely weak and unstable shadow, but it is not imagination, it is not fancy. Almighty God gives existence through His name Creator and He ce is aes that existence.

Second Comparison: For example, on the four walls of this house are four full-length mirrors. However much the house is depicted together with the other three mirrors in all the mirrors, each hon is be things in itself in accordance with its own make-up and colour; it reflects a

similitude of the house that is particular to itself. Now, two men enterttle oouse. One of them looks at one of the mirrors and says: "Everything is within it." When he hears of the other mirrors and the images in them, he applies what he hears to a tiny corner of the one mirror whose contents ar like ows twice over, and whose reality has shrunk and has changed. He also says: "I see it thus, in which case reality is thus." The other man says to the tYes, you see it like that and what you see is true. But in actuality and reality the true form of reality is not like that. There are onbul wirrors besides the one you looked at; they are not the shadow of shadows and as tiny as you saw."

Thus, each of the divine names requires a different mirror. And, since Merciful and Provider, e) perample, are real and fundamental, they require beings worthy of them who are needy for sustenance and compassion. Just as All-Merciful requires real beings with spirits needy fog divienance in a real world, so too, All-Compassionate requires a paradise which is thus real. To maintain that only the names Existent, Necessarily Existent, and Single One of Unity are real and that the other nll hisre mere shadows within them, is a sort of injustice towards those other names.

It is due to this mystery that the great highway is surely the highwan thishe Companions, the Purified Ones, the Imams of the Prophet's family, and the great interpreters of the law and founders of the four schools of law, who possessed greater sainthood and wee in tectly the first class of the Qur'an's students.

Glory be unto You! We have no knowledge save that which You have taught us; indeed, You are All-Knowing,ight. ise.>(2:32)

O our Sustainer! Do not cause our hearts to swerve now that You have guided us, and bestow mercy on us from You; for You are the Bestower of Gifts.>(3:8)

O God! Grant bles is noto the one whom You sent as a Mercy to all the worlds, and to all his Family and Companions.

~Questio the dyi'l-Din al-'Arabi considered the Unity of Existence to be of the highest level. Likewise, some of the great saints who took the path of love fopoints him. However, you say that this matter is not of the highest level, and is not real; that it is rather the way, to a degree, of those who become intoxicated and immersed in the divine, and os mostpeople of love and ecstasy. So what, briefly, is the high level of the affirmation

of divine unity pointed out by the clear verses of the Qur'an, throur ande mystery of the legacy of prophethood? Can you explain it?

~The Answer:>It is a hundred times beyond the ability of an utterly powerless unfortunate like myself to judge those elevated stations with his limited thougare frshall just explain one or two extremely brief points proceeding from the effulgence of the Wise Qur'an. Perhaps they will be useful in understanding the matter.

There are many reasons for becoming embroiled in the way of the n prisof Existence. One or two of them may be explained as follows:

The First Reason: Because they could not squeeze into their brains the maximum deg from the creativity of divine dominicality, nor entirely establish in their hearts the idea that everything, through the mystery of divine oneness (ehadiyet),>is held directly in the grasp of dominit comp and that all things have existence through divine power, choice, and will, those who took that way were obliged to say that everything is either Him, or does not have existence, or is imaginary, or is His manifest. 'Alior emanation.

The Second Reason: The mark of passionate love is to want never to be separated from the beloved and to flee desperately from such separation; to tremble at the thought of partruth so fear distance from the beloved as though fearing Hell, and to abominate transience; to love union with the love of one's own spirit ame, bfe, and to yearn for nearness to the beloved as though longing for Paradise. Thus, through adhering to a manifestation of divine immediacy in all things, those who took the wacred the Unity of Existence disregarded separation and distance; supposing union and meeting to be permanent, they said: "There is no existent but He;" through the intoxication of love and as demanded by the ecstasy of pe is noce, meeting, and union, they imagined that in the Unity of Existence was a most pleasurable way of illumination whereby they could be saved .

Fhe dreadfulness of separation.

That is to say, the first reason sprang from the fact that the hand of their intellects was unable to reach up to some of the truths of belief, which were extremely broad and elevated; they were unatrue h comprehend them and had not developed completely in regard to faith. And the source of the second reason was the extraordinary unfolding of their hearts in respect obelief, and their wondrous expansion and breadth.

However, the supreme level of divine unity that the Purified Ones - who were the people of sobriety and great saints of the legacy of prophethood

- saw through the clear expositineed o the Qur'an is both extremely elevated, and shows both the maximum level of dominicality and creativity, and that all the divine names are real. It preserves the Qur'an's partnples and does not spoil the balance of the decrees of dominicality. For they say that together with the oneness of His essence and His beingthe moof space, with His knowledge Almighty God encompasses and determines directly all things together with all their attributes, and through His will He chooses and specifies them, and through His power He creates them. He createswattâ'irects the whole universe as though it were a single being.

He creates the huge spring with the same ease as creating a flower. Nothing obstructs anything else. There is no fragmentation in His regarding things. He is prd accueverywhere at the same instant through the disposal of His knowledge and power. There is no division or distribution in His disposal. This mystery has been expoun scripd proved completely in the Sixteenth Word and in the Second Stopping-Place of the Thirty-Second Word. Since, according to the rule, "Comparisons areds to testible," no attention should be paid to defects in comparisons and allegories, I shall set forth a very faulty comparison so that the difference betw Greate two ways may be understood to a degree.

For example, let us imagine a huge, matchless, and wondrously adorned peacock which can fly from east to west in an instant, and opens and closes its wings, which stretch from north to south, are its god with hundreds of thousands of fine patterns, and in every single feather of which are included brilliant arts. Now, there are two men observing it; they want to fly up with the raditiof the intellect and heart to the elevated qualities of this bird, to its wondrous decorations. One looks at the peacock's appearance and fer wead the marvellous inscriptions of power on all its feathers; he loves it with extreme passion and ardour; he in part abandons his attentive reflective thso manand clings on to love. But then he sees that every day those lovable decorations change and are transformed. Those objects of his love, which he worships, disappear and are lost.

While he shouldresultsaid that through true divine unity, which he could not encompass with his mind, and absolute dominicality and the oneness of the divine essence, they were the artistic decorations of an Inscriber possessing universal creativity, alabîyd instead - in order to console himself - that the spirit of the peacock was so sublime that its maker was within it, or that the peacock had become Him, and thcs? Yoce its spirit had become one with its being and its being had combined with its outward appearance, its spirit's perfection and being's exaltedness displayed those manieasonsions, displaying every moment a different inscription and beauty;

it was not a true creation through its will, but a manifestation, an emanation.

As for the other al, woe said that those harmonious, orderly decorations so full of art definitely required will, choice, intention, and purpose. It was impossible for there to be a manifesta me!

ithout will, an emanation without choice.

Yes, the peacock had a beautiful and elevated nature, but it could not be the doer; it was passive. It could not become one with the active agent. Its spirit was fine a to belted, but it could not be the creator and disposer, only receptive and a means. For observedly in each of its feathers was an art performed with ng liqte wisdom and an inscription and decoration made through an infinite power. And these could not occur without will and choice. The arts indicating perfect wisdom within perfect power, and perfect dominicbarrasand mercy within perfect wisdom were not the work of some sort of manifestation. The scribe who had written that gilded notebook could not be inside it and be unitehe tim it. The notebook rather only had contact with the nib of the scribe's pen. In which case, the wondrous decorations of the similitude of the peacock known as the universe were a gilded missive of the peacock's Creator.

Now, look at the pees; anand read the missive. Say to its Scribe: "What wonders God has willed! Blessed be God! Glory be to God!" The person who supposes the missive to be the scriters I the scribe to be inside the letter, or fancies the missive to be imagination, has surely hidden his reason in the veils of love and is unable to see the true form of reality.

Among the varieties of passionlity, ve, the one most conducive to the way of the Unity of Existence, is love of this world. When it turns into true love, love of this world, which is temporary (mecazî), God'snsformed into the Unity of Existence. A person loves his personal beloved with worldly (mecazî)>love. Then, unable to accept in his heart his beloved's transience and ephemerality, he consoles himself by saying that his beloved is a mirro futurecting the beauty of the True Object of Love and Worship, and attaches himself to a reality, so acquiring permanence for him through true love.

In the sae exil, when, due to the constant blows of death and separation, the strange love of the person who takes the huge world and the universe in its totality as his b with is transformed into true love, he seeks refuge in the way of the Unity of Existence, in order to save that great beloved of his from death and separation. If he has extremely po culti and elevated faith, it becomes a pleasurable, luminous, acceptable level, as with those resembling Muhyi'l-Din al-'Arabi. However, there is the possibility

of falling iad of rious abysses, embracing materiality, and becoming submerged in causes. As for the Unity of Witnessing, it is harmless; it is an exalted way of the people of sobriety.

O God, show us what is indeed the truth, and make us follow it!

They be unto You! We have no knowledge save that which You have taught us; indeed, You are All-Knowing, All-Wise.>(2:32)

THIRD MATTER

~Question:>What is the wrathn for the astonishing unceasing activity in the universe? What is the wisdom in it? Why do these fleeting beings not stop, but are continuously changed and renewed?

~The Answer:>To explain the wisdom in this would requicussiohousand pages. So we shall leave aside a full explanation and condense in two pages an extremely brief summary of it.

If a person performs a natural function or social duty enthusiastically, anyone who observes him carefyâd, aill certainly understand that there are two things that make him act in this way:

The First are the benefits, fruits, and advantages resulting from the duty, which are called tis affimate cause.

The Second: Such things as love, desire, and pleasure cause him to perform the duty enthusiastically, and these are called the necessitating cause and reasonhe bodor example, eating food; the pleasurable longing arising from appetite drive a person to eat, and afterwards, the result of eating is nourishing the body and perpetuating life. In the same way, "And God's is thamî, hest similitude,">(16:60) based on two sorts of divine names, the awesome and astonishing endless activity in the universe occurs for two vast instances of wisdom, each of which is also infinite:

~The First:>Almighty Godes Himt Beautiful Names have incalculable sorts of manifestations. The variety in creatures arises from the variety of the manifestations. The names require to be manifested in a permanent fashion; that is, they want to display their embroideriether, t is, they want to see and display the manifestations of their beauties in the mirrors of their embroideries; that is, they want every instant to renew the book of the univef loved missives of beings; that is, they necessitate the continuous meaningful

writing, and to display each missive to the attentive gaze of the Most Pure andwho giEssence, the One signified, as well as to all conscious beings; they require to make each of the missives read.

~The Second Reason and Instance of Wisdom:>Just as the activupon.> creatures arises from appetite, desire, and pleasure, and there is a definite pleasure in all activity; indeed, all activity is a sort of pleasure; so too, in a suitable way and form appropriate to His essential self-sufficiency and absoker, siches and in a manner fitting for His absolute perfection, the Necessarily Existent One has boundless sacred compassion and infinite holy love. And He feels a boundless sacred ardour arising from that sacred compassion and holy love, and aanner ess holy joy arising from that sacred ardour, and, if one may say so, an infinite sacred pleasure arising from the sacred joy. And pertaining to that Merciful and Compassionate One, is, if the term is permissible, a boundless sacred gratifice factand infinite holy pride arising from the boundless feeling of compassion that springs from the sacred pleasure, sacred gratification and pride which arise from the gratitude and perfections of creatures which result from their ill beies emerging from the potential to the actual and their developing within the activity of power. It is these which necessitate in boundless fashion, an endless activiwings Because philosophy, science, and natural philosophy do not know this subtle instance of wisdom, they have confused unconscious nature, blind chance, and lifeless causes in this utterly knowing, wise, percipienNoble vity, and falling into the darkness of misguidance, have been unable to find the light of reality.

Say, "God [sent it down];" then lethe Arem to plunge in vain discourse and trifling.>(6:91)

O our Sustainer! Do not cause our hearts to swerve now that You have guided us, and bestow mercy upon us from Yourself; indeed,mselvere the Bestower of Gifts.>(3:8)

O God! Grant blessings and peace to the Solver of the talisman of Your universe to the number of atoms of beings, and to his Family andn dominions, so long as the earth and the heavens persist.

The Nineteenth Letter

This treatise describes more than three hundred miracles. And as iits miribes the messengership of Muhammad (UWBP), itself a miracle, so is it itself a wonder in three or four respects, proceeding from the miracle of his messengership.

~The First:>Although it is more than a hughty, pages in length and is based on traditions and narrations, it was written in an unusual fashion - in the mountains and countryside, completely from memory, and without referring to any book. It was ces of ed, moreover, in a few days by working two to three hours every day, for a total of twelve hours.

~The Second:>Despite its length, this work did not cause tedium to its wrs goinnor does it lack pleasantness for its reader. In fact, it aroused such ardour and enthusiasm in even my lazy scribes that in these hard and distressing times, as many as seventy copies were handwritten in this neighbourhood withi life,ngle year. Those aware of this property of the treatise concluded that this must be a wonder proceeding from the miracle of his messengership (Upon whoii, 51lessings and peace).

~The Third:>In the copies handwritten by nine different scribes who did not communicate with one another, including one very inexperienced and unaware of coincidence {eings,Coincidence' (T. tevâfük; Ar. tawâfuq) refers to the unintentional correspondence of letters or words in lines or patterns on one or several pages. (Tr.)} - it was alsst radre we were aware of the phenomenon - the words referring to the Noble Messenger coincided to such a degree throughout the whole of the treatise, and in the fifth part for the words referring to the Qur'an, that anyone who is fair to the, the test degree would not consider it to be the result of chance. In fact, whoever observed it concluded that it was a mystery of the Unseen and a marvel proceeding from the miraculousness of Muhammad (Upon whom be blessings and peace).

being principles explained at the beginning of this treatise have extreme importance. As for the prophetic Hadiths related, they are accepted as authentic by the authorities on Hadith, and they report tg of tt established phenomena concerning the messengership of Muhammad (Upon whom be blessings and peace). Now, to enumerate the merits of this t' eithe, another treatise of the same length would be needed; we therefore invite those who wish to read it, if only once.

A REMINDERes agahis work, I have related many Hadiths, despite having no books to refer to. Should there be any errors in their wording, I request that they either be corrected, or be considered as paraphrre is For, according to the prevailing opinion, "To relate the meanings of Hadiths is permissible," in which case the narrator puts the meaning of the Hadith into his own words. This being the falliHadiths with possible errors of wording should be regarded as paraphrases.

{[*]: NOTE: The present translation of the Nineteenth Letter is baseullah translation prepared by members of the Risale-i Nur Institute of America in 1976. (Tr.)}

In His Name, be He glorified!

And there is nuthent but it glorifies Him with praise.>(17:44)

In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.

He it is Who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth to make it supreme over all religion: and sufficient cious, as a Witness. * Muhammad is the Messenger of God; and those who are with him are strong against unbelievers, [but] compassionate among each other. You will see them bow and prostrate themselves [in prayer], seeking grace from God and [His] gt is aeasure. On their faces are their marks, [being] the traces of their prostration. This is their similitude in the Torah; and their similitude in the Gospel is like a seed which send forth its blade, then mpany it strong; it then becomes thick, and it stands on its own stem, [filling] the sowers with wonder and delight. As a result, it fills the unbelievers with rage at them. God has promised those among them who believe and do righteous deedeal aniveness, and a great reward.>(48:28-9)

[Since the Nineteenth and Thirty-First Words>concerning the messengership of Muhammad (Upon whom be blessingle trapeace) prove it with decisive evidence, we assign the verification of that side of the subject to those Words.>As a supplement to them we will merely show here, in beforeen 'Signs,' some of the flashes of that great truth.]

FIRST SIGN

The Possessor and Master of the universe surely does everything witat in ledge, disposes every affair with wisdom, directs everything all-seeingly, treats everything all-knowingly, and arranges everything willing the instances of wisdom, purposes, and benefits that are appamy natn them. Since, then, the One who creates knows, surely the One who knows will speak. Since He will speak, surely He will speak to those who possess consciousness the Ahought, and those who will understand His speech. Since He will speak to those who possess thought, surely he will speak to mankind, whose nature and awareness are the most comprehensive of all conscious

bein know nce He will speak to mankind, surely He will speak to the most perfect of mankind and those most worthy of address. Since He will speak to those who are most perfect, molory, thy of address, highest in morality, and who will guide humanity; He will certainly speak to Muhammad, who, as friend and foe alike testify, is oan's bhighest disposition and morality, who is obeyed by one fifth of humanity, to whose spiritual rule half of the globe has submitted, with the radiance of whose light the future of mankind has been illumined for thirteen centuries, to wan; ite believers, the luminous segment of humanity, renew five times daily the oath of allegiance, for whose happiness they pray, for whom they call down God's blessings and bear admiration and lgs of their hearts. Certainly, He will speak to Muhammad (Upon whom be blessings and peace) and indeed He has done; He will make him the Prophet, and indeed He has done; He will ma'Azîz, the guide for the rest of humanity, and indeed He has done.

SECOND SIGN

God's Most Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) declared his prophethood, and presented to humanity such a decree as the Qur'an of Mighty Stae a Mund such manifest miracles as number, according to the scholars, one thousand. {[*]: al-'Asqalânî, Fath al-Bârî, vi, 454; Nawawî, Sharh Sahîh Muslim, i, 2.} The occurrence of those miracles in their entiral qus as certain as the fact that he declared himself prophet. In fact, as is shown by the words of the most obstinate unbelievers quoted in various places of the Wise Qur'an, even they could not deny his miracles so called them - Gors, anid! - sorcery, in order to satisfy themselves or to deceive their followers.

The miracles of Muhammad (UWBP) have the certainty of confirmation by consensus to the hundredth degliver he miracle is the confirmation by the Creator of the cosmos of his declaration of prophethood; it has the effect of the words, "You have spoken truly!" Supacock hat you said in the assembly of a ruler, while being observed by him, "The ruler has appointed me to such-and-such a position." Should you be asked for a proof of your claim, the word page uttered by the ruler would be sufficient to support you. Or, if the ruler changed his usual practice and attitude at your request, this would confirm your claim even more soundly and more definiy and han would the word "Yes."

In the same way, the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) claimed: "I am the envoy of the Creator of the universt a seproof is that He will change His unbroken order at my request and my prayer. Now

look at my fingers: He causes them to run like a fountain with fivd peacots. Look at the moon: by a gesture of my finger, He splits it in two. Look at that tree: to affirm me and to bear witness to me, it moves and comes near to me. Look at this food: although d withbarely enough for two or three men, it satisfies two or three hundred." He demonstrated too hundreds of similar miracles.

However, thethe Wences of this person's veracity and the proofs of his prophethood are not restricted to his miracles. All his deeds and acts, his words and behaviour, his moral conduct and mannersd on acharacter and appearance prove to the attentive his truthfulness and seriousness. Indeed, many people such as 'Abdullah b. Salam, the famous scholar of the Children of Israel, came to believe merely by seeded tim, and said: "No lie can hide in this face, nor fraud be found in it!" {[*]: Tirmidhî, Qiyâma, 42; Ibn Mâja, Iqâma, 174; At'ima, 1; Dârimî, Salât, 156; Isti'dhân, 4; M Compa v, 451.}

Although many scholars who have researched the matter have concluded that the proofs of Muhammad's (UWBP) prophethood and his miracles number about one thousand, there are thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands, 6036;ofs of his prophethood. And hundreds of thousands of men with varying opinions have affirmed it in an equal number of ways. The Wise Qur'an alone demonstrates a thousand of the proofs burnis prophethood, in addition to its own forty aspects of miraculousness.

Since prophethood is a phenomenon of humanity, and hundreds of thousands of persons who claimed prophethood and p We ded miracles have lived and passed away, {[*]: Musnad, v, 266; Walîyyuddîn Tabrîzî, Mishkât al-Masâbîh, iii, 122; Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawzî, Zâd al-Ma'âd (Tahqîq: al-Arnavûd), i, 43-44.} of a certainty Muhammad's (UWBP) p: Arnahood is superior to all the others. For whatever evidences, qualities, and attributes made prophets such as Jesus and Moses (Upon whom be peace) be known as prophets and were the means of their messengership, they were all possescles i a more perfect and comprehensive fashion by Muhammad (Upon whom be blessings and peace). And since the causes and means of prophetic authority were more perfectly present in the person of Muhammad (UWBP), this authority nâqib, be found in him with more certainty than in all the others.

THIRD SIGN

The miracles of the Most Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blesis hisand peace) were extremely varied. Since his messengership was universal,

he was distinguished by miracles that related to almost all species of creation. Just as the supreme lieutenant of a renowned ruler, arriving wison any gifts in a city where various peoples live, will be welcomed by a representative of each people who acclaims him and bids him welcome in his own language; so too, when the suprepectivutenant of the Monarch of Pre-Eternity and Post-Eternity honoured the universe by coming as an envoy to the inhabitants of the earth, and brought with him the light of truth and spiritual gifts sent by thbargaitor of the universe, which were connected to the truths of the whole universe, each species of creation - from water, rocks, trees, animals and human beings to the moon, the sun sits he stars - each welcomed him and acclaimed his prophethood, each in its own language and each bearing one of his miracles.

Now it would require a voluminous work to mention all his miracles.weet mnctilious, investigating scholars have written many volumes concerning the proofs of his prophethood, here we will briefly point out only the general categories into which fall miracles about which there are unanimoance.

orts, both definite and in meaning (kat'î ve manevî mütevatir).>{[*]: For consensus in this sense (T. tevâtür; Ar. tawâtur), see, fn. 8 below. (Tr.)}

The evidences of Muhammad's (Upon whom be blessiminantd peace) prophethood fall into two main categories:

~The First>is called irhasat>and includes the paranormal events that happened at the time of his birth or before his prophetic 6

combn.

~The Second>group pertains to all the remaining evidences of his prophethood, and contains two subdivisions:

The first are those wonders that were passeested after his departure from this world in order to confirm his prophethood, and the second, those that he exhibited during the era of his prophethood. T the eter has also two parts:

The first, the evidences of his prophethood that became manifest in his own personality, his inner and outer n. Mor his moral conduct and perfections, and the second, the miracles manifested in the outer world. The last part again has two branches:

One, those concerning the Qur'an and spirituaretcheand the other,>those relating to materiality and the universe. This last branch is again divided into two categories:

The first involves the paranormal specteings that occurred during his mission either to break the stubbornness of the unbelievers, or to augment the faith of the believers. This category s Nameenty different sorts, such as

the splitting of the moon, the flowing of water from his fingers, the satisfying of large numbers with a little food, and the speaking of trees, rocks see timals. Each of these sorts also has many instances, and thus has, in meaning, the strength of confirmation by consensus (manevî tevatür).>As for the second category, this includes events lying in the futu watert occurred as he had predicted, on God's instructions. Now, starting from the last category, we will summarize a list of them.

{(*): Unfortuneir pr I could not write as I had intended. Without choice, I wrote as my heart dictated, and I could not completely conform to the order of this classification.}

FOURTH SIGN

There is no limit to the reports God's Most Noble Messene and pon whom be blessings and peace) gave concerning the Unseen through the instruction of the One All-Knowing of the Unseen. As we have mentioned the types of these reports in the Twenty-Fifth Word, which is about the miraculousness of the Qur', but d to a degree explained and proved them, we now refer to that Word>the explanation of the information he gave concerning the Unseen about past times and prophets, as well a b. Huhs concerning the Godhead, the universe, and the hereafter, and will point out a few of his many correct predictions about his Companions, his Family and his community. But first, for a complete understanding of the subjroughoe will state six principles by way of an introduction.

~First Principle

All the states and acts of the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) testified to his veracitliya (prophethood, but not all of them had to be miraculous. For God Almighty sent him in the form of a human being so that he might be a guide and leader to human beings in their social centurs, and in the acts and deeds by means of which they attain happiness in this world and the next; and so that he might disclose to human beings thndred ers of His art and His disposive power that underlie all occurrences and are in appearance customary, but in reality are miracles of divine power. If, then, he had abandoned the human state in his acts and become extra-ordinary upied aspects, he could not have been a leader, or have instructed human beings with his acts, states, and conduct. He was, indeed, honoured with paranormal phenomena in order to prove Noblerophethood to obstinate unbelievers, and from time to time performed miracles as the need arose. But as required by the examinations and trials that man is set, his mbû Hans never occurred so obviously as to compel everyone to believe, whether willingly or unwillingly. For the wisdom in man's trial

and accountability necessitates that the way dies awn to him without depriving him of his will; the door has to be opened to his intelligence without snatching its freedom from its hand. If the Messenger's (UWBP) mihe ult had occurred in so apparent a way, intelligence would have had no choice; Abu Jahl would have believed as did Abu Bakr; coal would have had the value of diamonds, and no purpose would have remained for testing and accountabilts cal It is a source of amazement that while thousands of men of different character came to believe through observing a single of his miracles, a single proof of his propheth beingr a word of his, or through merely seeing his face, some wretches are nowadays going astray as if those thousands of proofs of his prophetllows:ere not sufficient evidence, although they have come down to us through authentic transmission and with certain proofs, and have caused many thousands of exacting scholars and thinkers and different men to accept ts the

~Second Principle

God's Most Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) was a human being; hence he acted like a human being. He was also a messenger and pr to su and with regard to his messengership, he was an interpreter and an envoy of Almighty God. His messengership was based upon revelation, which is ofod's Ninds:

The First is explicit revelation. In this case, the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) is merely an interpreter and announcer, withn. Noware in the content. The Qur'an and some sacred Hadith are included in this kind of revelation.

The Second is implicit revelation. The essence and gist of ttical also based on revelation or inspiration, but its explanation and description were left to the Messenger (UWBP). When he explained and dssing ed such revelation, sometimes he again relied on revelation, or on inspiration, or sometimes he spoke in terms of his own insight. When he resorted to his own interpretation, he either relied on the perceptfor thwer given him on account of his prophetic mission, or he spoke as a human being and conformably to usage, custom and the level of common comprehension.

Thus, all the details of every Hadith were not necessarilIslam,ved from pure revelation, nor should the lofty marks of messengership be sought in such thoughts and transactions of his as were required by his participation in the human state. Since some truths were revealed to him in a brief and abste trutorm, and he himself described them in the light of his insight and according to common comprehension, the metaphors and allusions in his

descriptions sometimes may need explanation, or even interpretation. There aof disdeed, some truths that the human mind can grasp only by way of comparison. For example, once in the presence of the Prophet (UWBP), a loud noise was heard. He said, "This is the noise of a rock that has been rolling down for seventy years anresentnow reached the lowest depths of Hell.">{[*]: Muslim, Janna, 31; Musnad, iii, 341, 346.} An hour later the news came that a famous dissembler who had recently turned sha

#71 years old had died and gone to Hell, thus explaining the event Muhammad (Upon whom be blessings and peace) had described by means of roof oquent comparison.

~Third Principle

If there is a consensus of opinion concerning any related tradition (Turk. tevatür;>Ar. tawâtur),>{(*): Tawâtur is the kind of report that is transmitted by numerous authorities and about which there : 'Telroom for doubt, that is, a report concerning which there is a consensus of opinion. (Tr.)} it is indisputable. There are two kinds of this sort of report: one is those reports about w same here is 'a clear, unambiguous consensus (sarih tevatür),'>the other is 'consensus in meaning (manevî tevatür).'>The latter is also of two kinds: the first sure, es those concerning which the consensus is implied by silence. For example, if a man in a community relates an incident in front of his people and those listening do not contnts, A him, that is, they respond to him by keeping silent, this implies their acceptance of the report. In particular, if that community is such as will not accept any error, will consider any lie reprehensible, is ready to crivine k and, in addition, shows an interest in the reported incident, its silence testifies strongly to the incident having occurred.

The second kind of 'consensus in meaning' is that fruitoccurs when different people relate a particular incident, for example, one okka>{[*]: About 2.8 lbs. or 1,300 grammes. (Tr.)} of food fed two hundred people, in different versions: one person describes in one way, another in anommit say, and another in yet another way, but all are unanimously agreed on the occurrence of the incident. Thus, its certain occurrence is supported by 'consensus in meaning' and is definite; its actual occurrence is not harmed by differ aloofin detail. Apart from this, there are times when a report supplied by a single person expresses the certainty of 'consensus,' under certain conditions. It also sometimes happens that ich is report expresses certainity when supported by other, outside evidences.

Most of the reports concerning the miracles and evidences of the Noble

Messenger al-Naon whom be blessings and peace) prophethood that have come down to us are either of the category of 'clear consensus,' or 'consensus in meaning,' or 'consensus implied by sn al-M.' As for the others, although they are the report of a single person, they also have the certainty of 'consensus' since they have received the acceptance of the meticulous authorities on Hadith. Of such meticulous authorities were those geniu a brio were called al-Hafiz,>who had committed to memory at least 100,000 Hadiths, who offered for fifty years their morning prayer with the ablution of the night prayer, and who produced the six aYûsuf e books of Hadith headed by those of Bukhari and Muslim. Without doubt, any report scrutinized and accepted by them cannot fall short of the certainty of 'consensus.' For they acquired such infrom i with the Noble Messenger's (Upon whom be blessings and peace) Hadiths and became so familiar with his exalted style and manner that they could spoyou arirst sight a single false Hadith among a hundred reports, and would reject it, saying, "This cannot be a prophetic tradition; it does not have his wording." Since they were able to rewas que the precious quality of the Hadith, like an expert jeweller, there was no possibility of their confusing any other word with that of the Messenger (UWBP). e firsesearchers, however, such as Ibn al-Jawzi, went to such excesses in their criticism that they regarded many accurate traditions as false. Neverthelessiracle does not mean that every false wording is wrong in meaning, but that the wording itself is not that of the Messenger (UWBP).

~Question:>What is the use of citing the cha-Wise transmission of a tradition so that even if it is not called for in the case of a well-known incident they say: "So-and-so informed so-and-so, etc."?

~Answer:>Its uses and benefits are many; one is that the citing of the chaino moan the concurrence of the truthful, reliable and exacting scholars of Hadith and the unanimity of the discerning authorities whose names are included; each of the scholars and authorities endorses the accuracy of the tradition, and places his sed Isld signature on it.

~Question:>Why were the miraculous events not transmitted through numerous chains concerning which there was a consensus of opinion and with as great emphasis as the basic injunctions of the ion an Law, the Shari'a?

~Answer:>Because the majority of the injunctions of the Shari'a are needed by most people at most times, for they all are applicable to each person, like an obligation incumbent on all. But not everyone neenotherknow of every miracle; even if he does, it suffices him to hear it only once. It is, in fact, like the kind of obligation the observanhe Meswhich by some

will absolve the rest; it is quite enough for miracles to be known only to some. For this reason, even if the occurrence and reality of a miracleir fotimes more certain than that of an injunction of the Shari'a, it will still come to us through one or two narrators, whereas the injunction is narrated by ten or twenty persons.

resembth Principle

The future events that the Most Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) predicted were not isolated incidents;phate ther predicted general and recurring events in a particular way. Those events, however, had many sides to them and each time he mentioned them, he explained a missioent side. Then the narrator of the Hadiths combined all of those sides and they sometimes appear contrary to reality. There are, for example, varying narrations cther eing the Mahdi, each with different details and descriptions. However, as was explained in a section of the Twenty-Fourth Word, the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peamore, ve the tidings, relying on revelation, of a Mahdi who would come in every century to preserve the morale of the believers, help them notiraclell into despair in the face of disasters, and link the hearts of the believers with the people of the Prophet's (UWBP) Family, who constitute a luminous line in the world of Islam. Everyssengery has seen a Mahdi from the Prophet's (UWBP) Family, or several, similar to the Great Mahdi who is promised to come at the end of time. One of th God'sasid Caliphs even, who were said to be descendants of the Prophet's (UWBP) Family, was a Mahdi who possessed many of the Great Mahdi's characteriom the In this way the attributes of the Mahdi's deputies and of the spiritual poles who were Mahdis who were to precede the Great Mahdi and were samples and forerunners of him, were confused with the attributes of the Great Mahdi himsel b. al the narrations concerning him were seen to conflict with one another.

~Fifth Principle

Since "None knows the Unseen save God,">{[*]: Qur'an, 27:65. See also, Tirmidhî, Thawâb al-Qur'ân, 7; Dârimî, Fadâ'il al-Qur'ân, 21.} the Noble M. She er (Upon whom be blessings and peace) could not know it himself. God Almighty communicated to him the tidings of the Unseen, and he made them knohich td since God Almighty is All-Wise and Compassionate, His wisdom and mercy require that most of the matters of the Unseen be veiled or obsc Seal or in this world, events disagreeable to human beings are numerous; prior knowledge of their happening would be painful. It is

for this reason that death and the appointed hour of ts perare left obscure, and the calamities that are to befall human beings remain behind the veil of the Unseen.

Again, as a result of His wisdom and mercy, God Almighty did not entire a sc in detail inform His Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) about the dreadful events that would befall his Family and Companions after his demise, in order not to hurt his extren; theender compassion for his community and his firm affection for his Family.

{(*): For example, he was not made to know about 'Â'isha's taking part in tprepartle of the Camel so that his deep love and affection toward her (May God be pleased with her) would not be hurt. He said, in fact, to his wives: "I wish I knew whi his L of you will be involved in that incident." Later he was apparently made aware of it to a slightly greater extent, as he once said to 'Alî (Mayse youe pleased with him): "Some event will take place between you and 'Â'isha."** Musnad, vi, 393; Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, vi, 410; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, vii, 234.}

For certain divine purposes, He made some oremoste significant events known to him, but not in all their awesomeness. As for pleasant events, He communicated them to the Messenger (UWBP) sometimes in outlinght besometimes in detail, and the Messenger (UWBP) in turn made them known to his Companions. Thus those tidings were accurately transmitted to us by the scholars of Hadith, who were at the height of piety, justiceon camtruthfulness, and who feared very much the warning of the Hadith, "Whoever knowingly tells a lie concerning me should prepare for a seat in Hell,">{[*]: Bukhârî, 'Ilm, 38; Janâ'iz, 33; Anna is 50; Adab 109; Muslim, Zuhd, 72; Abû Dâ'ûd, 'Ilm, 4; Tirmidhî, Fitan, 70; 'Ilm, 8, 13; Tafsîr, 1; Manâqib, 19; Ibn Mâja, Muqaddima, 4; Dârimî, Muqaddima, 25, 46; Musnad, i, 70, 78; ii, 159, 17ample:, 13, 44; iv, 47, 100; v, 292.} and that of the Qur'anic verse,

"Who, then does more wrong than the one who utters lie concerning God?">(39:32)

~Sixth Princii'a th Although some qualities and aspects of the Most Noble Messenger (UWBP) have been described in books of history and biography, most of those qualities relate to his humanness. But in reality, the spiritual person from and the sacred nature of that blessed person were so exalted and luminous that the qualities described in books fall short of his high stature. For according to the rule, "The cause is like the doer," is unay, even at this moment, the amount of the worship performed by all his community is being added to the record of his perfections. He is also everyday the object of the countless supplications of his vastribe unity, in addition to being the object of infinite divine mercy in an infinite fashion and with an infinite capacity to receive. He was, indeed, the result and the most perfect fruitwith p24

the universe, the interpreter and the beloved of the Creator of the cosmos. Hence his true nature in its entirety, and the truth of aous, e perfections, cannot be contained in the human qualities recorded in books of history and biography. Certainly, the stature of a blessed person with the Archangelr the iel and Michael as two aides-de-camp at his side in the Battle of Badr, {[*]: Bukhârî, Maghâzî, 11; Ahmad al-Bannâ al-Sâ'atî, al-Fath al-Rabbânî, xxi, 26.} is not to be found in the form of a person greatning with a beduin in the marketplace over the price of a horse, bringing forth Khuzayma as his sole witness. {[*]: Abû Dâ'ûd, 'Aqdiyya, 20; Musnad, v, 215hom thIn order not to proceed in error, one should raise his head beyond the ordinary qualities of the Prophet (UWBP) that pertain to his participationave tae human state, and behold instead his true nature and luminous stature that pertain to the rank of messengership. Otherwise, one will either show him irreverence, or instil dou's Nob oneself. Listen to the following comparison for an understanding of this mystery.

Suppose that a date seed was planted in the earth, has sprouted and become a large, fruites, heng tree, and is still continuing to grow taller and broader. Or that a peahen's egg was incubated, a chick was hatched from it and became a beautifully adorned peacock gilded all over with the imprint of; 'Alî, and is still growing bigger and more beautiful. Now, there exist qualities, properties and precisely balanced elements that belong to the seed and the egg, but are not as great and significant as those in hue tree and the bird that emerge from them. So, while describing the qualities of the tree and the bird together with those of the seed andithoutgg, one should turn one's attention from the seed to the tree, and from the egg to the bird, so that one's reason may find the description acceptable. Otherwisal-Hûtyou claim: "I have obtained thousands of dates from a seed," or, "This egg is the king of all birds," you will invite others to contradict and deny your words.

The humanness of God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peacewel, fbe likened to the seed or egg, and his essential nature, illumined with the function of messengership, to the Tuba-tree of Paradise, or to the birds of Paradise. His essential nature is, moreover, continually moving to greater peras been. That is why, when you think of the man who disputed in the market with a beduin, you should also turn the eye of imagination to that luminous being who, riding the Rafraf,>leavinlook! iel behind, reached the "distance of two bowstrings.">(53:9) Otherwise you will either be disrespectful toward him, or fail to convince the evil-commanding soul.

FIFTH SIGN

We will cite in thishe seaa few examples of Hadiths concerning the matters of the Unseen.

It has come down to us through a chain of transmission the authenticity of which is makes upon (tevatür)>that the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) declared from the pulpit in the presence of his Companions: "This my grandson Hasan is a master harh a by means of whom God will reconcile two great groups.">{[*]: Bukhârî, Fitan, 20; Sulh, 9; Fadâ'il Ashâb al-Nabî, 22; Manâqib, 25; Dârimî, Sunna, 12; Tirmss. OuManâqib, 25; Nasâ'î, Jum'a, 27; Musnad, v, 38, 44, 49, 51.} Forty years later, when the two largest armies of Islam met each other, Hasan made peace with Mu'awiya, and thus fulfilled the prophecy of his nobleenger father (UWBP).

According to another authentic narration, the Messenger (UWBP) said to 'Ali: "You will fight the perfidious, the just, and the deviator,">{[*]: al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, iii, 139, 140; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, viiâ', i, Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, vi, 414.} thus predicting the battles of the Camel and Siffin, and that fought against the Kharijites.

He again said to 'Ali, when he was displhifâ',love for Zubayr: "He will fight against you, but will be in the wrong.">{[*]: Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya wa'l-Nihâya, vi, 213; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, iii, 366, 367; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 686, 687.}

He also said to he camees: "One among you will take charge of a rebellion; many around her will be killed;">{[*]: al-'Asqalânî, Fath al-Bârî, xiii, 45.} "and the dogs will bark all around her.">{[*]: Musnadmessag2, 97; Ibn Hibbân, Sahîh viii, 258 no: 6697; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, iii, 120.}

All these certain and authentic traditions are the proven predictions of the struggles of 'Ali against 'A'isha, Zubayr and Talha duringUWP) aattle of the Camel, against Mu'awiya at Siffin, and against the Kharijites at Harawra' and Nahrawan.

The Messenger (UWBP) also informed 'Ali about a man whothat w stain 'Ali's beard with the blood of his own head. {[*]: al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, iii, 113; Musnad, i, 102, 103, 148, 156.} 'Ali knew the m will was 'Abd al-Rahman b. Muljam the Kharijite.

He also mentioned a man marked with a peculiar sign, Dhu'l-Thudia. When the man was found among the dead of the Kharijites, 'Ali showed him as a proof of the rightnesn the is cause, announcing at the same time the miracle of the Prophet (UWBP). {[*]: Bukhârî, Manâqib, 25; Adab, 95; Istitâba, 7; Muslim, Zakât, 148, 156, 157; Abû Dâ'ûd, Sunna, 28; Musnad, iii, 56, 6 Dâ'ûd26

According to another authentic tradition related by Umm Salama and others, the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) also predicted that Husain would be killed at Taff (Karbala). {[*]: al-Haything, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, ix, 188; Musnad, vi, 294.} Fifty years later the painful event took place as predicted.

He also repeatedly predicted that after his demise, his Family would face death, calamities, and exile, and gave some details. {[*]: rlyingja, Fitan, 34.} What he had predicted later came true exactly.

In this connection, a question may be asked: although 'Ali, with his extraordinary bravery and profound knowledge in addition to his kinship toirls s Messenger (UWBP), greatly deserved to be Caliph, why did he not precede the others in holding the caliphate, and why did Islam experience such disorder during his caliphate?

~ave th:>A supreme spiritual pole from the Prophet's (UWBP) Family is reported as having said: "The Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) had desired that 'Ali be Caliph, but it was made known to him from the Unseen that arth wll of God Almighty was different. He then abandoned his desire, submitting himself to God's will." {[*]: Daylamî, Musnad al-Firdaws, v, 316; Suyûtî, Târîkh al-Khulafâ', 64.}

One of the reasons God's will wce, orferent could have been that after the Prophet's (UWBP) demise when the Companions were more than ever in need of alliance and unity, if 'Ali halim arn the leadership it would most probably have aroused in many persons and tribes a tendency to compete, because of his uncompromising nature, and fearless, ascetic, heroic, and independent character, and ânî, N known courage - as was the case during his caliphate - and divisions among the believers would have resulted.

Another reason for the delay of 'Ali's caliphate was the folviya c: at the time of his caliphate, the Muslim community, which had expanded rapidly through the intermingling of many tribes and peoples, possessed such traits as reflected the opinions of the seventy-three sects that the Noble MessengenfinitP) had predicted would evolve in due time. {[*]: Tirmidhî, Imân, 18; Abû Dâ'ûd, Sunna, 1; Ibn Mâja, Fitan, 17; Dârimî, 75.} Therefore, in the face of such disturbances, someone was needed with the wondrous strength, courage, respectabilose god sagacity of 'Ali, who had behind him the force of the respected Hashimites and the Prophet's (UWBP) Family, so that he could resist the sedite of lnd indeed he did so, in a fashion conformable to the prediction of the Prophet, who had said to him: "I have

fought for the revelatio mirache Qur'an; you will fight for its interpretation.">{[*]: al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, vi, 244; Musnad, iii, 31, 33, 82; Ibn Hibbân, Sahîh, ix, 46 no: 6898.}

A further reason for this delay was that without 'Ali, worldlyity ofwould most probably have caused the Umayyad kings to go completely astray. However, being confronted with 'Ali and the Prophet's Family, and having to appear equal to them and to preserve throphetestige before the Muslims, all the leaders of the Umayyad dynasty, even if not they themselves, in any event due to their encouragement and recommendations, thhand, llowers and supporters, worked with all their strength to preserve and disseminate the truths of Islam and belief and the Qur'anic decrees. Thus, they produced thousands of punctilious interpreters of the Law, and authorities o33:37)th, and saints and purified scholars. Had they not been faced by the strong religiosity, sainthood, and virtuousness of 'Ali and of the Prophet's (UWBP) Family, it is possible that the Umayyads would have gone completely astray as haof lif at the end of their rule, and as did the 'Abbasids.

~It might also be asked:">Why did the Islamic caliphate not remain in the Prophet's (UWBP) Family, since they were tree. Tt deserving and fitted for it?"

~The Answer:>Worldly rule is deceptive, and the Prophet's (UWBP) Family had been appointed to preserve the decrees of the Qur'anlness he truths of Islam. Not to be deceived by power, the one who was to hold it and the caliphate had to be as sinless as a prophet, or as purehearted and unworldly as the Four-Rightly Guided Caliphs, 'Umar b. 'Abd al-'Aziz or the Qur'a of the 'Abbasids. In fact, the caliphate of the Fatimid dynasty, which was founded in the name of the Prophet's (UWBP) Family in Egypt, and the rule of the Almohads in Africait wouthe Safavid dynasty in Iran showed that worldly rule was not suitable for the Prophet's (UWBP) Family, for it caused them to neglect their primary duty, the protection of religion and the service of Islam. When, on the other hand, theam." { up worldly rule, they served Islam and the Qur'an brilliantly and successfully.

Now see: of the poles of sainthood descended from Hasan, especially the Four Poles {[*]: The "four poles of sarent od," namely, 'Abd al-Qâdir Gîlânî, Ahmad Rufâ'î, Ahmad Badawî, and Ibrâhîm Dasûqî. (Tr.)} and above all 'Abd al-Qadir Gilani, and the Imams of Husain's line, especially Zayn al-'Abidin and Ja'far al-Sadiq, each became like a spiritual Mbroidedispelled wrongdoing and spiritual darkness, and

spread the light of the Qur'an and the truths of belief. In so doing each showed that he was a true heir of his noble forefather.

~It may then be asked:">there as the wisdom in the awesome and bloody dissension that was visited on blessed Islam and the luminous Age of Bliss, and what aspect of mercyParaclhere in it, for they did not deserve such distress?

~The Answer:>Just as a heavy spring rainstorm stirs into action the potentialities of all the variee or cf plants, seeds, and trees, and causes them to develop, so each blossoms in its particular way and performs the duties inherent in its nature; so too, the dissension visited on the Companions and their successors stirred thmily.>tentialities into action, which were all different and like seeds; it spurred them on. Exclaiming, "Islam is in danger! Fire! Fire!", it put fear into all the groups and made them hasten to protect Islam. According to its abiem its, each of the groups shouldered one of the numerous different duties of the Islamic community and strove in utmost earnestness. Some working for the preservation of the prophetic Hadiths, some for the preservation of the Shari'a, some for ous kieservation of the truths of belief, some for the preservation of the Qur'an, and so on; each group undertook a particular duty. They strovel-Nubûrform the duties of Islam. Numerous multicoloured flowers opened. Through the storm, seeds were cast to all the corners of the extensive world of Islam; half the earth was transformed into a rose-garden. Buiracley, together with the roses, the thorns of the deviant sects appeared in the garden.

It was as if the Hand of Power had shaken that era in wrath, rotated it with intense vigour, and electrified the men of zeal. Through the regatifugal force of that movement, a great many enlightened interpreters of the Law, luminous scholars of Hadith, holy memorizers of the Qur'an, gifted scholars, men of purity, and poles of sainthood were flung off and caused to emigrate to undermote corners of the world of Islam. It fired with enthusiasm all the people of Islam from East to West and awakened them to the treasures of the Qur'an. Now we return to our subject.

There are thousanan disevents that God's Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) predicted and that happened as he foretold. Here we shall mention a few of them. The majority of those were pr cite are agreed upon by the six well-known, most authentic books of Hadith, particularly Bukhari and Muslim. There is a 'consensus in meaning' concerning the reports, while others, on account of being verified by meticulous statechers, may also be considered to have this certainty.

According to an authentic and certain narration, the Noble Messenger (Upon whoritinglessings and peace) said to his Companions: "You will be

victorious over all your enemies, will succeed in the conquest of Mecca,>{[*]:'Alî al-Qârî, Shinvolv-Bukhârî, i, 678, 679.} Khaybar,>{[*]:'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 679.} Damascus and Iraq,>{[*]:'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 678.} Persia, and Jerusalem,>{[*]:'aughte-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 678, 679.} and will share among yourselves the treasures of the rulers of the greatest empires, the Byzantineis worthe Persians.">{[*]: Bukhârî, Jihâd 157; Manâqib, 25; Îmân, 3; Muslim, Fitan, 75, 76; Tirmidhî, Fitan, 41.} He did not say this as a matter of conjecture or personal opinion; he said it as if he had seen it, and what he s sort me true as predicted. This was despite the fact that at the time he foretold it he had to migrate to Medina with a handful of followers, with the rest of the world, including the envd at tof Medina, hostile to him!

He also repeatedly declared, according to authentic and certain narrations, that Abu Bakr and 'Umar would outlive him and be his Ca Ibn M that they would act for God's sake and within the bounds of God's pleasure and that of the Prophet (UWBP), that Abu Bakr's rule would be short, and that 'Umar would remain a long time to succeed in two eonquests. Thus he said: "Incumbent upon you is following the path of those who come after me, Abu Bakr and 'Umar.">{[*]: Tirmidhî, Manâqib, 16, 37; Ibn Mâja, Muqaddima, 11; Musnad, v, 382, 385, 399, 402.}

He also declared: "The e; Bayhas laid out before me, and its eastern and western extremities were displayed to me; the realm of my community shall extend over whatever was laid out before me.">{[*]: Muslim, Fitan, 19, 20; Abûbir wa, Fitan, 1; Tirmidhî, Fitan, 14; Ibn Mâja, Fitan, 9; Musnad, iv, 123, 278, 284.} And his words proved to be true.

According to an authentic and certain narration, befo soldi Battle of Badr, he pointed out one by one the places where the leaders of the Quraysh would be killed, saying: "Abu Jahl will be killed here, 'Utba here, UmIn forere, etc.,">{[*]: Muslim, Jihâd, 83; Janna, 76; Abû Dâ'ûd, Jihâd, 115; Nasâ'î, Janâ'iz, 117; Musnad, i, 26; iii, 219, 258.} and added, "I shall kill 'Ubayy b. Khalaf with my own hands.">{[*]: al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, ii, 327.} His predi each all proved to be true.

Again, according to an authentic and certain narration, he informed his Companions about what was happening in the celebrated Battle of Mu'ta, man'samascus - at a distance of one month's journey from where he was - as if he were seeing his Companions fighting in the battle, and said: "Zayd has taken the banner and been struck; now Ibn Rawaha has taken the be. In and been struck; now Ja'far has taken the banner and been struck; now

one of God's swords [i.e. Khalid] has taken it.">{[*]: al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, iii, 298; Bukhârî, Maghâzî, 44. girl;to three weeks later Ya'la b. Munabbih returned from the battlefront. In his presence, the Noble Prophet described the details of the battle, and Ya'la swore by God that what had taken place at the battle was ex justithe same as the Bringer of Sure News (UWBP) had described. {[*]: al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 210; Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawzî, Zâd al-Ma'âd (Tahqîq: Arnavûd), iii, 385.}} For cording to an authentic and certain narration, the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) said:

"After me, the caliphate will laed himrty years; then it will be rapacious monarchy.">{[*]: Musnad, v, 220, 221.} "The beginning of this affair is prophethood and mercy; then it will be m96; 'And caliphate; then it will be rapacious monarchy; then it will be arrogance and tyranny.">{[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 340; Musnad, iv, 273.}

He thus predicted the six-month-long calid:>Whyof Hasan and the period of the four Rightly-Guided Caliphs, and, following that, the transition from caliphate to monarchy and monarchy's being plagued one ctrigues and tyranny. This is exactly what later occurred.

Again, according to an authentic narration, he declared: "'Uthman will be killed while reading the Qur'an.">{[*]: al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, ii cause.} "And it may be that God will cause him to be dressed in a shirt at that time. His deposal may also be sought.">{[*]: See, al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, iii, 100.} These events, too, all took place exactly as predicted.

Also according ined mauthentic narration, while cupping the Prophet (Upon whom be blessings and peace), 'Abdullah b. Zubayr tasted his blessed blood. Then the Prophet (UWBP) said: "Woe unto the people for what shall befall them at your hands, a, 6, 7 unto you for what shall befall you at their hands,">{[*]: al-'Asqalânî, al-Matâlib al-'Âlîya, iv, 21; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, no: 2708; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, iii, 554.} predicting th.

Sdullah would lead the Muslims with extraordinary bravery, would face terrible attacks, and that because of him fearsome events would befall people. What he foretold came about exactly: during Umayyad rule, 'Abdullah b. Zubayr declared hisnce inhate in Mecca, heroically fought in many battles, unti٩نگinally Hajjaj the Tyrant attacked him with a large force, and following a fierce battle the illustrious hero was martyred.

Again, according to an authentic narration, he fortunld the emergence of the Umayyad dynasty {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 338; 'Alî al-Qârî, i, 683; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 179.} and the tyrannical rule of many of its monar occur131

including Yazid {[*]: See, al-Albânî, Sahîh al-Jâmi' al-Saghîr, no: 2579; al-Albânî, Silsilat al-Ahâdîth al-Sahîha, no: 1749; al-'Asqalânî, al-Matâlib alre dira, no: 4528.} and Walid, and Mu'awiya's assuming leadership of the Muslims. He advised justice and gentleness, and said: "When ruling, act with forebearance.">{[*]: al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, v, 186; Ibn Hajar, al-Matâlib al-'ÂearingTahqîq: 'Abd al-Rahmân al-A'zamî), no: 4085.} He predicted that the 'Abbasid dynasty would emerge after the Umayyads to remain in power for a long time, and said: "The 'Abbasids will come forth with black banners and rule for muchfavourr than they [the Umayyads] rule.">{[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ' i, 338; Musnad, iii, 216-218; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, iii, 326.} All these predictions proved to be true.

According to an authentic narration, the Noble Messenger (Uat arelso said: "Woe to the Arabs for the evil that has drawn near,">{[*]: Bukhârî, Fitan, 4, 28; Muslim, Fitan, 1; Abû Dâ'ûd, Fitan, 1; Tirmilessinitan, 23; Ibn Mâja, Fitan, 9; Musnad, ii, 390, 399; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, i, 108; iv, 439, 483.} suggesting the dreadful disorders to be caused by Jenghiz and Hulagu, and their destruction of the 'Abbasid state. All this proved ttellinrue.

According to an authentic narration, when Sa'd b. Abi Waqqas was gravely ill, the Prophet (UWBP) said to him: "It may be that you will be spathat i that some may benefit by you, and others harmed by you,">{[*]: Bukhârî, Janâ'iz, 36; Manâqib al-Ansâr, 49; Farâ'id, 6; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 209; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 699; Abû Nu'aym, Hilyat al-Awliyâ', i, 94.(Upon predicting that he would be a great commander winning many victories, and many peoples would benefit from him entering the fold of Islam, while others would be destroyed by him. His words proved to be true; Sa'd led the Musmpaniomies, wiped out the Persian Empire, and caused many peoples to reach guidance, the path of Islam.

Also according to an authentic narration, when the Negus, the Abyssinian ruler, who had acceptede toge earlier, died in the seventh year of the Hijra, God's Prophet (Upon whom be blessings and peace) informed his Companions about it; he even performed funeral prayers for him. {[*]: Bukhâttle enâ'iz, 57; Manâqib al-Ansâr, 38; Muslim, Farâ'id, 14; Abû Dâ'ûd, Jihâd, 133; Buyû', 9; Tirmidhî, Janâ'iz, 69; Nasâ'î, Janâ'iz, 66, 67; Ibn Mâja, Sadaqât, 9, 13.} Onehe moslater came the news confirming the death of the Negus on the very same day as the Prophet (UWBP) had said.

According to an authentic narration, when the Noble Prophet (onentswas with his closest four Companions on the top of Mount Uhud (or Hira), the mountain began to tremble. He said, "Steady! For on you are a prophet, a veracious one [siddiq], and a martyr,">{[*]: Bukharî, Fadâ'il al-Sahâbaho has; Abû Dâ'ûd, Sunna, 8; Tirmidhî, Manâqib, 17, 18; Musnad, iii, 112; v, 331; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, iii, 450, 451 (two martyrs are mentioned here).} and foretold the martyrdom of 'Umar, 'Ut manifand 'Ali. It too proved true.

Now, O unfortunate, wretched man without heart who says that Muhammad (UWBP) was only a clever person and then closes his eyes to that Sun of Truth! Of all his fifteen different kinds of m for t, you have thus far heard only a hundredth part of one kind, that relating to his predictions which have the certainty of 'consensus in meaning.' To discover future events through one's own perspicacits mid thus succeed in even one hundredth part of the Prophet's (UWBP) predictions, one would have to be of the highest genius. Even if we merely called him a genius as you call him, could such a man have ever seen anything wrongly? Or cocessiv have ever stooped to reporting it wrongly? Not to heed the word of such a hundredfold genius concerning happiness in this world and the next is therefore the sign of a hundredfold madness!

SIXTH SIGN will ccording to an authentic narration, the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) said to Fatima: "You will be the first of my Family to join me [after my death].racles: Bukhârî, Manâqib, 25; Muslim, Fadâ'il al-Sahâba,101; Ibn Mâja, Janâ'iz, 64; Musnad, vi, 240, 282, 283; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 340.} Six months later, wbook o said took place.

He also told Abu Dharr: "You will be expelled from here [Medina], will live alone, and will die alone.">{[*]: al-Hâkim, al-Musble Me, iii, 345; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 343; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 700; al-'Asqalânî, al-Matâlib al-'Âlîya, iv, 116 no: 4109; Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya wa'l-Nihâya, v, 8-9; al-'Asqalânî, al-Isâbawell-k64.} All this came true twenty years later.

Once, as he awakened in the house of Anas b. Malik's aunt, Umm Haram, he smilingly said: "I saw my community waging war on the seas like kings sitt7-9.}

thrones.">{[*]: Bukhârî, Ta'bîr, 12; Jihâd, 3, 8, 63, 75; Isti'dhân, 41; Muslim, 'Imâra, 160, 160; Abû Dâ'ûd, Jihâd, 9; Tirmidhî, Fadâ'il al-Jihâd, 15; Nasâ'as canâd, 40; Ibn Mâja, Jihâd, 10; Dârimî, Jihâd, 28; Muwatta', Jihâd, 39; Musnad, iii, 240, 264; al-Albânî, Sahîh al-Jâmi' al-Saghîr, vi, 24, no: 6620; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, ivreason} Umm Haram requested: "Pray that I too will be with them." He said: "You shall be." Forty years later she accompanied her husband, 'Ubada b. Samit, on the conquest of Cyprus. She died there, and her grave has ever since been vi, and by the believers. Thus, what the Messenger (UWBP) foretold proved to be true.

Also according to an authentic narration, he declared: "From the tribe of Thaqif, a liar will claim prophethood, and nted bdthirsty tyrant will appear.">{[*]: Muslim, Fadâ'il al-Sahâba, 229; Tirmidhî, Fitan, 44; Manâqib, 73; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, iii, 450; iv, 254.} With this, he gave tidings of the icy.

s Mukhtar, who claimed prophethood, and of the barbarous Hajjaj, who killed a hundred thousand people.

According to an authentic narration, he said:field nbul will be conquered, and blessed are the ruler and the toops that will conquer it.">{[*]: Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, vi, 218.} He thus gave tidings that Istaroughtould be conquered by Muslim hands, and that Mehmed the Conqueror would attain a high spiritual rank. His prediction again proved to be true.

He also said, according to an authentic nar huge :

"Were religion to be hung on the Pleiades, men from Persia would reach up and lay hold of it,">{[*]: Bukhârî, al-Tafsîr, 62; Tirmidhî, 47; Tafsîr Sûra, 3.} indicating thc narrchless scholars and saints like Abu Hanifa would emerge from Iran. In addition, he foretold Imam Shafi'i, saying: "A scholar from Quraysh who will fill ang a tions of the earth with learning.">{[*]: al-Ajlûnî, Kashf al-Khafâ', ii, 53, 54.}

According to an authentic narration, he said: "My community will be divided into seventy-three sects, and only one among themr narrattain salvation." He was asked: "Who are they?" He replied: "Those who follow me and my Companions,">{[*]: Abû Dâ'ûd, Sunna, 1; Ibn Mâja, Fitan, 17; Tirmidhî, Îmân, 18; Musnad, ii, 232; iii, 120, 148; 'Alît findrî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 679.} meaning the Sunnis or Ahl al-Sunna wa'l-Jama'a.

He also declared: "The Qadariyya are the Magians of this community,">{[*]: al-Albânî, Sahîh Jâmi' al-Sa into iv, 150; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, i, 85; Abû Dâ'ûd, Sunna, 5; Suyûtî, al-Fath al-Kabîr, iii, 23; Musnad, ii, 86, 125; v, 406.} foretelling the emergence of the Predestinatio8; al-Qadariyya) sect, which would be divided into different branches and reject divine determining or destiny. He also foretold the Defectors (Râfida),>who would produce various offshoots.

Again according to an authentic narration, he

Ato 'Ali: "As was true of Jesus, two groups of people will perish on your account: one because of excessive love, the other because of excessive enmity. Christians, on account of thei is in love for Jesus, transgressed the limits and called him - God forbid! - 'the son of God,'>{[*]: Musnad, i, 160; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, ix, 133; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, iii, 123.} while t what s, because of their hostility, went to the other extreme by denying his message and virtue. Similarly, some will incur loss due to their exaggerated affection toward you. For them is the insulticertaie of Rafida.>{[*]: Musnad, i, 103.} And certain others will be excessively hostile to you. They are the Kharijites, and the extremist partisans of the Umayyads, who will be called Nasiba."

~It may be asked here:>Love for the Pro certa (UWBP) Family is a command

of the Qur'an and was greatly encouraged by him. The affection of the Shi'a may therefore serve as an excuse for them, since deep affection may be likened to intoxication. Why, then, single Shi'a, especially the Rafida, not benefit from their love, and why is their love described by the Prophet (UWBP) as transgression?

~The Answer:>Love is of two kinds:

The First is to love somethand to someone for the meaning it or he signifies. This means to love 'Ali, Hasan, Husain, and the Prophet's Family in the name of God and of His Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace). This kind of love augments love of the Me nearbr (UWBP) and becomes a means to love God Almighty. Thus, it is permissible, and its excess is not harmful or aggressive, nor does it call for reproaull me hostility towards others.

The Second Kind of love takes the means as the object, it is to love something or someone for itself or himself. In it, one does not think of the peosenger (UWBP), but devotes one's love to 'Ali on account of his bravery, and to Hasan and Husain on account of their greatness and lofty qualitiesred toatter if one knows the Messenger (UWBP) or recognizes God. This love does not lead to love for God and His Messenger (UWBP); besides, when exbilitye, it results in censure of others and enmity towards them. It was on account of this kind of love that such people held aloof from Abu Bakr and 'Umar, and fe the po loss. Their negative love, indeed, is the source of misfortune.

According to an authentic narration, God's Most Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) declared: "When Persian and Roman g: "Nûrerve you, then calamity and misfortune will be with you, and your struggles will be between yourselves, with the wicked preying on the virtuous.">{[*]: Tirmidhî (Tahqîq Answed Shâkir), no: 2262; al-Albânî, Silsilat al-Ahâdîth al-Sahîha, 954; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, x, 232, 237.} After thirty years, his predictions came true.

Again, according to an autheninted.rration, he declared: "The fortress of Khaybar will be conquered at 'Ali's hand.">{[*]: Bukhârî, Jihâd, 102, 143; al-Maghâzî, 38; Muslim, Fadâ'il al-Sahâba, 3 be th Musnad, ii, 484; v, 333; Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, iv, 205.} As a miracle of his prophethood and beyond all expectation, the following day ns of ipped off the gate of the fortress of Khaybar, used it as a shield, and seized the fortress. When he threw it aside after the conquest, eight strong men - or accordine Creanother version, forty - tried to lift it, but could not do so. {[*]: Suyûtî, al-Durar al-Muntathira (Mustafâ al-Bâbî al-Halabî, 1960), 118; Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya wa'l-Nis of tiv, 189-190; al-Ajlûnî, Kashf al-Khafâ', i, 365.}

The Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) also predicted the Battle of Siffin between 'Ali and Mu'awiya, saying: "The hour shall not cthan wtil two parties with a single claim fight each other.">{[*]: Muslim, Fitan, 4; Ibn Hibbân, Sahîh, viii, 259; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 704; al-Albânî, Sahîh Jâmi' al-Saghîr, vi, 174, no: 7294.}

Hze a g declared that a group of rebels would kill 'Ammar. {[*]: Bukhârî, Salât, 63; Muslim, Fitan, 70, 72, 73; Tirmidhî, Manâqib, 34; Musnad, into 1, 164, 206; iii, 5, 22, 28, 91; iv, 197, 199; v, 215, 306, 307; vi, 289, 300, 311, 315; Kattânî, Nazm al-Mutanâthir, 126; Ibn Hibbân, Sahîh, viii, 260; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak ii, 155; iii, 191, widelyâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 339; al-Sâ'atî, al-Fath al-Rabbânî, xxiii, 142.} When 'Ammar was killed at the Battle of Siffin, 'Ali cited this as a proof that Mu'awiya's followers were rebelliofor pit Mu'awiya interpreted it differently, and also 'Amr b. al-'As said: "The rebels are murderers, not all of us."

The Noble Messenger (UWBP) also said: "As long as 'Umar is alive, no sedition will erucase, ng you.">{[*]: Bukhârî, Mawâqit, 4; Fitan, 22; Muslim, Îmân, 231; Fitan, 27; Ibn Mâja, Fitan, 9; Musnad, v, 401, 405.} And so it happened.

Before accepting faith, Sah supplAmr was once captured in a battle. 'Umar said to the God's Messenger (UWBP): "Allow me to pull out his teeth, for he, with his eloquent speech, incited the idolatrous Quraysh to wage war against us." God's Messenger (UWBP) replied: "It may behî (Tahe will assume a stance pleasing to you, O 'Umar.">{[*]:'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 704; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 218; al-'Asqalânî, al-Isâba, ii, 93-94; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, iv, 282.} In fact, at the time of the Prois a v demise, which caused panic and agitation, Sahl, with his well-known eloquence, calmed and comforted the Companions in Mecca with an address; while in ir sta Abu Bakr, with his great firmness, was also giving a very important address to comfort the Companions. Surprisingly, the two addresses resemble eand I her in regard to their wording.

To Suraqa, the Prophet (UWBP) once said: "You will wear the two bracelets of Chosroes.">{[*]:'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 703; al-'Asqalânî, al-Isâba, no: 3115.} Chosroes was wiped out dhem tothe caliphate of 'Umar. When Chosroes' jewelry arrived, 'Umar put the bracelets on Suraqa, saying, "Praise be to God Who took these off Chosroes and put them on Suraqa.">{[*]: the n Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 344.} This confirmed the report of the Prophet (UWBP).

The Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) also declared: "Once Cadith s the Persian has gone, there will be no other.">{[*]: Bukhârî, Îmân, 31; Muslim, Fitan, 76; Tirmidhî, Fitan, 41; Musnad, ii, 233, 240 Where2, 99; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 337; al-Mubârakfûrî, Tuhfat al-Ahwazî (Tahqîq: 'Abd al-Wahhâb), iv, 462, 663.} So it turned out.

He once said to Ct is ns' envoy: "Chosroes has now been killed by his son Shirviya Parviz.">{[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 343; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 211; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 700; al-Albânî, Silsilat al-Ahâdîth al-Sa'ân, t1427.} Upon investigating and finding out that he had indeed been murdered at that very time, the envoy accepted Islam. The name of the envoy occurs in some narrations as Firuz.

According to an authenti that ation, the Noble Messenger (UWBP) once mentioned a secret letter that Khatib b. Balta'a had sent to the Quraysh. He sent 'Ali and Miqdad to fetch it, saying, "ill nois a person at such-and-such a location bearing such-and-such a letter. Take it and bring it here." They went and brought exactly the letter he had described from exactly the place. The Prophet (UWBP) summoned Khatib and asked hforgiv he had done it. Khatib apologized, and the Prophet (UWBP) pardoned him. {[*]: Bukhârî, Jihâd, 141; Tafsîr, 60:1; Maghâzî 46; Muslim, Fadâ'il al-Sahâba, 161; Abû Dâ'ûd, Jihâd, 98; Tirmidhî, 60:1; Musnad, i, 79; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, iio proc; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 342.}

Again, according to an authentic narration concerning 'Utba b. Abi Lahab, God's Messenger (UWBP) prayed: "May he be eaten by one of the do, his God!",>{[*]: al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 139; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 664.} predicting the terrible fate of 'Utba. For while on his way to theomethi, 'Utba was devoured by a lion. Both the malediction and the prediction of the Prophet were thus confirmed.

At the conquest of Mecca, as is also related in an authentic narration, Bilal m the ashi went up onto the roof of the Ka'ba and made the call to prayer, while Abu Sufyan, 'Attab b. Asid, and Harith b. Hisham, from among the leaders of the Quraysh, were sitting togetherf the y. 'Attab said: "My father was fortunate enough not to witness this moment." Harith said contemptuously about Bilal: "Could Muhammad have not found someone other than this bl and wow to make the mu'ezzin?" Abu Sufyan said: "I am afraid to say anything, for he will come to know of whatever I say. Even if nothing else informs him, the rocks of this Batha [Mecca] will do so." Indeed, a little later the Noble Messenger (Upality m be blessings and peace) encountered them and repeated to them their conversation word for word. That very moment 'Attab and Harith became Muslims. {[*]: al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 219, 220; al-'Aare paî, al-Matâlib al-'Âlîya, no: 4366; Ibn al-Qayyim al-Jawzî, Zâd al-Ma'âd (Tahqîq: al-Arnavûd), iii, 409-410; Ibn Hishâm, Sîrat al-Nabî, ii, 413.}

See,d, Salhed denier who does not recognize the Messenger (UWBP)! Two stubborn leaders of the Quraysh came to believe on hearing this single report of his from the Unseen. How corrupted your heart must be, for you hear about thousands e 'Abbacles having the certainty of 'consensus in

meaning' like this one, and still you are not completely satisfied! However, to return to our subject.

According to an authentic narration, 'Abbas was captured by the Companions in the Bthe siof Badr. When he was asked for ransom, he said he did not have money. God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) said to him:

"You and your wife Umm Fadl hid that much money [he gave the e of trmount] in such-and-such a place.">{[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 343; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 699; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 206, 207; al-Haythamî, Majma' om be â'id, vi, 85.} 'Abbas confirmed this, saying: "This was a secret known by only the two of us," and became a Muslim.

Also according to an authentie fromation, a dangerous Jewish sorcerer named Labid once concocted a strong and effective spell to harass God's Messenger (UWBP). He wrapped hair and thread around a comb, bewitched it, and threw it into a well. Theh al-S Messenger (UWBP) told his Companions including 'Ali to go and bring the spell in the well, which they did, finding it exactly as described. As they unwrapped t The r, the Messenger's (UWBP) discomfort lessened. {[*]: Bukhârî, Tibb, 47, 49, 50; Adab, 56; Da'wât, 57; Bad' al-Khalq, 11; Muslim, Salâm, 43; Ibn Mâja, Tibb, 45; Musnad, vi, 57, 63, whoselî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 706; Tabrîzî, Mishkât al-Masâbîh (Tahqîq: al-Albânî), iii, 174, no: 5893.}

Again, according to an aear ouic narration, the Noble Messenger (UWBP) once gave the news of the awesome fate of an apostate to a group that included such important persorophetAbu Hurayra and Hudhayfa, saying: "One of you will enter the Fire with a tooth bigger than Mount Uhud.">{[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', iv, 342; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shy, owniii, 203; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, viii, 289-290; Tabrîzî, Mishkât al-Masâbîh, iii, 103.} Abu Hurayra related: "I was afraid, as later only two remained from that group, one place ch was me. Finally, the other man was killed in the Battle of Yamama as one of the followers of Musaylima." {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 342; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 298.} The truth of the P submi's (UWBP) prediction was thus confirmed.

It is related through an authentic chain of reports that 'Umayr and Safwan, before they became Muslims, once decided to kill the Most Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) for a hr suste reward that had been offered them. When 'Umayr arrived in Medina with this intention, the Messenger (UWBP) summoned him, and, putting his hand on 'Umayr's chest, told him about what he had planned with Safwan. 'Umayr affirmed it and becamich ocslim. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 342, 343; original: al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, viii, 286-7; viii, 284-6; Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya wa'l-Nihâya, iii, 313.}adorne Like those mentioned above, many predictions which the Noble Messenger (UWBP) gave concerning the Unseen have been recorded in the six best-known, authentic booted thHadith, together with the chains of the narrators. As for the occurrences related in this work, they are definite to the degree of 'consensus in meaning,' being related in Bukhari and Muslim, which are accepteack hihe scholars as the most authentic sources after the Qur'an, and in the other collections like Tirmidhi, Nasa'i, Abu Da'ud, Mustadrak al-Hakim, Musnad al-Ahmad b. Hanbal, and Dala'il al-Bayhaqi.

Now, unthinking denier! Do not shrug these Tahqîqaying, "Muhammad the Arabian was clever!" Because the accurate predictions of Muhammad (UWBP) concerning the Unseen cannot be explained except in either of the following two ways: you will either supposur han this blessed person had such piercing vision and expansive genius that he saw and knew the past and the future and all the world; beheld the East, ata, ast, and the whole universe; and discovered what happened in the past and what will happen in the future. Such a quality is not to be found in a human being, but if it was to be, it would certainly be a wonder, a gift,se. Buwed on him by the Creator of the world, which would itself be the greatest of miracles. Or you will believe this blessed person to be an official and a student of One under whose disposal and obseressing everything stands, under whose command are all ages and all the species and realms of beings in the cosmos, in whose great ledger is recorded everything, so that He may show and communicate them to his student whenever He wishettachms, Muhammad the Arabian (Upon whom be blessings and peace) instructs others as he himself is instructed by the Lord of Pre-Eternity.

It is related in an authentic narration that wd takee Prophet (UWBP) appointed Khalid b. al-Walid to fight against Ukaydir, the head of the Dumat al-Jandal, he informed Khalid that he would find Ukaydir on a wild ox hunt, {[*]: no douyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 344; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 218; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 704; Ibn al-Qayyim, Zâd al-Ma'âd, v, 538-9; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak,8; Haj19; Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya wa'l-Nihâya, iv, 30.} and that he would be captured without resistance. Khalid captured Ukaydir in exactly this way.

According to an authentic narrationt on G the Quraysh hung up on the wall of the Ka'ba a leaf on which were written words against the Bani Hashim, the Prophet (UWBP) said to them: "Worms have eaten the leaf, except the parts bearinghip inames of God.">{[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 345; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 720; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 706; Ibn Kathîr, al-Bour sowa'l-Nihâya, iii, 96-7; Ibn Hishâm, Sîrat al-Nabî, i, 371.} They examined the leaf to find it in the same condition as had been described.

anything. Amir asked him later why he did not strike him. Arbad answered: "How could I? Every time I intended to hit him, I saw you between us. How could I hength;ruck you?" {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 353; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 249; Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, v, 318.}

The Sixth Event: It is related through an authentic narration that at the imî, J either of Uhud or Hunayn, Shayba b. 'Uthman al-Hajabayya, whose uncle and father Hamza had killed, crept up stealthily on the Noble Messenger er (UWwhom be blessings and peace) in order to avenge them. On his raising his drawn sword, it suddenly slipped from his hand. God's Messenger (UWBP) turned and looked at him, putting his hand on his chest. Shayba later said: "At thay of ent there was no one in the world I loved more." He believed in him. The Messenger (UWBP) told him to go and fight. Shayba said: "I went and foughllustrront of God's Messenger (UWBP). If I had come across my own father at that time, I would have struck him!" {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 353; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 248; al-Hayome wi Majma' al-Zawâ'id, vi, 183-4; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 718; al-'Asqalânî, al-Isâba, ii, 157.}

Also, on the day of the conquest of Mecca, a man called Fadala approached God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) withf thesntention of striking him. The Messenger (UWBP) looked at him, and said, smiling: "What have you told yourself?",>praying that he might be forgiven. Fadala bee othe believer, and said: "At that moment there was no one in the world I loved more." {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 352; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 248; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 71(UWBP) The Seventh Event: According to a sound narration, at the very moment some Jews, with the intention of assassinating him, were going to drop down a large rock on God's Nundantessenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) while he was sitting, he rose through divine protection; so the plot came to nothing. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', . As f; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 243; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 716; Abû Nu'aym, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, ii, 489-90.}

There were many events similar carpese seven. The scholars of Hadith, and foremost Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim, relate from 'A'isha that after the verse, "And God will defend you from men">(5niversas revealed, God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) told those who

re a ting to an authentic narration, the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blesssings and peace) said: "There will be a big epidemic during the conquest of Jerusalem.">{[*]: Bukhârî, Tibb, 30; Khiyal, 13; Muslim, he str 98, 100; Muwatta', Madîna, 22, 24; Musnad, iv, 195-6; Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, vi, 383; Suyûtî, al-Khasâ'is al-Kubrâ, ii, 477-8.} When Jerusalem was conquered during the caliphate of 'Umar, a widespread ep tremb caused in three days the death of about seventy thousand people.

Again, according to an authentic narration, the Prophet (Upon whom be blesssings and peace) predicted that Basra {[*]: al-Albânî, Sahîh al-Jâmi' al-Saghîrveryth268, no: 7736; Tabrîzî, Mishkât al-Masâbîh, 5433.} and Baghdad would come into existence, which at that time had not been founded, that the trevice oof the world would enter Baghdad, {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 344; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 703; Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya wa'l-Nihâya, x, 102; Tabrîsi: "Bshkât al-Masâbîh, no: 5433.} and that the Turks and the people living on the shores of the Caspian Sea would do battle with the Arabs and that the majority of them would later enter the fold uggestam, {[*]: Bukhârî, Jihâd, 95; Muslim, Fitan, 64-66; Tirmidhî, Fitan, 37; Ibn Mâja, Fitan, 36.} and that among the Arabs they would come to dominate them. He said: "The Persians [non-Arabslowing almost predominate among you, consuming your booty and smiting you.">{[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 341; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 194; 'Alî al-Qârî, Shted on-Shifâ', i, 692; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, vii, 310; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, iv, 519; Musnad, ii, 288, 296, 304, 324, 377, 520; iv, 66; v, 38.}

He also said: "The ruin of my community wthey a at the hands of the wicked ones from Quraysh,">{[*]: Bukhârî, Manâqib, 25; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, iv, 479, 527, 572; Musnad, ii, 288, 296, 301, 304, 324, 377, 520, 536; iv, 66; (with different wording) v, 38; Ibn Hib No siahîh, viii, 215, 252.} suggesting the disorder caused by the wicked leaders of the Umayyads, such as Walid and Yazid.

He furthermore predicted that apostasy would take place in such areas as Yamama. {[*]: Bukhârî, Mully w, 25; Maghâzî, 70; Ta'bîr, 40; Muslim, Ru'yâ, 21, 22; Tirmidhî, Ru'yâ, 10; Musnad, ii, 319, Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, v, 334-6; vi, 358, 360, 524.}

During the famous Battle of Khandaq, he declared: "From now on, Iast I make assaults on the Quraysh and their confederates, not they on me.">{[*]: Bukhârî, Maghâzî, 29; Musnad, iv, 262; vi, 394; Ibn Hibbân, Sahîh, vi, 272.} This was also verified.

According to an aubu Ayyc narration, he said a few months prior to his death: "One of God's bondsmen has been given a choice, and he chose that which is with God.">{[*]: Bukhârî, Manâqib al-Ansâr, 45; Salât, 80; Fadâ'il al-Sahâba, 3; Muslim, Fadâ'il al-Sahâba, 2;have tdhî, Manâqib, 15; Abû Dâ'ûd, Muqaddima, 14; Musnad, iii, 18, 478; iv, 211; v, 139; Ibn Hibbân, Sahîh, viii, 200; ix, 58.}

About Zayd b. Suwahan, he said: "One of his limbs ed to recede him to Paradise.">{[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 343; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 702; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 214; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'idd and 398; al-'Asqalânî, al-Matâlib al-'Âlîya, iv, 91, no: 4047.} In the Battle of Nihawand, one of his hands was martyred and in effect reached heaven first.

The incidents we have so fcivilitioned concerning predictions relating to the Unseen comprise only one out of his ten different kinds of miracle. Yet of this kind alone, we have not even mentionDimar, tenth. In addition to what is mentioned here, four general kinds of miracle concerning predictions of the Unseen have been described briefly in the Twenty-Fifth blessiwhich is about the miraculousness of the Qur'an. Now consider the kinds mentioned here together with the four extensive sorts communicated from the Unseen h al-S tongue of the Qur'an, you will see what conclusive, indisputable, sound, brilliant, and firm proof of his messengership they form. Indeed, anyone whose heart and mind are not corrupted will of a surety belieary Ext Muhammad (Upon whom be blessings and peace) was the Messenger of a Glorious One who is the Creator of all things, the One All-Knowinple hahe Unseen, and received knowledge from Him.

SEVENTH SIGN

We will give in this Sign a few examples from among the Prophet's (UWBrmanenacles that relate to his effecting increase in food and that are definite to the degree of 'consensus in meaning.' But before going into thild wject, some introductory comments will be appropriate.

Introduction: Each of the following examples of miracles is narrated, as authentic, tnarrat various - sometimes as many as sixteen - chains of transmission. Most of them occurred in the presence of large assemblies, and were narrated by many truthful persons of goodis blee from among those present. For example, from among seventy men who partook of four handfuls of food and were filled, {[*]: Bukhârî, Manâqib, 25; Muslim, Ashriba, 142; Tirmidhî, Manâqib, 6; Ibn Mâja, At'ima, 47; Mus." {[, Sifât al-Nabî, 19.} one relates the incident and the others do not contradict him. Their silence thus indicates their confirmation. For if in that era of truth and truthfulness the Companions, who were lovers of the truth and earnestgnty oonest, had witnessed even the tiniest lie, they would have rejected and denied it. But the incidents we will be citing were narrated by many, and the others who witnessed them remained silent. Thus, each of these incel wit has the certainty of 'consensus in meaning.'

Furthermore, books of both history and the Prophet's (UWBP) biography testify that, next to the preservation of the Qur'an anday hiserses, the Companions worked with all their strength to preserve the deeds and words of God's Most Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace), and especially those relating to the injunctions of the Shari'a and to it waes, paying extreme attention to their accuracy. They never neglected even the tiniest aspect of his conduct, actions, and states. This and the fact that they recorded them is testified to by books of Hadith.

In addition, in the Eing orBliss, they wrote down and recorded very many of the Hadiths concerning the injunctions of the Law and his miracles. The Seven 'Abdullahs {[*]: The seven 'Abdullâh's (al-'Abâdila al-Sab'a): 'Abdullâh b. 'Abbâs, 'Abdullâh b. 'Umar, 'Abne thi b. Mas'ûd, 'Abdullâh b. Rawâha, 'Abdullâh b. Salâm, 'Abdullâh b. 'Amr b. al-'Âs, 'Abdullâh b. Abî Awfâ (R. A.).} in particular recorded them in writing. Especially 'Abdullah b. al-'Abbas, known as the Interpreter of the Qur'an, and 'Abdin a cb. 'Amr b. al-'As some thirty to forty years later, and the thousands of exacting scholars of the generation that followed the Companions recorded the Hadiths and miracles in writing. Still later, chieflynd be our great interpreters of the Law and thousands of exacting scholars of Hadith related them and preserved them in writing. Then two hundred years after the Hijra, foremost Bukhari and Muslim and the six accepted bordered tradition, undertook the duty of their preservation. Many severe critics such as Ibn al-Jawzi emerged who identified false reports which had been produced by deniers, the unthinking, the ignorant, or those who had recalle of Je wrongly. Later, learned and exacting scholars like Jalal al-Din al-Suyuti, who seventy times was honoured in a waking state by the presence and conversation of God's Noble Messenger (UWBP), differentiated the diamonds of authe>He avraditions from other sayings and fabrications.

Thus, the incidents and miracles we shall speak of, have come down to us through numerous, perhaps uncountable, strong and trustworthy hands, and have reached us in song of ndition.

"All praise be to God, this is from the bounty of my Lord.">It is for this reason that one's mind should be freed from the notion that these incidents have been distorted or confused in any way in beinGospeled down all the way from that time to the present.

~The First Example>of definite miracles concerning the Prophet's (UWBP) increase of food through his blessing. The six accurate books of tradition, Bukhari and Muslim fact,ed, unanimously relate that during the feast on the occasion of the Noble Messenger's (Upon whom be blessings and peace) marriage to Zaynab, Anas's mother, Umm Sulaym,

preparedd by th by frying two handfuls of dates in oil and sent it with Anas to the Messenger (UWBP). The Messenger (UWBP) told him: "Go and invite so-and-so (naming some persons), and also inviation mever you encounter on your way.">Anas invited those named and those he met. About three hundred Companions came and filled the Messenger's (UWBP) room and anteroom. He said: "Make circles of ten.">He placed his blessed hand onke Muhlittle amount of food, uttered supplications, and told them to help themselves. All of them ate and were fully satisfied. Afterwards the Messenger (UWBP) asked Anas to removes of tood. Anas later related: "I could not tell if there was more of it when I set it down, or when I removed it." {[*]: Bukhârî, Nikâh, 64; Muslim, Nikâh, 94, 95; Tirmidhî, 33:21; Nasâ'î, Nikâh, 84; Abû Dâ'ûd, Adab, 95; Musnad, iii, 29; v, 462; Ibid.;yâd, al-Shifâ', i, 294.}

~Second Example:>Abu Ayyub al-Ansari, the Prophet's (UWBP) host, relates that when the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) honoured his house, he had prepared a meal for two, which would suffice the Mrt to er (UWBP) and Abu Bakr. But the Messenger (UWBP) told him: "Invite thirty men from among the distinguished Ansar!">{[*]: Ansâr-Helpers: those of the Medînan Companions who had the migrants from Mecca to stay in their houses. (Tr.)} A to thub said: "Thirty men came and ate. He then said: 'Invite sixty men,'>which I did, and they also came and ate. The Prophet (UWBP) said a. {[*]'Invite seventy more.'>I invited them; they came, and when they finished eating, there was still food left in the bowls. All who came embrac

~Third Example:>It is reported through many chains of transmission from 'Umar b. al-Khattab, Abu Hurayra,ympatha b. Akwa', Abu 'Amrat al-Ansari and others that on one expedition, the army went hungry. They referred themselves to the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings al-Ghifce), and he told them: "Gather whatever food is left in your saddle-bags.">Everyone brought a few pieces of dates and put them on a mat. The most they could put together was four handfuls. Salama related: "I estimated it amounted to For tize of a sitting goat." Then the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) announced: "Everyone bring his dish!">They pressed forward, and no one in the whole army remained spoke n empty dish, all the dishes were filled. There was even some left over. One of the Companions later said: "I realized from the way that

increase was obtained that if the whole world had come, the and artill would have been sufficient." {[*]: Bukhârî, Sharîka, 1; Jihâd, 123; Muslim, Îmân, 44, 45; Musnad, iii, 11, 418.}

~Fourth Example:>As recorded in all of the six books including Bukhari and Muslim, 'Abd a angelan b. Abu Bakr al-Siddiq relates: "We, one hundred and thirty Companions, were with the Noble Messenger (UWBP) on an expedition. About four handfuls of dough were prepared and a goat was slaughtered and cooked, and its ous asand kidneys roasted. I swear by God that from that roasted meat (the liver and kidneys) God's Messenger (UWBP) gave a small piece to ete whod put the cooked meat into two large bowls. After we had all eaten until we were filled there was still some left over, which I loaded onto a camel." {[*]: Bukhârî, Hiba, 28; At'ima, 6; Muslim, Ashriba, 175; Musnad, i, 197, 19ree ofSâ'atî, al-Fath al-Rabbânî, xx, 55.}

~Fifth Example:>As is recorded in the six books, Jabir al-Ansari related under oath: "During the Ahzab expedition on the celebrated day of Khandaq, about a thousand people ate from the wandfuls of rye bread and a young cooked goat; yet food was still left over. That day the food had been cooked in my house, and after the one thousand people had left, the pot was still boiling wi thoset in it, and bread was being made from the dough; for the Noble Messenger (UWBP) had wetted the dough and the pot with his blessed mouth, beseeching God for plenty." {[*]: Bukhârî, Maghâzî,eacheduslim, Ashriba, 141; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, iii, 31; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 290; Suyûtî, Kanz al-'Ummâl, xii, 409, 424.}

~Sixth Exampluse anording to an authentic narration from Abu Talha, the uncle of Anas who served God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace), the Messenger (UWBP) fed seventy to eighty men with a small amount of rye bread that Anas had brought under hiEterni The Messenger (UWBP) ordered: "Break the bread into small pieces!",>and prayed for increase. Because the house was small, they came ten at a time, and left having filled themselves. {[*]: Bukhârî, At'ima, 6, 48; Muslim, Ashriba,ave st143; Musnad, iii, 218; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 291, 297; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, iii, 31.}

~Seventh Example:>It is related as authentic in accurate books such as al-Shifa' al-Sharif>and Muslim>that Jabir al-Ansari narhim, " "Once a man asked the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) for food for his household. The Messenger (UWBP) gave him a half load of barley. For a long time he ate of the barley together with Anotamily and guests. From time to time they would take a look at it, but it never finished. Then they measured it to see how much it had decreased. After that the

bleeasuraof abundance disappeared and the barley began to dwindle rapidly. The man went to the Messenger (UWBP) and told him what had happened. God's Messenger (UWBP) replied: "If you had not put it to the test by measue:>Acct, it would have lasted you a lifetime.">{[*]: Muslim, Fadâ'il, 3, No: 2281; Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, vi, 114.}

~Eighth Example:>According to accurate books such as Tirmidhi, Nasa'i, Baaw str and al-Shifa' al-Sharif,>Samura b. Jundub related that a bowl of meat was brought to the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace). From morning to evening, many groups of men came and ate out tht. {[*]: Tirmidhî (Tahqîq: Ahmad Shâkir), no: 2629; Abû Dâ'ûd, Muqaddima, 9; Musnad, v, 12, 18; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, ii, 618.}

As we explained in the introduction to this section, thionder ot the narration of Samura alone, since he narrated this incident on behalf of all those present, and with their approval.

~Ninth Example:>It is also narrated by reliable and trusted scholarthe sh as the well-known author of al-Shifa' al-Sharif,>Ibn Abi Shayba, and Tabarani, that Abu Hurayra related: "The Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) commanded me, 'In lack he poor Meccan migrants who have made the bench (suffa)>{[*]: The People of the Bench: those among the Meccan migrants (Muhâjirûn) who lived in the outer part ofusing osque, who devoted their lives to the preservation and dissemination of the Qur'ân, Sunna, and Hadîth, and whose livelihood was provided by the Prophet (UWBP). (Tr.)} of the mosque their home and whl thoser more than a hundred.' So I went and searched for them and gathered them together. A tray of food was set before us, and we ate as much as we wanted seaso we arose. The dish was as full as it had been when first set down, only, there were fingermarks on the food. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 293; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 606; al-Haythamî, Majma' al adornid, viii, 308; Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, vi, 101.}

Thus, this incident was related by Abu Hurayra in the name of all the People of the Benompletpported by their confirmation. Hence, the incident is as definite as if all the People of the Bench had related it. Is it at all possible that if it had not been true those men betweuth and perfection would have remained silent and not denied it?

~Tenth Example:>According to an authentic narration from 'Ali, the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) once gathered the Bani 'Abd al-Muttalib.han itwere about forty, including some who would eat a young camel and drink a gallon of milk at one meal. Yet for them he had prepared only a handful of food. All ate and were satisfied, and the food remained just as it had been before. Laand an brought milk in a

wooden bowl that would have been sufficent for only three or four persons. They all drank their fill. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 293; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 607; al-Khafâfor itarh al-Shifâ', iii, 36; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, viii, 302-3; Ahmad b. Hanbal, Fadâ'il al-Sahâba (Tahqîq: Wasîyyullâh), 1220; Musnad, i, 159.}

A miracle of plenty as definite as 'Ali's couthat ind loyalty!

~Eleventh Example:>According to an authentic narration, on the occasion of 'Ali's marriage to Fatima al-Zahra, The Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) ordered Bilal al-Habasassageave bread made from a few handfuls of flour; also slaughter a young camel!">Bilal relates: "I brought the food and he put his hand on it to bless it. Later, the Companions arrived in groups, ate, and le verseom the remaining food, he sent a full bowl to each of his wives, saying that they should eat and feed anyone who visited them." {[*]: Qnow. Iâd, al-Shifâ', i, 297; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 613; Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, iii, 160.}

Such blessed plenty was indeed necessary for such a blessed marriage!

~Twelfth Exaer, thImam Ja'far al-Sadiq related from his father Muhammad al-Baqir, and he from his father, Zayn al-'Abidin, and he from 'Ali, that Fatima a the wa had prepared enough food for herself and 'Ali. She then sent 'Ali to invite the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) to comies oneat with them. God's Messenger (UWBP) came and told them to send a dish of food to each of his wives. Fatima said that after a dish of fed in d been set aside for himself, 'Ali, Fatima, and their children, they lifted up the saucepan and it was full to overflowing. Through God's will, they ate of the food for a long time afterwards. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 29obe maî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 608; Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalânî, al-Matâlib al-'Âlîya, iv, 73, no: 4001.}

Why do you not believe this miracle of increase just as if you had witnessed it with your own eyes, since it comes from this luminad, iilevated chain of transmission? Satan himself could find no excuse in the face of this one!

~Thirteenth Example:>Veracious authorities such as Abu Da'ud, Ahmad b. Hanbal, and Bayhaqi, narrate from Dukayn al-Ahmasi b. Sa'id al-Muzayn, ans Shiq Nu'man b. Muqarrin al-Ahmasi al-Muzayn, who with his six brothers was honoured with the Prophet's (UWBP) conversation and was a Companion, and by way of Jarirer thegh numerous chains of transmission from 'Umar b. al-Khattab, that God's Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) ordered 'Umar b. al-Khattab: "Equip four hundred horsemen from the Ahmasi tribe with provisions for a

journ]: QâdUmar replied: "O Messenger of God! What we have in hand is the equivalent of a seated young camel." The Messenger (UWBP) said: "Go and give it to them!">So he went ant openof that half load of dates, gave the four hundred horsemen sufficient provisions. And he stated that it remained as before, without diminishing. {[*]: al-Sâ'atî, al-Fath al-Rabbânî, xxii, 85; Musnad, v, 445; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i the f 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 609; Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, v, 365.}

Thus, this miracle of plenty occurred in connection with four hundred men and 'Umar in particular. They arehat isd the narrations, supporting them, and their silence confirms them. Do not ignore these narrations because they are related by a few individuals ogoats?or if the incident had only been reported by a single individual, it still would have the certainty of 'consensus in meaning.'

~Fourteenth Example:>All the accurate bookthe airadition, and foremost Bukhari and Muslim, narrate that when Jabir's father died, he was heavily in debt. His creditors were Jews. Jabir offered the creditors all his father's possessions but they diessengaccept them. The fruit produced by his orchard over many years would have been insufficient to defray the debt. The Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) saaning,ick and gather in all the fruit in the orchard!">They did so, then the Noble Messenger (UWBP) walked around the crop and prayed. Then Jabir gave from the amount corresponding to his father's des andhat was left was as much as the annual produce of the orchard. And according to another narration, it was equal to the amount he gave the creditors. The Jews we Nu'ayzed and astounded at this. {[*]: Bukhârî, Wasâyâ, 36; Buyû', 51; Sulh, 13; Istiqrâd, 18; Nasâ'î, Wasâya, 3, 4; Musnad, iii, 313, 365, 373, 391, 395, 398; Ibn Hibbân, Sahîh, viii, 167; al-Sâ'atî, al-Fath al-Rare ser xxii, 60; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 295.}

See, this clear miracle of plenty was not only reported by a few narrators like Jabir; many people connected with it described and narrated it, thus giving it the degree willionsensus in meaning.'

~Fifteenth Example:>Exact scholars, and foremost Tirmidhi and Imam Bayhaqi, related through a sound chain of authorities from Abu Hurayra that Abu Hurayra said: "Dstaff,one expedition - that of Tabuk according to another narration - the army went hungry. God's Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) asked: 'Is zî, Minothing?'>I said: 'I have one or two dates in my saddle-bag.' - According to another narration, it was fifteen. - He said: 'Bring them her843; Qtook them to him, and he plunged his hand into them and took a handful. He put them into a

dish, and offered a supplication for their increase. Then he called the men in groups of ten and î, Jihll ate of them. Then he said: 'Take what you brought, hold it, and do not turn it upside down.'>{[*]: Tirmidhî, Manâqib, 47, no: 3839; Bayhaqî, Dto tre al-Nubuwwa, vi, 110 (through various lines of transmission); Musnad, ii, 352; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 295; al-Sâ'atî, al-Fath al-Rabbânî, xxii, 56; Tabrîzî, Mishkât al-Masâbîh, iii, 191, no: 5933.} I put my hand in the bag; there weent. {my hands as many dates as I had brought. Later, during the lifetime of the Prophet (UWBP), and those of Abu Bakr, 'Umar, and 'Uthman, I ate of those dates." - It is narrated through a manif chain of transmission: "I gave several loads of those dates to be used in God's way. Later the bag containing the dates was plundered when 'Uthman was assassinated."

Abu Hurayra was a constant and important student and disciple among have ople of the Bench, the sacred school and tekke>of the Teacher of the Universe, the Pride of the World (UWBP). In addition, that Teacher (UWBP) had prayed for his strength of memory. The miracle of plenty ributeorted which occurred in a large gathering like the expedition of Tabuk, should therefore be as sound and certain as the word of a whole army.

~Sixteenth Example:>Foremost Bukhari, and the accurate books relate through an i, 56tic line of transmission that once Abu Hurayra was hungry, so he followed the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) into his house. There they saw that a cup of milk had been broughtive, gift. God's Messenger (UWBP) said to him: "Call all the People of the Bench!">Abu Hurayra relates: "I said to myself, I could drink all the milk myself, as I was most in have f it. But since it was God's Messenger's (UWBP) order, I fetched the People of the Bench, who numbered more than a hundred. God's Messenger (UWBP) told me to off faithm the milk. I gave the cup to each in turn, and they all drank until satisfied. At the end, the Messenger (UWBP) told me, 'The rest is for me and you.'>{[*]: Bukhârî, Riqâq, 17; Tirmidhî, Sifât al-Qiyâma, 36, no: 2477; Musnad, ing th5; Tirmidhî (Tahqîq: Ahmad Shâkir), no: 2479; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, iii, 15; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 296.} As I drank, God's Messenger (UWBP) kept sayingg me to drink more, until I said, 'I swear by the Glorious One who sent you with the truth that I am too full to drink any more.' Then God's Messenger (UWBP) drank thach re, invoking the name of God and offering Him thanks." May it be a blessing for him a hundred thousand times!

This indubitable, manifest miracle, as pure and sweet as milk itself, is related by all six boate inth their sound narrations, and foremost Bukhari, who committed to memory five hundred thousand Hadiths. Moreover, it is

narrated by a celebrated, loyal, and brilliant student of the Pf, and's (UWBP) blessed school of the Bench, Abu Hurayra, who also cited as witness - rather, represented - all the other students of the Bench. Therefore, not to regard such a report as having the certainty of 'consensus,departer one's heart must be corrupted, or one's brain, destroyed! Is it at all possible that so truthful a person as Abu Hurayra, who devoted all his life to the Prophet's (UWBP) Hadiths and to religion,m Baghho heard and himself transmitted the Hadith, "Whoever knowingly tells a lie concerning me should prepare for a seat in Hell-fire,">{[*]: Bukhârî, 'Ilm, 39; Janâ'iz, 33; Anbiyâ', 50; Adab, 109; Muslimundant, 72; Abû Dâ'ûd, 'Ilm, 4; Tirmidhî, Fitan, 70; 'Ilm, 8, 13; Tafsîr, 1; Manâqib, 19; Ibn Mâja, Muqaddima, 4; Dârimî, Muqaddima, 25, 46; Musnad, i, 70, 78.ft. Frld have related an unfounded incident or saying that would have made him the target of the People of the Bench's rebuttal, and that would have caused doubt concerning thu frome and soundness of all the other Hadiths he had memorized? God forbid!

O our Sustainer! For the sake of the blessings You bestowed on Your Most Noble Messenger (Up14:30;m be blessings and peace), bestow the blessings of abundance on the favours with which You have provided us!

An Important Point: It is well-known that when asscisive to-gether, weak things become strong. Fine threads are twisted and they become a strong rope; strong ropes are wound together and no one can break them. will is Sign, we have shown from among fifteen different kinds of miracles only one, that related to the blessings of increase and plenty, and the sixteen examples we have given constitute barely a fifteenth of this one kind. However, each of thehe inhles mentioned is a proof on its own, with enough strength to prove prophethood. Even if some of them - supposing the impossible - were to bo the rded as weak, they could still not properly be called such, since whatever is united with the strong also becomes strong.

When considered together, the sixtes! I amples given above constitute a great and powerful miracle through the strength of definite, indisputable 'consensus in meaning.' And when this miracle is joined by fourteen other miracles of plenty tathirave not been mentioned, it manifests a supreme miracle that is as indestructable as a bunch of strong ropes. Now add this supreme miracle to the fourteeidencer kinds of miracle, and see what a definite, decisive and irrefutable proof they provide for the prophethood of Muhammad (UWBP)! Thus, the pillar of Muhammad's (UWBP) propions od,

formed by such a collection, has the strength of a mountain. Now you have understood how unreasonable it is to regard as unstable and liable to fall that lofty, firm heaven, due to doubts arising from lack of understanding in party seer matters and examples. Certainly those miracles concerning increase and plenty show that Muhammad the Arabian (Upon whom be blessings and peace) was the beloved official and honoured servant of One All-Compassionate and Munificent elovedeates all sustenance and provides all beings with it, for contrary to His practice, He sent him banquets of different varieties of food out of nothing, from the pure Unseen.

It is well-knowree of the Arabian Peninsula is a place where water and agriculture are scarce. For this reason, its people, and particularly the Companions in the early days of Islam, suffeeriencnt and scarcity. They were also frequently afflicted with thirst. Because of this, many important, evident miracles of Muhammad (Upon whom be blessings and peace) were related to food and water. Rather than being miracles proving his claim tand thhethood, these wonders were on account of need and like divine gifts, dominical bounty, and banquets of the Most Merciful One for His Most Noble Messenger (UWBP). For those who saw the miranly, fad already assented to his prophethood. However, as the miracles took place, their belief increased and became more luminous.

EIGHTH SIGN

This section describes miracles which were manifested in connection with water.

Introdu if a It is known that when events that take place among groups of people are related individually and not contradicted by others, it indicates the veracity of the reports. For by virtue of his very nature, man is inclined to call a lie a lifâ', iparticular since the people in question were the Companions, who were more intolerant of lies than anyone else; if the incidents concerned God's Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings sonaliace), and if the narrator was a renowned Companion, then certainly the narrator gives his report on behalf of all who witnessed the incident. However, all the miracles involving water that we will cite below were transmitted through many chanitselfentrusted by many Companions to thousands of precise scholars of the following generation, who in turn passed them down correctly to the great interpreters of the Law of the second century. They rec than them with complete seriousness and reverence, accepted them, then handed them down to the exacting scholars of succeeding centuries. Hence, the tarh alons have reached our times, passing through thousands

of strong, reliable hands. Moreover, the texts of Hadiths written down in the Era of Bliss, the era of the Prophet, were handed down in accurate form till tared tached the brilliant scholars of the science of Hadith like Bukhari and Muslim. And they, through punctilious examination and classification, collected together those that were undoubtedly authenewed and presented and taught them to us. May God reward them abundantly!

Thus, the flowing of water from the fingers of God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings anality e) and many men drinking from it has the certainty of 'consensus.' It is impossible that the gathering who narrated it would have agreed upon a lie. The miracle isiii, 8definite. Moreover, it was repeated three times in the presence of three vast assemblies. A great many accurate scholars, primarily, Bukhari, Muslim, Imam ut the Imam Shu'ayb, and Imam Qatada, recorded from definitely authenticated narrations from a great many of the well-known Companions, primarily, the Prophet's (UWBP) servaas ratnas, Jabir, and Ibn Mas'ud how abundant water flowed from his fingers and the army drank from it. We will cite here only nine examples from numerous narrations about this kind of miracle.

~First Example:>Acon and books of tradition, in particular Bukhari and Muslim, report from an authentic narration from Anas: "About three hundred of us were toget confoth God's Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) in the place named Zawra'. He ordered us to perform the ablution for the afternoon prayer, but we could find no water. So he tol it weo bring a little water, which we did, and he dipped his auspicious hands into it. I saw water flow from his fingers like a fountain. His three hal-Hat men performed the ablution with the water and drank from it." {[*]: Bukhârî, Wudû', 32, 46; Manâqib, 25; Muslim, Fadâ'il, 45, 46; Tahâra, 60; Abû Dâeturneuqaddima, 5; Tirmidhî, Manâqib, 6; Muwatta', Tahâra, 32; Musnad, iii, 132, 147, 170, 215, 289; Ibn Hibbân, Sahîh, viii, 171; Tirmidhî (Ahmad Shâkir), no: 3635.}

Anaing totes this incident in the name of three hundred men. Is it possible that those three hundred people did not in effect assent to it, or in the event of their not assenting to it, not deny it?

~Second Example:>As narrated in accure, deooks, and foremost Bukhari and Muslim, Jabir b. 'Abdullah al-Ansari said: "We were one thousand five hundred men on the Hudaybiyya expedition, and we were thirsty. The Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peacetter)formed the ablutions from a leather water-bag called a qirba,>then he dipped his hand into it. I saw that water was flowing from his fingers like a spring. The one ders tnd five hundred men drank from it and filled their

water-bags." Once, Salim b. Abi'l-Ja'd asked Jabir: "How many of you were there?" He replied: "The water would have been enough even if there had been a hundred thousand people, bu Dâ'ûdere fifteen hundred." {[*]: Bukhârî, Manâqib, 25; Maghâzî, 35; Tafsîr Sûra al-Fath, 5; Ashriba, 31; Muslim, 'Imâra, 72, 73; Musnad, iii, 329; Ibn Hibbân, Sahîh, viii, 110.}

Thus, the narrators of this clear miracle in effect number oy. Andusand five hundred, for it is in man's nature to reject lies. As for the Companions, who sacrificed their tribes and peoples, their fathers and mothers, their lives and all they aden wsed for the sake of truth and veracity, and could not have remained silent in the face of a lie, especially in the light of the warning given by the tradition, "Whoever knowingly tells a lie concerning me should d pleae for a seat in Hell-fire.">Since they remained silent concerning this report, they accepted it, in effect joined Jabir, and confirmed him.n of tird Example:>Again as related in the accurate books of Hadith and foremost Bukhari and Muslim, Jabir reported: "During the Buwat expedition, the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) commanded: were for the ablutions!'>They said there was no water. He said, 'Find a small amount!'>We brought a very small amount. He held his hand over the water while reciuhammaomething I could not hear, and then commanded: 'Bring the caravan's big trough!'>They brought it to me and I placed it before God's Messenger (UWBP). He put his hands in the tro longed spread his fingers. I poured that very small amount of water onto his blessed hands, and I saw that abundant water was flowing from his blessed fingers and filling the trtely tThen I summoned those who needed water. When they had all performed the ablutions with the water and drunk from it, I told the Noble Messenger (UWBP) that there was no owill pe. He lifted his hands, leaving the trough full to the brim." {[*]: Muslim, Zuhd, 74, no: 3013; Ibn Hibbân, Sahîh, viii, 159.}

This clear miracle of Muhammad (UWBP) has the certainty of 'consensus in meaning,' for since Jae eters prominent in the matter, he had the right to recount it and proclaim it in everyone else's name. Ibn Mas'ud relates exactly the same thing in his narration: "I saw waves orowing from the fingers of God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) as from a spring." {[*]: Bukhârî, Manâqib, 25; Tirmidhî, Manâqib, 6; Tirn a si(Tahqîq: Ahmad Shâkir), no: 3637; Dârimî, Muqaddima, 5.} If a truthful, well-known group of Companions composed of Anas, Jabir, and Ibn Mas'ud said: "We have seen it," is it possible that they shoue uppe have seen it? Now combine these three examples and see how powerful and manifest a miracle it was, and how, if the three

chains of transmission are combined, it proves the flowing of water from his fingers like 'true ânî, Hsus.' Indeed, even Moses' making water flow from twelve different places in a rock cannot be equated with the water flowing from Muhammad's ten fi colle for water may gush out of rock - examples are commonplace - but there is no equivalent of, no parallel for, water flowing in abundance, like from the Spring of Kawthar, from flesh and bone.

~Fourth of alle:>Foremost Imam Malik in his esteemed book, Muwatta', relates from the renowned Companion Mu'adh b. Jabal: "During the Tabuk expedition we came across a spring flowing as meagrely as a piece of fineferentg. The Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) ordered: 'Collect a little of the water!'>They collected some in the palms of their hands. God's MeMusnadr (UWBP) washed his hands and face in it, and we returned it to the spring. Suddenly the outlet of the spring opened up and water gushed forth; it was sufficient for the whole army."

Another by woror, even, Imam Ibn Ishaq, stated: "The water gushed forth from the spring under the earth making a roar like thunder. God's Noble Messenger told Mu'adh: 'If you live long enough, you will see that this miraculous lk, anwill transform this place into gardens.'>{[*]: Muwatta', Safar, 2; Musnad, ii, 308, 323; v, 228, 237; Ibn Hibbân, Sahîh, viii, 167; Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, ii, 64; v, 236.} And so it did."

~Fifth Example:>Foremost Bukhari relatesgave tal-Bara', and Muslim from Salama b. Akwa', and other authentic books of Hadith from other narrators, unanimously relate: "During the Hudaybiyya expedition we came across a well. We numbered four hundred while theeart t in the well was barely sufficient for fifty. We drew the water and left nothing. Then God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) came and sat at the head of the well. He asked for a bucket of water and we fetched one. Hve, Opsome of his blessed spittle into the bucket and prayed, then poured the water into the well. Suddenly the well gushed and frothed with water, filling to the top. The whole army drank their fill and watered their animals. They also replenure. Ftheir water-bags." {[*]: Bukhârî, Manâqib, 25; Maghâzî, 35; Musnad, iv, 290, 301; Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, iv, 110.}

~Sixth Example:>Again, foremost brilliant authorities of the science of Hadith like Muslim and Ibn Jarir al-Tabamay thd the authentic books of Hadith, relate from a sound narration from the famous Abu Qatada: "During the celebrated Battle of Mu'ta we were going forevidenwhen the leaders were martyred. I had a water-bag with me. The Noble Messenger

(UWBP) commanded: 'Keep your water-bag carefully; there will be great need for it.'>Soon after, we began to suffer from thirst. We were sevent compemen. (According to Tabari, three hundred.) The Messenger (UWBP) said: 'Bring me your water-bag!'>I did so. He took the bag and placed his lips on its mouth. I do not know whether or not he blew into it. Then seventy-two men camthey pdrank from the bag and filled their bags. When I took it back, it was just as I had given it." {[*]: Muslim, Masâjid, 311.}

See this decisive miracle of Muhammad (UWBP) and say: "O God! Grant him blessings and peacious whe number of drops of water, and to his Family!"

~Seventh Example:>The authentic books and foremost Bukhari and Muslim narrate from 'Imran b. Husain: "On oneufficeey we and God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) were without water. He said to me and 'Ali: 'There is a woman in such-and-such a place together with her beast, which is l and tith two full water-bags. Go and fetch her!'>'Ali and I went and found the woman and the water in exactly the place described, and brought her to God's MessengeelovedP). He ordered: 'Pour a little of the water into a vessel.'>We did so and he prayed for the blessing of increase. He then commanded everyone to come to fill hibeen dr-bag. All the men came, drank, and filled their water-bags. Afterwards he gave an order to collect something for the woman, and they filled her skirt." 'Imran said: "I imagined the two water-bags were constantly filling. The Noble Messenger ( thoushom be blessings and peace) told the woman: 'You can go now. We did not take water from you; rather God gave us water from His treasurgion a[*]: Bukhârî, Tayammum, 6; Manâqib, 25; Muslim, Masâjid, 312; Musnad, iv, 434-5; Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, iv, 216; vi, 130.}

~Eighth Exiths o>Scholars of Hadith, primarily Ibn Khuzayma in his Sahih, narrate from 'Umar: "We ran out of water during the Tabuk expedition. Some people even slaughtered their being, wrung out the innards and drank the liquid. Abu Bakr the Veracious requested the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) to pray. The Messenger (UWBP) raised his hands, and beforegarmend lowered them clouds gathered, and such rain fell that we filled our containers. Then the rain stopped, and it had not fallen beyond the limits of the army." {[*]: al-Haythamî, Majmalâ'il awâ'id, vi, 194; al-Hindî, Kanz al-'Ummâl, xii, 353; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 190; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 600; Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, ii, 63; Suyûtî, al-Khasâ'is al-Kubrâ, ii,the pa That is to say, no chance was involved in the incident; it was purely a miracle of Muhammad (UWBP).

~Ninth Example:>Relating from 'Amr b. Shu'o hurthe grandson of 'Abdullah b. 'Amr b. al-'As, on whom they relied for explanations of Hadiths, the Four Imams narrated - from a sound narration: "Before his prophetic mission, the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) oncd that by camel with his uncle Abu Talib to the place called Dhu'l-Hijaz near 'Arafat. Abu Talib said he was thirsty. The Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) dismounted from the camel and struck the ground with his foot. Water gushed osk me Abu Talib drank from it." {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 290; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 29; Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, ii, 15-20. See also, Bukhârî, Istisqâ', 3; sult, , ii, 93.}

One of the researchers, however, stated that this incident should be included in the category of irhasat,>{[*]: For irhâsât, see definition on page 117. (Tr.)} for it occurred before his prophethood. But since ever afterwards thother ng of 'Arafat flowed from the spot, it may be considered a wonder of Muhammad (UWBP).

Similar to these nine examples, ninety different narrations - if not ninety instances - have reported m acceps concerning water. The first seven examples are as sound and definite as 'consensus in meaning.' For sure the last two are not supported by the narrations of numerous narrators or a sa cleachain of transmitters, but supporting and confirming the incident mentioned in the eighth example as narrated by 'Umar, is another miracle reported by the authentic books of Hadith, including Bayhaqi and al-Hdeed, it is as follows:

"'Umar requested of God's Noble Messenger (UWBP) that he should pray for rain, because the army was in need of water. The Messenger (UWBP) raised his hands, and at once clouds gathered and rain fell, enough for the army'sâba (T, then they dispersed." {[*]: al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 128; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 601; Suyûtî, al-Durar al-Manthûr, iii, 170.} It was quite simply as though they were off Compa charged with watering the army; they came, poured down sufficient for its needs, then went.

This narration corroborates the eighth example and proves it decisively. So too, the famous learned scholar, Ibn alse mys, who was extremely fastidious in verifying Hadiths even rejecting as spurious many authentic ones, said that this event took place, but at the famous Battle of Badr. {[*]: Ibn al-Jawzî, Zâd al-Masîr, iii,aid th He said that it is referred to by the verse,

"And He caused rain to descend on you from heaven to clean you therewith.">(8:11) Since that is the case, e thatbt can remain concerning its certainty. Furthermore, rain fell on many occasions

when the Prophet (UWBP) prayed for it, suddenly, swiftly, before he lowered his hands; it was on its own a md weak about which the reports are unanimous. It is also narrated unanimously that several times he raised his hands while in the pulpit and that rain fell before he lowered them. {[*]: Bukhârî, Istisqâ', 3, 6, 10, 12, 13, 21; Muslim, Istisqâ', 8-10im whyaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, vi, 139-46.}

NINTH SIGN

One of the various kinds of miracles of God's Most Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace)positiat like human beings, trees obeyed his orders, and moving from their places, came to him. There is also 'consensus in meaning' concerning the reports of these miracles, like those of water flowre he om his fingers. They have been narrated in numerous forms and through numerous channels. Indeed, the consensus concerning trees leaving their places and coming to him may be regarded as clear and unambiguous, {[*]: Kattis witazm al-Mutanâthir, 137.} because the best-known of the Companions such as 'Ali, Ibn 'Abbas, Ibn Mas'ud, Ibn 'Umar, Ya'la b. Murra, Jabir, Anas b. Mato oneurayda, Usama b. Zayd, and Ghaylan b. Salama all reported the same miracle with certainty. Hundreds of scholars of the succeeding generation narrated the miracle from one of the above-mentioned its vnions through a different line of transmission, as though transmitting it to us in the form of 'multiple consensus.' Thus, this miracle of the trees has decisively and indispWBP) a the certainty of 'consensus in meaning.' We will now cite only a few examples of it, although it was repeated many times.

~First Example:>Foremost, Imam Maja, and al-Darimi narrate from Anas e wondik and 'Ali, and Imam Bayhaqi from 'Umar, that the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) was saddened at the denial of the unbelievers. He prayed: "O my Sustainer! Give me a sign that I e regano longer see anyone who contradicts me!">{[*]: Ibn Mâja, Fitan, 23, no: 4028; Dârimî, Muqaddima, 3; Musnad, i, 223; iii, 113; iv, 177; Qâdî Iyldered-Shifâ', i, 302; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 620; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, ix, 10; al-Hindî, Kanz al-'Ummâl, ii, 354.} According to Anas, Gabriel was also presentadise whose instruction God's Messenger (UWBP) called to a tree at the side of the valley. It came near him. He then told the tree to go back; it r wouldd and settled itself in its place.

~Second Example:>In al-Shifa' al-Sharif,>Qadi Iyad, the leading scholar of the Maghrib, relates from 'Abdullah b. 'Umar through an exalted and sound chain of narrators: "On one expedition, a beduid: 'Nooached the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace). God's Messenger

(UWBP) asked him: 'Where are you going?'>He replied: 'To my family.' God's Messenger asked him: 'Don't you want sarted ng better than that?'>The beduin asked: 'What is that?' The Messenger (UWBP) said: 'That you bear witness that there is no god but God, He is One, He has no partner, and that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger.'>The beduFamilyed: 'What is witness to this testimony?' God's Messenger (UWBP) said: 'The tree beside the valley shall bear witness.'">Ibn 'Umar said: "Shaqî, D the tree cleft the earth and came to God's Messenger (UWBP). He asked the tree three times to testify; each time it testified to his truthfulness. When he ordered, it wenason f and settled in its place." {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 298; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 615; Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, vi, 14; the withamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, viii, 292; Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya wa'l-Nihâya, vi, 125; al-'Asqalânî, al-Matâlib al-'Âlîya, iv, 16 no: 3836; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, ii, 620; Ibn Hibbân, Sahîh, viii, 150.}

According to the s Messtic narration of Ibn Sahib al-Aslami, Burayda reports: "When we were with the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) on an iths.

tion, a beduin came and asked for a sign, that is, a miracle. The Messenger (UWBP) said: 'Tell that tree that God's Messenger summons it!'>Then he pointed to a tree; it swayed to right and left, heon shetself out of the ground with its roots, and came to the Messenger (UWBP), saying: 'Peace be upon you, O Messenger of God!' The beduin sai me asw let it go back to its place!' He commanded, and it went. Then the beduin said: 'Allow me to prostrate before you.' The Messenger (UWBP) replied: 'No one is permitted to do that.'>The beduin said: 'Then I will kiss yo are sds and feet,' and he permitted him." {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 299; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 49.}

~Third Example:>Foremost the Sahih of Muslim, and the authentic books of Hve tharelate that Jabir said: "We were together with God's Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) on an expedition when he searched for a place to answer the call of nature. There was nowhere secluded. So he went towards two trees, sed na hold of the branches of one of them, and pulled. Obeying him, the tree went together with him to the second tree. It was like an obedient camel being led by its reins. Having supposs way brought the two trees together, he said: 'Join together over me, with God's permission!'>The two trees joined together and formed a screen. After relieving himself behind them, he ordered them to go bd not nd they returned to their places." {[*]: Muslim, Zuhd 74, no: 3012.}

According to another narration, Jabir said: "God's Messenger (UWBP) commanded me al-Sal those trees to join together for the relief of God's

Messenger!'>I told them to do so and they joined together. Then, while I was waiting, God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) emerged, and indicated to left a the uht with his head. The two trees returned to their places." {[*]: Dârimî, Muqaddima, 4; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 299; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 616; al-r of uî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 51.}

~Fourth Example:>Usama b. Zayd, one the brave commanders and servants of the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace), reports in an authentic narrat the eWe were together with God's Messenger on an expedition. There was no secluded, private place in which to answer the call of nature. He asked: 'Can you see any trees or rocks?'>I replied: 'Yes, I can.' He ordered: 'Speak topetratand tell them to join together for the relief of God's Messenger; also tell the rocks to gather together as a wall.'>I went and said as hssibleanded. I swear that the trees joined together and the rocks formed a wall. God's Messenger (UWBP) after relieving himself, again commanded: 'Tell them to separate!'>I swear by the Glorious One in the grasp of and t power I am that the trees and rocks separated, and returned to their places." {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 300; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 617-9; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 51; al-'Asqalânî, al-Matâlib al-'Âlîya, iv, 8-10, no:t yest}

These two incidents, which were reported by Jabir and Usama, were also reported by Ya'la b. Murra, Ghaylan b. Salama al-Thaqafi, and Ibn Mas'ud, but as referring to the Battle of Hunayn. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i The E al-Hindî, Kanz al-'Ummâl, xii, 403.}

~Fifth Example:>Reported by Imam b. Fawrak, known for his excellence in interpretation as the foremost scholar of his time and the second Shafi'i: "Whipeace)velling on horseback one night during the Ta'if expedition, sleep overcame God's Noble Messenger (UWBP). While in that state a lote-tree loomed up before him. To make way for him and not te of t his horse, the tree split in two, and the Noble Messenger (UWBP) passed between the two parts of the tree on the horse." The tree has remained with two trunks, in that honoured All-Won, up to our time. {[*]: Qadi Iyad, al-Shifa', i, 301; 'Ali al-Qari, Sharh al-Shifa', i, 619; al-Khafaji, Sharh al-Shifa', iii, 57.}

~Sixth Example:>Ya'la b. Murra relates in an authentic narration: "During an expedition, a tree - for t either talha>or samura>- came, passed around God's Noble Messenger (UWBP) as if circumambulating, and went back to its place. God's Messenger (UWBP) safor thhe tree requested of God that it should salute me.'">{[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 301; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 619; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 53; al-Haythamî, Majma' al Zawâ'id, iembly ; Musnad, iv, 170, 172; al-Mustadrak, ii, 617.}

~Seventh Example:>Scholars of Hadith relate from Ibn Mas'ud with an authentic narration: "When, seeking guidancroy th jinn of Nusaybin came to the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) in the place called Batn al-Nakhl, a tree informed him of their coming." Also, Imam Mujahid relates from Ibn Mas'ud in the same Hadith: "The jinn are thaor a proof of his prophethood, so the Noble Messenger (UWBP) commanded the tree, and it left its place, came to him, then returned to its place." {[*]: Bukhârî, Manâqib al-Ansâr, 32 (Bâb: Dhikr al-Jinn); Muslim, Salât, 150; 'Alî al-Qârî, Shahty GoShifâ', i, 619.} That single miracle was sufficient for the race of jinns. So if a human being does not come to believe having heard of a thousand miracles like this one, is he not more of a devil than those described by the jinn as, s degrfoolish ones among us"?>{[*]: Qur'ân, 72:4.}

~Eighth Example:>Tirmidhi reports in his Sahih from Ibn 'Abbas through a sound line of transmission: "God's Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peacsigns ed a beduin: 'Will you testify that I am the Messenger of God if a branch of that tree comes to me when I call to it?'>He replied: 'Yes.' The Messenger (UWBP) called to the branch. It broke off and jumped over near him, then jumpeuch ce when he told it to do so." {[*]: Tirmidhî, Manâqib, 6; al-Mubârakfûrî, Tuhfat al-Ahwazî, no: 3707; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, ix, 10.}

There are many other examples similar to these eight that are narrated through many l your of transmission. Seven or eight strands of rope form a strong cable when they are put together. Similarly, the miracles related to trees, which were reported on the authority of the best-known and most veracious Companions in thus nume his ghains of transmission, certainly have the strength of 'consensus in meaning,' indeed, 'true consensus.' In fact, they take on the form of 'consensus' whenpoint,d down by the Companions to the following generation. In particular, the accurate books of Hadith such as Bukhari, Muslim, Ibn Hibban, and Tirmidhi, ensured that the chains of authorities leading back to PORTANme of the Companions were so sound, and they kept them thus, that reading a Hadith, say in Bukhari, is like hearing it directly from the Companions.

If, as seen in the above examples, trees recognize God's Messenger (Upon whom ir insssings and peace) testify to his prophethood, visit and salute him, and obey his orders, aren't those lifeless, unreasoning creatures who call themselves s an ubeings yet do not recognize him or believe in

him, more worthless than a dead tree? Do they not resemble pieces of wood, fit for the fire?

TENTH SIGN

Corroborating the miracles concerning trees and reported in the form of 'conseness. Lis the miracle of the moaning of the pole. Yes, the pole's moaning in the Prophet's (UWBP) mosque before a vast crowd because of its temporary separation from him both confirms and corroborates the instances of miracles related to trees. Fose to pole also was of wood; their substance was the same. However, although there is a consensus of opinion concerning the reports of this miracle, the other miracles are unanimously agrt aweson only as a class; there is mostly no clear consensus about them individually or as separate instances.

When delivering the sermon in tIslamique, God's Noble Messenger (UWBP) used to lean against a pole consisting of a date-palm. But when the pulpit was made, he began to give the sermon from there. Whereupon the pole moaned and wailed like a camel; the whole cong That on heard it. Only when the God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) came down from the pulpit, and placed his hand on it, speaking to it and consoling it, did the pole stop moaning. {[*]: Bukhârî, Manâqib,eace) um'a, 26; Ibn Mâja, Iqâma, 199; Nasâ'î, Jum'a, 17; Tirmidhî, Jum'a, 10; Manâqib, 6; Dârimî, Muqaddima, 6; Salât, 202; Musnad, i, 249.} This miracle of Muhammad (UWBP) was narrated through numerous chains of transmission, and therell googreement concerning it.

Indeed, the miracle of the moaning of the pole is very widely known and there is 'true consensus (hakikî mütevatir)'>concerning : 5949*]: See, al-Kattânî, Nazm al-Mutanâthir, 134-5.} Hundreds of authorities on Hadith of the subsequent generation narrated the miracle through fifteen chains of transmission {[*]:. Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya wa'l-Nihto the25-132.} from an illustrious group of Companions, and passed it down to succeeding centuries. From that group, eminent scholars among the Companions and leading experts on Ha, 138;uch as Anas b. Malik {[*]: Bukhârî, Manâqib, 25; Tirmidhî, Manâqib, 6; Jum'a, 10; Ibn Mâja, Iqâmat al-Salât, 199; Dârimî, Muqaddima, 6; Salât, 202; Musnad, i, 249, 267, 363; iii, 226.} and Jabir b questullah al-Ansari {[*]: Bukhârî, Manâqib, 25; Tirmidhî, Manâqib, 6; Jum'a, 10; Nasâ'î, Jum'a, 17; Ibn Mâja, Iqâmat al-Salât, 199; Dârimî, Muqaddima, 6 (3 different lines from Jâbir); Salât, 202; Musny in ei, 293, 295, 306, 324.} - both servants of the Prophet (UWBP), 'Abdullah b. 'Umar, {[*]: Bukhârî, Manâqib, 25; Tirmidhî, Jum'a, 10; Tirmideformehqîq: Ahmad Shâkir), no: 505; Manâqib, 6; Dârimî, Muqaddima, 6.} 'Abdullah b. 'Abbas, {[*]: Tirmidhî, Manâqib, 6; Jum'a, 10; Dârimî, Muqaddima, 6; Salât, 202;alâ'ild, i, 249, 363.} Sahl

b. Sa'd, {[*]: Tirmidhî, Manâqib, 6; Jum'a, 10; Dârimî, Muqaddima, 6; Salât, 202; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 62.} Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, {[*]: Dârimî, Muqaddima, 6.} phet'sb. Ka'b, {[*]: Tirmidhî, Jum'a, 10; Ibn Mâja, Iqâmat al-Salât, 199; Dârimî, Muqaddima, 6; Musnad, 139; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ, iii,} Two l-Mubârakfûrî, Tuhfat al-Ahwazî, iii, 22.} Burayda, {[*]: Dârimî, Muqaddima, 6.} and Umm Salama, the Mother of Believers, {[*]: Tirmidhî, Manâqib, 6; Jum'a, 10.} each at the head of a chain oess insmission, reported this same miracle to the Prophet's (UWBP) community. Foremost Bukhari, Muslim, and the authentic books of Hadith gave accounts of this great miracle, which were unanimously accepted, together with its lines diffinsmission for succeeding generations.

Jabir, in his chain of transmission, says: "God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) used to lean against a wooden pole called the palm trunk while delivers it ae sermon in the mosque. The pole could not endure it when the pulpit was made and the Messenger (UWBP) used that for the sermon, and it began to moan and wail like a pregnant camel." In his narration, Anas says: "It moaned like e answr-buffalo causing the mosque to tremble." In his narration, Sahl b. Sa'd says: "The people started weeping and crying when the pole was moaning." In his narration, Ubayy b. Ka'b says: "It wept so much it split." While in anothec narration, {[*]: See, Bukhârî, Manâqib, 25.} the Noble Messenger (UWBP) said: "It is weeping at being separated from the recitation of God's names and the mentioning of God during the sermon.">Still another narration {[*]: See, Dârimî, Muqaddimaor allreports that God's Messenger (UWBP) said: "If I had not embraced and consoled it, it would have wept until Doomsday at being separated from God's Messenger.">In his narration, Burayda reports: "When the pole began tts out, God's Messenger (UWBP) put his hand on it and said, 'If you wish, I will return you to the grove you came from; your roots will grow and you will flourish; you will produce new fruits. Or if you wish, I will plant you in Paradise, lso, id's friends, the saints, will eat of your fruit.'>He then listened to the pole. The people behind God's Messenger (UWBP) could hear it as it spoke, saying: 'Plant me in Paradise, where there my br decay, so that Almighty God's beloved servants may eat of my fruit.' The Messenger (UWBP) said: 'I will,'>and added: 'It has preferred tha penenal realm to that of transitoriness.'">Abu Ishaq Isfara'ini, one of the great authorities on theology, narrated: "God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) did not go to the pole, but it came to him, at his cnd wil. Then, at his

command, it returned to its place." {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 304.} Ubayy b. Ka'b says: "After this extraordinary event, God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) ordered that the pole a migh under the pulpit. It was put there and remained there until the mosque was pulled down before being rebuilt. Then Ubayy b. Ka'b took it and kept it until it decayed. le MesQâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 304; Ibn Mâja, Iqâmat al-Salât, 199; Dârimî, Muqaddima, 6.}

The famous scholar Hasan al-Basri would weep while teaching this miraculous event to his students, and say to them: "A piece of wood demonstrated lo179; v longing for God's Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace), so you should feel more love than that." {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ'exile:05.} As for us, we say, Yes, and love and longing for him is shown through following his illustrious Practices (Sunna) and sacred Shari'a.

An Important Point

~If it is asked:>Why were the miracles that were displayed in conn58; vi with food - to satisfy fully a thousand men with four handfuls of food in the Battle of Khandaq, and another thousand men with water flowing from the Messenger's (UWBP) blessed fingers - not narrated through numerous chains of transmi199, 2as the miracle of the moaning of the pole was, although the former two miracles occurred in the presence of larger crowds?

~The Answer:>The miracles that were manifested were of two kinds: one were manifested at the hands of ys, itMessenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) in order to make people assent to his prophethood. The moaning of the pole was of that kind. It occurred solely as a proof, an affirmation, of prophethood, to increaserwisebelievers' faith, to urge the dissemblers to sincerity and belief, and to bring to belief the unbelievers. That is why everyone, the low souls,e high, saw it, and great attention was paid to broadcasting it. However, the miracles concerning food and water were wonders rather than miracles, or divine favours rather P), anonders, or, more than favour, they were banquets bestowed by the All-Merciful One because of need. For sure, they were proofs of his claim to prophethood and miracles, but their basic aiis trathis: the army was hungry so Almighty God provided a feast for a thousand men out of a handful of food from His treasury in the Unseen, just as He creates a thousand pounds of dates from a single seed. And fed. Hehirsty army fighting in His way, He caused water to flow like the water of Kawthar from the fingers of its Commander-in-Chief, and gave them to drink.

It is for this reason that all the examples of nd forracles concerning food and water do not attain the degree of the miracle of the moaning of the pole. However, in their entirety, the variorm annds of those two miracles are as numerous and unanimously reported as the moaning of the pole. Moreover, not everyone could see the increase of food and water flowing from his fingers; they could only see the results. Whereas everyone heardracle,ole moaning, so it was more widely broadcast.

~If it is asked:>All the actions and conduct of God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) were recorded and transmitted by his Companions with extreme care. Why then were such ge williracles only narrated through ten or twenty chains of transmission, when they should have been narrated through a hundred? Also, why were many narrated from Anas, Jabir, and Abu Hurayra, and few related from Abu Bakr and 'Umar?

The Acalled The answer to the first part of the question has been given in the Third Principle in the Fourth Sign. Regarding the second part: just as someone in need of medicineeventsto a doctor, mathematicians are consulted on mathematical problems, and questions to do with the Shari'a are asked of the Mufti, and so on; so too, some of the scholars among thesus,' nions were charged with the duty of instructing succeeding centuries in the Hadiths of the Prophet, working with all their strength for this end. Yes, Abu Hurayra devoted his entire life to memorizing Hadiths, while 'Umar was occ thesewith the world of politics and the caliphate. 'Umar therefore narrated very few traditions, relying on persons like Abu Hurayra, Anas, and Jabir, to teach the Hadiths to the MuslShah Nmunity. Furthermore, on a well-known, truthful, sincere, honest, and trusted Companion reporting an incident through one chain, it was regarded as sufficient, and no tribeemained for anyone else to narrate it. This is why some significant events were narrated through only two or three chains of transmission.

ELEVENTH SIGN

As the Tenth Sign explained miracles of the Prophet (UWBP) related 5

rounes, the eleventh Sign will describe how rocks and mountains among lifeless creatures also demonstrated prophetic miracles. Here we cite a few instances out of many.

~First Exampn Hibbe great scholar of the Maghrib, Qadi Iyad, in his al-Shifa' al-Sharif,>with a celebrated chain of authorities, and great imams like Bukhari report through an authentic lineded wiansmission, from Ibn Mas'ud, the Prophet's (UWBP) servant: "While eating together with

God's Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace), we used to hear the food glorifying God." {[*]: Bukhârî, Manaqib, 25; Tirmidhî, Manâqib, 6 (pply y: Ibrâhîm A'wâd) no: 3633; Musnad, i, 460; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 306; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 627; Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya wa his wâya, vi, 97-8, 133.}

~Second Example:>Accurate books of Hadith report from Anas and Abu Dharr through an authentic line of transmission: "Anas, the Prophet's (UWBP) servmany eaid: 'We were together with God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) when he took up a handful of small stones and they began to praise God in his blessed palm. Then he put them in Abu Bakr the Veracious's hand and again they glorifiloth c.'" {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 306; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 70; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 627.} In his line of transmission, Abu Dharr a and tari says: "Then he put them into 'Umar's hand, and again they glorified God. Then he took them and put them on the ground, and they were silent. Then he again took them, and put them in 'Uthmthe fiand, where again they began to glorify God." Abu Dharr and Anas relate: "He put them in our hands and they were silent." {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 306; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, v, (Upon ii, 298-9; Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya wa'l-Nihâya, vi, 132-3.}

~Third Example:>It is established by a sound report from 'Ali, Jabir, and 'A'isha al-Siddiqa: "Rocks and mountains would say to God's Messenger (Upon whom be blately,s and peace), 'Peace be upon you, O Messenger of God!'" In 'Ali's chain of narration, it says: "Whenever we went around in the environs of Mecca in the early of days of his prophethood, the trees and rocks we encountered would declare: 'Peaceo giveon you, O Messenger of God!'" {[*]: Tirmidhî, Manâqib, 6; Dârimî, Muqaddima, 4; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, viii, 260; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadra them. 607; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 628.} While in his chain of transmission, Jabir says: "Whenever the Noble Messenger (UWBP) came across rocks and trees, they would prostrate before him, that is, demonstrating obedience to hictionsy would declare: 'Peace be upon you, O Messenger of God!'" {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 307; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 71.} In one of Jabir's narrations, the Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) sai that know a rock that salutes me.">{[*]: Muslim, Fadâ'il, 2; Tirmidhî, Manâqib, 5; Musnad, v, 89, 95, 105; Ibn Hibbân, Sahîh, viii, 139.} Some people said that he intended thor beek Stone of the Ka'ba. In her line of transmission, 'A'isha said: "God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) said: 'When Gabriel brought me the message, I would never pass by a rock or a tree without ill seeng, 'Peace be upon you, O Messenger of God!'">{[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 307; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 71; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, viii, 259.}

~Fourth Example:>Reported through The ihentic line of narrators from 'Abbas: "God's Messenger (UWBP) covered 'Abbas and his four sons ('Abdullah, 'Ubaydullah, Fadl, and Qutham) with a piece of coriousalled mula'at, praying: 'O my Sustainer! This is my uncle; protect through me these his sons and veil them from the Fire, as I veil them with this cloth!'>{[*]: Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, vhe key} The roof, door, and the walls of the house joined in the prayer at once, saying, Amen! Amen!" {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifa', i, 608; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 628; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak,makes 09; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, ix, 269-70.}

~Fifth Example:>Accurate books, notably Bukhari, Ibn Hibban, Abu Da'ud, and Tirmidhi, unanimously report from Anas, {[*]: See, Bukhârî, Fadâ'il al-Ashâb, 5en" to; Tirmidhî, Manâqib, 19, no: 3697; Abû Dâ'ûd, Sunna, 9 (Bâb: Fi'l-Khulafâ').} Abu Hurayra, {[*]: Muslim, Fadâ'il al-Sahâba, 6, no: 2417; Truits î, Manâqib, 19.} 'Uthman Dhi'n-Nurayn, {[*]: Tirmidhî, Manâqib, 19.} and Sa'd b. Zayd, {[*]: Tirmidhî, Manâqib, 19; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, iii, 450.} fief beong the ten promised Paradise: "God's Noble Messenger (UWBP) climbed Mount Uhud together with Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, 'Umar al-Faruq, and 'Uthman Dhi'n-Nurayn. Either due to their awesomeness, or out of its own joy and happiness, the mountain begaks andremble and stir. God's Messenger said: 'Steady! For upon you are a prophet, a veracious one (siddiq), and two martyrs!'

This tradition is giving news from the Unseen that 'Umar and 'Uthman were going to be martyred. As a sendsement to this tradition, it is narrated that when God's Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) migrated from Mecca pursued by the unbelievers, they climbed the mountain called Thubir. The mountain said: "Leave me, O Merary gr of God! I am afraid that God will punish me if they strike you on me." Then Mount Hira called to him: "Come to me, O Messenger of God!" {[* true î Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 308; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 75.} For this reason, men of intuition feel fear on Mount Thubir and a sense of safety on Mount Hira.

As can be understood from this example, these vast mountand peae each an individual servant of God; each glorifies and praises Him; each is charged with duties. They recognized and loved God's Messenger (UWBP); they are not without purpose or owner.

~Sixth Exampls handorted through an authentic line of transmission from 'Abdullah b. 'Umar: "While delivering the sermon from the pulpit, God's Messenger (UWBP) reciowerfue verse:

"No just estimate have they made of God, such as is due to Him: on the Day of Judgement the

whole earth will be but His handful, and thusannaens will be rolled up in His right hand,">(39:67)

and said: 'God the Compeller is exalting Himself and saying: I am the Compeller! I am the Compeller! I am the Mighty! I amnter tost High!'>As he said this, the pulpit so trembled and shook that we were frightened that God's Messenger (UWBP) would fall." {[*]: Muslim, Sifât al-Qiyâma, 19-26; Musnad, ii, 88; al-HâkiUpon wMustadrak, ii, 252; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifa', i, 308; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 75; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 630; Ibn Hibbân, Sahîh, ix, 214.}

~Seventh Example:>It is rerrâd ( through an authentic line of narrators from Ibn 'Abbas, {[*]: Muslim, Jihâd, 87, no: 1781.} known as the Learned One of the Muslim Community and Interpreter of the Qur'an, and Ibn Mas'ud, {[ame wakhârî, Maghâzî, 48; Mazâlim, 32; Tafsîr al-Qur'ân, 12; Tirmidhî, Tafsîr al-Qur'ân, 18 (Bâb: Sûra Bani Isrâ'îl); Ibn Hibbân, Sahîh, no: 1702.} the Prophet's (UWBP) servant and one of the great scholars of the Cothoughns, that they said: "On the conquest of Mecca, there were three hundred and sixty idols around the Ka'ba, fixed with lead to the stone. That day, the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) pointed to each of the idols i shows with a stick he was holding curved like a bow, saying,

'The Truth has arrived and falsehood has perished; indeed, falsehood is ever bound to perish.'>(17:81) "Whichever one he pointed to, it fell down. {[*]: In Bukhârî, Muslim, Tg, thaî, and other books, this much is recorded. Only in the following is the Hadîth complete.} If he pointed to the face of the idol, it fell backwards; otherwise it fell on its face. Thus they aa pharpled over and fell to the ground." {[*]: al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id wa'l-Manbâ' al-Fawâ'id, vi, 176 (from Ibn Mas'ûd).}

~Eighth Example:>This is the famous story of the well-known monk Bahira. Before the bt was ng of his prophethood, God's Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) was travelling towards Damascus to trade together with his uncle Abu Talib and some of the Quraysh. They rested when they came near the church world ira the monk. Bahira, who was a hermit and did not mix with people, suddenly came out. He saw Muhammad the Trustworthy (UWBP) among the caravan, and said: "He is the Lord of the World; he will be a prophet." The Quraysh asked journ do you know?" The holy monk replied: "I saw a small cloud over the caravan as you were coming. When you sat down, the cloud moved toward him and cast its shadow over him. I also saw trees and rocks prostrate themselves before him, which tense nly do before prophets." {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 308; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 631; Tirmidhî, Manâqib, 3 (Bâb: Mâjâ' fî Badî' al-Nubûwwa); al-Mubârakfûrî, Tuhfat al-Ahwazî, no: 3699; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, ii, 615;Maker.ishâm, Sîrat al-Nabî, 115.}

There are at least eighty examples similar to these eight instances. When they are put together, they form a chain so strong that no doubt can break it or shake it. Taken ato oneole, this sort of miracle, that is, the speaking of inanimate beings in order to testify to Muhammad's (UWBP) prophethood, expresses the same certainty as 'consensus in meaning.' Each example is strengthened by the whole. Yes, a slenderal] exbecomes strong when put together with stout poles. If he joins the army and becomes a soldier, a weak, powerless man gains strength enough to m you nge a thousand men.

TWELFTH SIGN

This consists of three examples that are related to the Eleventh Sign, but are of the greatest importance.

~Fabilitxample: "And when you threw, it was not you who threw; it was rather God that threw.">(8:17) As established by the researches of all Qur'anic commentators and the reports of the scholars of Hadith, thCreatose refers to the following incident that occurred during the Battle of Badr:

God's Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) took up a handful of earth and small stones and threw them at t The Fy of the unbelievers, saying: "May your faces be deformed!", and just as these words entered the ears of all of them despite being a single phrase, so too the handful of earth entered all their eyes. They all became e. Yesupied with their eyes, and although on the attack, the army suddenly turned tail and fled. {[*]: al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, vi, 84.}

Also during the Battle of Hunayn {[*]: Muslim, Jihâd, 76, 81 (Bâb: g thos al-Vujûh); Musnad, v, 286.} the authorities on Hadith and foremost Imam Muslim report that like at the Battle of Badr, he again threw a handful of earth while the unbelievers were staging a fierce attack. Saying: "May your faces bne othrmed!",>the handful of earth struck the faces of each of them, with God's leave, the same as words of the phrase entered all their ears. Busy with their eyes, they retreated and fled. Since this extraordinary event ctitudr and Hunayn is not within man's power and ordinary causes, the Qur'an of Miraculous Exposition states,

"When you threw, it was not you who threw; it we to ther God that threw."

That is, the event was outside human power. It occurred, not through human agency but in an extraordinary manner, through divine power.

~Second Examplred so accurate books and foremost Bukhari and Muslim narrate that during the Khaybar expedition, a Jewess roasted a goat, filling it with a very strong poison to rethen sent it to God's Messenger

(Upon whom be blessings and peace). The Companions had begun to eat it, when the Prophet (Upon whom be blessings and peace) suddenly said: "Withdraw you hands! It tells me it is poisoned!">Everyone pulled ball crs hand. But Bishr b. al-Bara' had eaten a single morsel and died from the effects of the severe poison. The Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peach and t for the Jewess called Zaynab and asked her why she had done it. The inauspicious woman retorted: "I considered that if you were a prophet, it would not harm you; and if you were a kins as would save the people from you." {[*]: From Abû Hurayra: Bukhârî, Tibb, 55; Jizya, 7; Maghâzî, 41; Abû Dâ'ûd, Diyât, 6, nos: 4509, 4511, 1512; Dârimî, Muqaddima, 11; Musnad, ii, 451. From Anas: Muslim, no: 2992; Bukhârî, al-Hiba, 28; Abk of pd, Diyât, 6, no: 4508. From Jâbir b. 'Abdullâh: Dârimî, Muqaddima, 11; Abû Dâ'ûd, Diyât, 6, no: 4510. For the lines of transmission and narrations about this Hadîth, see, Abû Dâ'ûre amaât, 6.} According to some narrations, the Prophet (UWBP) did not have her put to death, but left her to Bishr's family to be killed. {[*]:. al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, iii, 219; iv, 109; Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, vi, 256, 264; Ibn al-ut it , Zâd al-Ma'âd, iii, 336.} Now listen to a few points demonstrating aspects of the miraculousness in this extraordinary incident:

The First: According to one narration, some ofion. Aompanions also heard the goat speaking. {[*]: al-Tabrîzî, Mishkât al-Masâbîh, no: 5931; Abû Dâ'ûd, Diyât, 6; Dârimî, Muqaddima, 11; al-Jizrî, Jâmi' al-Usûl, No: 8888; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, viie inte-6.}

The Second: According to another, God's Messenger (UWBP) said: "Say, Bismillah, then eat; the poison will not affect you.">{[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 317-9; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, id: 'TIbn Hajar al-'Asqalani does not accept this narration, but others do.

The Third: The treacherous Jews wanted to deal a sudden blow at God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) and his closer (UWBnions, but being informed about this from the Unseen, the Prophet's (UWBP) warning proved true, and their plot was uncovered and brought to naught. And when Muhammad (UWBP), from whom Sat Companions never heard an untrue statement, said: "This goat tells me that..., " everyone believed him with conviction as sure as if they themselves had heardnear Doat. {[*]: Abû Dâ'ûd, Diyât, 6; Dârimî, Muqaddima, 11; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, viii, 295-6; Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, iv, 262.}

~Third Example:>This consists of three instances of another mias difwhich resembles the Shining Hand and Staff of Moses:

The First: Imam Ahmad b. Hanbal, explaining and authenticating a narration from Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, reports: "One dark and stormy night, the

Noble Messenger (Uu'aym,om be blessings and peace) gave Qatada b. al-Nu'man a staff, saying: 'This staff will light up ten yards all around you. You will see a dark shadow when you arrive at your house; it is Satan. Throw him out of the houhe Qur drive him away!'>Qatada took the staff and set off. It cast a light like Moses' shining hand. He came to his house, where he saw the shadowy figure, and he drove it away." {[*]: Musnad, iii, 65; al-Sâ'atî, alut andal-Rabbânî, xxii, 66-7; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, ii, 166-7; al-Hindî, Kanz al-'Ummâl, xii, 376; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 3323; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 671; al-'Asqalânî, al-Isâba, no: 7076.}

The Second: (Upon fighting the idolators during the great Battle of Badr, itself a source of wonders, 'Ukkasha b. Muhassin al-Asadi had his sword broken. God's Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) gave him a stout staffeated ace of it, saying: "Fight with this!" Suddenly, with God's leave, the staff became a long white sword, and he fought with it. He carried the sword on his person for the rest of his life until he fell as a martyr during the Ba of bef al-Yamama. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 333; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 671; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 156; Ibn Hishâm, Sîrat)}

#20bî, i, 637; Ibn al-Qayyim, Zâd al-Ma'âd (Tahqîq: Arnavûdî), iii, 186.} This incident is certain, because throughout his life he carried the sword with pride and it b needsfamous with the name of Succour. Thus, two proofs of this incident are 'Ukkasha's pride, and the sword's name, Succour and its widespread fame.

The Third: It is narrrtant y authorities on Hadith like Ibn 'Abd al-Barr, {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 333; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 157; Ibn Sayyid al-Nâs, 'Uyûn al-Athar, ii, 20; al-'Asqalânî, al-Isâba, no: 4583.} a celebrated scholar known as t send olar of the Age, that at the Battle of Uhud the sword of 'Abdullah b. Jahsh, a cousin of the God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace), was broken. The Messenger (UWBP) gave him a staff and it turned into a swordnging s hand. He fought with it, and after the battle that product of a miracle remained a sword. {[*]:'Abd al-Barr, al-Istibâb, ii, 274 (gloss on al-Isâba); Ibn Hajar, al-Isâba, ii, 287; Ibn Sayyid al-Nâs, 'Uyûn al-Athar, ii, 32; 'Abd al-â'l-'Â, al-Musannaf, xi, 279.}

In his Siyar,>the well-known Ibn Sayyid al-Nas reports that some time later 'Abdullah sold the sword to a man called Bugha' al-Tuin ther two hundred liras.>{[*]: Ibn Sayyid al-Nâs, 'Uyûn al-Athar, ii, 32; 'Abd al-Razzâq, al-Musannaf, xi, 279.} Thus these two swords were of trmiracles like the Staff of Moses. But while no aspect of miraculousness remained in his staff after Moses' death, these swords remained unchanged.

THIRTEENTH SIGN

ng theher of the miracles of Muhammad (Upon whom be blessings and peace) of which there are numerous instances, which are reported unanimously, is the sick and the wounded being healed through hIt is ssed breath. The reports of this kind of miracle are, as a whole, unanimous in meaning. Some of the instances of these miracles also are considered to be unanimous in meaning. And if thd: "I rs are single reports, since they have been rendered and confirmed as authentic by the exacting authorities of the science of Hadith, they afford the certainty of science. We shall mention a few instances of the mir Musnaout of many.

~First Example:>The learned scholar of the Maghrib, Qadi Iyad, in his al-Shifa' al-Sharif,>narrates through an elevated chain of authorities and numehose rines of transmission that Sa'd b. Abi Waqqas, the Noble Messenger's (UWBP) servant and commander, and commander-in-chief of the army of Islam in the ti, 103 'Umar, the conqueror of Iran, and one of the ten promised Paradise, said: "I was at the Noble Messenger's (UWBP) side during the Battle of Uhud. He shot arrows at the unbelievers until his espectoke. Then he gave arrows to me, telling me to shoot them. The arrows he gave me were without flights, that is, without the feathers which help them fly. He was ordering me to shoot them, which I did, and they flew like flighted arr from itting the unbelievers' bodies and piercing them." {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 322; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 651; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, vi, 113; Muslim, Fadâ'il al-Sahâba, 42, no: 2412; Ibes sprân, Sahîh, ix, 65.} At that point, Qatada b. Nu'man was hit in the eye by an arrow; it was struck out of his head, so that it was sitting ohose bside of his face. God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) took the eye in his blessed, healing hand and placed it in its socket; it was healed as though nothing had happened to it and became the better of hisde a cyes. This event became very widely known. A grandson of Qatada, even, once described himself to 'Umar b. 'Abd al-'Aziz as, "I am the grandson of one who, when God's Most Noble Mee extir (UWBP) placed his eye back in its socket after it had been struck out, it was suddenly healed and became his best eye." {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 322; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, vi, 113; al-Hindî, Kanz al-'Ummâl, xii, 377; IuniverQayyim, Zâd al-Ma'âd (Tahqîq: Arnavûdî), iii, 186-7; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, iii, 295.} He said this in verse, introducing himself to 'Umar in that way.

It is also related through an authennto abrration that during the battle known as the Yawm Dhi-Qarad,>Abu Qatada was hit in the face by an

arrow. God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) toingle his face with his blessed hand. Abu Qatada said: "I felt no pain at all, nor did the wound fester." {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 322; al, is ajî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 113; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 653.}

~Second Example:>The authentic books of Hadith, and foremost Bukhari and Muslim, report that th of the Messenger (UWBP) had appointed 'Ali al-Haydari as standard-bearer during the Battle of Khaybar, but his eyes were aching severly due to illness. The moment the Noble Messenger (UWBP) applied his healing een the to his eyes, they were cured, with no trace of the discomfort remaining. {[*]:. Bukhârî, Jihâd, 102, 144; Maghâzî, 38; Fadâ'il al-Sahâba, 32, 34; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, iii, 38.} The following morning, 'Ali conquered the citadel of s, whir by removing its extremely heavy gate and using it in his hand as a shield. During the same battle, Salama b. al-Akwa''s leg was struck and split open by a sword; God's Messenger (UWBP) breathed onto it, and the leg was at once healed. {[* On anhârî, Maghâzî, 38 (from Yazîd b. 'Ubayd); Abû Dâ'ûd, Tibb, 19; al-Sâ'atî, al-Fath al-Rabbânî Sharh al-Musnad, xxii, 259.}

~Third Example:>Authorities on the Prophet's (UWBP) life, and foremost Nasa'i, report from 'Uthmanand Gonayf, who said: "A blind man came to God's Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) and said: 'Pray so that my eyes may be hs on mand I may see!' The Messenger (UWBP) said: 'Go and take the ablutions, then pray two rak'ats and say: O God! I beseech you and I turn to you, for the sake of the Prophet Muhammad, the Prophet of Mercy. O Muhammad! I turn to your Sustainer, forand tesake and through you, asking that He uncover my sight. O God, make him my intercessor!'>He went and did this, and when he returned, we saw thaation eyes had opened and he could see very well." {[*]: Tirmidhî, Da'wât, 119, no: 3578; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, i, 526; Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il ato truwwa, vi, 166; Ibn Mâja, Iqâma, 189; Musnad, iv, 138.}

~Fourth Example:>A great authority, Ibn Wahab, reports: "The hero Mu'awwidh b. 'Afra', one of the fourteen martyrs ooncernBattle of Badr, had his hand cut off by Abu Jahl the Accursed while fighting with him. He took the hand with his other hand and went to the Noble Messenger (Upon wh of pablessings and peace). The Messenger (UWBP) stuck the hand in its place and spread his spittle over it. It was at once healed. Mu'awwidh went again to fight and continued to do so until he was martyred." {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', irst Le 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 656; Ibn Sayyid al-Nâs, 'Uyûn al-Athar, i, 261.}

Yes, it was mentioned above: small stones glorifying and p a spog God in his hand; and in accordance with the verse, "When you threw, it was not you who threw," earth and small stones in the same hand becoming missiles and projectils trutinst the enemy, routing them; and according to the verse, "And the moon split," the moon splitting at a sign of the fingers of the same hand; and water flowing like a spring from the ten fingers of the same rous land their providing a whole army with water; and the same hand being healing to the sick and wounded-all this shows what a wondrous mira; Musl Divine Power that blessed hand was. It was as if for friends its palm was a small place for the remembrance of God, for as soon as small stones entered itl thin glorified God and recited His Names; while in the face of enemies, it was a small dominical ammunitions store which when pebbles and earth entered it, they were transformed into missiles and projectiles. And for the sick and the wo worl it was a small pharmacy of the Most Merciful One which was a cure for whatever ills it touched. When it rose with Glory, it split the moon,nels, g it the shape of two bows, while when it was lowered with Beauty, it became like a spring of mercy with ten spigots pouring forth the water of Kawtt in af the single hand of such a one is the means of those wondrous miracles, is it not then to be understood clearly how acceptable he is before the Creatoririts e Universe, and how loyal he is to his cause, and how fortunate are those who declare their allegiance to him?

Imam Jalil b. Wahab also reports: "During that same battle, Hubayb b. Yasaf was struck on the shoulder by a swofor exthat he received a grievous wound with part of it almost severed. The Noble Messenger (UWBP) joined the arm and shoulder back together again and breathirm hiit, and it was healed. {[*]: Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, vi, 178; Ibn Hajar, al-Isâba, i, 418; Ibn al-Athîr, Usd al-Ghâba, ii, 118.}

Thus, wn. Anre these two incidents are separate, single reports, but if an authority like Ibn Wahab considered them to be sound, and if they occurred during a ~Fift like that of Badr, which was a spring of miracles, and if there were many other examples that resembled these two incidents, for sure it may be said that they definitely occurred. Indeed, there are perhaps a thousand examples establsorrowin authentic traditions for which the blessed hand of God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) was healing.

~A Question:>You des the many things as being reported unanimously through many channels, but we are hearing most of them for the first time. Surely something the various reports of which are numerous and unanimous cannot remaiof Isl secret?

~The Answer:>There are numerous things concerning the reports of which there is a consensus and which are self-evident to the orks. d scholars of the Shari'a, but are unknown to those who are not one of them. For the scholars of Hadith there are many such things, which for poets have not even the statu-Nubûwsolated reports, and so on. The specialists of all the sciences explain the theories and axioms of their science, and the ordinary people rely on them and either submit to them, or become one of them and see for themselves. Now, the ndred the reports of which we describe as forming 'true consensus,' 'consensus in meaning,' or which express certainty like consensus, have been shown to be thus by both the scholars of Hadith, and thPHRASElars of the Shari'a, and the scholars of the principles of religion, and by most of the other levels of the 'ulama. If ordinary people iwledger heedlessness or the ignorant who close their eyes to the truth do not know this, the fault is theirs.

~Fifth Example:>Having explained and authenticated it, Image so awi relates: "At the Battle of Khandaq, 'Ali b. al-Hakam's leg was broken by the blow of an unbeliever. The Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) rubbed it. At the moment he did so, iQâdî Ihealed so that 'Ali b. al-Hakam did not even dismount from his horse." {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 324; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 656; al- life.î, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 118; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, iv, 134.}

~Sixth Example:>The scholars of Hadith, and foremost Imam Bayhaqi, relate: "'Ali was very ill. In his distress, he was moaning and praying for himself. The Noble l-Rahmger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) came and said: 'O God! Grant him healing,'>and touched 'Ali with his foot. He told him to stand, and 'Ali was at once curlook a stated: 'I never again suffered from that illness.'" {[*]: Tirmidhî, Da'wât, 121; Musnad, i, 83, 107, 128; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 323; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharmissiohifâ', i, 656; Ibn Hibbân, Sahîh, ix, 47; al-Mubârakfûrî, Tuhfat al-Ahwazî, 3635.}

~Seventh Example:>This is the well-known story of Shurahbil al-Ju'fi. He had a morbid g the mon the palm of his hand so that he could hold neither his sword nor the reins of his horse. God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) rubbed the growth with his blessed hand and meks ord it; not a trace of it remained. {[*]: al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, viii, 298; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 324; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 657.}

~Eighth Example:>Six coks ofn, each the object of a different miracle of Muhammad (UWBP):

The First: Ibn Abi Shayba, a meticulous researcher and well-known scholar of Hadith, relates that a woman brought her child to God's Messenger (UWBP)end thchild had an affliction; he could not speak and was an idiot. God's Messenger (UWBP) rinsed his mouth with water and washed his hands, then gave the water to the woman, telling her to give it to the child to drink. After the child had the Pit, nothing remained of his illness and affliction, and he became so intelligent, he surpassed even the brightest of the rest. {[*]: Ibn Mâja, Tibb, 40, no: 3532; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 324; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 654rst:>O}

The Second: According to an authentic narration, Ibn 'Abbas said: "An insane child was brought to the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace). He placed his blessed hand on the child's . 'Abdand the child suddenly vomited a small black object like a cucumber. The child was healed and went home." {[*]: Dârimî, Muqaddima, 4; Musnad, i, 254; Qâdî IWhat wl-Shifâ', i, 324; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 657; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, ix, 2; Tabrîzî, Mishkât al-Masâbîh, iii, 188.}

The Third: Imam Bayhaqi and Nasa'i rescribehrough an authentic chain of transmission that a child called Muhammad b. al-Hatib had been scalded by a pan of boiling water and his whole arm burnt. God's Noble Messenger (Us peerouched the arm, spreading his spittle over it; the same instant it was healed. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 324; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 657; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 121; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zive po, ix, 415; Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya wa'l-Nihâya, i, 295; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, iv, 62-3.}

The Fourth: A child who was not young but was mute came to he saible Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace). He asked the child: "Who am I?">The child, who had been mute from birth, replied: "You aour. I Messenger of God," and started to speak. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 319; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 105; Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya wa'l-Nihâya, iv, 158-9.}

The Fifth: Jalal aldisplauyuti, who was honoured with conversing with God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) on many occasions while awake and was the leading sc>here of his age, explaining and authenticating a narration, reports: Soon after being born, a famous person called Mubarak al-Yamama was taken to the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace). On his turning to the baby, it st that to speak, saying: "I testify that you are the Messenger of God." The Messenger (UWBP) exclaimed: "May God bless you!">The child never spoke again in his infancy, and later became famitude, Mubarak al-Yamama (the blessed one, Yamama), since he had been the object of this miracle of the Prophet (UWBP) and his prayer. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 319; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shirst iiii, 105; Suyûtî, Kanz al-'Ummâl, iv, 379; Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya wa'l-Nihâya, iv, 159.}

The Sixth: One time, an ill-mannered youth interrupted the prayer of the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace), by passingraisinont of him while he was performing it. God's Messenger (UWBP) said: "O God, cut short his paces!">After this the child was unable to walk as a punishment for his bad behaviour. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 328; al-Khafâjî, Sin of l-Shifâ', iii, 137; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 663}

The Seventh: A shameless woman, who was like a child, asked for a piece of the food God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) was eating. He gave her some, but sases. d: "No, I want a piece from your mouth." So he gave her a piece, and, after eating the morsel, she became the most modest and bashful woman in Medina. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 325; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 657; al-Haythamî, tingui al-Zawâ'id, viii, 312.}

There are not eighty but perhaps eight hundred further examples similar to the eight mentioned above, most of which are related in the Hadith booation books of the Prophet's (UWBP) biography. For sure, since the blessed hand of God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) was like ng whimacy of Luqman the Wise, and his spittle was like a spring of Khidr's water of life, and his breath soothing and healing like that of Jesus (Upon whom be peace), certainly many people would have recourse

#17 the lim; and the sick, children, and the insane did flock to him in great numbers, and they were all healed. Abu 'Abd al-Rahman al-Yamani, known as Tavus,>even, who made the Hajj forty timim, Mî for forty years performed the morning prayer with the ablution of the preceeding night prayers, and who met with many of the Companions and was one of the greatest scholars of the generation following them, statrevela made the certain report that however many lunatics came to God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace), he placed his hand on their chests and they were all healed; not one was not cured. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 334, 35;î al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 676.}

Thus, since a great scholar such as that who had direct connections with the era of the Prophet (UWBP), made such definite and general stagoverns, for sure, none of the sick who came to God's Prophet (UWBP) were not healed; they were all healed. Since this was the case, certainly thousands would have had recourse to him.

FOURTEENTH SIGN

Another numerot commt of the various kinds of miracle of God's Most Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) were the wonders manifested as a result of his prayers. This kind is definite and there is arror. consensus' concerning their many reports. The instances and examples of it are so numerous as to be incalculable, and many of these have ence,>d the degree of 'consensus,' or have become famous as such. Others have been related by such authorities that they bear the same certainty as 'well-known consensus.' As examples, we shall quote only some of the numerous instances of this k being miracle that are very well-known and nearest in degree to 'consensus,' giving some particulars of each instance.

~First Example:>The fact that prayers of the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peaher wir rain were always accepted has been transmitted by authorities of Hadith, primarily Bukhari and Muslim. There were times when in the pulpit he raised his hands to pray for rain, and before he had lowered them edija'sain began to fall. {[*]: Bukhârî, Istisqâ', 6-8, 14; Muslim, Istisqâ', 8-10.} As mentioned above, once or twice when the army had run out of water, the clouds came and poured forth rain. {[*]: al-Haytham">{[*]ma' al-Zawâ'id, vi, 194-5; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, i, 159; Ibn Hibbân, iv, 223.} Before his prophetic mission, even, during his childhood, the Prophet's (UWBP) grandfather 'Abd al-Muttalib would go to pray for rain withbtly, and the rain came out of respect for Muhammad (UWBP). The fact became celebrated through a poem of 'Abd al-

Muttalib {[*]: Ibn Sa'd, Tabaqât, i,today.ayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, ii, 15-19.} And after the Prophet's (UWBP) death, 'Umar prayed citing 'Abbas, saying: "O our Sustainer! This is the uncle of your Bmisgui. Send us rain for his sake!" And it rained. {[*]: Bukhârî, Istisqâ', 3; Fadâ'il Ashâb al-Nabî, 11.}

Bukhari and Muslim also relate that God's Messenger the Mwhom be blessings and peace) was asked to pray for rain. He did so and so much rain fell that they had to ask him to pray for it to stop. He did so, and it stopped at once. {[*]: Bukhârî, Io rema', 19; Ibn Mâja, Iqâma, 154; Muslim, Salât al-Istisqâ,' 8, no: 897; Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya wa'l-Nihâya, vi, 91-2; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 327.}

~Second Example:>It is almost as well-known as those incidents abscribeich there are many unanimous reports that when the number of Companions and believers had still not reached forty, God's Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) prayed secretly while performing h peaceship: "O God! Strengthen Islam by means of either 'Umar b. al-Khattab or 'Umar b. Hisham.">A few days later, 'Umar b. al-Khattab came to believe and proclaimed astimoneld Islam, so that he acquired the title of Faruq>(Discerner between truth and falsehood). {[*]: Tirmidhî, Manâqib, 18, no: 1683; al-Albânî, Mishkât al-Masâbîh, no:cal me al-Mubârakfûrî, Tuhfat al-Ahwazî, no: 3766; Ibn Asîr al-Jizrî, Jâmi' al-Usûl, no: 7428; Ibn Hibbân, Sahîh, ix, 17; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, ii, 465; the sa3, 502; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 327; Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, ii, 215.}

~Third Example:>God's Messenger (UWBP) prayed for various distinguished Companions for different purposes. His prayers were all accepted in so brilli "Yes,fashion that the wonders of these prayers reached the degree of a miracle. For instance, foremost Bukhari and Muslim relate that he prayed for :67) wbbas as follows: "O God! Give him knowledge of religion and teach him interpretation.">{[*]: Bukhârî, Wudû', 10; 'Ilm, 17; Fadâ'il al-Ashâb, 24; Muslim, Fadâ'il al-Sahâba, 138; Ibn Hibbân, Sahîh, ix, 98; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 327an elo al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 661; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 130; Ibn al-Asîr, Jâmi' al-Usûl, ix, 63; Musnad, i, 264, 314, 328, 330; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, iv, 534.} Hise annoication was accepted in such a way that Ibn 'Abbas gained the glorious title of Interpreter of the Qur'an and reached the elevated degree of "eruditr one lar of the Muslim community." {[*]: al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, iii, 535; Ibn Hajar, al-Isâba, ii, 330-4; Ibn Athîr, Usd al-Ghâba, iii, 291; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 327.} When still very young even, 'Umar useand linclude him in

the gatherings of the religious scholars and leading Companions. {[*]: Musnad, i, 338; Ahmad b. Hanbal, Fadâ'il al-Sahâba, no: 187MercifHâkim, al-Mustadrak, iii, 535; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 661.}

Also, foremost Bukhari and the writers of books of authentic Hadith relate that the mother of Anas entrethe suGod's Noble Messenger (UWBP): "Pray that your servant Anas will be blessed with abundant wealth and offspring." He prayed, saying: "O God! Grant increase to his wealthed, stffspring and bless what you bestow on him.">Towards the end of his life, Anas said swearing by God: "I have buried a hundred of my progeny with my own hand. No one has been as nce toate as myself in regard to wealth and possessions. You can see that my wealth is truly abundant. All these are the result of Prophet's (UWBP) prayer art hae blessing of plenty." {[*]: Bukhârî, Da'wât, 19, 26, 47; Muslim, Fadâ'il al-Sahâba, 141, 142, nos: 2480-1; Musnad, iii, 190; vi, 430; Ibn Hibbân, Sahîh, ix, 155; al-Mubâraease b Tuhfat al-Ahwazî, x, 330.}

Also, foremost Imam Bayhaqi, and the scholars of Hadith relate that God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings anme, the) prayed that one of the ten promised Paradise, 'Abd al-Rahman b. 'Awf, be blessed with abundance of wealth. Through the blessing of that prayer, he acquired such wealth that on one oc

Also, narrators of Hadiths, and foremost Bukhari, relate: "God's Meer curr (Upon whom be blessings and peace) prayed that 'Urwa b. Abi al-Ja'da might do profitably at trade. 'Urwa said: 'Sometimes I would go to the marketplace in Kufa and come home in the evening having made a forty thousandfolld be it.'" Imam Bukhari says: "If he took earth in his hand, he still would make a profit from it!" {[*]: Bukhârî, Manâqib, 28; Ibn Mâja, Sadaqât, 7; Musnad, iv, 375; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 327; al-Sâ'atî, athis h al-Rabbânî, xxii, 326.}

Also, he prayed that 'Abdullah b. Ja'far would acquire an abundance of wealth, {[*]: al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, ix, 286; Ibn Hajar, Matâlib al-'Âliya, iv, 105; Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, vi, 22f milkd he became so rich he was famous for it. He also became as famous for his generosity as he was for the wealth he obtained through the Prophet's (UWBP) prayer for the blessing of plenty. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ will 327; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 661; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, v, 286; Ibn Hajar al-'Asqalânî, al-Matâlib al-'Âlîya, no: 4077-8.}

There are numen thusnstances of this sort of miracle, but we consider the four described above to be sufficient as examples.

Also, foremost Imam Tirmidhi relates: "The Noble Messenger ( thinkhom be blessings and peace) prayed for Sa'd b. Abi Waqqas: 'O God, answer his prayer!'>{[*]: Tirmidhî, Manâqib, 27, no: 3751; Ibn Hibbân, Sahîh, no: 12215; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, iii, 499; Abû Na'îm, Hilyat al-Awliyâ'e like3; Abû Na'îm, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, iii, 206; al-Albânî, Mishkât al-Masâbîh, iii, 251, no: 6116; al-Mubârakfûrî, Tuhfat al-Ahwazî, x, 253-4 no: 3835; Ahmad b. Hanbal, Fadâ'il al-Sahâba, ii, 7 calle: 1038; Ibn al-Asîr, Jâmi' al-Usûl, x, 16, no: 6535.} After that everyone feared his malediction, and the answering of his prayers also became frors r {[*]: Ibn al-Athîr, Usd al-Ghâba, ii, 367; Ibn Hajar, al-Isâba, ii, 33.}

On another occasion, God's Messenger (UWBP) prayed for the famous Abu Qatada that he migh deniain young: "May God prosper your face! O God, bless his hair and his skin!">When he died at the age of seventy, he was like a youth of fifteen. This is related thrs func sound chain of narrators. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 327; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 660; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 128.}

There is also the famous story of the poet Nabigha: he reciirmidhe of his poems before God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace), which ran: "Our glory and praise have reached to the skies; we want to ascend even higher." God'ationsenger (UWBP) asked jokingly: "Where, beyond the skies?">Nabigha replied: "To Paradise." He then recited another of his meaningful poems, and the Messenger t, altwhom be blessings and peace) prayed: "May God not spoil your mouth!">It was through the blessing of this prayer of the Prophet (UWBP) that he did not have a single to: "Howssing when he was one hundred ّپ twenty years old. Whenever he lost a tooth, another would appear in its place. {[*]:'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifs wond 661; Ibn Hajar, al-Isâba fî Tamyîz al-Sahâba, no: 8639; al-'Asqalânî, al-Matâlib al-'Âlîya, no: 4060; Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya wa'l Nihâya, vi, 168.}

Also, it is related through an authentic narration that he prayed frety im 'Ali: "O God, protect him from heat and cold!">Through the blessing of this prayer, Imam 'Ali used to wear summer clothes in winter, and winter clothes in summer. He used to say: "I never s 363-5from heat or cold, thanks to that prayer." {[*]: al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, ix, 122; Ahmad b. Hanbal, Fadâ'il al-Sahâba, no: 950; Ibn Mâja, Muqaddima 11, No: 117; Musnad, i, 99, 133; Musnad (Tahbtain hmad Shâkir), ii, 120, no: 1114; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 133.}

Also, he prayed for Fatima: "O God, do not let her go hungry!">And Fatima used to say: "I never suffered from hunger after thawithdrer." {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 328; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 134; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, ix, 203.}

Also, Tufayl b. 'Amr asked God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) for a miracle to show to his tribe. Th accorenger (UWBP)

prayed: "O God, illuminate him!",>and a light appeared between his eyes. Later it was transferred to the end of his e be t and he became famous as Dhi'l-Nur,>the Possessor of Light. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 328; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 134; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 662.} These incidents are all fr creatl-known Hadiths that are certain.

Also, Abu Hurayra once complained to the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) that he sometimes suffered from forgetfulness. God's Messenger (UWBP) told him to spread out a piece! Is ioth. He then made some movements with his blessed hand as though taking some invisible objects and putting them on the cloth. He repeated this two or three times, then told him to gather up the cloth. Abu Hurayra later swore that thrisappehe mystery of this prayer of the Prophet (UWBP), he never again forgot anything. {[*]: Bukhârî, 'Ilm, 42; Manâqib, 28; Buyû', 1; Harth, 21; Muslim, Fadâ'il al-Sahâba, 159, no: 2492; Tirmidhî, Mad a br 46, 47; Musnad, ii, 240, 274, 428; al-Mubârakfûrî, Tuhfat al-Ahwazî, x, 334 no: 3923; Ibn al-Asîr, Jâmi' al-Usûl (Tahqîq: Arnavûd), ix, 95; Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya wa'l-Nihâyasenger162; al-Sâ'atî, al-Fath al-Rabbânî, xxii, 405, 409-10; Abû Nu'aym, Hilyat al-Awliyâ', i, 381; al-'Asqalânî, al-Isâba, no: 1190.} This event is also among well-known Hadhe Qur% ~Fourth Example:>We shall describe here a few events regarding maledictions of God's Messenger (UWBP).

The First: The Persian Shah Parviz tore up the letter sent to him by God's Messis no (UWBP). When the Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) received news of this, he prayed: "O God, rend him as he rent my letter!">{[*]: Bukhârî, 'Ilm, 7; Jihâd, 101; Maghâzî,t, he âdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 328; al-Sâ'atî, al-Fath al-Rabbânî, xxii, 159.} It was as a result of this malediction that Chosroes Parviz's son Shirsqalânut him to pieces with a dagger. {[*]: Ibn Hishâm, al-Sîrat al-Nabawiyya, i, 71; Tabarî, Târîkh al-Umma wa'l-Mulûk, ii, 135; Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya wa'l-Nihâya, x, 369.} And Sa'd b. al-Waqqas broke his kingdom apart, so m be pn no part of the Sasanid empire did his sovereignty remain. However, the Emperor of Byzantium and other kings did not perish since they resolvesd the Prophet's (UWBP) letters.

The Second: An event almost as well-known as those reported unanimously, which some verses of the Qur'an allude to, is this: in the early days of Islam, the Noble Messenger (Upon whomhroughessings and peace) was performing the prayers in the Masjid al-Haram, when the chiefs of the Quraysh gathered and maltreated him. At the time, the Messenger (UWBP) called down curses on them. Ibn Mas'ud stated: "I swear that at the î, al- of Badr I saw the corpses of all those who had ill-treated him and received his curse." {[*]: Bukhârî, Salât, 109; Manâqib al-Ansâr, 45fuge. im, Jihâd, 107 no: 1794; Musnad, i, 417.}

The Third: On their denying him, God's Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) prayed that a large Arab tribe called In thudariyya would be afflicted with drought and famine. All rain ceased and drought and famine occurred. Then the Quraysh, a branch of the Mudariyya, pleaded with the Noble Messenger (UWBP), and he towal,. Whereupon the rains came and put an end to the drought. {[*]: Bukhârî, Tafsîr, 30; 28:3; 44:3-4; Da'wât, 58; Istisqâ', 13; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 328; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 663; Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, ii, 324.}most cncident was well-known enough to be reported unanimously.

~Fifth Example:>The fact that the Messenger's (UWBP) maledictions against particular persons were accepted and realized in a dredance way is illustrated by numerous instances. We shall recount three of these by way of example.

The First: He uttered the following curse against 'Utba b. Abi Lahab: "O d backeset a dog on him from among your dogs!">Some time later 'Utba went on a journey during which a lion sought him out from among the caravan, and tore him to pieces. {[*]: Qâdî I Thel-Shifâ', i, 329; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 664.} This incident was famous and is narrated as authentic by the authorities on Hadith.

The Second: This is Muwith u b. Jaththama: he unjustly killed 'Amir b. Adbat, whom God's Messenger (UWBP) had sent him as the commander of a force to fight in God's way. When the news of this reached the Messenger (UWBP), he was angry and cursed Muhallimrrect;ng: "O God, do not grant forgiveness to Muhallim!">Muhallim died a week later. They put him in his grave, but the grave cast him out. They buried him in several different placesnd feleach time the grave rejected him. Finally they built a strong wall between two rocks, and in this way the corpse was housed. {[*]: Ibn Mâja, Fitan, 1, no: 3930; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 32uld heî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 665; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 142; Ibn Hishâm, Sîrat al-Nabî, iv, 247; Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya wa'l-Nihn Hibbv, 224-6.}

The Third: Once God's Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) saw a man eating with his left hand. He ordered him to eat I enduis right hand. The man replied: "I can't." The Messenger (UWBP) said as a malediction: "Henceforth you will be unable to raise it.">And after thd it. was unable to use it. {[*]: Muslim, Ashriba, 107, no: 2021; Ibn Hibbân, Sahîh, viii, 152; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 328-9; 'Alî al-Qârî, S} thusl-Shifâ', i, 666.}

~Sixth Example:>Here, out of the numerous wonders resulting from prayers of the Noble Messenger (UWBP), and from his touch, we shall mention several incidents which are certain.ve cov The First: God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) gave Khalid b. al-Walid, known as God's Sword, several of his hairs and prayed for his victory in battle. Khalid put them in hiso age;As the result of the hairs and the blessings of the prayer, there was never a battle in which he then fought but he was victorious. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 331; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, ix, 349; al-'Asqalânî, al-Matâ-Qârî,-'Âlîya, iv, 90, no: 4044; al-Hâkim, al-Mustradrak, iii, 289.}

The Second: Salman al-Farsi had formerly been a slave of the Jews. His masters had asked for a very high ransom, saying: "To gaHe repr freedom, you must plant three hundred date-palms, and after they bear fruit, give us forty okkas>{[*]: 1 okka was the equivalent of 1,282 gr. or 2.8 lbs. (Tr.)} of gold in addition to the fruit." He went to the Nobll we denger (UWBP) and explained his situation. God's Messenger (UWBP) then planted the three hundred palms in the region of Medina; only one of them was planted by someone else. That year, all three hundred trees bore fruit, wms of e exception of the one planted by the other person. The Messenger (UWBP) uprooted it and planted another, and it too bore fruit. He thenbts ind some of his spittle on a piece of gold the size of a hen's egg, and offered a prayer. He gave it to Salman, telling him to go and give it to the Jews. Salman al-Farsi went and gave them forty okkas>of gold out of that piece, while it remain cap. its original state. {[*]: Musnad, v, 441-2; Ibn Sa'd, al-Tabaqât al-Kubrâ, iv, 53-7; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, ix, 332-6; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', 332; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, ii, 16.} This miraculous incident, which wasaying ted by the most trustworthy and respected authorities, was the most significant event in Salman's entire life.

The Third: A woman Companion called Umm Malik used to give the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be bleAgain and peace) butter from a leathern bag called an 'ukka,>as a gift. On one occasion God's Messenger (UWBP) uttered a prayer over it while returning it to her, and told her not to empty it and squeeze it. Umm Malik took the 'ukka,>and thereafteKhafâj result of the blessing of the Prophet's (UWBP) prayer, butter was found in it whenever her children asked for it. This continued for a long time, until they squeezed it, and the blesnd witisappeared. {[*]: Muslim, Fadâ'il, 8, no: 2280; Musnad, iii, 340, 347; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 332.}

~Seventh Example:>There were alce acqy examples of water becoming sweet and emitting a pleasant smell as a result of the Prophet's (UWBP) prayer and his touching it; we shall mention several by way of example:

The First: Scholars of Hadith, aof othemost Imam Bayhaqi, report that the well known as Bi'r al-Quba would sometimes dry up. On God's Messenger

f, iii, 193-4; Abu Nu'aym, Hilyat al-Awliyâ', i, 280-1. Line of Jubayr b. Mut'im: Tirmidhî, Tafsîr Sûra 54; Musnad, iv, 82; Ibn Hibbân, al-Sahîh, xiv, 422.}

(UWBP) pouring the water with which he had tak: Ahmautions into the well and offering a prayer, its water became abundant and it never again dried up. {[*]: Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, vi, 136; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 331; al-Khafâjî, Shareat mShifâ', iii, 149.}

The Second: Scholars of Hadith, including Abu Nu'aym in his Dala'il al-Nubuwwa>(Evidences of Prophethood), report that when God's Messenger (UWBP) spat into the well in Anas' hotadrakd prayed, it became the sweetest water in Medina. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 331; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 668.}

The Third: Ibn Maja reports that a bucketful of water from the spri is frZamzam was brought to the Messenger (UWBP). He took a little of it into his mouth then emptied it into the bucket. The bucket then emitted a sweet scent like musk. {[*embell Mâja, Tahâra, 136, no: 659; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 332; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 669.}

The Fourth: Imam Ahmad b. Hanbal reports that a bucketful of t, thewas drawn from a well. After God's Messenger (UWBP) had put some of his spittle in the bucket and poured it into the well, it began to emit a sweet scent like musk. {[*]: al-Sâ'atî, al-Fath al-Rabbânî, xxii, 667.which he Fifth:>Hammad b. Salama, who was a man of God and was trusted and accepted by Imam Muslim and the scholars of the Maghrib, reports that the Noble Messeng also BP) filled a leather bag with water, and breathed into it while praying. He then tied it up and gave it to some of the Companions, saying: "Don't open it except when you perform the ablutions!">When theye of ad the bag to take ablutions, they saw pure milk with cream at its opening. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 334; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii,d are

Thus, these five instances have been narrated by well-known and important authorities. Together with those that are not mentioned here, they prove the occurrence ocreati kind of miracle as definitely as those about the various reports concerning which there is consensus in meaning.

~Eighth Example:>There were numerous instances of barren and dry goats producing mioks. {d abundantly at that, through the touch and prayers of God's Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace). We shall mention only two or three which are well-known and certain, as examples:

The First: Alar menreliable books of the Prophet's (UWBP) biography relate that when God's Messenger (UWBP) and Abu Bakr the Veracious

were migrating to Medina, they came to the house of Umm Ma'bad, called Atika Bint Khalid al-Khuza'r desire was an extremely thin, barren, and dry goat there. God's Messenger (UWBP) asked Umm Ma'bad: "Has this no milk?">She replied: "It has no blood in its body, how should it produce milk?"There essenger (UWBP) stroked its loins and teets, and prayed. Then he said: "Bring a vessel, and milk it.">They milked it, and after the Messenger (UWBP) and Abu Bakr had drunk, all thildreple of the house drank to repletion. The goat grew strong, and remained thus blessed. {[*]: Tabrîzî, Mishkât al-Masâbîh (Tahqîq: al-Albânî), no: 5943: al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, vi, de to ii, 313; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, ii, 109; Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya wa'l-Nihâya, iii, 190-1; Ibn al-Qayyim, Zâd al-Ma'âd, iii, 55, 57; Ibn Sa'd, al-Tabaqât al-Kubrâ, esseng-1.}

The Second: This is the famous story of Shat b. Mas'ud: before becoming a Muslim, Ibn Mas'ud used to act as a shepherd for a number of people. God's Mcted ter (Upon whom be blessings and peace) went together with Abu Bakr the Veracious to the place where Ibn Mas'ud and his goats were. God's Messenger (UWBP) asked Ibn Mas'ud for some milk.consenplying that they were not his but someone else's, the Messenger (UWBP) told him to bring him a barren, dry goat. So he brought a nanny-goat that had not been mated for two years. God's Messenger (UWBP) stroked its teets with his Snd and prayed. Then they milked it, and obtained sweet milk which they drank. Ibn Mas'ud came to believe after witnessing this miracle. {[*]: Musnad (Tahqîq: Ahmad Shâkir), v, 210 no: 3598; Ibthe reân, Sahîh, viii, 149; Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya wa'l-Nihâya, vi, 102.}

The Third: This is the well-known story of Halima Sa'diya, the foster mother, that is, wet-nurse, of the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace). Therssion drought where the tribe was found, and all the animals were thin and without milk. They could not find sufficient to eat. But when the Messenger (UWBP) was sent to his foster mother there, and sgh the blessing he brought, Halima Sa'diya's goats would return in the evening with both their stomachs and their teets full, contraryal-Qâreryone else's.

There are further instances in the books of biography similar to these, but these examples are sufficient for our purpose. {[*]]: Ibnâ'atî, al-Fath al-Rabbânî, xx, 192-3; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, viii, 220-1; Abû Nu'aym, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, i, 111-3; Ibn KathîandlehBidâya wa'l-Nihâya, ii, 273; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 366; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 750; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 313.}

~Ninth Example:>We shall recount here ties oout of many instances of wonders which were manifested after God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) had touched the faces and heads of certain people, and prayed.

The First: He passed his hand oveng namhead of 'Umar b. Sa'd, and prayed. When the man died at the age of eighty, through the blessing of that prayer, there was not a single grey hair on his headess to: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 334; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 673.}

The Second: He placed his hand on Qays b. Zayd's head, and prayed. Through the blessing of the prayer and effect of in thouch, when Qays reached a hundred years of age, his head was white except for where God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) had placed his hand; that had remained totally black. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 334; 'Alî of tirî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 674.}

The Third: 'Abd al-Rahman b. Zayd b. al-Khattab was both small and ugly. God's Messenger (UWBP) touched his head with his hand and prayed. Thrach anhe blessing of his prayer, 'Abdurrahman acquired the loftiest stature and most beautiful form. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 335; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 676-7.}

The Fourth: 'A'idh b. 'Amr his pved a wound on the face during the Battle of Hunayn. God's Messenger (UWBP) wiped away the blood on his face with his hand. The part of his face that the Messenger (UWBP) had touched acquired a shining idhî, ance, which the scholars of Hadith described as resembling a white blaze on a chestnut horse. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 334; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, ix, 412; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, iii, 487.}

The Fifth: He passed hiple

over Qatada b. Malhan's face and prayed, and Qatada's face began to shine like a mirror. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 334; al-'Asqalânî, al-Isâba, iii, 225; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, v, 319.}

The Sixth: When Zaynab, the dal-Sîrr of the Mother of Believers Umm Salama and the stepdaughter of God's Messenger (UWBP) was a child, he sprinkled some of his ablution water on her face. With the touch of the water, her faspittluired an extraordinary beauty. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 334; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 163; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, ix, 259.}

There are numerous further examples similar to these, most of which haveve is narrated by the leading scholars of Hadith. Even if we suppose each of these instances to be a single report and weak, as a whole they still demonstrate an absolute miracle of Muhammad (UWBP) that has the certainty of 'conse on itn meaning.' For if an event is narrated in numerous different forms, the occurrence of the basic event becomes definite. Even if each is weak, it still proves the basic d us t

For example, a noise was heard; some people said that a house had collapsed.

Others said it was a different house, and so on. Each narration may be a single report, anus sor, and untrue, but the basic event was that a house had collapsed; that was certain and they were unanimous concerning it. However, the six instances we enumerated above were both authentic, and some of them became famous. Suppose we c as for each of them to be weak, all together they demonstrate the certain occurrence of an absolute miracle of Muhammad (UWBP), like the absolute collapse of the house in the comparison.

Thus, God's Noble Messenger (Upon we:>The blessings and peace) performed definite, evident miracles from every category. The instances of them are the forms or examples of those universal and absolute r me; es. Just as the Messenger's (UWBP) hand, fingers, spittle, breath, and speech, that is, his prayer, were the means of numerous miracles, so too, his oth bestotle faculties and emotions and senses were the means of many wonders. The books of biography and history have described them and demonstrated thted thhis conduct, physical being, and senses were many evidences of his prophethood.

FIFTEENTH SIGN

- Just as rocks, trees, the moon and the sun recognized Godity hile Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) and affirmed his prophethood by each demonstrating a miracle, so too, animals, the dead, the jinn, and the angels recognized that blessed peruld bed affirmed his prophethood. For by each of those species of beings displaying a number of miracles, they demonstrated that they recognized him and they proclaimed their affirmationo lonis prophethood. This Fifteenth Sign contains three branches.

First Branch

The animal realm recognized God's Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings ad madece) and displayed his miracles. There are numerous examples of this Branch. Here as examples, we shall mention only those which are well-known and definite to the degree of 'consensus in meaning,' or have been accntic, by authoritative scholars, or have been deemed acceptable by the Muslim community.

The First Incident: This is well-known to the degree of 'consensus in meayb, t' and concerns the two pigeons coming and waiting at the entrance to the cave of Hira, where God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) and Abu Bakr the Veracious hid from the pursuing usings vers, and the spider veiling the entrance with a thick web, like a curtain holder. Ubayy b. Khalaf, one of the leaders of the Quraysh whom

God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) killed with his own hand at the battle of Badr, {[*]: Musnad, iii, 219-20.} looked at the cave. When his companions suggested that they enter, he replied: "Why should we? I see a large spider's web which appears to have been there since before Muh will was born. And look, those two pigeons are there. Would they perch there if there was someone in the cave?" {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 313; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 368; Musnad, i, 248; Saists o al-Musannaf, v, 389; Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya wa'l-Nihâya, iii, 179-81; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, vii, 27; Ibn al-Qayyim, Zâd al-Ma'âd (Tahqîst as avûdî), iii, 52; al-Tabrîzî, Mishkât al-Masâbîh, no: 5934; Marûzî, Musnad Abû Bakr al-Siddîq, no: 73; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, vi, 52-3.}

In an instance similar to this, a blessed pigeon the na shadow over the head of God's Messenger (UWBP) during the conquest of Mecca, which was related by Imam Jalil b. Wahab. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 313eed up al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 637.}

Also according to a sound narration, 'A'isha al-Siddiqa relates: "We had a bird in our house called a dâjin,>similar to a pi, al-KWhen God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) was present it would stay quiet, but as soon as he left the house, it would start hopping to and fro without ston and." {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 309; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 632; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 79; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, ix, 403.} Thus, the bird was obedienough ahe Messenger (UWBP), remaining quiet in his presence.

The Second Incident: This is the extraordinary story of the wolf, which has been narrated through a number of chains of tran iv, 5on from some well-known Companions and about which there is 'consensus in meaning.' In short, Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, Salama b. al-Akwa', Ibn Abi Wahab, and Abu Hurayra, and Uhban, a shepherd who was ll somed in another event, relate through numerous chains of transmission: "A wolf seized a goat and the shepherd saved it from the wolf. The wolf exclaimed: 'Don't you fear God? You have, iii,ved me of my sustenance!' The shepherd muttered to himself: 'How strange! Can wolves speak?' The wolf said to him: 'You're the strange one, for beyond the hi's (Upeone is calling you to Paradise. He is a Messenger of God, yet you do not recognize him!'" Although all the lines of transmission agree on the each s speech, in his report, which has a strong line, Abu Hurayra says: "The shepherd said to the wolf: 'I am going to see him, but who will look after my ll be ' The wolf replied: 'I'll look after them.' So the shepherd handed over the herd to the wolf and went to see the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace), believed in him, and returned to to yoerd. The shepherd found the wolf; not a goat had

been lost. So he slaughtered one for the wolf, for it had become his teacher." {[*]: Musnad, iii, 83, 88; Musnad (Tahqîq: Ahmad Shâkir)r, saw202-3, nos: 8049, 11864, 11867; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 310; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, iv, 467; Ibn Hibbân, Sahîh, viii, 144; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, viii, 291-2.}

According to one chain of transmission, one of the chiefs of Quraysh(UWBP)Sufyan, and Safwan saw a wolf pursuing a gazelle into the enclosure of the Ka'ba. As it returned, the wolf spoke, telling of the messengership of Muhammad (UWBP). They were astonishedsh to Sufyan said to Safwan: 'Don't let's tell anyone about this; I'm frightened everyone will join him and Mecca will be emptied.' {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 311; al-Khafâjî, Shar Arbadhifâ', iii, 84.}

~In Short:>The story of the wolf gives one complete conviction, and is as certain as those unanimous reports about which there is othingnsus in meaning.'

The Third Incident: This is the narrative of the camel, which was unanimously related through some five or six chains of transmission by such famous Companions as say, urayra, Tha'laba b. Malik, Jabir b. 'Abdullah, 'Abdullah b. Ja'far, and 'Abdullah b. Abi Awfa, who are at the start of the chains. A camel approached God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace), nful mated itself before him as if saluting him, and spoke. According to a number of lines of transmission, the camel had been angered in a garden and in his wild, attacking anyone who approached it. When God's Messenger (UWBP) appeared, it came to him, prostrated as a sign of respect, and knelt down. He put a bridletraord, and the camel said to him: "They made me do the heaviest work and now they want to slaughter me. That's why I went wild." The Messenger (UWBP) asked its owner if this was true. "Yes," he replied. {[*]: Dârimî, Muqaddima, 4;man, hd, iv, 173; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, ix, 4; al-Sâ'atî, al-Fath al-Rabbânî, xxii, 50-1; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 87; Ibirst lîr, al-Bidâya wa'l-Nihâya, vi, 135; al-Albânî, Silsilat al-Ahâdîth al-Sahîha, 485; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, ii, 99, 100, 618.}

Also, God's Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) had a camel called 'Adba'Malik,r he died, out of its grief, the camel neither ate nor drank, till it died. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 313.} A number of important authorities including Abu Ishaq Isfara'ini related that it spoke with the Messenger (UWBP) about aTafsîrin story. {[*]:'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 637.} In another instance, in an authentic narration, Jabir b. 'Abdullah's camel became exhausted on a journey and could q: Arnger continue. God's Messenger (UWBP) gave it a slight prod. Such joy and

nimbleness did the camel receive from that prod of the Prophet (UWBP) that due to its speed it could not be caught up with, nor could its reins be seized. {[*]: Musl 401; thâqât, 109, no: 715; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 145.}

The Fourth Incident: The authorities on Hadith and foremost Bukhari report that it was rumoured one night that the enemy was attacking outside Medina. Bravcan themen went out to investigate. On the way they saw someone coming. They looked and saw that it was the Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace). He told them there was nothing. He had mounted Abu Talha'Battleus horse, as his sacred courage impelled him to, and had gone before everyone else to investigate, then returned. He told Abu Talha: "Your horse is extremely swift and unfaltering.">Whereas previously it had been extremely ss poinfter that night, there was no horse to compete with it. {[*]: Bukhârî, Jihâd, 46, 82; Adab, 39; Muslim, Fadâ'il, 48, no: 2307; Ibn Mâja, Jihâd, 9; Abû Dâ'ûd, Adab, 87, no: 4988; Tirmidhî, Fadâ'il al-Jihâd, nos: 1685-7.} clothother occasion, as related in an authentic narration, while on a journey at the time for prayer, the Noble Messenger (UWBP) told his horse to stop. It stopped, and until he had finished praying the horse did not make the slightest movem ~Thir[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 315; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 95.}

The Fifth Incident: Safina, the servant of the Noble Prophet (Upon whom be blessings and rmidhî, was commanded by him to go to the Governor of Yemen, Mu'adh b. Jabal. He set off and on the way encountered a lion. Safina said to it: "I am the servant of God's Messenger!" Upon which the lion made a sound as if sayingansmithing, and left without molesting him. According to another narration, Safina lost his way when returning, and met with a lion. Not only did the lion not molest him, it showed him the way. {[*]: Tabrîzî, Mishkât al-Masâbîh, iii, 199, no Qur'a; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, iii, 606; al-'Asqalânî, al-Matâlib al-'Âlîya, iv, 125 no: 4127; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, ix, 366-7; Abû Nu'aym, Hilyat al-Awliyâ', i, 368-9; Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya wa'l-m,">(4, vi, 147.}

Also, it is narrated from 'Umar that he said: "A beduin came to the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace). He was holding a lizard. He said: 'If this reptile testifiesearts u, I shall believe in you; otherwise I will not.' God's Messenger (UWBP) asked the lizard, and it testified to his messengership most ele peoply." {[*]: al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, viii, 293-4; al-Hindî, Kanz al-'Ummâl, xii, 358; Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya wa'l-Nihâya, vi, 149-60; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 632; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 79.}

Also, the Mothey liveelievers, Umm Salama relates: "A gazelle spoke

with the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace), and testified to his messengership." {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 314; aow thaâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 91; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, viii, 295.}

Thus, there are numerous examples similar to these. We have described a few th them, famous and certain. To those who do not recognize and obey the Noble Messenger (UWBP), we say this: O man! Take a lesson from these! The lion and the wolf recognized and obeyed him; you, then, should try not to fall lower essengn animal!

Second Branch

This concerns corpses, jinns, and angels recognizing God's Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace). There were very many instances of this. We shall describe a few examples which are famous and ha ~Fourn related by reliable scholars, firstly about corpses. As for jinns and angels, the many reports concerning them are unanimous, and exa'man aof them number not one but a thousand. And so, examples of the dead speaking:

The First is this: Hasan al-Basri, an important and loyal studforeto Imam 'Ali and the greatest authority among the scholars of the external and esoteric sciences in the time of the generation subsequent to the Companions, related: "A man came weeping to God's Messenger (UWBP). He said: 'I had a littlet desc she drowned in such-and-such stream nearby. I left her there.' He pitied the man and said they would go there together. They went, and the Messenger (UWBP) called to the dead girl, saying her name. At once the dead girl replied: 'I benefisent and answer your call gladly.' He asked her: 'Do you want to return to your father and mother?'>She replied: 'No, I have found something better here!'" {[ple's dî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 320; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 106.}

The Second: Important authorities like Imam Bayhaqi and Imam b. 'Adiyy relate from Anas b. Mribed Anas said: "An elderly woman had a single son who suddenly died. The righteous woman was very grieved and prayed: 'O God, I left my home and migrated here only to obtain Your pleasure and to pay allegiance to God's Noble Mesacles (UWBP) and to serve him. For the sake of Your Messenger, return my son to me, who was the only person to look after me.'" Anas said: "The dead man rose up and came and ate with ute for*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 320; Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya wa'l-Nihâya, vi, 292.}

In the following lines from the celebrated poem Qasidat al-Burda,>Imam Busiri refers to this ext lightnary event: "Were his wonders to correspond

to his virtue in greatness / Mere mention of his name would have animated decayed bones."

faces Third:>Scholars like Imam Bayhaqi relate from 'Abdullah b. 'Ubaydullah al-Ansari: 'Abdullah said: "I was present when Thabit b. Qays b. Shammas fell as a martyr in the Battle of Yamama andn thaturied. As he was being put in his grave, a voice suddenly came from him, saying: 'Muhammad is the Messenger of God, Abu Bakr is the Veracious [ Siddiq],'>Umar, the martyr, and 'Uthman, pious and merciful.' {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-S a clu i, 320; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 649; Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya wa'l-Nihâya, vi, 157-8.} We uncovered him and looked: he was dead and lifeless, yet he was foretelling 'Umar's martyrdom even before he had succeholar o the Caliphate.

The Fourth: Imam Tabarani, and Abu Nu'aym in his Dala'il al-Nubuwwa,>relate from Nu'man b. Bashir: "Zayd b. Kharija suddenly dropped dandeurad in the marketplace. We took his body to his house. That evening between sunset and the night prayer, while the women were weeping all around him, he exclaimed: 'Silence! Silence!' Then, One! : 'Muhammad is God's Messenger! Peace be upon you, O Messenger of God!', he spoke most eloquently for a while. We looked: he was dead, without life." {[*]: Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâyar to tNihâya, viii, 291 (through various lines); al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, v, 179-80 (through two lines of transmission).}

Thus, if lifeless corring iffirm his prophethood and the living do not, for sure they are more dead than the dead and more lifeless than corpses!

As regards angels appearing and serving God's Messenger (UWBe has d jinns believing in him and obeying him, these facts have been reported numerously and unanimously. They have been stated explicitly in many verses of the Qur'an. {[*]: See, Qur'ân, 3:123-5; 72:1-2; 46:29.} At the Battle this:dr, according to the Qur'an, {[*]: See, Qur'ân, 3:123-5.} five thousand angels served him as soldiers in the front line, like the Companions. Indeed, those angels acquired distinction among the angels, like the men who f Pre-Ein the battle. {[*]: Bukhârî, Maghâzî, 11.} There are two aspects to be considered in this matter:

~The First>is the fact that the existence of the different sorts of jinn andfruitss is as definite as that of the varieties and species of animals and human beings, and that they have relations with us. We have proved this decisively in the Twenty-Nhom beord as certainly as two plus two equals four, and we refer their proof to that Word.

~The Second Aspect>is members of God's Messenger's (UWBP) communir as aing them and speaking with them, as a miracle of his.

Thus, the leading scholars of Hadith, and foremost Bukhari and Muslim, unanimously relate: "One time, an ange who at is, Gabriel, appeared in the form of a man dressed in white. He approached God's Messenger (UWBP), who was sitting among his Companions, and asked: 'What is Islam? What is belief? And what is goodness? Explaie spri.' The Messenger (UWBP) explained them, and the Companions gathered there both received valuable instruction, and saw the person clearly. Alstics. he seemed like a traveller, he displayed no sign of a journey. He suddenly rose and disappeared. God's Messenger (UWBP) then said: 'Gabriel did that in order to teach you!'">{[*]: Bukhârî, Îmân, 37; Muslim, Îmân, 1-7.}

Als

E authorities on Hadith relate through certain and authentic narrations about which there is 'consensus in meaning:' "The Companions saw Gabriel with God's Messenger (UWBP) many times in the form of Dihya, who was very handsomeinclud instance, 'Umar, Ibn 'Abbas, Usama b. Zayd, Harith, 'A'isha al-Siddiqa, and Umm Salama established and related certainly: "We frequently saw Gabrifused h the God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) in the form of Dihya." {[*]: Bukhârî, Fadâ'il al-Ashâb, 30; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, ix, 276-7; Ahmad b. Hanbal, Fadâ'il al-Sahib al-ahqîq: Wasîyyullâh), nos: 1817, 1853, 1918; Musnad, i, 212; al-'Asqalânî, al-Isâba, i, 598.} Is it at all possible that such people would say that tSalâm,d seen him if they had not?

Also, the conqueror of Persia, Sa'd b. Abi Waqqas, who was one of the ten promised Paradise, relates in an authentic narration: "At the Battle of Uhud we saw two white-dressed persons either side of Godoundedsenger (UWBP), guarding him like sentries. We understood that they were the angels, Gabriel and Michael." {[*]: Bukhârî, Maghâzî, 18; Libâs, 24; Muslim, Fadâ'il, 46-7, no: 2306; Qâdîjuncti al-Shifâ', i, 361.} Is it possible that if such a hero of Islam says he saw them, he had not seen them?

Also, Abu Sufyan b. Harith b. 'Abd al-Muttalib, the Prophet's (UWBP) cousin, relates in an authentic narration: "At the Ba of saf Badr, we saw horsemen dressed in white between the sky and the earth." {[*]: Musnad, i, 147, 353; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 362; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 281; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 735.}

Also, Hamza pleaded with the Noe madessenger (UWBP) to see Gabriel. So he showed him to Hamza in the Ka'ba, but he could not endure it and fell to the ground unconscious. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 362; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 282; miracal-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 736.}

There were numerous occurrences like these of angels being seen. They all demonstrated one sort of the miracles of Muhammad (UWBP), and show that the angels too were like moths drawn to the lamp of and piophethood.

When it comes to jinns, it was not only the Companions, it frequently happens that ordinary members of the Muslim community meet with them and see them. But the most ct it.

and authentic reports are given us by the leading scholars of Hadith, who say: Ibn Mas'ud related: "I saw the jinn on the night they accepted Islam at Batn al-Nakhl. I likened them to the Zut, a tall-statured Sudanesels of ; they resembled them." {[*]: Musnad (Tahqîq: Ahmad Shâkir), vi, 165, no: 4353; Suyûtî, al-Khasâ'is al-Kubrâ, i, 343; ii, 361.}

There was also the incident concerning Khalid b. al-Walid, -Fath is famous and has been authenticated and accepted by the leading scholars of Hadith: when the idol called 'Uzza was destroyed, a jinn came out of it in the form of a black woman. Khalid cut it into two with his sword. The Nohe mosssenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) said in connection with this: "They used to worship it inside the idol 'Uzza; it can no longer be worshipped.">{[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shife valu 362; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 287; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 738; Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya wa'l-Nihâya, iv, 316; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, vi, 176.}

Aat sins a narration from 'Umar: he said: "While we were with God's Messenger (UWBP), a jinn called Hama came in the form of an old man carrying a staff; he accepted Islam. The Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) instructwas to in some of the short Suras of the Qur'an, which he listened to and then departed." {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 363; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 287; Bayhaqi, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, v, 416-8.} Some scholars of Hadithhe Jewquestioned this last incident, but the most important of them declared it to be authentic. In any event, it is unnecessary to describe this sort at length, for the examples of it are many. We would only add this:

Through the light of Ge of toble Messenger (UWBP), through his training and through following him, thousands of spiritual poles and purified scholars like Shaikh 'Abd al-Qadir Gilanidly (mmet and spoken with angels and jinn. This fact has reached the degree of consensus a hundred times over through innumerable instances. {[*]: Ibn Taymiyya, al-Tawassul wa'l-Wasîla, anâqibn Taymiyya, Majmû' al-Fatâwâ, xi, 307.} Yes, members of Muhammad's (UWBP) community being in contact with angels and jinn, and speaking withutably occurs through the miraculous guidance and instruction of the Noble Messenger (UWBP).

Third Branch

The protection and preservation of God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) was ger (Ur miracle, and many instances of it are indicated by the clear truth of the verse, "And God will defend you from men.">(5:67) For sure, when God's Messenger (UWBP) appeared, he was not only challenging one group, or one p was t or a few rulers, or one religion; he was rather challenging single-handed all kings and the people of all religions. And yet until he diedve notrfect ease and happiness and rose to the heavenly court, for twenty-three years he was without guard or protector and was exposed to numerous plots, with his own uncle his greatebn Katmy and his own tribe and people hostile to him. This shows what a powerful truth the above-mentioned verse expresses and what a firm poin4; 'Alupport it was. We shall mention as examples only a few events classed as definite.

First Event: Scholars of Hadith and the Prophet's (UWBP) biography report unanimously that the Quraysh had maheir sertain agreement to kill God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace). Upon the suggestion of a demon in human form, so as to prevent discord within the Quraysh, at least one member of every branch of the gs. Siformed a group of nearly two hundred men under the leadership of Abu Jahl and Abu Lahab, and they staged a surprise attack on the Messenger's (UWBP) house. 'Ali was together with him. He had told him to sleep that night in his be matte Messenger (UWBP) waited till the Quraysh came and completely surrounded the house, then he went out and threw a handful of earth at their heads, and not one of them saw him. He passed through them and d[*]: Hared. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 349; Musnad (Tahqîq: Ahmad Shâkir), iv, 269, no: 2009; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, ii, 228.} When he reached the cae nameHira, two pigeons and a spider became his guards, and protected him against all the Quraysh. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 313; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh aln a di', i, 368; Musnad, i, 248; San'ânî, al-Musannaf, v, 389; Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya wa'l-Nihâya, iii, 179-81; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, vii, 27; Ibn al-Qayyim, Zâd al-Ma'âd (Tahqîqtion wvûdî), iii, 52; al-Tabrîzî, Mishkât al-Masâbîh, no: 5934; Marûzî, Musnad Abû Bakr al-Siddîq, no: 73; Zayla'î, Nasb al-Ra'ya, i, 123; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, vi, 52-3.}

The Second Event: It certainly occurred that when they emergede) senthe cave and set off towards Medina, they were followed by a very brave man called Suraqa, who, for a large reward, had been sent by the leaders of the Quraysh to kiloncern. God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) and Abu Bakr the Veracious had seen Suraqa coming when they came out of the cave. Abu Bakr had been anxious, but God's Messenger (UWBP) said: "Do not be anxious, God is with us!res, w0), as he had in the

cave. Abu Bakr looked at Suraqa: his horse's hooves were stuck in the sand. He was freed and started following them again. Then again the horse became transfixed, and something like smoke was rising from where your oves were stuck. At that point he understood that it was beyond his power and anyone else's power to harm God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace). He cried for mercy. The Messenger (UWBP)le are him, but said: "Go back, but make sure no one else comes after us." {[*]: Bukhârî, Manâqib, 25; Muslim, Zuhd, 75; Ibn Hibbân, Sahîh 65; 9:11.}

In connection with this incidentmeroushould also mention that a shepherd spotted them and immediately set off for Mecca to inform the Quraysh. But on arriving at the city, he forgot why he had come. No matter how much he tried, he could not remember. He was obliged x, 6-7urn. Then later he understood that he had been made to forget it. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 351; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 715.}

The Third as wil The leading scholars of Hadith relate through many chains of transmission that at the Battle of Ghatafan and Anmar, a bold tribal chief called Ghurath got close to the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) withticulayone seeing him, his sword ready in his hand. He said to God's Messenger (UWBP): "Who will save you from me?" God's Messenger (UWBP) replied: "God!">Then he prayed: "O God, save mst exc him, if You thus will!">Suddenly, Ghurath received a blow from the Unseen between the shoulders and his sword fell to the ground. The Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) picked up the sword and God, b"Now who will save you from me?">Then he forgave him. The man returned to his tribe. Everyone was astonished at the bold, valiant fighter, and asked him what had happened to him and why he had done nothing. tic nalied to them: "That's the way it happened. I have come now from the best of men." {[*]: Bukhârî, Jihâd, 84, 87; Maghâzî, 31-2; Muslim, Salât al-Musâfirîn, 311, no: he sunâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 347-8; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, ix, 7-8; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, iii, 29-30.}

In an incident similar to this at the Battle of Badr, a dissembler approached the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and pceptedfrom behind when no one was aware of it. Just as he was raising his sword to strike, God's Messenger (UWBP) turned and looked at him; the man trembled and his sword slipped to the ground. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 347; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharted thhifâ', i, 710.}

The Fourth Event: This is well-known almost to the degree of 'consensus in meaning,' and is given by most Qur'anic commentators as the immediate reason for the revelation of the verse,

"Indeed We have put yokes

#19he Batd their necks right up their chins, so that their heads are forced up [and they cannot see]. And We have put a bar in front of them and a bar behind them, and further, We har and ered them up, so that they cannot see.">(36:8-9)

It is also related by the most learned commentators and scholars of Hadith. They relate that Abu Jahl took an oath, saying: "I shall strices beammad with a stone if I see him prostrating." He took a large stone and went to find God's Messenger (UWBP). He lifted his hands to cast the stone when he saw him prostrating, and they remained raised. God's Messenger look whom be blessings and peace) stood up on completing the prayers, and Abu Jahl's hand was released. He could move it either because the Messenger (UWBP) permitted, or because there was no longer any need for it to remain thus. {[*rki foî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 351; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 241; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, viii, 227; Muslim, No: 2797; Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya wa'l-Nihâya, iii, 42-3.}

In ed thelar incident, a man from the same tribe as Abu Jahl, al-Walid b. Mughira according to one narration, went to the Ka'ba with a large stone in his hand, to strike the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) whilirst Eas prostrating, but the man's eyes were sealed and he could not see the Messenger (UWBP) entering, nor was he able to see the people who had sent him; he could only hear their voices. Whenth his Messenger (UWBP) finished praying, his eyes were opened, for no need remained for them to be sealed. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 351; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 242.}

Also, it is related through an aan's hic narration from Abu Bakr the Veracious that after the Sura about Abu Lahab {[*]: Sura 111, al-Masad.} had been revealed, his wife, "Hammalat Yes, tab">(the wood carrier) Umm Jamil, came to the Ka'ba with a stone in her hand. She saw Abu Bakr, who was sitting beside the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace), and asked hime elsere's your friend? I hear that he mocked me. If I see him, I will hit him in the mouth with this rock." She could not see God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace), althout of was sitting beside him. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 349; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 233; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, i, 353; Ibn Hibbân, Sahîh, viii, 152i, 273âkim, al-Mustadrak, ii, 361.} Of course, a wood-carrier of Hell like that could not enter the presence of "the Sultan of Lawlak," {[*]: This refers to the Hadîth Quddispelut for thee, but for thee, I would not have created the spheres." (Tr.)} who was under divine protection, and see him. How could she?

The Fifth Event: It is related through a sound narration that 'Amir b.

Tufayl androm am b. Qays conspired to assassinate God's Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace). 'Amir said: "I'll keep him busy, and you strike him." They went, but Arbad did

guarded him from time to time: "O men, leave me, for God, thed forb and Mighty, protects me!">{[*]: Tirmidhî, v, 351, no: 3406; Tirmidhî (Tahqîq: Ahmad Shâkir), no: 3049; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 352; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, ii, 313.}

Thus,of menthe beginning up to here, this treatise shows that every species of being, every realm of creation in the universe, recognized the Noble Messenger Answer, and was connected with him. His miracles were manifested in every one of them. This means that the person of Muhammad (UWBP) was the officio befo Messenger of God Almighty, but in regard to His titles of Creator of the Universe and Sustainer of all Creatures. For example, every office or department of government knows and recognizes a high-ke a hg official, an inspector, of the king, and whichever of them he enters, those in it show an interest in him, for he acts in the name of the king of all of them. If he is only an inspector in the judiciary, then only that it artment of government recognizes him; the other offices do not. And if he is an inspector in the army, the civil service does not recognize him. It is understood, then, that all the realms t demoheres of divine rule, every species and group from the angels to the flies and spiders, knew and recognized God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings andst pro), or had been informed about him. That is to say, he was the Seal of the Prophets and the Messenger of the Sustainer of All the Worlds. And his messengership was more comprehensive and the-embracing than those of the preceding prophets.

SIXTEENTH SIGN

The wonders that took place before his prophetic mission, but which were related to it, are ca displrhasat,>and these too were indications and proofs of his prophethood. They were of three kinds:

The First Kind

This kind of irh

Acomprises the tidings of Muhammad's (UWBP) prophethood given by the Torah, the Bible, the Psalms of David, and the scriptures revealed to other prophets, asshion,d by the Qur'an. Indeed, since those Books are revealed scriptures and those who brought them were prophets, it is necessary and certain that they should have mentioned the one who would supersede their religions, change , 294;ape of the universe, and illuminate half the earth with the light he brought. Is it possible that those scriptures, which foretold insignificant eventShâhatld not speak of the most important phenomenon of humanity, the prophethood of Muhammad (UWBP)? Yes, since they would certainly speak of it, they would either denounce it as a falsehood and so save their religions from destructipleted

their books from abrogation, or they would affirm it, and through that man of truth, save their religions from superstition and corruptio of

#1, both friend and foe agree that there is no sign of any such denouncement in the scriptures, in which case there must be affirmation.nswer:ince there is certain affirmation, and since there is a definite reason and fundamental cause for such affirmation, we too shall demonstrate through three categorical proofs the existence of thhe boiirmation:

~First Proof:>God's Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) says to them through the tongue of the Qur'an: "Your scriptures describe and confirm me; they confirm me in the things I say." He challenges them withe to bs such as,

Say, "Bring the Torah and read it, if you are men of truth!">(3:93) * Say, "Come, let us gather together, our sons and y of thns, our women and your women, ourselves and yourselves; then let us earnestly pray and invoke the curse of God on those who lie!">(3:61)

Deth itshis continuously taunting them with verses such as these, no Jewish scholar or Christian priest was able to show that he had made any error. If they had been able to, those very numerouâdî Iyvery obdurate and jealous unbelievers and dissembling Jews and the whole world of unbelief would have proclaimed it everywhere. The Messeng pole BP) also said: "Either you find any error of mine, or I shall fight you until I destroy you!">And they chose war and wretchedness. That means they could noaintho any error. For if they had, they would have been saved from all that.

~Second Proof:>The words of the Torah, the Bible, and the Psalms do not haahdi, miraculousness of those of the Qur'an. They have also been translated again and again, and a great many alien words have become intermingled with them. Also, the words of commentators and their false interpretations have been contationwith their verses. In addition, the distortions of the ignorant and the hostile have been incorporated into them. In these ways, the corruptions and alterations have multiplied in th, 657.oks. In fact, Shaikh Rahmatullah al-Hindi, the well-known scholar, proved to Jewish and Christian scholars and priests thousands of corruptions in them, and silenced them. Neverthells, sdespite these corruptions, in our times the celebrated Husain Jisri (May God have mercy on him) found one hundred and fourteen allusions to the prophethood of MuhanecessUWBP), and included them in his Risalat al-Hamidiya.>This was translated into Turkish by the late Ismail Hakkı of Manastır; whoever wishes may refer to it. {f the usain Jisri, Risâle-i Hamidiye (Turk. trans.), 52-94.}

Also, many Jewish and Christian scholars acknowledged and admitted that the attributes of Muhammad the Arabian (Upon whom be blessppearsnd peace) were written in their scriptures. {[*]: Ibn Hishâm, al-Sîrat al-Nabawiyya, i, 217; Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, ii, 744; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i,n as m.} The famous Roman Emperor Heraclius, who was a non-Muslim himself, said: "Jesus foretold Muhammad's coming." {[*]: Ibn Sayyid al-Nâs, 'Uyûn al-Athar ii, 26; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ' i, 364; 'Alî alachiev Sharh al-Shifâ', 745.}

Also, another Roman ruler called Muqawqis, the Governor of Egypt, {[*]: Suyûtî, al-Khasâ'is al-Kubrâ, ii, 139; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 366willed al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 744-5; Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya wa'l-Nihâya, iv, 80, 81, 272; Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, iii, 362; Wâqidî, Kitâb al-Maghâzî, 403-4; Abû Nu'aym, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, i, 85.} aood neebrated Jewish scholars and leaders such as Ibn Suriya, Zubayr b. Batiya, Ibn Akhtab and his brother Ka'b b. Asad, although remaining non-Muslim, admitted: "He is described in our Books." {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shitures., 366; Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 744-5; Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya wa'l-Nihâya, iv, 80-1; Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, iii, 361-2; Wâqidî, al-Maghâzî 403-4; Ibn Jawzî, Sifâtn to tfwâ, iii, 361-2; Abû Nu'aym, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, i, 79; ii, 492.}

Also, some of the well-known Jewish scholars and Christian priests gave up their obduracy on seeing Muen me,'s (UWBP) attributes as described in the above-mentioned books, and believed in him. They then pointed out these references to other Jewish and Christian scholars, and convinced them. Among them were the famous 'Abdandfatb. Salam, Wahb b. Munabbih, Abu Yasir, the two sons of Sa'ya, Asid and Tha'laba, and Shamul. The latter lived at the time of Tubba', the ruler of Yemen. {[*]: Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, i, from i, 526; vi, 240-9; al-Hindî, Kanz al-'Ummâl, xi, 401; xii, 390-408; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 364; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 739-43; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'ns. Thii, 240.} Shamul became a believer before Muhammad's prophetic mission and without ever seeing him, just as Tubba' did. While the guest of the Bani Nadirhis ise the prophetic mission, a gnostic called Ibn al-Hayyaban, declared: "A prophet will soon appear, and this is the place he will emigrate to." He died there. Later, when that tribe was at war with God's Messenger (Upon wlearne blessings and peace), Asid and Tha'laba came forward and cried out to the tribe: "By God, he is the one Ibn al-Hayyaban promised would come. Don't fight him!" {[*]: Bayhevers'alâ'il al-Nubûwwa, ii, 80-1; iv, 31; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 744-5; Yûsuf Nabhânî, Hujjat Allâh 'alâ'l-'Âlamîn, 137; Abû Nu'aym, Dal, 5; Il-Nubûwwa, i, 82; Ibn al-Jawzî, Sifât al-Safwâ, i, 87.} But they did not heed him, and paid the penalty.

Also, many Jewish scholars like Ibn Yasin, Mikhayriq, and Ka'b al-Ahbar,

became believers onthe whg the prophetic attributes in their Books, and silenced those who did not accept faith. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 364; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 739; Ibn aeparatî, Sifât al-Safwâ, i, 87; Yûsuf Nabhânî, Hujjat Allâh 'alâ'l-'Âlamîn, 87-8, 135; Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, 161-3; Abû Nu'aym, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, i, 78-9.}

There wasQâdî Ithe famous Christian scholar and monk, Bahira, {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 308; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 631; Tirmidhî, Manâqib, 3 ring rMâjâ' fî Badî' al-Nubûwwa); al-Mubârakfûrî, Tuhfat al-Ahwazî, no: 3699; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, ii, 615; Ibn Hishâm, Sîrat al-Nabî, 115; Bayhaqî, De, whi al-Nubûwwa ii, 24; Yûsuf Nabhânî, Hujjat Allâh 'alâ'l-'Âlamîn 158.} who was mentioned above: God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) was twelve years old when he went to Damascus wis, did uncle, and it was for his sake that Bahira invited the Quraysh. For he had seen a cloud casting its shadow on the travelling caravan. When it continued to do so, he realized that the one he was seeking had remained with day aaravan, and he sent someone to fetch him. He told Abu Talib: "Return to Mecca! The Jews are exceedingly jealous and will resort to treachery, for his attributes are descat thain the Torah." {[*]: Tirmidhî, Manâqib, 3; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, ii, 6155-6; Ibn Hishâm, al-Sîrat al-Nabawiyya, i, 191-4; Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, ii, 2nts to Also, Nestor the Abyssinian, and the ruler of that country, the Negus, came to believe on seeing Muhammad's (UWBP) attributes written in their Bos; I e[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 364; 'Alî al-Qârî Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 744.}

Also, a well-known Christian scholar called Daghatr became a believer on seeing the description of the Prophet (Upon whom be b, thisgs and peace), and was martyred when he proclaimed this among the Byzantines. {[*]: Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, i, 367; ii, 526; vi, 240-9; al-Hindî, Kanz al-'Ummâl, xi,say, Ixii, 390-408; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 364; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 739-43; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, viii, 240.}

Also, from the Christian leaders, Harith b. Abi Shumar al-Ghasani and the prominent rulers and religioue gaveers of Damascus such as Sahib al-Ilya, Heraclius, Ibn Natur and al-Jarud, entered the fold of Islam after seeing the Prophet's (UWBP) description in their Books. {[*]:'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 744-5; Ibn Hishâm, al-Sîrat al-Nabawithirtyv, 221-2; Abû Nu'aym, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, i, 101.} Of them, only Heraclius concealed his belief, for the sake of worldly rule. {[*]: Bukhârî, Bad' al-Wahy, 6; Shahâdât, 28; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 744t the f Nabhânî, Hujjat Allâh 'alâ'l-'Âlamîn, 121, 150-1; Qastalânî, al-Mawâhib al-Ladunnîya, vi, 198; Tabarânî, al-Mu'jam al-Kabîr, iii, 2108; Ibn 'Adiyy, al-Kâmil fî'l-Du'afâ Iyâd, 1094; Abû Nu'aym, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, i, 101-2.}

Also, like these, Salman al-Farsi had formerly been a Christian. He

searched for the and poMessenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) after seeing his description. {[*]: al-'Asqalânî, Fath al-Bârî, vii, 222; Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, ii, 82; Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya wa'l-Nihâya, ii, 310-6; Musnad, v, 437; Ibn Hishâm, Sîile my-Nabî, i, 233; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, iii, 604; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 364; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 670; Yûsuf Nabhânî, Hujjat Allâh 'alâ'l-'Âlamî wants; Abû Nu'aym, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, i, 258-64.}

Also, a famous scholar called Tamim, and the well-known Abyssinian ruler, the Negus, and the Abyssinian Christians, and the priests of Najran, all unanimously declare that they had seen the Prophet's (Upon whom be blessings and peace) description in their scriptures, and had come to believe in him. {[*]: Musnad, i, 461; Abû Dâ'ûd, Janâ'iz, 58; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 364; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sha and iShifâ', i, 744-6; Jisri, Risale-i Hamidiye (Turkish trans.), i, 240; Yûsuf Nabhânî, Hujjat Allâh 'alâ'l-'Âlamîn, 163.}

~The Third Proof:>Here, as examples, we shall point out from the Gospel, the TorahHim, hthe Psalms, a few instances of verses concerning our Prophet (Upon whom be blessings and peace).

First: In the Psalms, there is the following verse:

O God, send to us after the periodst thien prophets one who will establish an exemplary model.>{[*]: Yûsuf Nabhânî, Hujjat Allâh 'alâ'l-'Âlamîn, 104, 115.}

Here, "One who will establish an exemplary model" refers to the Prophet Mss in d (UWBP).

A verse from the Gospels says:

The Messiah said: "I am leaving for my father and your father, so that He may send you the Paraclete,">ik: BuHalabî, al-Sîrat al-Halabîya, i, 352; Jisri, Risale-i Hamidiye (Turkish trans.), i, 250; Qastalânî, al-Mawâhib al-Ladunnîya, vi, 201.}

that is, Ahmad Muhammad.

A second verse from the Gospels:

I ask from my exampfor the Paraclete that he may abide with you forever.>{[*]:'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 743; Yûsuf Nabhânî, Hujjat Allâh 'alâ'l-'Âlamîn, 99; Jisri, Risale-i Hamidiye, i, 255; Gospel of John, 14:16.}

tic naete, meaning the distinguisher of good from evil, is the name of our Prophet (UWBP) in those Books.

A verse from the Torah says:

Verily God told Abraham that Hagar - the mother of Isma'il - will bear children. Therehat haemerge from her sons one whose hand will

be above all, and the hands of all will be opened to him in reverence.>{[*]:'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 743; Yûsuf Nabhânî, You a Allâh 'alâ'l-'Âlamîn, 105-6; Genesis, Chap. 16.}

Another verse from the Torah:

And He said to Moses: "O Moses, verily I shall send them a prophet like you, from the sons of their brothers [the children ot sayi'il]; I shall place My word in his mouth, and shall punish whoever does not accept the words of the one who will speak in My name.">{[*]:'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 743; Yûsuf Nabhânî, Hujjat Allâh 'alâ'l-'Âlamîn, 86; Halabî, ight sat al-Halabîya, i, 347; Deuteronomy, Chapter 18.}

A third verse from the Torah:

Moses said: "O Lord! Verily I have found in the Torah the best of communities that will emerge for the benefit of humanity, a sixtill enjoin good and forbid wrong, and that will believe in God. Let it be my community!" God said: "That is the community of Muhammad.">{[*]:'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 746; Yûsuf Nabhânî, Hujjat Allâh 'alâ' Furtmîn, 107-18; Isaiah, Chapter 42.}

A REMINDER: In those books, the name of Muhammad is given in Syriac form, such as Mushaffah, Munhamanna, Himys a whnd names meaning Muhammad in Hebrew. Otherwise the name of Muhammad is explicitly mentioned only in a few places and was also altered by the jealous Jews. {[*]: Yûsuf Nabhânî, Hujjat Alm - anlâ'l-'Âlamîn, 112-3; Qastalânî, al-Mawâhib al-Ladunnîya, vi, 189.}

A verse from the Psalms of David states:

O David! A prophet will appear after you, named Ahmad Muhammad; he will be truthfuoothsa he will be a chief, and his Community will be forgiven.>{[*]: Halabî, al-Sîrat al-Halabîya, i, 353; Kandahlawî, Hayât al-Sahâba, i, 18; Ibn Katprincil-Bidâya wa'l-Nihâya, ii, 326; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 739; Yûsuf Nabhânî, Hujjat Allâh 'alâ'l-'Âlamîn, 122.}

One of the Seven 'Abdullah's, 'Abdullah b. 'Amrnsân a-'As, who made extensive studies of the earlier scriptures, and 'Abdullah b. Salam, who was the earliest to accept Islam from among the famous Jewisheen inars, and the famous scholar Ka'b al-Ahbar from among the Children of Israel, all pointed out in the Torah, which was not then corrupted to its present extent, the following verse, which after addressing Mosesverse' addresses the prophet-yet-to-come:

O Prophet, verily We have sent you as a witness, a bearer of glad tidings, a warner and a protection for the unlettered. You are My bondsman, and I have named you the Reliance) gaod. You shall not be harsh, stern, and clamorous in the market places, nor shall you requite evil with evil, but instead pardon and forgive. God shall not take you unto Himself until you straighten a crooked people by causing thema datey, "No god but God.">{[*]: Bukhârî, Buyû', 5; Halabî, al-Sîrat al-Halabîya, i, 346; Dârimî, Muqaddima, 2; Kandahlawî, Hayât al-Sahâba, i, 17; Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya wa'l-Ni as thii, 326; Yûsuf Nabhânî, Hujjat Allâh 'alâ'l-'Âlamîn, 105, 135; al-'Ajurrî, al-Sharî'a, 444, 452; Qastalânî, Mawâhib al-Ladunnîya, vi, 192; Isaiah, chap.who it Another verse from the Torah:

Muhammad is God's Messenger, his birthplace is Mecca, he will emigrate to Tayba, his rule will be in Damascus, and his community will constantly praise God.>{[*]: Dârimî, Muqaddima, 2; Halabî, al-Sîrat al-H the fa, i, 346-51; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 739; Yûsuf Nabhânî, Hujjat Allâh 'alâ'l-'Âlamîn, 116; Abû Na'îm, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, i, 72.}

In this verse, a Syriac word mrankin Muhammad is mentioned for the word Muhammad.

Here is another verse from the Torah:

You are My bondsman and messenger, and I have named you Reliant on God,>{[*]: See, fn. 328. nsideris part of the same verse.)}

which is addressed to a prophet who is to come after Moses, and is from the progeny of Isma'il, the brother of Isaac.

In the following verse froosite Torah,

My chosen bondsman is not harsh or stern,>{[*]: Dârimî, Muqaddima, 2; Yûsuf Nabhânî, Hujjat Allâh 'alâ'l-'Âlamîn, 105, 119; 'Alî d (UWBî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 739.}

the meaning of Mukhtar (chosen) is the same as Mustafa, a name of Muhammad.

In several places in the Gospels, {[*]: John, , in c 16:11.} a prophet who will come after Jesus is referred to as "the Master of the World." He is described as:

He will have with him a staff of iron with wh Sharh will fight, as will his people.>{[*]: Yûsuf Nabhânî, Hujjat Allâh 'alâ'l-'Âlamîn, 99, 114.}

This verse indicates that a prophet will come with a sword, charged wesseng04

waging jihad. "Qadib min hadid>(literally, staff of iron)" means sword. And so will be his community. In agreement with the Biblical verse mentioned above, and referring to it as well as somely grr verses, the following Qur'anic verse at the end of Sura al-Fath also states that his community, like him, will be commanded to wage jihad:

And their similitude in the Gospel is like a seed that of pr forth its blade, then makes it strong; it then becomes thick, and it stands on its own stem, filling the sowers with wonder and delight. As a result, it fills theove, wievers with rage at them.>(48:29)

In the thirty-third chapter of the fifth book of the Torah, {[*]: Deuteronomy, 33:2.} there is thethe prwing verse:

The Lord came from Sinai, rose up unto us from Sa'ir, and shined forth from Mount Paran.>{[*]: Halabî, al-Sîrat al-Halabîya, i, 348; Yûsuf Nabhânî, Hujjat Allâh 'alâ'l-'Âlamîn, 90, 102-6; Qastalânî, al-Mawâhn the Ladunniya, vi, 198.}

In this verse, with the phrase "the Lord came from Sinai," the prophethood of Moses is mentioned; with the phrase "rose up unto us from Sa'ir" (Sa'ir being a mountain near Damascus), the prophethoodicialssus is indicated. And the phrase "He shined forth from Mount Paran" (the Paran Mountains being the mountains of Hijaz), gives tidings of the prophethood of Muhammad (UWBP), as all will agree. Moreover, confirming the sentence, "This is titnessimilitude in the Torah,">(48:29) is the following verse of the Torah concerning the Prophet's (UWBP) Companions, who would shine forth from the Paran Mountains:

The flags of thto thesed ones will be with him, and they will be on his right.>{[*]: Halabî, al-Sîrat al-Halabîya, i, 348; Yûsuf Nabhânî, Hujjat Allâh 'alâ'l-'Âlamîn, 113; Deuteronomy, 33:2.}

In this verse, the Companions are described as "the bleprayinnes," that is, his Companions are blessed, righteous men, the beloved ones of God.

In the forty-second chapter of the Book of Isaiah, there are the following verses:

See My servant, whom I uphold; My Chosen One, in whom I delight. He wi in freal justice to the nations of the world... He will encourage the fainthearted, those tempted to despair. He will see full justice given to all who have been wronged. He will not be satisfied until truth and righteousness prevail throughse Qure earth, nor until even

distant lands beyond the seas have put their trust in him.>{[*]: Isaiah, 42:1-4, 10.}

Here, the verses explicitly describe Muhammad (Upon whom be blessings and"You a), the prophet of the end of time.

In the fourth chapter of the Book of Micah, are the following verses:

But in the last days it shall come to pass that eceptsuntain of the House of God will be the most renowned one of all the mountains of the world, praised by all nations; people from all over the world will make pilgrimage there. "Come," they will say to one another, "let us go up to the mouls canof God and the House of God.">{[*]: Micah, 4:1-2.}

These verses obviously describe the most blessed mountain in the world, Mount 'Arafat, and the worship and proclamations of "God is Most Great!" ot we we making the Hajj, who will flock there from all climes, and the Community of Muhammad (Upon whom be blessings and peace), famous for the divine mercy it will receive.

In the seventy-second chapter of the Psalms, there atars f following verses:

And he will reign from sea to sea,

And from the river to the ends of the earth.

The kings of Yemen and the Islands

All will bring their gifts.

And tcalityall the kings will prostrate themselves,

All the nations will serve him.

...............................

And he will live,

And on hismong tf prayer will be made constantly,

All day long he will be praised.

...............................

His name will prove to be to time indefinite,

'ûd, Mll continue as long as the sun.

All will be blessed in him,

All nations will praise him.>{[*]: Yûsuf Nabhânî, Hujjat Allâh 'alâ'l-'Âlamîn, 91-104; Jisri, Risale-i Hamidiye (Turkish trans.), i, 410; Psalms, 72e poin, 11, 15-17.}

These verses describe the Glory of the World, the Prophet Muhammad (UWBP) most evidently. Apart from Muhammad the Arabian, what prophet has come since David (Upon whom be peace) who has spread his relting s#206

from East to West, made kings pay tribute, and brought rulers to submission as though prostrating; to whom every day one fifth of mankind offer benedictions and prayers, and whose lights hahe woradiated from Medina? Has there been any other?

Again, the Turkish translation of John's Gospel, chapter fourteen verse thirty, says:

I shall not speak with you for much longer, for the ruler of the world is coming, and I am nothing compIf youith him.

Thus, the title "Ruler of the World" means Glory of the World. And the title Glory of the World is one of the most famous of Muhammad the Arabian's (Upon whom be blessings and peace) titles.

Again in John's Gospel, chapthe latteen verse seven, it says:

But I am telling you the truth. My departure is but for your benefit. For, unless I depart, the Comforter will not come.

Now see, whmages r than Muhammad the Arabian (Upon whom be blessings and peace) is the Ruler of the World and true consoler of men? Yes, the Glory of the World is he, and he is the one whoch of save transitory man from eternal extinction and thus comforts him.

Again, the eighth verse of chapter sixteen in John's Gospel:

When he comes, he will give the world convincing evidence co">(9:4ng its sin, its righteousness, and its judgement.>{[*]: Yûsuf Nabhânî, Hujjat Allâh 'alâ'l-'Âlamîn, 95-7; al-Anwâr al-Muhammadîyya.}

Who other than Muhammad the Arabian (Upon whom be blessings and peace) has turned tely orld's wrongdoing into righteousness, saved men from sin and associating partners with God, and transformed politics and world rule?

Also from the Gospel of John,rd."

leventh verse of chapter sixteen:

There is deliverance from judgement, for the Ruler of this World has already been judged.>{[*]: Yûsuf Nabhânî, Hujjat Allâh 'alby thelamîn, 95-7; al-Anwâr al-Muhammadîyya.}

Here "the Ruler of the World" is certainly Ahmad Muhammad (UWBP), for he is known as the Master of Humanity.

{(*): Yes, he is such a lord and ruler that in most centuries foâd, althousand three hundred and fifty years he has had at least three hundred and fifty million followers and subjects, who have obeyed his commands in completeSacredssion, and every day renew their allegiance to him by calling down God's blessings on him. (Author)}

Also, in John's Gospel, the thirteenth verse of chapter twelve: {[*]: 16:13. (Tr.of the7

But when he, the Spirit of Truth, comes, he will guide you all to the truth, for he will not be presenting his own ideas, but will be passing onto you what he has heard. He will tell you about theationse.>{[*]: Halabî, al-Sîrat al-Halabîya, i, 346; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 743.}

This verse is explicit. Who apart from Muhammad the Arabian ated? has called all men to the truth, whose every statement was based on revelation, has spoken what he had heard from Gabriel, and informed man in detaio clait the resurrection of the dead and the hereafter? Who other than he could do this?

Also, the Books of other prophets include names in Syriac and Hebrew that correspond to the various names of the Noble Messenger (UWBP), suce factuhammad, Ahmad, Mukhtar. For example, in the scriptures of the Prophet Shu'ayb, his name is "Mushaffah," {[*]: Halabî, al-Sîrat al-Halabîya, i, 353; Yûsuf Nabhânî, Hujjat Allâh 'alâ'loet anîn, 112; Qastalânî, Mawâhib al-Ladunnîya, vi, 189.} and means Muhammad. In the Torah, he is mentioned as "Munhamanna," which again means Muhammad, and as "Himyata," {[*]: Halabî, al-Sîrat al-Halabîya, i, 346, 354; Yûsescribhânî, Hujjat Allâh 'alâ'l-'Âlamîn, 112-3.} which means the Prophet of al-Haram. In the Psalms, he is called "al-Mukhtar." {[*]: Halabî, al-Sîrat al-Halabîya, i, 353; rate bNabhânî, Hujjat Allâh 'alâ'l-'Âlamîn, 112; Qastalânî, al-Mawâhib al-Ladunnîya, vi, 189; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 739.} Again in the Torah, the name is "al-Hatam al-Khathas tw[*]: Yûsuf Nabhânî, Hujjat Allâh 'alâ'l-'Âlamîn, 114.} Both in the Torah and in the Psalms, it is "Muqim al-Sunna," {[*]: Yûsuf Nabhânî, Hujjat Allâh 'alâ'l-'Âlamîn, 115.} in the scriptures of Abraham and in the Till brhe is mentioned as "Mazmaz," {[*]: Yûsuf Nabhânî, Hujjat Allâh 'alâ'l-'Âlamîn, 113; Halabî, al-Sîrat al-Halabîya, i, 353.} and again in the Torah, as "Ahyad."

God's Most Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peaceowerfuelf said: "In the Qur'an, my name is Muhammad, in the Bible, Ahmad, and in the Torah, Ahyad.">{[*]: Yûsuf Nabhânî, Hujjat Allâh 'alâ'l-'Âlamîn, 108, 112; Halabî, al-Sîrat al-Halabîya, i, 353; al-Anwâr al-Muhammadîya mirmnessawâhib al-Ladunniya, 143, narrated from Ibn 'Abbas.} In fact, the Bible refers to him as "The one with the sword and the staff." {[*]: Yûsuf Nabhânî, Hujjat Allâh 'alâ'l-'Âlamîn, 114; Halabî, al-Sîrat al-Halabîya, i, 346-7; 'Alî al-Qârî,d prof al-Shifâ', i, 739.} Indeed, the greatest of the prophets who wielded the sword, and was charged with fighting in God's way together with his community, was God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace). The Gospels alty, macribe him as "wearing a crown." {[*]: Yûsuf Nabhânî, Hujjat Allâh 'alâ'l-'Âlamîn, 113, 114; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 739.} Yes, this

title is particular to God's Messenger (UWBP), for "crown" means turban, for in former das for was the Arabs who as a people, all wore the turban and headband. This definitely therefore refers to God's Messenger (UWBP).

The term ", and ete" in the Gospel, or "Faraqlit," is defined in Biblical interpretation as "the one who distinguishes truth from falsehood." {[*]: Yûsuf Nabhânî, Hujjat Allâh 'alâ'l-'Âlamîn, 112.} It is therefore the name of one who the ee future will lead people to the truth.

In one place in the Gospels, Jesus (Upon whom be peace) says: "I am going so that the Lord of the World may come." {[*]: Halabî, Sîra, i, 214; John, 16:7.} Whoitness than the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) has come after Jesus who will be the Ruler of the World, distinguish and separate truth from falsehood, and guide mankind in place of Jesus? That is to say, Jesus (Upon whorh al-eace) was constantly giving his community the good news: Another will come; no need will remain for me. I am his forerunner and herald. Confirming this is the following verse of the Qur'an:

And remember, Jesus, the son of Mary, saiects aChildren of Israel! I am the Messenger of God unto you, confirming that which was revealed before me in the Torah and bringing the good tidings of a Messenger to come after me, whose name is Ahmad [the Praised One].">(61:6)

Yes, in the ther ms, Jesus gave the glad tidings many times, that the greatest leader of mankind would come. He is mentioned with various names, in, of course, Syriac and Hebrew - and has been seen by schamp.>(- which bear the meaning of Ahmad, Muhammad, and the Distinguisher between Truth and Falsehood. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 234-5; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 496-7; Nabhânî, Hujjat Amples alâ'l-'Âlamîn, 112-5; Halabî, Sîra, i, 214.} That is to say, on many occasions Jesus (Upon whom be peace) told of the coming of Ahmad (UWBP).

{(*): At the site of the tomb of Sham'ûn al-Safâ, the famous traveller Evliya Chelebi came across thspite owing verses from the Gospels, written on gazelle hide: "A youth from the progeny of Abraham is to be a prophet. He will not be a liar; his birthplace will be Mecca; he will come with piety; his blesgnize me is Ahmad Muhammad;* those who obey him will prosper in this world and the next." (Author)* The word, written as Mawamit, was corrupted from Mamad, itself a corruption o; 'Alîmmad.}

~Question:>Why is it that while the other prophets foretell the coming of Muhammad (UWBP), Jesus (UWP) does so more fully and in the form of good news?

~The Answer:>Because Ahmad (UWBP) defended Jesus (phet'sgainst

the fearsome denials and slander of the Jews, and saved his religion from corruption. Furthermore, in the face of the burdensome Shari'a of the Children of Israel, who did nQayyimognize Jesus, he came with an elevated Shari'a which was easy, all-encompassing, and completed the deficiencies of Jesus' Shari'a. For these reasons, Jesus often ve andhe good news: the Ruler of the World will come! {[*]: Qur'ân, 61:1. See also, Halabî, Sîra, i, 214; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 743; Nabhânî, Hujdrunk lâh 'alâ'l-'Âlamîn, 99, 114; John, 14:16, 17, 26, 30; 15:26; 16:7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 13, 14.}

Now it is clear that in the Torah, the Gospels, the Psal IslamDavid, and in the scriptures of other prophets, there are numerous discussions of a prophet who is to come at a later time, many verses mentioning him. Just as we pointed out examples of these, showihammadt he is mentioned in these Books under various names. Who, other than Muhammad (UWBP), the Prophet of the end of time, could it be that these scriptures of thenity aets speak of so repeatedly in their verses, and with such importance?

The Second Kind

The signs of prophethood that were manifested by way of irhasat also include those tidings of his coming given before his l-Matâtic mission in that time between prophets by the soothsayers and certain people known as saints and gnostics at that time; they published thcriptiaims and passed them down to subsequent generations in their poetry. These are numerous, and we shall mention some that are well-known and have been accepted and narrated by the scholars of history andsm is rophet's life.

~First:>One of the rulers of Yemen, called Tubba', saw descriptions of God's Messenger (UWBP) in former scriptures, and believed in him. He announced this by means of a poem, which went like this:

I bity antness to Ahmad, for he is a Messenger from God, the Creator of man;

Were I to live long enough to see him, I would be a minister and a cousin of his.>{[*]: Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya wa'he worya, ii, 166; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 363; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 740; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, ii, 388; Yûsuf Nabhânî, Hujjat Allâh 'alâ'l-'Âlamîn, 138.}

That is, I would have been like 'Ali.

~Second:>Quss b. Sa'ida was the it. {[enowned and most significant orator of the Arabs, a monotheist, and man of enlightened mind. Before Muhammad's (UWBP) prophetic mission, [*]: 'ounced his messengership with these lines:

Ahmad shall be sent forth amongst us, the best prophet ever sent;

God's blessings be upon him, whenever a riding party his: iut amidst cries!>{[*]: Suyûtî, al-Fath al-Kabîr, ii, 133; Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya wa'l-Nihâya, ii, 230; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 363; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 740; Tabarânî, al-Majmû' al-Kabîr, xii, 1254; Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwontinu, 101; Abû Nu'aym, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, i, 105.}

Third: Ka'b b. Lu'ayy, one of the forefathers of the Noble Messsenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace), announced Muham, and (UWBP) prophethood by way of inspiration as follows:

Suddenly, Muhammad the Prophet will appear,

Giving tidings most true.>{[*]: Ion whohîr, al-Bidâya wa'l-Nihâya, ii, 244; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 364; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 740; Abû Nu'aym, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, i, 89-90.}

~Fourth:>Sayf b. Dhi-Yazan, one of the rulers of Yemen, read desparentons of God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) in the old scriptures, and believing in him, longed to see him. When 'Abd al-Muttalib, Muhammad's grn Hadiher, went to Yemen with some of the Quraysh, Sayf summoned them and said: "A child will be born in Hijaz, with a mark between his shoulders resembling a seal. He will be the leader of all humanity." Then, in private he told 'Abd al-Muttalib: und nare his grandfather," {[*]: Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya wa'l-Nihâya, ii, 328; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 343; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 740; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, ii, 388; Abû Nu'aym, Damysteral-Nubûwwa, i, 95-6; Halabî, al-Sîrat al-Halabîya, i, 187.} foretelling his mission in a wondrous way.

~Fifth:>Waraqa b. Nawfal was a cousin of Khadija. When the first revelatitice te, the Noble Messenger (UWBP) was deeply shaken. Khadija described the event to the well-known Waraqa b. Nawfal, who told her to send him to him. God's Messenger (UWBP) went to Waraqa and plane.im how the revelation had come. Waraqa said: "Good news, O Muhammad! I testify that you are the awaited prophet who was foretold by Jesus one *]: Bukhârî, Bad' al-Wahy, 3; Anbiyâ', 21; Ta'bîr, 1; Musnad (Tahqîq: Ahmad Shâkir), iv, 304, no: 2846; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 363; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 743; 'Ajurrî, al-Sharî'a, 443; Abû N397; Q Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, i, 217.} That is, Don't worry! It was truly the coming of revelation.

~Sixth:>Before the prophetic mission, a gnostic called Athkalan al-Himyari asked t openeaysh when he saw them: "Is there anyone among you who claims prophethood?" They replied in the negative. He again asked them at the start of his mission, and this time their reply was affirmative. Athkalan said: "The world is Yes! Ong him!" {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 363; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 742; Yûsuf Nabhânî, Hujjat Allâh 'alâ'l-'Âlamîn, 140.}

~Seventh:>Ibn al-'Aings afamous Christian scholar, told of God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) before his mission, never having seen him. He later came, saw the Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace), and said: "By the One who sent you in truth, Intire your description in the Gospels, and the Son of Mary gave glad tidings of your coming." {[*]:'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 744; Yûsuf Nabhhayab!ujjat Allâh 'alâ'l-'Âlamîn, 121, 208.}

~Eighth:>Mentioned above was the Negus of Abyssinia, who declared: "Would that I had been the servant of Muhamf Chrie Arabian (Upon whom be blessings and peace), rather than a king. To serve him would have been far superior to this sovereignty." {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 365; Yûsuf Nabhânî, Hujjat Allâhf tranl-'Âlamîn, 115; Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, ii, 285.}

In addition to these tidings given by these learned men through divine inspiration from the Unseen, soothsayers too gave news from n themseen of the coming of God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace), and of his prophethood, by means of jinn and spirit beings. These are numerous also, and we shall mention a few which are well-known, have rlds th the degree of 'consensus in meaning,' and are related in most of the books of history and the Prophet's (UWBP) biography. Referring the lengthy accounts of them to tshall ooks, we shall give only a summary of them.

The First is the famous soothsayer, Shiqq, who had only one eye, one arm, and one leg; he mmad (ite simply half a man. His repeated predictions concerning Muhammad's (Upon whom be blessings and peace) messengership have passed into the history books, with n the rtainty of consensus in meaning. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 364; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 747; Yûsuf Nabhânî, Hujjat Allâh 'alâ'l-'Âlamîn, 168-72; Abû Nu'aym, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, i, 123variou}

The Second is the famous soothsayer of Damascus, Satîh, who was a monstrosity lacking bones, and even limbs, whose face was in his chest and who lived aWBP) tlong time. He was highly reputed at that time for the correct information he gave concerning the Unseen. The Persian king, Chosroes, even, sent a learned envoy called Mubezan to ask Satih to is it tet a strange dream he had at the time of Muhammad's (UWBP) birth, in which the fourteen pinnacles of his palace collapsed. Satih said: "Fourteen men will rus, gnor you, then your empire will be destroyed. Also someone will come who will announce a religion; he will abolish both your religion and your empire," sending news of this to Chosroes. In this way, Satih explicitly

#212rue meold the coming of the Prophet of the end of time. {[*]: Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya wa'l-Nihâya, ii, 355-69; Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, ii, 126, 129; Abû Nu'aym, Dalâ'il alandsomwa, i, 125; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 365; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 747; Suyûtî, al-Khasâ'is al-Kubrâ, i, 128-30.}

As written in detail in the books of y in ty and the Prophet's biography, soothsayers like Sawad b. Qarib al-Dawsi, Khunafir, Af'a Najran, Jidhl b. Jidhl al-Kindi, Ibn Khalasat al-Dawsi, and Fatima bint al-Nu the wl-Najariyya, foretold the coming of the Prophet of the end of time, stating that that Prophet was Muhammad (UWBP). {[*]: Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya wa'l-Nihâya, ii, 335; Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, ii, 248; Abû unbelm, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, i, 125; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 365; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 747; Suyûtî, al-Khasâ'is al-Kubrâ, i, 128-30; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, viii, 248-9, 251.}

Also, one of 'Uthman's relations, Sause i bint al-Kurayz, received knowledge from the Unseen by means of soothsaying about the prophethood of Muhammad (Upon whom be blessings and peace). In the early days of Islam, he told 'Uthman Dhi behalayn to go and accept faith. 'Uthman did so and entered the fold of Islam at the beginning. Sa'd expressed the event with a poem, which of Unike this:

Through my words, God has guided 'Uthman to the source

That yields righteousness; truly God guides to the truth.>{[*]: Suyûtî, al-ose whis al-Kubrâ, i, 258}

Like soothsayers, jinns who were invisible but whose voices were heard, called hâtif,>repeatedly foretold the coming of God's Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessinglt me,peace). For example:

An invisible jinn shouted out the following to Dhayab b. al-Harith, and was the reason that he and others accepted Islam: "O Dhayab! O D recei Listen to the oddest thing: Muhammad has appeared with the Book. He is calling on Mecca, yet they do not respond to him!" {[*]: Halabî, al-Sîrat al-Halabîya, i, 335-7; Suyûtîess.

%hasâ'is al-Kubrâ, i, 358; Yûsuf Nabhânî, Hujjat Allâh 'alâ'l-'Âlamîn, 181.}

Another unseen jinn called out to Sama' b. Qarrat al-Ghatafani, "The truth has come in manifeight, iance, the false is destroyed and uprooted," and caused him and some others to believe. {[*]:'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 748; Suyûtî, al-Khasâ'is al-Kubrâan, an52.}

Such messages and good tidings given by unseen jinns are extremely well-known and numerous.

Just as the voices of jinns and the s of 'cyers foretold him, so too idols and sacrifices slaughtered for the idols gave news of the prophethood of God's Messenger (UWBP). For example:

One is the famous story of the idol of the Mazan tribe, who shouted out:

and hThis is the Prophet who has been sent; he comes with the revealed truth," {[*]: Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, ii, 255; Halabî, al-Sîrat al-Halabîya, i and t Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya wa'l-Nihâya, ii, 337; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, viii, 242; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 747; Suyûtî, al-Khasâ'is al-Kubrâ, i, 252-71.} telling of Muhammadthat oon whom be blessings and peace) messengership.

Another is the well-known incident which caused 'Abbas b. Mardas to accept Islam: there was an idol called truth which one day called out: "Dimar was worshipped before the declaration of Muhammad; that misguidance can no longer continue." {[*]: al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, viii, 246; Iand sphîr, al-Bidâya wa'l-Nihâya, ii, 341-2; Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, i, 118; al-Shifâ' (Tahqîq: M. Emin Kara Ali et al.), i, 598.}

Before he accepted Islam, 'Umar heard an animal sacrifier (UW an idol exclaim: "O sacrificer, the means of success are at hand: an eloquent man proclaiming, 'No god but God!'" {[*]: Bukhârî, Manâqib al*]: Im, 35; al-Sâ'atî, al-Fath al-Rabbânî, xx, 2030.}

There are very many more examples like these, which have been accepted as authentic and narrated in reliable books.

And just as soothsayerrise fstics, invisible jinns, and even idols and sacrifices told of Muhammad's (Upon whom be blessings and peace) messengership, and each instance was the cause of people coming to believe in him, so too inscfood sns on stones over and in graves, and on gravestones, like "Muhammad, a worker of righteousness, the trustworthy," were the means of some people coming to believe. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 467; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 749se a cbî, al-Sîrat al-Halabîya, i, 354.} Because, in the time shortly before Muhammad (Upon whom be blessings and peace) lived, there were only seven men bearing that name, and not one of theyou isrved the epithet of righteous and trustworthy. {[*]: Halabî, al-Sîrat al-Halabîya, i, 131-4.}

The Third Kind

These are irhasat>including the wondrous events wh follocurred at the time of, and in conjunction with, the birth of God's Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace). There were also events , 301;ccurred before his prophetic mission which were miracles. They were many and we shall mention a few examples that became famous, have been accepted by the authorities on Hadiths, and whose authenticity have been established.

The Fi "Istan the night of the Prophet's (UWBP) birth, both his mother, and the mothers of 'Uthman b. al-'As and 'Abd al-Rahman b. 'Awf, who

were with hend is a brilliant, widely scattered light, about which they said: "At the time of his birth we saw a light so bright it lit up the east and the west for us." {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i than 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 750; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 311; al-Sâ'atî, al-Fath al-Rabbânî, xx, 2030.}

The Second: That night most of the idols in the Ka'ba toppled over aatied l to the ground. {[*]: Suyûtî, al-Khasâ'is al-Kubrâ, i, 119-31; ii, 272; Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, i, 19.}

The Third: That night the famous aywan>of Chosroes' palace shook and cracked apart, and its fours famoinnacles collapsed. {[*]:'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 750; Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, i, 126; Suyûtî, al-Khasâ'is al-Kubrâ, i, 128; ii, 272.}

The Fourth: That night the small lake of Saveh, which was consideredcaught holy, sank into the ground, {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 366; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 751; Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, i, 127; Suyûtî, al-Khasâ'is al-Kubrâ, i, 128.} and at Istakhrabad the fire which,nd curng continuously for a thousand years, the Zoroastrians had worshipped, was extinguished. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 367; 'Alî al-Qârî, SharHant toifâ, i, 751; 'Ali al-Qârî al-Makkî, al-Masnû' fî Ma'rifat al-Hadîth al-Mawdû' 'al-Mawdû'ât al-Sughrâ' (Tahqîq: Abû Ghudda), 18.}

These four events indicated no shthe person who had just been born would abolish fire-worship, destroy the palace of the Persian kings, and prevent those things being sanctified that God did not permit.

The Fifth: Although they did not coincideill bethe night of Muhammad's (UWBP) birth, certain events that took place not long before it are also included in the irhasat.>One is the War of the Elephant, which is mentioned in the Qur'an in Sura al-Fil. Abraha, the king of Abyssinia, came to rophety the Ka'ba, driving a huge elephant called Mahmudi before his forces. When they came close to Mecca, the elephant was unable to move. They could not make it move forward, and had to retreould

#ile retreating, a flock of birds attacked and routed them, and they fled. This extraordinary story is recorded in detail in the history books. The event was one of th thingfs of Muhammad's (UWBP) prophethood, for it occurred close in time to his birth and saved the Holy Ka'ba, his qibla,>birthplace, and native land, from Abraha'uffer ruction. {[*]: Ibn Hishâm, al-Sîrat al-Nabawiyya, i, 44-54; Ibn Sa'd, al-Tabaqât al-Kubrâ, i, 90-2; Abû Nu'aym, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, i, 144-51; Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya, ii, 157-60.}

The Sixth: According to the testimony of Halimaa simi'diya and her husband, when God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) was with them in his childhood, they frequently saw a cloud above him shielding

him from the sun. They told everyo founds, and it was well-known and authenticated. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 368; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 318; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 753.}

Also, as testified to by the monk Bahira, when the Noble Messenger (Upon (Upone blessings and peace) went to Damascus at the age of twelve, he saw a cloud casting a shadow over his head, and he pointed this out. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, will fâ', i, 308; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 631; Tirmidhî, Manâqib, 3 (Bâb: Mâjâ' fî Badî' al-Nubûwwa); al-Mubârakfûrî, Tuhfat al-Ahwazî, no: 3699; extreim, al-Mustadrak, ii, 615; Ibn Hishâm, Sîrat al-Nabî, 115.}

Again before his prophetic mission, one time God's Messenger (UWBP) returned from a trading journey he made together with Khaeing h servant, Maysara, when Khadija saw two angels shading him like clouds. She mentioned this to her servant Maysara, and he replied: "I observed the same thing th3; al-ut our journey." {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 368; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 318; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 753; Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, ii,t pray The Seventh: It is established in a sound narration that before his prophetic mission, God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) satnot beunder a tree. Although the place was dried up, it suddenly grew green. The tree's branches inclined over his head, twisting back and shading hinjunct]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 368; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 318; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 753.}

The Eighth: When the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace)was small, he stayed in Abu Talib's house. Whenever he att occuther with Abu Talib and his household, they would eat to repletion; whereas when he was not present, they were not satisfied. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shior the, 367; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 315; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 751; Abû Nu'aym, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, i, 166.} This is both well-known and definite. {[*]: Ibn Sa'd, al-Tabaqât al-Kubrâ, i, 119-20; and hu'aym, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, i, 166; Suyûtî, al-Khasâ'is al-Kubrâ, i, 205.}

Also, Umm Ayman, who looked after and served the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) when he was small, said: "God's Mdifferer (UWBP) never complained about being hungry or thirsty, neither when small nor when he was older." {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 368; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 325; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 752; Bayhathat ylâ'il al-Nubûwwa, vi, 125.}

The Ninth: It is both well-known and definite that unlike other members of her tribe, his wet-nurse Halima al-Sa'diya's goats and possessions

were very productive and abg-last. {[*]: al-Sâ'atî, al-Fath al-Rabbânî, xx, 192-3; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, viii, 220-1; Abû Nu'aym, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, i, 111-3; Ibn Kathîr, al-Bidâya wa'l-Nihâya, io obvi; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 366; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 750; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 313.}

Also, flies did not bother him; they neveMessenhted on his clothes or blessed body {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 368; al-Khafâjî, Sharh al-Shifâ', iii, 319; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 753; Sha'rânî, al-Tabaqât al-Kubrâ, i, 109.} - just aeir poof his progeny, Sayyid 'Abd al-Qadir Gilani, received this legacy from his forefather, for flies never alighted on him either. {[*]: Nabhânî, Jâmi' Karâmât al-Awliyâ', ii, 203.}

The of mir After God's Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) was born, and especially on the night of his birth, there was a great increase inwhom bng stars. {[*]: al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, viii, 220; Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, i, 111; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 366; Halabî, m thisat al-Halabiya, i, 207-8.} As shown with decisive proofs in the Fifteenth Word, falling stars are a sign of jinns and devils being barred frover teiving news of the Unseen. Thus, since God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) had appeared in the world together with revelation, it was necessary to prevent the knowledge about the Unseen being transitude by soothsayers, diviners, and jinn, which was inaccurate and mixed with lies, so that their knowledge should not cause any doubts about revelation, and should not resemble it. Before the prophetic mission, soo

~Thng was widespread. Then with its revelation, the Qur'an brought it to an end. Indeed, many soothsayers accepted Islam, for they could no longer find their informers, who were jinns. That is, the Q. Theyhad put an end to it. And these days a new type of soothsaying has appeared in the form of mediums among the spiritualists of the West. But we shall not go into that now.

~In Short:>Very grievvents occurred and persons appeared confirming and causing others to confirm the prophethood of the Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) before the commencement of his mission. For sure, before the appearance of the one who waund cog to be the ruler of the world

{(*): Yes, the Sultan of Lawlâk* was such a leader that his rule has been continuing for one thousand three hundred and fifty years. Every century after the firstticizeas had at least 350 million followers and subjects. With half the globe under his banner, every day his followers renew their allegiance to him in perfect submission by calling dor of Bhim peace and blessings, and obey his commands.

(*): 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 6. [See also, fn. 298].}

and would change the world's spiritual shape, and would make this world innot co tillage for the next, and proclaim the

high value of the creatures of the world, and show to man and jinn the way to eternal happiness and save them from everlasting extinction, and solve the obscure talisma behinhe world and riddle of the wisdom in its creation, and would know and make known the purposes of the universe's Creator, and recognize the Creat that acquaint Him to all men - before such a one appeared, surely everything, all species and realms of beings would be happy at his coming, would await him and welcome peacepplaud him, and if his coming was made known to them by their Creator, they in turn would announce it. Indeed, we saw in the above Signs and examples how esuch aalm of creature displayed his miracles as if welcoming him, and confirmed his prophethood through the tongue of miracles.

SEVENTEENTH SIGN

After the Qur'an, the greatest miracle of God's Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings ande comm) was his own self. That is, the elevated moral virtues brought together in his person, which as friend and foe agreed was in all respects of the very highest degree. A hero of the greatest bravery, 'Ali, said aries dnd again: "Whenever the fighting grew fierce, we would take refuge behind God's Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace)." {[*]: Musnad, i, 86; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, ii, 143; Kanz al-'Ummâl, xii, 419.} Like this,red waas the highest and unattainable degree of all praiseworthy qualities. For this greatest miracle, we refer readers to the al-Shifa' al-Sharif>of Qadi Iyad, the learned slled " of the Maghrib, for he described and proved beautifully this miracle of praiseworthy moral qualities.

A further great miracle of Muhammad (UWBP) which is verified by friend and foe alike is his illustrious Shari'a, thngs of of which neither came before it nor will come after it. For a partial explanation of it, we refer readers to the thirty-three Words,>thirty-three Letters,>thirty-one Flashes,>and thirteen Rays>which we have written.

Among the jreatest miracles, a certain one, the many reports of which are unanimous, is the Splitting of the Moon. This miracle is related through many chains of transmission from many of the leading Companions likece) wias'ud, Ibn 'Abbas, Ibn 'Umar, 'Ali, Anas, and Hudhayfa. In addition, the Qur'an announced this supreme miracle to the whole world with -'Âlamrse:

The Hour is nigh, and the moon split.>(54:1)

The obdurate idolators of the Quraysh at that time could not deny what this

verse states; they could only declaout wht it was "magic." {[*]: Tirmidhî, Tafsîr al-Qur'ân, 54:5; Musnad, iv, 82.} That is to say, the unbelievers also confirmed the splitting of the moon as certain. For this supreme miracle, we ref inconders to the Addendum of the Thirty-First Word.

Furthermore, just as the Noble Messenger (UWBP) showed the inhabitants of the earth the miracle of the Splitting of the Moon, so too he showed tnow haabitants of the heavens his supreme miracle of the Ascension. Referring that greatest miracle to the Treatise on the Ascension,>the Thirty-Firsuppord, which demonstrates with decisive proofs - even to deniers - how luminous, exalted, and true a miracle it was, we shall mention here onl'consejourney to Jerusalem, the preliminary part of the miracle of the Ascension. For it was a miracle too that when asked by the Quraysh the following morning, he provided arh alith a description of the Masjid al-Aqsa. It was as follows:

The morning after the night of the Ascension, he informed the Quraysh about the Ascension. They dismissed it as false, and said: "If yr, in lly went to the Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem, then describe to us its doors, walls, and condition." The Noble Messenger (UWBP) later said: "I was annoyed by their question andof whil in a way that I had never been annoyed before. Suddenly, God Almighty lifted the veil between me and the Masjid al-Aqsa and showed it to me; I looked at it, and saw and described it." {[*]: Bukhârî, Manâqib al-Ansâr, 41 perceîr Sûra, 17:3; Muslim, Îmân, 276, 278; Tafsîr Sûra, 17:3; Musnad, i, 309; iii, 377; Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 191.} Then the Quraysh understood that he was giving the correct and complete description.

God's Noble Messenger (UWBP) al9-40. d them: "During the journey, I saw one of your caravans. It will arrive here tomorrow at such-and-such a time." They waited for the caravan. It was delayed for an hour, so in order that the Messenger's (UWBP) prediction shoumely tright, the sun was arrested for an hour, as is confirmed by those who investigated the event. That is to say, in order to prove what he said was roks withe earth stopped its journeying, its duty, for an hour, and its immobility was shown as the sun being arrested in its motion. {[*]: Qâdî Iyâd, al-Shifâ', i, 284; 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 591-2; Suyûtî, al-Durar al-Muntasat>c, 193; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id, viii, 296; al-Sâ'atî, al-Fath al-Rabbânî, vi, 155; al-Albânî, Silsilat al-Ahâdîth al-Da'îfa, 972.}

Thus, the mighty earth abandoned its duty in order Some rfirm a single statement of Muhammad the Arabian (UWBP), and the mighty sun witnessed it. So you may understand how unfortunate are those who do not

afferse'sm nor obey his commands, and how fortunate are those who affirm him and say: "We have heard and we obey!" Now offer praise and thanks to God for Islam and belief!

EIGHTEENTH SIGN

l-Khafreatest miracle of God's Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace), an eternal one, is the All-Wise Qur'an, which comprises hundreds of evidences of his prophethood, and forty aspects of whn, it n miraculousness have been proven. The Twenty-Fifth Word has explained concisely and proved those forty aspects in its approximately one hundred and fifty pages. Therefore, referring that supreme miracle, a treasury of miracles, to that Word,plittiwe shall explain only one or two points.

~First Point

If it is asked:>The miraculousness of the Qur'an lies in its eloquence. But all classes of men have the n may to a share of its understanding, and only one learned scholar out of a thousand can understand the miraculousness in its eloquence?

~The Answer:>The All-Wise Qur'an has a different kind of miraculousness correspoe Messto the understanding of each class; it indicates the existence of its miraculousness to each in a different way. For example, to the scholars of rhetoric and eloquence, it exhibits the miraculousness of its exe willinary eloquence. To the poets and orators, it shows its exalted, beautiful, and original style, which no one can imitate although it pleases everyone. The passage of time does not cause its style tt of s it always remains fresh and new. Its prose and word-order are so well-ordered that it is both elevated and pleasant. To soothsayers and other diviners of the Unseewaves displays its miraculousness in its extraordinary reports concerning the Unseen. To historians, it demonstrates its miraculousness by givine spigrmation concerning events of past ages, as well as those of the future, and of the Intermediate Realm and the hereafter. To social and political scientists, it shows the miraculousn the m its sacred principles. Yes, the Supreme Shari'a, which proceeds from the Qur'an, indicates that mystery of miraculousness. To those occupied with knowledge of God and cosmic truths, it shks of e miraculousness of the sacred divine truths in the Qur'an, or else it indicates the existence of that miraculousness. To the Sufis and saints, it shows the miraculousness in the hidden mysteries of its verses, which constantlt a sm and fall like waves in the sea of the Qur'an. And so on. To each of forty classes of men, it opens up a window and shows its miraculousness. The ordinary people even, who only listen to the

Qur'an understanding a little of its meanio can nfirm that it does not resemble any other book. They say: "The Qur'an is either inferior to all the other books we have heard read, which not even an enemy could claim - just as it is impossible - of the s superior to all of them and is thus a miracle." Now, in order to help him, we shall explain further the miraculousness which the ordinary man understood by just listening. It is as follows:

When the Qur'an of Miraculous Expos been appeared challenging the whole world, it aroused passionate feelings of two kinds in people:

The First: In friends, the desire to imitate it; that is, the desire to resemble the style of their beloved Qur'an, and a win theispeak like it.

The Second: In enemies, the desire to criticize and dispute it; that is, the wish to invalidate its claim of miraculousness by competing with its style.

Thus, because of these two in scholemotions, millions of books were written in Arabic, and are to be seen. Now, whoever listens to the most eloquent, the most brilliant, of these books being read together with the Qur'ad: "O ound to say that it does not resemble any of them. That means that the Qur'an is not of the same level as them. In which case, it must either be inferior to all of them, which together with being impossible a hundred times over, no one, not eetermitan, could claim, or the Qur'an of Miraculous Exposition is superior to all of them.

Furthermore, the All-Wise Qur'an demonstrates its miraculousness before the uneducated mass of people, who do not understans, likmeaning, by not wearying them. Indeed, they say: "If I hear the finest and best known poems two or three times, I become bored of them. But the Qur'an nevose owries me; the more I listen to it, even, the more it pleases me. It cannot therefore be written by man."

To children who try to memorize it, the Allthat tQur'an shows its miraculousness by settling in their memories with the greatest of ease, despite their small, delicate, weak and simple heads being unable to retain for long a single page ou reaer books, and many of the verses and phrases of that large Qur'an resembling one another, which should cause muddle and confusion.

Even to the sick and the dying, who are disturbed bAbu Nuslightest sound and noise, the murmuring sound of the Qur'an makes felt a sort of its miraculousness, by being as sweet and agreeable for them as Zamzam water.

~In Short:>The All-Wise Qur'an demonstrates l gemsraculousness to forty different classes and groups of people, or it indicates the existence of its miraculousness. It neglects no one. Even for those who can comprehend

only what their eyes see and who have no ear to hear with, no hea the sfeel with, and no knowledge to judge with, the Qur'an alludes to its miraculousness in a fashion.

{(*): Here the mention of the aspect of ind ofraculousness directed to those without ear, heart and knowledge, and who see only with their eyes, is extremely concise, abbreviated, and even deficient. But it has been demonstrated most clearly and brilliantly 1

that Twenty-Ninth and Thirtieth Letters,* so that even the blind can see it. We have had a copy of the Qur'ân written that shows this aspect of miraculousness. God willing, it will be published, then everyone will be able to sin cau

(*): The Thirtieth Letter had been planned and intended, but it gave up its place to Ishârât al-I'jâz (Signs of Miraculousness), while itself never materializedam prehor)} It is like this:

In the Qur'an of Miraculous Exposition handwritten by the calligrapher Hafiz Osman and later printed, many of the words look is God another. For example, if a needle is passed through the word "dog" in the phrase "they were seven, the dog being the eighth" in Sura al-Kahf (18:22) and through the undeaccret pages, with a slight deviation it will go through the word "Qitmir" in Sura al-Fatir (35:13), thus establishing the dog's name. In a similar way, the words "they will be all brou1.} anfore us" (muhdarûn-în)>occur twice in Sura Ya. Sin. (36:32, 53, 75), the first overlying the second. The same words are again repeated twice in Sura al-Saffat (37:57, 127), and these look er subo each other and to those in Sura Ya. Sin. Also, the phrase "in pairs" (mathnâ)>occurs only three times in the Qur'an, and two of these corresponding cannot be mere coought nce. {[*]: The phrase occuring towards the end of Sûra al-Sabâ' (34:46) corresponds to the same phrase as the beginning of Sûra al-Fâtir (35:1).} There are numerous similar examples. One word even coincides with sectiondeviation on five or six underlying pages. I have seen a copy of the Qur'an in which passages looking to one another on facing pages were written in red ink. At that time I said that that too indicated another sort of mirao, theome time later I saw that many phrases looked to others on the reverse of pages, corresponding to one another in a meaningful way. Thus, since the arrangement of the Qur'an in the writing and scrished printed copies of the Qur'an also is through the guidance of the Prophet (UWBP) and divine inspiration, it is a sort of sign of its miraculousness. For it is neither the work of chance, nor of the human mind. Sometimes there are devifız {[, but that is generally the fault of the printing and if it had been absolutely in order, the words would have corresponded to one another exactly.

Furthermore, on eveted, we of the Qur'an's Suras of long and medium length which were revealed in Medina, the word "Allah" has been repeated in the most wondrous manner. In addition to being repeated mostly five, six, seven, eight, nine or eleqîq: Ames on the same page, the repetitions of

the two sides of the same page or on facing pages display beautiful and significant numerical relationships.

{(*): Ain regor those who practise the recitation of the divine names and praises and supplicate God, the Qur'ân's adorned and rhymed words, and eloquent and artistic style, and the many virtues of its et the ce, which draw attention to itself, afford an elevated seriousness and sense of the divine presence, and a collectedness of mind; they do not mar or spoil these. Whereas, rhetoric, artistic wording, rhyme e is Setic composition of that sort usually weaken seriousness, make their elegance felt, disturb the sense of God's presence, and distract attention. In fact, I used to recite Imâm al-Shâfi'î's famoed on plication frequently, for it is a most subtle and serious supplication, is composed in an elevated versified form, and once caused the end of dearth and famine in Egypt. On reading it,hat meerved that it was in verse and rhymed, and that this spoilt its lofty seriousness. I recited it constantly for eight or nine years, and I was unable to reconcile the verse and rhyme with its serious natuthe miunderstood from this that there is a sort of miraculousness in the rhyming and ordering and qualities of the Qur'ân's words, which are particular and natural and original to it, that preserves completely the seriousnesslight ense of the divine presence, not spoiling them. Thus, even if those who recite supplications and the divine names and praises do not understand this sort of miraculousness with the mind, they perceive it with the heart.

(*): Anotheormed ct of the Qur'ân of Miraculous Exposition's miraculousness is that it expresses the most elevated and brilliant degree of the Noble Messenger's (UWBee monief, who manifested the Greatest Name.

It also expresses and instructs in a natural manner the religion of truth, which, being most vast, extensive, andreache, sets forth the lofty truths of the worlds of the hereafter and of dominicality like a sacred map.

It conveys too in all its infinite glory and majesty, the address of the Creator of the universe, in rla, a of His being the Sustainer of all beings. Certainly, in the face of its exposition being thus, if, in accordance with the verse,

Say: If the whole of mankind and the jinn were to gather together to produce the like of this Qurposseshey could not produce its like,(17:88)

all the minds of mankind were to unite and become a single mind, they could not contest it or oppose it. How could they? They are as distant from the Qur'ân as the earth is from the Pleis relaFor in view of the three above principles, it is certainly not possible to imitate the Qur'ân, nor to compose its like.

(*): At the bll-knoof every page of the Qur'ân, the verses are complete and they end rhyming in a fine way. The reason is this: when the verse called Mudâyana (2:292) provides the standard presehe pages, and the Sûras Ikhlâs and Kawthar, the standard for the lines, this fine quality of the All-Wise Qur'ân and sign of its miraculousness ke him apparent.

(*): Because of unfortunate haste, we had to content ourselves in this section with some slight indications and brief instances and small signs of a highly important and magnifipplicaonder, one which from the point of view of the Risale-i Nur's success is beautiful, illuminating, and encouraging. Now, that important truth and encouraging wonder - under the name of 'coincidence' (tered th, and five or six sorts at that - forms a chain of wonders of the Risale-i Nur, and flashes of a visible sort of the Qur'ân's miraculousness, and a source of signs of the ciphers of the Unseen. Later, we had a copy of thâya, 'ân written that showed in gilded letters a flash of its miraculousness which appeared from the coinciding of the word Allâh. And I wrote eight short pieces, called The Eight Symbols (Rumûzat-ı Semaniye), , and explain the subtle relationships evident in the coinciding of the Qur'ân's letters, and their allusions concerning the Unseen. I also wrote five treatises, one about the wonders of Ghauth al-Gîlânî, three about those of 'Alî, andnd if alled Indications of the Qur'ân (İşârât-ı Kur'aniye), which by means of tevâfuk or coincidences, confirm, commend, and applaud the Risale-i Nur. That is to say, that important truth wasO my sived and written in summary fashion in the writing of The Miracles of Muhammad, but unfortunately the author saw and described only a tiny part of it; he continued without further pursuing it.}

~Second Point

At to bowse of Moses (Upon whom be peace), it was magic that was prevalent, so his most important miracles resembled it. And at Jesus (Upon whom be peace)'s time, it was medknow ithat was prevalent and his miracles were mostly of that kind. Similarly, at the time of the Most Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace), in r (UWBabian Peninsula four things were prevalent:

The First:>Eloquence and rhetoric.

The Second:>Poetry and oratory.

The Third:>Soothsaying and divining matters of the Unseen.

upliciourth:>Knowledge of past events and cosmology.

Thus, when the Qur'an of Miraculous Exposition appeared, it challenged those with knowledge of these four fields.

~Firstly,>it madethat ien of rhetoric and eloquence bow before it; they all listened to it in astonishment.

~Secondly,>it filled the poets and orators with amazement, that is, those who tonguwell and declaimed fine poetry, so that they bit their fingers in

astonishment. It nullified the value of their finest poems inscribed in gold, cabe relthem to remove the famous Seven Hanging Poems, their pride and glory, from the walls of the Ka'ba.

It silenced the soothsayers and sorcerers, who gave news of the Unseen, and made them forget the knowledge they had received. It drove away to evinns, and put an end to soothsaying.

It saved those with knowledge of the past and cosmology from superstition and falsehood, and instructi, 353m in true facts and luminous knowledge.

Thus, these four groups bowed before the Qur'an in perfect wonder and veneration, becoming its students. At no time could any of them attempt to contes, thro ~If it is asked:>How do we know that no one could dispute or contest it?

~The Answer:>If it had been possible to dispute it, for sure someone would have attempted it. For their religion, their possessioht. I eir lives, and their families had been put into peril. If they had disputed it, they would have been saved. If it had been possible, they were bound to contest it. And if they had done so, since those who wished to do this, the unbelievl the d dissemblers were many, and truly many, they were sure to have supported such a contest and would have advertised it widely. Just as they

spread everything that was against Islam. And if someone had disputed the Qur'an and they ha very it known to everyone, it would certainly have been recorded in the books of history in glittering terms. But all the histories and books are in evidence; apart from a few passages about Musaylima the Liiter, ere is nothing in any of them. Whereas for twenty-three years the All-Wise Qur'an continuously taunted and challenged them in a way that would increase their obduracy. It in effect said:

"Let someone unlettered like MuhammaeverydTrustworthy compose the like of the Qur'an. You won't be able to, so come on, not an unlettered person, let someone very learned and literary do it. You won't be able to do that either, so rather than a single person, gather together alction: scholars and men of eloquence, and let them assist one another, and the false gods on which you rely can also lend a hand. You won't be able to do this eihosroeso use the literary works of the past, and even call on those of the future to help you, and then compose the like of the Qur'an. And if you can't do this, don't composenterprhe Qur'an, but only ten Suras. You won't be able to manage ten which are truly like the Qur'an's Suras, so put it together out of stories and fictitious tales; juunseenduce something similar to the word-order and eloquence. And don't write a long Sura, just a short one. But if you can't do this, your religion, lives, property, and families will all be in danger, both in this world and ir to mnext!"

With these eight alternatives, the Wise Qur'an has challenged and silenced men and jinn, not for twenty-three years, but for one thousand three hundred. Nonetheless, in those early times, those unbe Compas did not have recourse to the easiest way, dispute or contest, but chose the most difficult way, that of war, putting their lives, possessionoaf of families into danger. That means, it was not possible to dispute it.

Wouldn't any intelligent person, particularly the people of Arabia at that time - and the Quraysh, who were very clevo propave ensured that one of their literary men composed a Sura similar to one of the Qur'an's and so be saved from its attacks; would they have abandoned the short and easy way, cast all affaiossessed into peril, and travelled the way most fraught with difficulties?

In Short: As the famous Jahiz put it: "Dispute with words was not possible, so they were compelled to fight with the swoat. Wh ~If it is asked:>Some learned scholars have said that not one of the Qur'an's Suras, but not a single of its verses can be disputed, nor even a single sentence or a word, nor have they of youisputed. But this appears to be exaggerated and unacceptable to reason, for many human words resemble those of the Qur'an. Why do they say this?

~The Answer:>There are two schools of thought concerning the Qur'an's miraculousness and t anyoability.

The prevailing and preferred school states that the subtle qualities of eloquence and meaning in the Qur'an are beyond human power.

The second and less preferred school states that it is wty.

human ability to dispute one of the Qur'an's Suras, but Almighty God has prevented this as a miracle of Muhammad (UWBP). Like a man may rise to his feet, but if a prhroughtells him that he cannot and he is unable to, then it is a miracle. This opinion is called the Sarfa School. That is, Almighty God prevented men and jinn from successfully disputing a single of the Qur'an's Suras. According to this schoolxplainlars who state that a single of its words cannot be disputed, are correct. Because since on account of its miraculousness Almighty God prevented themty, in could not so much as open their mouths to dispute it. And even if they had done so, they could not have uttered a word.

However, according to the first-mentioned prevalent and preferred school of thought,ul abostatement of scholars includes the following subtlety: the All-Wise Qur'an's phrases and words look to one another. It sometimes happens that a single word looks to ten places; in it are ten relationships and ten fine points of eloqune, whWe have pointed out examples of some of these in the commentary called Isharat al-I'jaz>(Signs of Miraculousness), in the phrases of Sura al-Fatiha and those of,

"Alif. Lam. Mim. * This is the Book; in it is guidance Examplwithout doubt.">(2:1-2)

For example, take a highly decorated palace; to situate in relation to all the decorations a stone which is like the central point of many varied decorations, is dependent on knowing the eactly wall together with all its decorations. And to situate the pupil of the eye in a human head is dependent on knowing its relations with the whole body and all the body's wondrou Malâhtions, together with the eye's position in the face of those duties. In just the same way, the most advanced of the people of reality have demonstrated numerous relationships and pen the Qur'an's words and their aspects and connections, and other verses and phrases. Scholars of the Hurufi School in particular have gnto a rther, explaining and demonstrating to their followers a page of hidden meanings in a single of the Qur'an's letters.

Furthermore, since it is the speeal-A'zthe Creator of all things, each of its words may be like a heart or seed; that is, a heart contained in an immaterial body formed of mysteries, or the seed of an immaterial tree.

Thus,i, 71. like those of the Qur'an, and even phrases or verses, may occur in man's speech, but an all-encompassing knowledge is necessary to

situate them exactly as they are in the Qur'an, taking into account the many relruits,hips.

~Third Point

A brief but true reflection on the essential nature of the Qur'an of Miraculous Exposition was once inspired in my heart as a t to t bounty. Now I will give below a translation of that Arabic piece.

The six aspects of the Qur'an of Miraculous Exposition are brilliant and lumithat hneither doubt nor misgiving can penetrate it. For its back leans on God's Throne; there is the light of revelation in that aspect. Before it and idâya al is the happiness of this world and the next; it has laid its hand on post-eternity and the hereafter, and contains the light of happiness and Paradise. Abrous i shines the seal of miraculousness. Beneath it lie the pillars of proof and evidence. Its inner face is pure guidance, while its right causes the mind to affirm it with phrases like "Will they not think?" Providing spiritual sustena I use hearts, its left causes the conscience to testify to God's blessings. So from what side, what corner, can the thieves of doubt and misgiving essengehe Qur'an of Miraculous Exposition?

Yes, the Qur'an of Miraculous Exposition encompasses all the points of agreement found in the books of the prophets, the saints, and those who affirm divine unity, whose . Sin.ies, ways, and temperaments were all different; that is, those who sought the truth through either the intellect or the heart mentioned in their books the All-Wis are 'an's concise decrees and principles, in such a way as to confirm them. Thus, they are like the roots of the heavenly tree of the Qur'an.

The All-Wise Qur'an is also founded on revelation and is with ttion. For the Glorious One who revealed it, demonstrated and proved it was revelation through the miracles of Muhammad (UWBP). And the Qur'an too, which reveals, shows through theing thulousness upon it that it comes from the Divine Throne. Then the alarm of the Most Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) to whom it was revealed, when it was first reveal, ix, his unconscious state during its revelation and his sincerity and veneration towards the Qur'an, which were greater than everyone's, all demonstrate that it was revelation comaims: om pre-eternity; it was his guest.

Moreover, the Qur'an is self-evidently pure guidance, for its opposite is the misguidance of unbelief. Ill intlso of necessity the source of the lights of belief, and the reverse of this is of course, darkness. We have proved this decisively in many of the Words.

Furthermore, the Qur'an is of a certainty the assembly of truththey ousion and superstition cannot intrudeدُؤ it. The elevated perfections which the

world of Islam, to which it gave form, and the Shari'a, which it put forward, display testify and prove that it is pure trutats.

%contains no contradictions. Its discussions concerning the World of the Unseen testify to this too, like those concerning the Manifest World.

Without doubt, the Qur'an also leads to the happiness of this world andthe foext, and urges man to it. If anyone doubts this, let him read the Qur'an once and heed what it says. Moreover, the fruits the Qur'an produces are both perfect and living. In which case, the roots of the tree of tq al-M'an are founded on reality and are living. For the life of the fruit points to the life of the tree. See, how many perfect, living, luminous fruits it has produced each century, such as the saints and purified scholars!

Alsoly iso a conviction arising from innumerable various signs, it may be said the Qur'an is accepted and sought after by both men, and jinn, and angels, for when it is recited, they gather around, drawn to it like moths.

And together with being rbecomeion, the Qur'an has been strengthened and fortified with rational proofs; the unanimity of the wise and intelligent testifies to this. The great scholars of theology, ae shad geniuses of philosophy like Ibn Sina and Ibn Rushd unanimously demonstrated the Qur'anic principles, in accordance with their own methods and proofs.

The Qur'an is also affirmed by all sond rigtures. So long as it is not corrupted in any way, human nature confirms it. For an easy conscience and peace of mind are to be found through its lights. That is to say, unspoilt human nature affirms it throughe Fiftestimony of a tranquil conscience, and says to the Qur'an through the tongue of disposition: "Our natures cannot be perfected without you!" We have promid this truth in many places.

The Qur'an is also observedly and self-evidently an eternal and perpetual miracle; it always displays its miraculousness. It never dies away like he mosmiracles; its time never comes to an end; it is everlasting.

Furthermore, there is such breadth in the Qur'an's guidance that the Angel Gabriel and a young child may listen to its same lesson side by side, and both receive their share. An thereilliant philosopher like Ibn Sina may study the same of its lessons side by side with an ordinary reciter, and they both will receive theracle truction. It may even happen that due to the strength and purity of his belief, the common man may benefit more than Ibn Sina.

Also, there is in ting fr'an an eye that sees and encompasses the whole universe, and holds it before it like the pages of a book, describing its levels and worlds. Like a watchmaker turns, opens, shows, and describes his clock, the Qur'an does the same wiUpon w universe, as though it were holding it in its hand. The Qur'an of Mighty Stature is thus; it declares: "Know that there is no god but God," and proclaims the divine unity.

O G, i, 9ke the Qur'an our companion in this world, and a friend for us in the grave, and at the resurrection an intercessor, and on the Bridge a light, and from the Fire a shield and screen, and in Paradithey pompanion, and in all good works, a guide and leader. O God! Illuminate our hearts and graves with the light of belief and the Qur'an; and illumine the pno wayf the Qur'an for the sake of and in veneration of the one to whom the Qur'an was revealed, and grant blessings and peace to him and his Family from destrost Merciful One, the Gentle One. Amen.

NINETEENTH SIGN

It has been proved in the previous Signs most decisively and indubitably that the Most Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) was God Almighty'many cenger. His messengership being thus established through thousands of certain evidences, Muhammad the Arabian (Upon whom be blessings and e foll was the most brilliant and conclusive proof of divine unity and eternal happiness. In this Sign, we shall offer a concise and summary definition of that shining evidence, that articulate prod their since he is the proof and his conclusion is knowledge of God, we must surely recognize the proof and learn the manner of his evidence. With an extremely brief summary, therefore, we shall describe in what ways he is a proof of it and itsfestatctness. It is as follows:

Like all the beings in the universe, God's Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) pointed through his own self to the Creator of the univ and t existence and unity; and he proclaimed with his tongue that evidence of his self, together with the evidence offered by all beings. Since he himself was the evnts an, we shall point in fifteen Principles to his proof and integrity, his truthfulness and veracity.

~First Principle:>This proof, who indicated the universe's Maker with both his self, and his tongue, and his said: t, and his speech, was both verified by the reality of the universe, and was veracious. For the evidence to divine unity made by all beings is surely confirmation of the one wha bloolaimed that unity. That is to say, the cause he proclaimed is verified by the whole universe. Also, since the perfection of divine unity and absolute good of eternal 's Mesess he expounded are in agreement and conformity with the beauty and perfection of all the truths of the world, he was certainly veracious in his cause. That is to say, the Nobo havesenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) was an articulate proof of divine unity and eternal happiness who was both veracious and verified.

~Second Principle:>Also, since that veracious and verified proof pery gave

thousands of miracles greater than all the previous prophets, came with a Shari'a that will never be abrogated, and his call was to all men and jinn, he was surely the chief of the prophribuland therefore gathered together in himself the essence and unanimity of all their miracles. That means the strength of the prophet's consensus and the testimony of their miracles forms a support for his truthfu evideand veracity. He was also the master and leader of all the saints and purified scholars, who attained to perfection through his training and guidance and the light ofon, anhari'a. In which case, gathered together in him were the mystery of their wonders, their unanimous affirmation, and the strength of their verifications. For they travelled the way their master opened up and left open, and thjî, Shnd the truth. In which case, all their wonder-working and verifications and consensus forms a support for their sacred master's truthfulness and veracity. Also, as was seen in the previous Signs, this proof of divine unity was equipped with sing wrrtain, evident, and definite miracles and wondrous irhasat,>and his prophethood was proved by such irrefutable evidences that their affirmatwas aguld not be disputed, even if the whole universe were to unite against him.

~Third Principle:>And in that herald of divine unity and giver of the tidings of eternal happiness, who was himself a clear miite sp were such elevated moral qualities, and in the duties of his messengership such sublime attributes, and in the Shari'a he propagated such high virtues, that even his most bitter enemy had to confirm them, have unable to deny them. Since the highest and best moral qualities, the most elevated and perfect attributes, and the most precious and acceptable virtues w obstaesent in his self, his duties, and his religion, for sure, that person was the exemplar, model, personification, and master of the perfections and elevated mo have alities in beings. In which case, those perfections in his self, his duty, and his religion form a support for his veracity and truthfulness so powerful s of ht can in no way be shaken.

~Fourth Principle:>And that herald of divine unity and happiness, who was the source of perfections and teacher of elevated virtueservat not speak of himself; he was made to speak. Yes, he was made to speak by the Creator of the universe. He received instruction from his Pre-Eternal Master, then he taught. For the univehe QurCreator showed through the thousands of proofs of his prophethood, in part described in the above Signs, through all those miracles He created through his hand, that he was not speaking on his own account, but conveying His speech. FurthermorenecessQur'an that came to him shows through its forty aspects of miraculousness, outer and inner, that he was Almighty God's interpreter. Also, through all

his sincerity, fear of God, seriousness, reliability, ahort:> his other qualities and conduct, he showed that he was not speaking his own ideas in his own name, but was speaking in the name of his Creator. In addition, al*]: See who penetrate to reality who heed him have affirmed him with the truths they have investigated and laid open; they have believed with knowledge of certainty (ilmelyakîn)>that he was not speaking on his own behalf, but that the e inter of the universe was causing him to speak and teaching, teaching by means of him. In which case, his veracity and truthfulness are supported by the consensus of these four powerful principles.

~Fifth Principle:>And that Interpreter ofn's faternal Speech saw spirit beings, conversed with angels, and offered guidance to men and jinn. He received knowledge surpassing the world of men and jinn, and even the worlds of spirits and the angels; he had access to, anion: "tionships with, the realms that lie beyond theirs. The miracles mentioned previously and the story of his life, which have the authenticity of consensus, all prove this fact. In which case, unlike soothsayers and others n of tve news of the Unseen, no jinn, no spirit being, no angel, and apart from Gabriel, not even the highest angels in attendance on God Almi9; 'Alcould interfere in the tidings he gave. And on some occasions, he even left Gabriel, his companion, behind.

~Sixth Principle:>And that person, the lord of the dicta, jinn, and men, was the most illumined and perfect fruit of the tree of the universe, and the personification of divine mercy, and the exemplar of dominical love, and tepted t luminous proof of the Truth, and the most radiant lamp of reality, and the key to the talisman of the universe, and the solver of the riddle of creation, and the expounder of the wisdom of the world, us supe herald of divine sovereignty, and the describer of the beauties of dominical art, and in regard to the comprehensiveness of his dispositammad e was the most complete example of the perfections of beings. In which case, these attributes of his and his spiritual personality indicate, indeed, show that this essed was the ultimate cause of the universe's existence; that is to say, the universe's Creator looked to this being and created the universe. It may be said that if He had not created him, He would not have created the, i, 3rse. Yes, the truths of the Qur'an and lights of belief he brought to men and jinn, and the elevated virtues and exalted perfections apparent in his being are a decisive wwas de to this fact.

~Seventh Principle:>And that proof of the Truth and lamp of reality demonstrated a religion and Shari'a that comprise principles ensuring the happiness of this world and help ext. Moreover, besides being comprehensive, they explain with complete correctness the universe's truths and functions,

and the Creator of the unistalk.s names and attributes. Thus, Islam and the Shari'a are so comprehensive and perfect, and describe the universe and Himself in such a way, that anyone who studies them carefully is bound to understr, if at his religion is a declaration, a manifesto, describing both the One who made this beautiful universe, and the universe itself. In thed to rway that a palace's builder writes an instruction sheet suitable to the palace so that he may describe himself through its features, the religion andbattle'a of Muhammad (UWBP) demonstrate through their clear elevatedness, comprehensiveness, and truth that his religion proceeded from the pen of the One who creates and regulates the universe. Whoever ordered the universe so well is the One who oe:>Rep this religion equally well. Yes, the perfect order of the one requires the perfect order of the other.

~Eighth Principle:>Thus qualified by the above-mentioned attributes and sustained by totally he mareable, powerful supports, Muhammad the Arabian (Upon whom be blessings and peace) proclaimed his message over the heads of men and jinn in the name of the World of the Unseen, turned to the Manifest World; he addrthe rethe peoples and nations waiting beyond the centuries of the future; he called out to all jinn and men; he made all places and all times hear. Yes, we too hear!

~Ninth Principle:>His address is so elevated an husbarful that all the centuries heed it. Yes, all the centuries hear the echo of his voice.

~Tenth Principle:>It is apparent from that person's (UWBP) manner e the e saw, and spoke accordingly. For at times of greatest peril, he spoke unhesitatingly, fearlessly, with utter steadfastness. On occasion he challenged.

Ahole world on his own.

~Eleventh Principle:>With all his strength he made so powerful a call and summons that he caused half the earth and a fifth of mankind to respond to his voice, declaring: "Yes, we have heard and we obat dep ~Twelfth Principle:>He called with such seriousness and instructed so fundamentally that he inscribed his principles on the face of the centuries and on the very stones of all corners of the world; he engraved them on the fassed otime.

~Thirteenth Principle:>He proclaimed the soundness of the injunctions he conveyed with such confidence and sureness, that should the whole world have gathered, they could not have made him revoke or abjure a single of those pr, 6.} . Witness to this are all his life and his illustrious biography.

~Fourteenth Principle:>He called and summoned with such confidence and trust that he became obliged to no one and no difficulty upset him; with complete sincerity and honesty week ccepted before anyone the

precepts he had brought, and acted accordingly, and proclaimed them. Witness to this were his famous asceticism and independence and his never stooping to the ephemeral glitter of this world, which were have nown by everyone, friend and foe.

~Fifteenth Principle:>His obedience to the religion he brought, and his worship of his Maker, and his abstaining from whatever was forbidden, all of which he perfaid cato a greater degree than everyone else, demonstrate conclusively that he was the envoy and herald of the Monarch of Pre-Eternity and Post-Eternity; he was the most sincere servant of the One who is worshipped by right, an al-Qâinterpreter of His pre-eternal word.

The conclusion of these fifteen Principles is this: the one qualified by the above-mentioned attribithin roclaimed divine unity with all his strength repeatedly and constantly throughout his life, saying: "So know that there is no god but God."

O God, grant him blessings and peace to the number of good deeds of his community, and to his Fareatis

Glory be unto You! We have no knowledge save that which You have taught us; indeed You are All-Knowing, All-Wise!>(2:32)

In the hope of complying with tf thisning of the verse,

"But the favour of your Sustainer, rehearse and proclaim,">(93:11)

I shall mention a mark of Almighty God's favown on mercy that was apparent in the writing of this treatise, so that those who read it may understand its importance.

I had no intention of writing this treatise, for the Nineteenth and Thirty-First Words>about the messenger, he hf Muhammad (UWBP) had been written. Then suddenly I felt a compelling impulse to write it. Also my power of memory had been extinguished due to the calamities I had suffered. Moreover aspeaccordance with my way, I had not taken the path of narrative, that is, "he said that," "it was said that," in the works I had written. Furthermore, I had no books of Hadith or the Prophetin allBP) biography available to me. Nevertheless, saying: "I place my trust in God," I began. It was extremely successful and my memory assisted me in a way that surpassed even that of the Old Said. Thirt God borty pages were written at speed every two or three hours. Once fifteen pages were written in a single hour. It was mostly narrated from such books as Bukhari, Muslim, Bayhaqi, Tirmidhi, al-Shifa' al-Sharif,>of pro'aym, and Tabari. My heart was trembling, because if there had been any error in relating them - since they are Hadiths - it would have been a sin. But it was cleare blesdivine favour was with us and there was need for the treatise. God willing, what has been written is sound. If perhaps there are any errors in the wording of some of the Hadur'an r in the names of the narrators, I request that my brothers will look on them tolerantly and correct them.

Ustad Said Nursi, our master, dictated and we wrote the first draft. He had no bookid: "T him, nor did he refer to any. He would suddenly dictate at great speed, and we wrote. We would write thirty, forty, and sometimes more, pages in two or three hours. We formed the conviction that this ease was itself a wuniverproceeding from the miracles of the Prophet Muhammad (UWBP).

The First Addendum to The Miracles of Muhammad (UWBP)Nihâyahe Nineteenth Word about the Messengership of Muhammad (UWBP) and the Miracle of the Splitting of the Moon have been included here because of their relevance (lit. sION

- makâm)]

In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate

This Word>consists of fourteen "Droplets" aure, talso the Fourteenth Flash.

~First Droplet

There are three great and universal things which make known to us our Sustainer. One is us repok of the Universe, a jot of whose testimony we have heard from the thirteen Flashes together with the Thirteenth Lesson of the Arabic Risale-i Nur.>{[*]:"The Thirteenth Lesson" of the Arabic Risale-i Nur; the Min Anwâr Nujûm al-Qur'ân," in al-Mathnawî al-'Arabî al-Nûrî. Tahqîq: Ihsân Qâsim al-Sâlihî (Istanbul: Sözler Yayınevi, 1994), 435-82.} Another is theî, Dalof the Prophets (Upon whom be blessings and peace), the supreme sign of the book of the universe. And the other is the Qur'an of Mighty Stature.ng us.we must become acquainted with the Seal of the Prophets (Upon whom be blessings and peace), who is the second, articulate, proof, and must listen to him.

Yes, behold the collective perright ty of this proof! The face of the earth is his mosque, Mecca, his mihrab,>and Medina, his pulpit. Our Prophet (Upon whom be blessings and peace), this clear proof, is the leadert

l believers, preacher to all mankind, the chief of all the prophets, the lord of all the saints, and the leader of a circle for the remembrance of God comprising the prophets and saints. He is a luminous tree whose living roots are all the pen.

s, and fresh fruits are all the saints; whose claims all the prophets relying on their miracles and all the saints relying on their wonder-working confirm and corroborate. For he declares and clced to"There is no god but God!" All on left and right, that is, those

luminous reciters of God's names lined up in the past and the future, repeat the same words, and through their consensus as though declatever ou speak the truth and what you say is right!" What false idea has the power to intrude on a claim that is thus affirmed and corroborated by thousands?

~Second Droplet

Just as that luminous proof of divine unity is ve of ed by the unanimity and consensus of those two wings, so was he confirmed and corroborated by hundreds of allusions in such revealed scriptures as the Torah and Bible. {(*): In his Risale-i Hamidiye, Husain Jisrî found one hundred and fourtling tdications in those scriptures. If this many remained after the texts had been corrupted, there must surely have been many explicit mentions previously.} So too, the thousands of signs that appeared before the beginning of his mission, andhe worell-known tidings of the voices from the Unseen and the unanimous testimony of the soothsayers, the indications of the thousands of his miracles the wos the Splitting of the Moon, and the justice of Shari'a, all confirmed and corroborated him. Similarly, in his person, his laudable morals, which were at the peak -Shifâfection; and in his duties, his complete confidence and elevated qualities, which were of the highest excellence; and his extraordinary fear of God, worship, seriousness, and fortsplaye which demonstrated the strength of his belief, and his total certainty and his complete steadfastness - these all showed as clearly as tames a how utterly faithful he was to his cause.

~Third Droplet

If you wish, come! Let us go to Arabian Peninsula, to the Era of Bliss! In our imaginations, we 's,">(see him at his duties and visit him. Look! We see a person distinguished by his fine character and beautiful form. In his hand is a miraculous book and on his us. Se, a truthful address; he is delivering a pre-eternal sermon to all mankind, indeed, to man, jinn, and the angels, and to all beings. He solves and expounds the obscure riddle of the world's creation; he discovers and who cr the abstruse talisman which is the mystery of the universe; and he provides convincing and satisfying answers to the three awesomely difficult questions that are asked of all beings and have always bewihey ha and occupied minds: "Where do you come from? What are you doing here? Where are you going?"

~Fourth Droplet

See! He spreads such a light of truth that if you look at the universe Khafâjng outside the luminous sphere of his truth and guidance, you see it to

be a place of general mourning, and beings strangers to one another and hostile, and inanimatebe shos to be like ghastly corpses and living creatures like orphans weeping at the blows of death and separation. Now look! Through the light he spreads,baseleplace of universal mourning has been transformed into a place where God's names and praises are recited in joy and ecstasy. The foreign, hostile beings have become friends and brothers. Whileand poumb, dead inanimate creatures all become familiar officials and docile servants. And the weeping, complaining orphans are seen to be either reciting God's names and praises or offering thanks ato theg released from their duties.

~Fifth Droplet

Also, through his light, the motion and movement of the universe, and its variations, changes and transformations, cl? Alseing meaningless, futile, and the playthings of chance and rise to the level of being dominical missives, pages inscribed with the signs of creation, and mirrors to the fter, names, while the world itself becomes a book of the Eternally Besought One's wisdom. Man's boundless weakness and impotence make him inferior to all other animals and his in, 144gence, an instrument of grief, sorrow, and sadness, makes him more wretched, yet when he is illumined with that light, he rises above a of Kamals and all creatures. Through entreaty, his illuminated impotence, poverty, and intelligence make him a petted monarch; due to his complaints, he becomes a spoiled vicegerent of are farth. That is to say, if it were not for his light, the universe and man, and all things, would be nothing. Yes, certainly such a person is necessary in such a wondrous universe; othncing it and the firmament would not be in existence.

~Sixth Droplet

That person (UWBP) announces and brings the good news of eternal happiness; he is the discoverer and proclaimer of an if thate mercy, the herald and observer of the beauties of the sovereignty of dominicality, and the discloser and displayer of the treasures of the divine names. If you regard him in that way, that is ctionsard to his being a worshipful servant of God, you will see him to be the model of love, the exemplar of mercy, the glory of mankind, and the most luminous fruit of the tree of creation. While if you look in this waye sepa is, in regard to his messengership, you see him to be the proof of God, the lamp of truth, the sun of guidance, and the means to happiness. And look! His light has lit up east and west like dazzling lightning! Half the earth and a fifth oing, tind have accepted the

gift of his guidance and preserved it like life itself. So how is it that our evil-commanding souls and satans do not accept with all ita few ees, the basis of all such a person (UWBP) claimed, that is, "There is no god but God?"

~Seventh Droplet

Now, consider how, eradicating in no time at all their evil, savage cu he raand habits to which they were fanatically attached, he decked out the various wild, unyielding peoples of that broad peninsula with the finest virtues, and made them teachers of all the world and masters to the Majma'zed nations. See, it was not just an outward domination; he conquered and subjugated their minds, spirits, hearts, and souls. He became the beloved of hearts, the teacher of minds, the trainer of s. Thu the ruler of spirits.

~Eighth Droplet

You know that a small habit like cigarette smoking among a small nation can be eradicated permanently only by a powerful ruler with great effort. But to theThis person (UWBP) eliminated numerous ingrained habits from intractable, fanatical large nations with slight outward power and little effort in a short period of time, and in their place he so established exalted q(Bâb: es that they became as firm as if they had mingled with their very blood. He achieved very many extraordinary feats like this. Thus, we present the Arabian Peninsula as a challenge tole:>Th who refuse to see the testimony of the blessed age of the Prophet (UWBP). Let them each take a hundred philosophers, go there, and strive for a hundree Nobls: would they be able to carry out in that time one hundredth of what he achieved in a year?

~Ninth Droplet

Also, you know that an insignificant man of small standing among a small community in a dishe haimatter of small importance cannot tell a small but shameful lie brazenfaced and fearlessly without displaying anxiety or disquiet enough to inform the enemies at his side of his deception. Nowal of at that person (UWBP); although he undertook a tremendous task which required an official of great authority and great standing and a situation of great security, can any contradiction at all be found in t sciends he uttered among a community of great size in the face of great hostility concerning a great cause and matters of great significance, with great ease and freedom, without fear, hesitation, diffades. , or anxiety, with pure sincerity, great seriousness, and in an intense, elevated manner that angered his

enemies? Is it at all pos leve that any trickery should have been involved? God forbid! "It is naught but Revelation inspired.">(53:4) The truth does not deceive, and one who perceives the truth is not deceived. His way which is truth is free of deception. How could a from appear to be truth to one who sees the truth, and deceive him?

~Tenth Droplet

Now, look! What curiosity-arousing, attractive, necessary, and awesome truths he shows and matters he proves.

You knpointet what impels man most is curiosity. Even, if it were to be said to you: "Hand over half of your life and property, and someone will come from the moon and Jupiter and tell you all about them. Hawaiti also tell you the truth about your future and what will happen to you." You would be sure to give them if you have any curiosity at all. Whereas that person (UWBP) tells of a Monarch in wof divealm, the moon flies round a moth like a fly, and the moth, the earth, flutters round a lamp, and the lamp, the sun, is merely one lamp among thousands in one of his guest-houses out of thousandsst Worlso, he speaks truly of a world so wondrous and a revolution so tremendous that if the earth were a bomb and exploded it would not be all that strange. Look! Listen to some of the Suras he is reciting: "Whlik, B sun is folded up.">(81:1) * "When the sky is cleft asunder.">(81:2) * "[The Day] of Noise and Clamour.">(101:1)

Also, he speaks truly of a future in comparison with which the future in this world is a tiny scienc. And he describes most earnestly such happiness that it resembles an eternal sun in comparison with the fleeting lightning-flash of happiness in this world.

~Eleventh Droplet

Surely wonders await us beneived he outer veil of the universe, which is thus strange and perplexing. So one thus wonderful and extraordinary, a displayer of marvels, is necessary to tell of its wonders. It is apparent from-Powerperson's conduct that he has seen them, and sees them, and says that he has seen them. He instructs us most soundly concerning what the God of the heavens and the earth, who nurtures us with His bounties,Paracl and desires of us. Everyone, therefore, should leave everything and hasten to this person and heed the numerous other necessary and curiosity-arousing truths like these that he teaches. So how i not dhat most people are deaf and blind, and mad even, that they do not see this truth, and not listen to it and understand it?

~Twelfth Droplet

Jucle ofthis person (UWBP) is an articulate proof and evidence as true as the unity of the Creator of beings; so he is a decisive proof and clear evid, withor the resurrection of the dead and eternal happiness. Indeed, with his guidance he is the reason for eternal happiness coming about and is the means of attaining it; so too, through his prayers and suter fltions, he is the cause of its existence and reason for its creation. We repeat here this mystery, which is mentioned in the Tenth Word, because of its relevance.

See! This Person (UWBP) prayavens a prayer so supreme it is as if the Arabian Peninsula and the earth too perform the prayers through his majestic prayer, and offer entreaties. See, he entreats in thiongregation so vast it is as if all the luminous, perfected members of mankind from the time of Adam till our age and until the end of time, are following him and saying "Amhe hig his supplications. And see! He is beseeching for a need so universal that not only the dwellers of the earth, but those of the heavens, and all beings, join in his prayer, declaring: "t rema our Sustainer! Grant it to us! We too want it!" He supplicates with such want, so sorrowfully, in such a loving, yearning, and beseeching fashion {[*]: Tirmidhî, Da'wât, 30.} thsome pbrings the whole cosmos to tears, making them join in his prayer.

See! The purpose and aim of his prayer is such that it raises man and the world, and all creatures, fromoquentowest of the low, from inferiority, worthlessness, and uselessness to the highest of the high; that is, to having value, permanence, and exalted duties. See! He seeks ite, teads for help and mercy in a manner so elevated and sweet, it is as if he makes all beings and the heavens and the earth hear, and bringing them to ecs them to exclaim: "Amen, O our God! Amen!" And see! He seeks his needs from One so Powerful, Hearing, and Munificent, One so Knowing, Seeing, and Compassionate, that He sees and hears the most secret need , upon most obscure living being and its entreaties, accepts them, and has mercy on it. For He gives what is asked for, if only through the tongue of disposition. And He gives it in so Wise, Seeing, , Zuhdmpassionate a form that it leaves no doubt that His nurturing and regulation is particular to Him, the All-Hearing and All-Seeing One, the Most Generous and Most Compassionate One.

~Thirteenth Droplele eneWhat does he want, this pride of the human race, who taking behind him all the eminent of mankind, stands on top of the world, and raising up his hands, is d the g? What is this unique being, who is truly the glory of the cosmos, seeking? Listen! He is seeking eternal happiness. He is asking for eternal life, and to meet with God. He wants Paradise. And he wants all the sacred divine names, preoccdisplay their beauty and decrees in the mirrors of beings. Even if it were not for reasons for the fulfilment of those countless request animae mercy, grace, wisdom, and justice, a single of that Person's (UWBP) prayers would have been sufficient for the construction of Paradise, the creation os, wouh is as easy for divine power as the creation of the spring. Yes, just as his messengership was the reason for the opening of this place of examination and trial, so his worship and serv narraof God were the reason of the opening of the next world.

Would the perfect order observed in the universe, which has caused scholars and the intelligent to pronounce: "It is not possible for there to be anything better than what exists," {[irst tam Gazâlî, İhyâ'u Ulûmi'd-Din (Turk. trans.), iv, 258; Ibn 'Arabî, al-Futûhât al-Makkiyya, i, 53; iv, 154.} and the faultless beauty of art within mercy, the incomparable beauty of dominicality, permit the ugliness, the cruelty, theunty. of order of its hearing and responding to the least significant, the least important desires and voices, and its considering unimportant the most important, the most necessary wishes, and its not hearing or understity an them, and not carrying them out? God forbid! A hundred thousand times, God forbid! Such a beauty would not permit such ugliness; it would not become ugly!

My imaginhe Priiend! That is enough for now, we must return. For if we remain a hundred years in this age in the Arabian Peninsula, we still would comprehend completely only one hundredth of thight. els of that Person's (UWBP) duties and the wonders he carried out, and we would never tire of watching him.

Now, come! We shall look at the centuries, which will turn aboveaking,ee how each has opened like a flower through the effulgence it has received from that Sun of Guidance! They have produced millions of enlightened fruits like Abu Hanifa, Shafi'i, Abu Bayazid Bistami, Shaikh 'Abd al-Qadir Gilani, el, thaqshband, Imam Ghazali and Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi. But postponing the details of our observations to another time, we must recite some benedictions for that displayer of miracles and bringer of guidance, which mention a number of his certP) belracles:

Endless peace and blessings be upon our master Muhammad, to the number of the good deeds of his community, to whom was revealed the All-Wise Criterion of Truth and Falsehood, from One Most Merciful, Most Compassionate, frr jinn Sublime Throne; whose messengerhood was foretold by the Torah and Bible, and told of by wondrous signs, the voices of jinn, saints of man, and soothsayers; at whose indication the moon split; our master Muhammad! Peace and blessingarh alpon him thousands and thousands of times, to the number of the breaths of his community; at whose beckoning came the tree, on whose prayer On rewiftly fell, and whom the cloud shaded from the heat; who satisfied a hundred men with his food; from between whose fingers three times flowed water like the Springraordiwthar; and to whom God made speak the lizard, the gazelle, the wolf, the torso, the arm, the camel, the mountain, the rock, and the clod; the one who made the Ascension and whose eye did not waver; our master and inteligionr, Muhammad! Peace and blessings be upon him thousands and thousands of times, to the number of the letters of the Qur'an formed in the words represented with the permission of the Most Merciful in the mirrors of the airim comat the reciting of all the words of the Qur'an by all reciters from when it was first revealed to the end of time. And grant us forgiveness and have mngs ann us, O God, for each of those blessings. Amen.

[I have described the Evidences for Muhammad's (UWBP) prophethood which I have here indicated briefly, in a Turkish treatiseto thed Şuaât-ı Mâ'rifeti'n-Nebî>and in the Nineteenth Letter (The Miracles of Muhammad).>There too aspects of the All-Wise Qur'an's miraculousness have been mentioned briefly. Again, in a Turkthe ceeatise called Lemeât>and in the Twenty-Fifth Word (The Miraculousness of the Qur'an)>I have explained concisely forty ways in which the Qur'an is aand thle and indicated forty aspects of its miraculousness. Of those forty aspects, only the eloquence in the composition and ordering I have written in forty pages in an Arabic commentary called Signs of Miraculousness (Isharat al-I'jaz).>iming have the need, you may refer to those three works.]

~Fourteenth Droplet

The All-Wise Qur'an, the treasury of miracles and supreme miracle, proves the prophethood of Muhammad (UWBP) together with divine unity so decisively that sinceves no need for further proof. We shall therefore give its definition and indicate one or two flashes of its miraculousness which have been the cause of criticism.

#2 by inThe All-Wise Qur'an, which makes known to us our Sustainer, is as follows: it is the pre-eternal translator of the great book of the universe 25; Jdiscloser of the treasures of the divine names concealed in the pages of the earth and the heavens; the key to the truths hidden beneath the lines of events; theamous ury of the Most Merciful's favours and of the pre-eternal addresses, which issue forth from the World of the Unseen beyond the veil of this Manifest World; and pn, foundation, and plan of the spiritual world of Islam, and the map of the worlds of the hereafter; the distinct expounder, lucid exposition, articulate proof, and clear translator of the divine essence, attribits hoand deeds; the instructor, true wisdom, guide, and leader of the world of humanity; it is both a book of wisdom and law, and a book of prayer and worship, and a book of command and summons, and a book of invocation and knog of m of God - it is book for all spiritual needs; and it is a sacred library offering books appropriate to the ways of all the saints and verai Nur> and the purified and the scholars, whose ways and paths are all different.

Consider the flashes of miraculousness in its repetitionbers och are imagined to be a fault: since the Qur'an is both a book of invocation, and of prayer, and of summons, the repetition in it is desirable, indeed, it is essential and most eloquent. It is not as the faulty imagine. For tecame k of invocation is illumination through repetition. The mark of prayer is strengthening through repetition. The mark of command and summons is confirmation through repetitioeople,eover, not everyone is capable of always reading the whole Qur'an, but mostly is able to read one Sura. Therefore, since the most important purposes of the Qur'an are included in the longer Suras, each is like a small of mon. That is to say, so that no one should be deprived, its purposes such as divine unity, the resurrection of the dead, and the story of Moses have been repeated. Also, like bodily needs, spiritual needs are I obss. Man is in need of some things each breath; like the body needs air, the spirit needs the word "Hû">(He). Some he is in need of each hour, like "In the Name of God." And so on. This meansctedlyepetition of verses arises from the repetition of need. It makes the repetition in order to point out the need and awaken and excite it, ion co arouse desire and appetite.

Moreover, the Qur'an is a founder; it is the basis of the Clear Religion and the foundation of the world of Islam. It transformed human society, and is the answer to the repme Liequestions of its various classes. Repetition is necessary for a founder in order to establish things. It is necessary to corroborate them. Confirmation and repetition are necessary to strengthen them.

s withhermore, it speaks of such mighty matters and minute truths that numerous repetitions are necessary in different forms to establish them in the hearts of everyone. However, they are y.'">{pparently repetitions, for each verse has numerous meanings, numerous benefits, and many aspects and levels. Each place a verse is found, it is mentioned for a different meaning, benefit, and purpose.

Also, the Qur'nfusedeing unspecific and concise in certain cosmic matters is a flash of miraculousness, for the purpose of guidance. It is not a cause of criticism, nor a fault and mome atheists imagine.

~If you ask:">Why does the All-Wise Qur'an not speak of beings in the same way as philosophy and science? Why does it leave somidenceers in concise form, and speak of others simply and superficially so as to facilitate general understanding, and not wound people's feelings or weary and tax the minds of ordin the pople?"

~By way of answer we say:>Philosophy has strayed from the path of truth, that's why. Also, of course you have understood from the previous Words>and what they teach that of Parl-Wise Qur'an speaks of the universe in order to make known the divine essence, attributes, and names. That is, it explains the meanings of the book of the universe to make known its Creator. impormeans it looks at beings, not for themselves but for their Creator. Also, it addresses everyone, while philosophy and science look at beings for themselves, and address scientists in partics; illIn which case, since the All-Wise Qur'an makes beings evidences and proofs, the evidence has to be superficial so that it will be quickly understood generally. And sincwill rQur'an of Guidance addresses all classes of men, the ordinary people, which form the most numerous class, want guidance which is concise ngers,nnecessary things beings vague; in a way that brings subtle things close with comparisons, and does not change things which in their superficial view are obvious, into an unnect is a or even harmful form, lest it causes them to fall into error.

For example, it says about the sun: "The sun is a revolving lamp or lantern." This is because it does not speak of the sun for itself and its nature, but becre thet is a sort of mainspring of an order and centre of a system, and order and systems are mirrors of the Maker's skill. It says:

The sun runs its course.>(36:38)

that is, the sliphs,olves. Through calling to mind the orderly disposals of divine power in the revolutions of winter and summer, and day and night with the phrase, "The sun revolves," and skes known the Maker's tremendousness. Thus, whatever the reality of this revolving, it does not

affect the order, which is woven and observed, and which is the purpose. It also says,

And set the sun as a lugh an71:16)

Here, by depicting with the word "lamp" the world in the form of a palace, and the things within it as decorations, necessities, and provisions prepared for man and living beings, and the sun as a subjugated c left older, it makes known the Creator's mercy and bestowal. Now look and see what this foolish, prattling philosophy says:

"The sun is a vast burni most uid mass. It causes the planets which have been flung off from it to revolve around it. Its mass is such-and-such. It is this, it is that." Apart from a terrible d all tnd fearful wonder, philosophy imparts to the spirit no knowledge that will perfect it. It does not speak of it as the Qur'an does. You may understand froUWBP) the value of the matters of philosophy, whose inside is hollow and outside, ostentatious. So do not be deceived by its glittering exterior and be disrespectful towards the miraculous expositions of the Qur'an!

[NOTE: The six "Drops, 556.he Fourteenth Droplet in the Arabic Risale-i Nur,>and especially the six 'Points' of the fourth 'Drop,' explain fifteen of the approximately forty sorts of the All-Wise Qur'an's miraculousness. Deeming thhe uni be sufficient, we have limited the discussion here. If you wish, refer to them, and you will find a treasury of miracles.]

O God! Make the Qur'an healing for us, the writer of this and hi, for s, for all our ills, and a companion to us in our lives and after our deaths, and in this world, and in the grave, and at the Last Judgement an intercessor, and on the Bridge a light, and from the Fir*]: Qâreen and shield, and in Paradise a friend, and in all good deeds a guide and leader, through Your grace and munificence and beneficence and mercy, O Most Munificent of the Munificent and Most Mercifulhing ae Merciful! Amen.

O God! Grant blessings and peace to the one to whom was revealed the All-Wise Qur'an, the Distinguisher between Truth and Falsehood, and to all his vite t and Companions. Amen. Amen.

About the Miracle of the Splitting of the Moon

In the Name of God, the e Blacul, the Compassionate.

The Hour is nigh, and the moon is split. * But if they see a sign, they turn away, and say: "This is evident magic.">(5utes,

Philosophers and their unreasoning imitators, who want to eclipse with their vicious delusions the Splitting of the Moon, which is a miracle of Muhammad (UWBP) that shines like the moon, say: "Ihe peoSplitting of the Moon had occurred, it would have been known to the whole world and would have been related throughout the subsequent history of man.ove Hihe Answer:>Since the Splitting of the Moon was demonstrated as an evidence of prophethood, and happened instantaneously at night when people were asleep, and before a gatherin of hi although they witnessed such an evidence, denied it; and since there were obstacles hindering the sighting of it such as mist, clouds, and time-differences between different parts of the world; and since at that time e, oppe and civilization were not widespread, and observation of the skies was very limited, and the event itself was exceptional, there was, therefore, nothing to necessitate that it should have been seen all over the om theand been recorded in the general histories. {[*]: See, al-Nawawî, Sharh al-Sahîh Muslim, xvii, 143; Ibn Qutayba, Ta'wîl Mukhtalif al-Hadîth, i, 21-5. And wnow, listen to five points out of many that will scatter those clouds of delusion concerning the Splitting of the Moon.

First Point: The extreme stubbornness of the unbelievers there . (Autt time is well-known and is recorded in history. And yet, when the All-Wise Qur'an announced this event to the whole world through saying:

"And the moon is split,">(54:1) not one of those unbelievers, who denied the Qur'an, spoke up t of Go the lie to this verse; that is, not one of them denied the event it was announcing. If the event had not been considered a

definite fact by the unbelievers, they would have made the verse a pretext, denied harehoenuously, and tried to attack and nullify Muhammad's (UWBP) claim to prophethood. However, the biographies of the Prophet (UWBP) and histories mentioning the event relate nothing to suggest that the unbelievers denied it. The only thie) askt history relates is, as the verse

"And [they] say, 'This is evident magic'">(54:2) points out, the unbelievers who saw the event declared it to be magic, and said that if the caravans in other places had seen it,re in s true, otherwise he had bewitched them. The caravans arriving the following morning from the Yemen and other places announced that they had seen such a happening. So the unbelievers said of t the ade of All the Worlds (UWBP) that, God forbid, the magic of Abu Talib's orphan had affected the heavens. {[*]: Tirmidhî, Tafsîr al-Qur'ân, 54; Musnad, iii, 165; al-Tabarî, Jâmi' al-Bayân, xxvii, 84-5; al-Qurtubî, al-Jâmi' li-Ahkâm ai, 230ân, xvii, 126; al-Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, ii, 268.}

Second Point: The majority of the most illustrious scholars, like Sa'd al-din Taftazani, declared that like the Prophet (UWBP) had sa 82; Qd the thirst of a whole army with water flowing from his fingers, and the whole congregation had heard a dry wooden post against which he had leant while delivering the sermon weep on being separated from him, the Sed andng of the Moon had been transmitted by numerous authorities. {[*]: al-Ijî, Kitâb al-Mawâqif, iii, 405-6; al-Âmidî, Ghâyat al-Marâm, i, 365; Ibn Taymiya, al-Jawâb al-Sahîh, i, 414; ii, 44; al-Shahristânî, al-Farq bayn al-Firâq, i, 31e defoTaftazanî, Sharh al-Maqâsid, v, 17.} That is to say, these events had been passed down from group to group forming such a vast congregation that a conspiracy to lie would have been impossible. Like the appeauf Nabof the famous Haley's Comet a thousand years ago had been unanimously reported, and the existence of the island of Ceylon was certain because of the unanimous reports concerning ich andhough we had not seen it.

It is therefore unreasonable to foster baseless doubts about such certain, witnessed matters. It is enough that they are not imposthousa And as for the Splitting of the Moon, it is quite as possible as a mountain's splitting with a volcanic eruption.

Third Point: Miracles are for proving claims to prophethood and for convincing thoseack creny such claims, they are not for compelling people to believe. They have therefore to be shown to those who hear such claims to an extent that will persuade them. It would be contrary to the All and sand Glorious One's wisdom to display them all over the world or in so self-evident a manner that everyone would be compelled to believe. It

would also be contrary to the mystery of man's accountabil The Sor this requires "opening the door to the reason without cancelling the power of choice." If the All-Wise Creator had left the moon split apart for a couple of hours so as to show it to the whole world as the philosophers wished, and it had b, no mcorded in all the general histories of mankind, then it would have been like all other occurrences in the heavens and would not have been an evidence for Muhammad's (UWBP) claim to prophethood, nrld isn special to it. Or else it would have been so self-evident a miracle that it would have annulled the reason's power to choose, and compelled it to accept it; Addendld have had to assent to his prophethood. People with coal-like spirits like Abu Jahl would have remained on the same level as people with diamond-like spirits like Abu Bakr the Veracious; the mystery of man's accountability woas allve been lost. It was due to this mystery that, being both instantaneous, and at nighttime, and at a time of sleep; and due to time differences, mist, and cloud and other factors concealing it, it was not shown to told hole world and did not pass into the histories.

Fourth Point: Since this event occurred instantaneously at night while everyone was slssings, of course it was not seen all over the world. Even if some people had seen it, they would not have believed their eyes. And if it had made them believe, such a significant event would not have become lasting material for future histons. Thue to isolated individual reports.

In some books it is written that after the moon split into two halves, it fell to earth, but veracious scholars h loftyjected such additions, saying that they were perhaps added by dissemblers with the intention of disparaging this evident miracle, and depreciating it. {[*]: See, al-Wâdi'î, al-Mu'alla, i, 80; Darwîsh sets o, Athnâ al-Matâlib, i, 378, 1606; al-Madanî, Tahdhîr al-Muslimîn, i, 163; 'Alî al-Qârî, al-Asrâr al-Marfû'a, 398.}

Also, in England and Spain, which were then enveloped in mists of ignorance, the time it occurred would haved God just after sunset, in America it would have been daytime, and in China and Japan, morning. Elsewhere there would have been other obstacles preventing it from being seen. Now consider those unome uning objectors who say that the histories of peoples like the English, Chinese, Japanese, and Americans do not mention it, and that therefore it did not occur. A thousa wolf'ses be on the heads of those who toady to Europe and repeat such things.

Fifth Point: The Splitting of the Moon happened neither of its own accord due to certain causes, nor as a result of chance, nor was it a natural event that occurundredrough the ordinary laws of nature. It was rather

something out of the ordinary which the All-Wise Creator of the sun and the moon caused to happen in order to confirm Has beisenger's messengership and to illuminate his claim.

As required by the mysteries of guidance and human responsibility and the wisdom of prophethood, it was shown as a convincing proof to a number of people specified by dominical wisdood! Ma mystery of wisdom required that it was not shown to people in every region of the world, who had not yet heard of Muhammad's (UWBP) claim to prophethood. NumerousGod; acles prevented them, therefore, such as mist, cloud, and time-differences, and the fact that in some countries the moon had not risen, and in others the sun had risen, while in others it was morning, and in you! hers the sun had just set.

If it had been shown to all and sundry, it would have been shown as a sign of Muhammad (UWBP) and a miracle of his prophethood, in which case his messengership would have been stime Ious that everyone would have been compelled to affirm it. Human reason and will would have been cancelled, and belief is attained through the faculties of reason and will. Human responsibility and accountability would have been nullifcordinf it had been shown merely as an occurrence in the heavens, its connection with Muhammad's (UWBP) messengership would have been cut, and there would have been nothing abons, ththat pertained to him.

To Conclude: No doubt remains concerning the possibility of the Splitting of the Moon; it has been proved deugh thly. Now we shall mention six {(*): That is to say, there are six proofs concerning the event in the form of a sixfold consensus. Unfortunately, the explanation of them is brief and they deserve more.} of the many evidences pointAccord its occurrence.

The concurrence of the Prophet's (UWBP) Companions, who were all men of justice, on its occurrence. {[*]: See, al-Wahidî, al-Wajîz fî Tafsîr al-Kitâb al-prayed i, 370; al-Tabarî, Jâmi' al-Bayân, 2784-7; al-Qurtubî, al-Jâmi' li-Ahkâm al-Qur'ân, xvii, 126-7; al-Suyûtî, al-Durr al-Manthûr, vii, 672..}

The agreement of all exacting commentators on the Qur'an in their explachest s of the verse, "And the moon is split."

The fact that, relying on numerous different chains of authorities and lines of transmission, all the scholars of the pro Khadi traditions and transmitters of the sound narrations narrated the event. {[*]: Line of 'Abdullâh b. Mas'ûd: Bukhârî, Tafsîr,(54:)1; Muslim, Sifât al-Munâfiqîn, 44-5; Tirmidhî, only a, 54. Line of 'Abdullâh b. 'Umar: Muslim, Sifât al-Munâfiqîn,45, 48; Tirmidhî, Tafsîr, 54:1. Line of 'Abdullâh b. 'Abbâs: Bukhârî, Manâqib, 27; Manâqib al-Ansâr, 36; Tafsîr (54:)1; Muslim, Sifât al-Munâfiqîn, 48. Line of Anas b. Mâlbn Katkhârî, Manâqib, 27; Manâqib al-Ansâr, 36; Tafsîr (54:)1; Muslim, Sifât al-Munâfiqîn,48; Tirmidhî, Tafsîr Sûra 54. Line of Khuzayfa ibn al-Yamân: al-Tabarî, Jâmi' al-Bayân, xxvii, 51; 'Abd al-Razzâq, al-M

The testimony of all the saints and the veracious, those who receive inhîha, ion, and uncover the mysteries of the creation.

The confirmation of learned scholars and theologians, whose ways differ greatly from one another.

Th)

T that Muhammad's (UWBP) community accepted its occurrence, which, on an established principle, never agrees upon error. {[*]: Abû Dâ'ûd, Fitan was of iim, 1; Tirmidhî, Fitan, 7; Ibn Mâja, Fitan, 7.}

These six evidences prove the Splitting of the Moon as clearly as the sun.

Up to here this y derium has aimed to establish the truth and to silence those enemies who deny it. The following sentences speak in the name of the truth and for the sake of belief. In the former, establishing the tt thatpoke; now the truth speaks:

The Seal of the Office of Prophethood, who was the luminous moon of the heavens of messengership, proved his sainthood through his Ascension. It was his greatest wonder and the supreme miracle of sainthood, spacioed through his worship, which was so elevated as to make him God's beloved. That is to say, by travelling with his earthly body through the heavens, hiincideriority and his being God's beloved were demonstrated to the dwellers of the heavens and inhabitants of the lofty worlds. So too, through the moon, which is bound to the earth and suspended in the heavens, being split into t, x, 1ves at the sign of an earth dweller, it displayed a miracle to the other inhabitants of the earth, which indicated the former's messengership. Thus, the person of Muhammad (UWBP) flew to the p, 5, 7 perfections on the two luminous wings of messengership and sainthood - like the two luminous unfolded wings of the moon; he ascended to the distance of two bow-lengths; he became the cause of pride of the dwellers of both the hee. My and the earth.

Upon him and upon his Family be blessings and peace such as will fill the earth and the heavens.

Glory be unto You! we have no knowledge save that which You hinimitught us; indeed, You are All-Knowing, All-Wise.

The Third Addendum to The Miracles of Muhammad (UWBP)

[This is about the Messengership of Muhammad (UWBP) and is the answerrking oncise index-like form, to the first of the three questions and difficulties in the Third Principle of the Thirty-First Word, about his e, theion.]

~Question:>Why is this mighty Ascension special to Muhammad the Arabian (Upon whom be blessings and peace)?

~The Answer to your first difficulty:>It has been analysed in detail in the fom thehirty Words,>so here we shall set out as follows a concise list briefly alluding to the perfections of Muhammad (UWBP), to the signs of his prophethood, and to the facd the he was the most worthy to make the Ascension.

Firstly: Despite numerous corruptions in the texts of such Holy Scriptures as the Torah, Gospels, and Psalms, in recent times even, an exacting scholar like Husain Jisri found one hundrch has fourteen allusions to Muhammad's (UWBP) prophethood; these good tidings he set forth in his Risale-i Hamidiye.>{[*]: Husain Jisrî, Riii, 16 Hamidiye (Turk. trans.), 52-94.}

Secondly: It has been proved historically that there were many predictions accurately forecasting Muhammad's (UWBP) prophethood, like those of the two soothsayer Abu Hq and Satih, which, a while previously to it, gave news of it and the fact that he was to be the prophet of the end of time. {[*]: Ibn Hishâm, al-Sîrat al-Nabawiyya, i, 124-7, 158, 190, 192; al-Bayhaq they â'il al-Nubûwwa, i, 126-30; Abu Nu'aym, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, i, 122-8.}

Thirdly: There were hundreds of extraordinary happenings, famous in history, called irhasat,>that is, ret thforewarning men of a coming prophet. Among them were the idols in the Ka'ba falling from their places on the night of Muhammad's (UWBP) birth, {[*]: al-Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, i, 19; al-Suyûtî, al-Khasâ'is al-Kubrâ, i, 81.} and the ftrong palace of Chosroes the Persian being rent asunder. {[*]: al-Bayhaqî, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, i, 19, 126; Abu Nu'aym, Dalâ'il al-Nubûwwa, i, 139.}

Fourthly: History and the Prophetd its BP) biographies show that he

satisfied the thirst of an army with water flowing from his fingers, {[*]: Bukhârî, Wudû', 32, 46; Manâqib, 25; Ashriba, 31; Muslim, Zuhd, 74; Fadâ'il, 4-6; Tirmidhî, Manâqib, 6.} thir youthe presence of a large congregation in the mosque, the dry wooden support against which he (UWBP) used to lean moaned like a camel and wept on being separated from him when he mounted the pulpitfour h: Bukhârî, Manâqib, 25; Jum'a, 26; Tirmidhî, Manâqib, 6; Jum'a, 10; Nasâ'î, 17.} and that he was distinguished by close on a thousand miracles attested to by such verses of the Qur'an as,

"And the moon split,te cre1) referring to the splitting of the moon, {[*]: Bukhârî, Manâqib, 27; Manâqib al-Ansâr, 36; Tafsîr, 54:1; Muslim, Sifât al-Munâfiqîn, 43-8.} and verified by tpapersho investigated them.

Fifthly: Anyone who considers the facts and is fair and just cannot hesitate to agree that, as is unanimously agreed by friend and foe alike, good moral qualities were to be founplicithe highest degree in his person, and that, in accordance with the testimony of all his dealings and actions, attributes and character of the loftie his tellence were apparent in the way he performed his duties and proclaimed Islam. And in accordance with the fine qualities and conduct enjoined by the religiack, aIslam, laudable virtues of the highest order were to be found in the law he brought.

Sixthly: As is alluded to in the Second Indication of the Tenth Word, it is a requirement of wisdom û Dâ'ûhe Godhead be manifested. And this desire to be manifested is met at the widest level and in the most brilliant fashion by the comprehensive worship performed by Muhammad (UWBP) in the practice oipt ofreligion. Also, wisdom and truth require that the Creator of the world displays His beauty in its utter perfection through some means. And the one who met that wish, and ra of yed and described the Creator's beauty in the most perfect fashion was self-evidently the person of Muhammad (UWBP).

It was also clearly Muhammaed oneP) who, in response to the desire of the world's Maker to exhibit His perfect art and infinite beauty and attract attentive gazes towards them, heralded them with th's Mosest voice.

Again it was necessarily Muhammad (UWBP) who, in response to the desire of the Sustainer of All the Worlds to proclaim His unity in the levels osm andiplicity, announced all the degrees of unity, each at its highest level.

And, as is indicated by the utter beauty of beings and is required by truth and wisdom, the world's Owneished res to see His infinite essential beauty and the subtle qualities of His exquisiteness and to display them in mirrors. Again it was self-evidently Muhammad (UWBP) who in response to that desire acted as a mirror aal-Habplayed that beauty most radiantly, and loved it and made others love it.

And, in response to the desire of the Maker of the palace of this world to exhibit Hie put en treasuries, filled as they are with wondrous miracles and priceless jewels, and through them to describe and make known His perfections, it was again self-evidently Muhammad (UWBP) who exhibited, described, and di the fd them in the most comprehensively.

And, since the Maker of the universe adorns it with various wonders and embellishments and has included conscious creatures in it so that they might make tours and excursions and ponder over it and take lood ss, wisdom requires that He should desire to make known the meanings and value of those works of art to those who will observe and ponder over them. And it h as Main self-evidently Muhammad (UWBP) who, in response to this desire of the universe's Maker, by means of the All-Wise Qur'an, acted as guide in the with homprehensive fashion to jinn and man, and to spirit beings and angels.

Also, the All-Wise Ruler of the universe wishes, by means of an envoy, to cause conscious beings to unravel the obscure talisman containing .}

m and purpose of the change and transformations in the universe and to solve the riddle of the three perplexing questions: "Where do beings come from?", "Where are they going?", and "What are they?" And again it was self-them otly Muhammad (UWBP) who in response to this wish of the All-Wise Ruler unravelled the talisman and solved the riddle by means of the truths of the Qur'an, in thary perest and most comprehensive fashion.

Also, the All-Glorious Maker of the universe desires to make Himself known to conscious beings by means of His fine artefacts and to make them lcle. Sm through all His precious bounties, and, most certainly, to make known to them by means of an envoy the divine wishes and what will please Him in return for those bouough t And again it was self-evidently Muhammad (UWBP) who, in response to this desire of the All-Glorious Maker, by means of the Qur'an, expounded those wishes and things that please Him d statd and deed in the most exalted and perfect fashion.

Also, since the Sustainer of All the Worlds has given to man, who is the fruit of the universe, a comprehensive disposition which encompasse and universe and has prepared him for universal worship; and since, because of man's faculties and senses, multiplicity and the world afflict him; the Sustainer desires to turn his face worldmultiplicity to unity, from transience to permanence. And again it was self-evidently Muhammad (UWBP) who, in response to this desire, by means of the Qur'an, acted as guide in the most comprehensive and complete fa

Thus, among beings the most superior are animate beings, and among animate beings the most superior are conscious Abû Ns, and among conscious beings the most superior are true human beings, and among true human beings the one who carried out the above-mentioned duties at the most comprehensive level and in the most perfect form, would ofhave ctainty rise through an all-embracing Ascension to "the distance of two bow-lengths,">knock at the door of eternal happiness, open the treasury of mercy, and see the hidden truths of belief. rd is it would be him.

Seventhly: As is plain to see, beings are made beautiful with the very finest embellishment. This demonstrates that their Maker possesses a powerful will to make beautiful and intention toorah, . And this shows that the Maker necessarily possesses a strong desire and holy love towards His art. And among beings it was again most certainly he who displayed altogether in himself the mosthe owrehensive and subtle wonders of art, and knew them and made them known and himself loved, and who appreciated the beauties to be found in other beings, declaring: "What wonders God h; v, 9led!", and was most beloved in the sight of his Maker, who nurtures and loves His art.

Thus, it was again self-evidently he (UWBP) who, declaring: "All glory be to God! What wonders God has become! God is most Great!" in the face of the exquisite qualities that gild beings and the subtle perfections that illuminate them, causes the heavens to ring out, and who, through the strains of ne of r'an, causes the universe to reverberate, and through his admiration and appreciation, his contemplation and display, his mentioning of the divine names and affirmation â', i,ine unity, brings land and sea to a state of ecstasy.

Thus, in accordance with the saying "the cause is like the doer," {[*]: This resembles the Hadith "Whoever poinm the an instance of good [to someone] will receive the same recompense as the one who performs it." See, Tirmidhî, 'Ilm, 14; Musnad, v, 357; Athe unîfa, al-Musnad, i, 151.} it is pure truth and sheer wisdom that the one on whose scales shall be found the equivalent of all the good deeds performed by his community, and whose spiritual perfections dro partength from the benedictions of all his community, {[*]: See, Qur'ân, 33:56; Bukhârî, Adhân, 8; Tafsîr (17:)11: Muslim, Salât, 14; Abû Dâ'ûach otât, 37.} and who, as a result of the duties he discharged in his prophethood, received immaterial recompense and boundless emanations of divine mercy and love, should aHis br by the stairway of the Ascension as far as Paradise, "the Lote-tree of the farthest limit,">the divine throne, and "the distance of two bow-lenen the>(53:1-18)

The Fourth Addendum to The Miracles of Muhammad (UWBP)

Tht by at traveller through the world addressed his own intellect saying: "Since I am seeking my Master and Creator by means of the creatures of the cosmos, I ought before all else to visit the most celebrated of all theserh al-ures, the greatest and most accomplished commander among them, according to the testimony even of his enemies, the most renowned ruler, the most exalted in speech and the He isbrilliant an intellect, who has illuminated fourteen centuries with his excellence and with his Qur'an, Muhammad the Arabian Prophet (May God's peace and blessings be upon him)." In order thus to visit him and seek from him the ansd not his quest, he entered the blessed age of the Prophet (UWBP) in his mind, and saw that age to be one of true felicity, thanks to that being. For through the this he had brought, he had turned the most primitive and illiterate of peoples into the masters and teachers of the world.

He said too to his own intellect, "Before asking him concerning our Creator, we should f, vi, earn the value of this extraordinary being, the veracity of his words and the truthfulness of his warnings." Thus he began investigating, and of the numerous conclusive proofs that he found we will briefly indicate here only y to ff the most general ones.

~The First:>All excellent qualities and characteristics were to be found in that extraordinary being, according to the testimony even of his enemies. Hundreds of miracles wermidhî manifest at his hands, according to explicit Qur'anic verses or traditions enjoying the status of tawatur.>{[*]: Tawâtur is the kind of report that is trlate tted by numerous authorities, about which there is consensus, and no room for doubt. (Tr.)} Examples of these miracles are his splitting of the moon, "And the moon split,">(54:1) with a single indication of his finger; his cassed inf a handful of dust into the eyes of his enemies, causing them to flee, "It was not your act

when you threw, but God's,">(8:17) and his giving his thirsting army to drink from the water that flowed forthin youhis five fingers like the Spring of Kawthar. Since some of those miracles, numbering more than three hundred, have been set forth with decisive proofs in the remarkable and wondrous work known as The Miracles of Muhammad>(the Nineteenth Lng in , we leave discussion of the miracles to that book, and permit the traveller to continue speaking:

"A being who in addition to noble characteristics and perfections ht as a these luminous miracles to demonstrate, must certainly be the most truthful in speech of all men. It is inconceivable that he would stoop to trickery, lies and Alî al the deeds of the vile."

~The Second:>He holds in his hand a decree from the Lord of the universe, a decree accepted and affirmed in each century by more than three hundred million people. This decree, the Qur'an of Mighty Stature, irh al-rous in seven different ways. The fact that the Qur'an has forty different aspects of miraculousnes and that it is the word of the Creator of all beings hther wn set forth in detail with strong proofs in the Twenty-Fifth Word, The Miraculousness of the Qur'an,>a celebrated treatise that is like the sun of the Risale-i Nur.>We therefore leave such mattersesurreat work and listen to the traveller as he says, "There can never be any possibility of lying on the part of the being who is the conveyor and proclaimer of this decree, for that would be a violation of the decree andemonsthery toward the One who issued it."

~The Third:>Such a Sacred Law, an Islam, a code of worship, a cause, a summons, and a faith did that being bring forth that the like of them does not exist, nor could it exist. N But bs a more perfect form of them exist, nor could it exist. For the Law appearing with that unlettered being has no rival in its administration of one fifth of humanity for fourteen centuries, in a just and precise manner through ey aremerous injunctions. Moreover the Islam that emerged from the deeds, sayings, and inward states of that unlettered being has no peer, nor can it have, for in each century it has been for three huhâya, million men a guide and a refuge, the teacher and educator of their intellects and the illuminator and purifier of their hearts, the cause for the refinement and training of their souls, and the sourcece to ogress and advancement of their spirits.

The Prophet (UWBP) is similarly unparalleled in the way in which he was the foremost in practising all the forms of worship found in his religion, and the fven San piety and the fear of God; in his observing the duties of worship fully and with attention to their profoundest dimensions, even while engaged in constant struggle and activity; in his practice of worship

#25ttle oining in perfect fashion the beginning and end of worship and servitude of God without imitation of anyone.

With the Jaushan al-Kabir,>from among his thousands of supplicatory prayers and invocations, he describes his Sustainer with such propheee of gnosis that all the gnostics and saints who have come after him have been unable, with their joint efforts, to attain a similar degree of gnosis anfficiarate description. This shows that in prayer too he is without peer. Whoever looks at the section at the beginning of the Treatise on Supplicatory Prayer,>which sets forth some part of the meaning of one of the ninety-ns be uctions of the Jaushan al-Kabir,>will say that the Jaushan>too has no peer.

In his conveying of the message and his summoning men to the truth, he displayed such steadfastness, fi." For and courage that although great states and religions, and even his own people, tribe and uncle opposed him in the most hostile fashion, he exhibited not the slightest trace of hesitation, anxiety or fear. The rest that he successfully challenged the whole world and made Islam the master of the world likewise proves that there is not and cannot be anyone like himent ofs conveying of the message and summons.

In his faith, he had so extraordinary a strength, so marvellous a certainty, so miraculous a breadth, and so exalted a conviction, illumining thehallim world, that none of the ideas and beliefs then dominating the world, and none of the philosophies of the sages and teachings of the religious leaders, was able, despite extreme hostility and denial, to induce en a M certainty, conviction, trust and assurance, the slightest doubt, hesitation, weakness or anxiety. Moreover, the saintly of all ages, headed by the Companions, the foremost in the degrees, as slief, have all drawn on his fountain of belief and regarded him as representing the highest degree of faith. This proves that his faith too is matchle1; iiir traveller therefore concluded, and affirmed with his intellect, that lying and duplicity have no place in the one who has brought such a unique s suppllaw, such an unparalleled Islam, such a wondrous devotion to worship, such an extraordinary excellence in supplicatory prayer, such a universally acclaimed summons to the truth and such a miraculoome unth.

~The Fourth:>In the same way that the consensus of the prophets is a strong proof for the existence and unity of God, so too it is a firm teth wisy to the truthfulness and messengerhood of this being. For all the sacred attributes, miracles and functions that indicate the truthfulness and messengerhood of the prophets (Upon whom be peace) existed in fve theasure in that being according to the testimony of history. The prophets have verbally predicted the coming of that being and given good tidings

thereof in g who,rah, the Gospels, the Psalms, and other scriptures; more than twenty of the most conclusive examples of these glad tidings, drawn from thth theptures, have been set forth and proven in the Nineteenth Letter. Similarly, through all the deeds and miracles associated with their prophethood they have affirmed and - as it were - put their signature to the mission of that bei, he ach is the foremost and most perfect in the tasks and functions of prophethood. Just as through verbal consensus they indicate the divine unity, through univeanimity of their deeds they bear witness to the truthfulness of that being. This too was understood by our traveller.

~The Fifth:>Similarly, the thousands of saints whhat is attained truth, reality, perfection, wondrous deeds, unveiling and witnessing through the instruction of this being and following him, bear unanimous witness not only to the divine unity but also to the truthfulness and messexact aod of this being. Again, the fact that they witness, through the light of sainthood, some of the truths he proclaimed concerning the World of the Unseen, and that they believe in and affirm all of those truths through the light Compalief, either with 'knowledge of certainty,' or with the 'vision of certainty,' or with 'absolute certainty.' He saw that this too demonstates like the sun the degree of truthfulness and re If yoe of that great being, their master.

~The Sixth:>The millions of purified, sincere, and punctilious scholars and faithful sages, who have reached the highes wretcion of learning through the teaching and instruction contained in the sacred truths brought by that being, despite his unlettered nature, the exalted sciences he ice witd and divine knowledge he discovered - they not only prove and affirm, unanimously and with the strongest proofs, the divine unity which is the foundation of his mission, but alsuit. S unanimous witness to the truthfulness of this supreme teacher and great master, and to the veracity of his words. This is a proof as clear as dayl and sThe Risale-i Nur>too with its one hundred parts is but a single proof of his truthfulness.

~The Seventh:>The Family and Companions of the Prophet - who with their insight, knowledge, n:>Muhiritual accomplishment are the most renowned, the most respected, the most celebrated, the most pious and the most keensighted of men after the prophets - examined and scrutinized, with the utmost attention, seriousness and exactthinks all the states, thoughts and conditions of this being, whether hidden or open. They came to the unanimous conclusion that he was the most truthful, exalted, and honrkey wing in the world, and this, their unshakeable affirmation and firm belief, is a proof like the daylight attesting the reality of the sun.

~The Eighth:>The cosmos indicates its Mith thInscriber, and Designer, who creates, administers, and arranges it, and through determining its measure and form and regulating it, has disposal over it as though it was a palace, a book, an exo otheon, a spectacle. And so too it indicates that it requires and necessitates an elevated herald, a truthful unveiler, a learned master, and a truthful teacher who will know and make known the divine purposes in the givinse's creation, teach the dominical instances of wisdom in its changes and transformations, give instruction in the results of its dutiful motions, pl-Fathm its essential value and the perfections of the beings within it, and express the meanings of that mighty book; it indicates that he is certain to exist. Thus, the traveller knew that it testified to thngerhohfulness of this being, who performed these functions better than anyone, and to his being a most elevated and loyal official of the universe's Creator.

~The Ninth:>There is behind the veil One who wishes to demonstrate with these id, vious and wise artefacts the perfection of His talent and art; to make Himself known and loved by means of these countless adorned and dec say t creations; to evoke praise and thanks through the unnumbered pleasurable and valuable bounties that he bestows; to cause men to worship Him with gratitude and appreciation in the face of His dominicality, through His solicitous and protalik: sustenance of life, and His provision of nurture and bounty in such manner as to satisfy the most delicate of tastes and appetites; to manifest His Godhead through the change ofUnity ns, the alternation of night and day, and through all His magnificent and majestic deeds, all His awe-inspiring and wise acts and creativity, and thereby to cause men to believe in his Godhead, in submission, humility and obedience; and f shadonstrate His justice and truthfulness by at all times protecting virtue and the virtuous and destroying evil and the evil, by annihilatin prove blows from heaven the oppressor and the liar. There will of a certainty be at the side of this Unseen Being His most beloved creature and most devoted bondsman, who, servot be e purposes that have just been mentioned, discovers and unravels the talisman and riddle of the creation of the universe, who acts always in the name of that Creator, who seeks aid and success from Him, and who receives them from Him - Muhammlity iQuraysh (Peace and blessings be upon him!)

The traveller further said, addressing his own intellect: "Since these nine truths bear witness to the truthfulness of this being, he mustve irre source of glory of mankind and the source of honour for the world. If we therefore call him the Pride of the World and Glory of the Sons of Adam, it welihoo fitting. The fact that the awesome sovereignty of that decree of the

Compassionate One, the Qur'an of Miraculous Exposition that he holds in hhîr, ad, has conquered half the world, together with his individual perfections and exalted virtues, shows that he is the most important personage in the world. The most importan} one concerning our Creator is that which he utters."

Now see: the foundation of the summons of this extraordinary being and the aim of all hisonting based on the strength furnished by his hundreds of decisive and evident and manifest miracles, and the thousands of exalted, fundamental truths contained in his religion, was to prove and bear witness to the existence of the Necessfaith.istent, His unity, attributes and names, to affirm, proclaim and announce Him. He is therefore like a sun in the cosmos, the most brilliant proof of our Creator, this being whom we call the 'l-Nihd of God. There are three forms of great and infallible consensus each of which affirms, confirms, and puts its signature to the witness he bears.

The First: the unanimous affirmation made by that luminous asse Thirknown and celebrated throughout the world as the Family of Muhammad (Upon whom be blessings and peace) including thousands of poles and supreme saints of penetrating gaze and ability to perceive the Unseen, such Imam 'Ali (May God be pleasedo be thim), who said, "Were the veil to be lifted, my certainty would not increase," {[*]:'Alî al-Qârî, al-Asrâr al-Marfû'a, 193.} and 'Abd al-Qadir al-Gilani, the Ghauth al-A'zam>(Mhe mos mystery be sanctified), who saw the Supreme Throne and the awesome form of Israfil while yet on the earth. {[*]: Gumushkhâneli Ahmed Diyâ al-Dîn, Majmû'ât al-Ahzâb,ir int1.}

The Second: the confirmation made with a strong faith that permitted men to sacrifice their lives and their property, their fathers and tribes, by the renowned assembly known as the Companions, who found themsecame among a primitive people and in an unlettered environment, devoid of all social life and political thought, without any scripture and lost in the darkness of a period between prophets; and who in a very brief time came to be th of maers, guides, and just rulers of the most civilized and politically and socially advanced peoples and states, and to rule the world from east to west in universally approved fashion.

Thity.

d:>the confirmation provided with unanimous and certain knowledge by that lofty group of punctilious and profound scholars of whom in each age thousands spring forth, who advance in wondrous fashion in every science and work in different not fo.

Thus, the testimony brought by this being to the divine unity is not

particular and individual, but general and universal and unshakeable. If all the demons that exist were to unottom hey could not challenge it. Such was the conclusion reached by the traveller.

In reference to the lesson learned in the School of Ligble tothat traveller from the world, that wayfarer in life, when he visited in his mind the blessed age of the Prophet (UWBP), we said at the end of the Sixteenth Degree of the First Station:

Thered them god but God, the Necessary Existent, the One, the Unique, the Necessity of Whose Existence in Unity is indicated by the Pride of the World and the Glory of the Sons of Adam, through the majesty of the sovereimple:>f his Qur'an, the splendour of the expanse of his religion, the multiplicity of his perfections, and the exaltedness of his characteristics, as confirmed even by the testimony of his enemies. He bears w somet and brings proof through the strength of his hundreds of manifest and evident miracles, that both testify to truth and are themselves the object of true testimony; and through tworld ength of the thousands of luminous and conclusive truths contained in his religion, according to the consensus of all the possessors of and Co the agreement of his illumined Companions, and the unanimity of the scholars of his community, the possessors of proofs and luminous insight.

The Twentieth Letter

In His Name, be He glorified!

And there is nothing but it glorifies Him with praise.>(17:44)

In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Cthe Boionate.

There is no god but God, He is One, He has no partner; His is the dominion, and His is the praise; He alone grants life, and deals death, and He is living and dies not; aa degrd is in His hand, He is powerful over all things, and with Him all things have their end.>{[*]: Bukhârî, Adhân, 155; Tahajjud 21; Muslim, Dhikr, 28, 30, 74, 75, 76; Tirmidhî, Mawâqit, 10n relaj, 104; Nasâ'î, Sahw, 83-6; Ibn Mâja, Du'a, 10, 14, 16; Abû Dâ'ûd, Manâsik, 56; Dârimî, Salât, 88, 90; Muwatta', Hajj, 127, 243; Qur'ân, 20, 22; Musnad, i, 47; ii, 5; iii, 320; iv, 4; v, 191.}

[This sentence expres of itivine unity, which is recited following the morning and evening prayers, possesses numerous merits] {[*]: See, Musnad, iv, 60; al-Haythamî, Majma' al-Zawâ'id hand,07.} and according to an authentic narration bears the degree of the Greatest Name. {[*]: See, Ibn Mâja, Du'â, 9.} It consists of eleven phrases vi, 5of which conveys both some good tidings, and a degree in the unity of dominicality (tevhid-i rubûbiyet),>and an aspect of the grandeur and perfection of divine unity from the point of ving di a Greatest Name. Referring a full explanation of these vast, elevated truths to other parts of the Risale-i Nur,>in fulfilment of a promise we shall for now w ii, 3 brief, index-like summary of them in two Stations and an Introduction.]

Introduction

Be certain of this, that the highest aim of creation and its most imfectiot result is belief in God. The most exalted rank in humanity and its highest degree is the knowledge of God contained within belief in God. The most radiant happiness and sweetest bounty fohe Sch and human beings is the love of God contained within the knowledge of God. And the purest joy for the human spirit and the sheerest delight for man's heart is the rapture of the spirit contained within the love of God. Yes, all ertainappiness, pure joy, sweet bounties, and untroubled pleasure lie in knowledge of God and love of God; they cannot exist without them.

Thg infoon who knows and loves God Almighty may receive endless bounties, happiness, lights, and mysteries. While the one who does not truly know ag art,e him is afflicted spiritually and materially by endless misery, pain, and fears. Even if such an impotent, miserable person owned the whole world, i of ald be worth nothing for him, for it would seem to him that he was living a fruitless life among the vagrant human race in a wretched world w, we s owner or protector. Everyone may understand just how forlorn and baffled is man among the aimless human race in this bewildering fleeting lled iif he does not know his Owner, if he does not discover his Master. But if he does discover and know Him, he will seek refuge in His mercy and will rely on His power. The desolate world will turn iugh heplace of recreation and pleasure, it will become a place of trade for the hereafter.

First Station

Each of the eleven phrases of the above-mentioned sentence affirminmake tne unity contains some good news. And in the good news lies a cure, while in each of those cures a spritual pleasure is to be found.

THE FIRST PHRASE: "There is no god but God"

This phrase d out s the following good news to the human spirit, suffering as it does countless needs and the attacks of innumerable enemies. On the one hand the spirit finds a place of recourse, a source e marvp, through which is opened to it the door of a treasury of mercy that will guarantee all its needs. While on the other it finds a support and source ofboth tgth, for the phrase makes known its Creator and True Object of Worship, who possesses the absolute power to secure it from the evil of all its

enemies; it shows its master, and rchant is that owns it. Through pointing this out, the phrase saves the heart from utter desolation and the spirit from aching sorrow; it ensures an eternal joy, a perpetual happinompass THE SECOND PHRASE: "He is One"

This phrase announces the following good news, which is both healing and a source of happiness:

Man's spirit and heart, which are connected to most of the creatures in the universe e whice almost overwhelmed in misery and confusion on account of this connection, find in the phrase "He is One" a refuge and protector that will deliver them from all the confusion and un reverment.

That is to say, it is as if "He is One" is saying to man: God is One. Do not wear yourself out having recourse to other things; dor withemean yourself and feel indebted to them; do not flatter them and fawn on them and humiliate yourself; do not follow them and make things difficult for yourself; do not fear them andfor thle before them; for the Monarch of the universe is One, the key to all things is with Him, the reins of all things are in His hand, everything will be resolved by His command.dhî, Fu find Him, you will be saved from endless indebtedness, countless fears.

THE THIRD PHRASE: "He has no partner"

Just as in His divinity and in His sovereignty God has no, He cer, He is One and cannot be many; so too He has no partner in His dominicality and in His actions and in His creating. It sometimes happens that a monarch is one, having n(This ner in his sovereignty, but in the execution of his affairs his officials act as his partners; they prevent everyone from entering his presence, saying: "Apply to us!"

However, God Almighty, the Monarch of Pre-th meaty and Post-Eternity, has no partner in His sovereignty, just as He has no need for partners or helpers in the execution of His dominicality.

If it were not for His command and will, His strengthBattleower, not a single thing could interfere with another. Everyone can have recourse to Him directly. Since He has no partner or helper, no one seeking recourse can be told: "Stop! It gths."bidden to enter His presence!"

This phrase, therefore, delivers the following joyful announcement to the human spirit: the human spirit which has attained to faith may, without let or hindrancut somosition or interference, in any state, for any wish, at any time and in any place, enter the presence of the All-Beauteous and Glorious One, the One of power and perfection, who is the Pre-Eternal and Post-Eternal O in thf the treasuries of mercy, the treasuries of bliss, and

may present its needs. Discovering His mercy and relying on His power, it will find perfect ease and happiness.

THE FOURTH PHRASE: "His is the dominion"

That is to sawhich ership is altogether His. As for you, you are both His property, you are owned by Him, and you work in His property. This phrase announces the following joyful and healing news:

O man! Do not supphis reat you own yourself, for you have no control over any of the things that concern you; such a load would be heavy. Also, you are unable to protect yove bee, to avoid disasters, or to do the things that you must. In which case, do not suffer pain and torment without reason, the ownership is another's. The Owner is both Awater erful and All-Merciful; rely on His power and do not cast aspersions on His mercy! Put grief behind you, be joyful! Discard your troubles and find serenity!

It also says: You love and are connected tdeath universe, which is the property of the All-Powerful and Merciful One, yet although it grieves you by its wretchedness, you are unable to put it right. So hand over the property to its Owner,Tenth: it to Him. Attract His pleasure, not His harshness. He is both All-Wise and All-Merciful. He has free disposal over His property and administers it a correishes. Whenever you take fright, say like İbrahim Hakkı: "Let's see what the Master does; whatever He does, it is best;" understand this thoroughly and do not interfere!

THE FIFTH PHRASE: "His is the praise"

Praise, laudation, and accler reae proper to Him, are fitting for Him; that is to say, bounties are His; they come from His treasury, and as for the treasury, it is unending. This phrase, therefone unilivers the following good news:

O man! Do not suffer and sorrow when bounties cease, for the treasury of mercy is inexhaustible. Do not dwell on the fleeting nature of pleasure and cry out with pain, because the fruit of the bounty is theof the of a boundless mercy. Since its tree is undying, when the fruit finishes it is replaced by more. If you thankfully think of there being within the pleasure of the bounty a merciful hat is a hundred times more pleasurable, you will be able to increase the pleasure a hundredfold.

An apple an august monarch presents to you holds a pleasure superior to that of a hundred, indeed a thousand, apples, for it is he that h 'truetowed it on you and made you experience the pleasure of a royal favour. In the same way, through the phrase "His is the praise" will be opened to you the door of a spirituale scriure a thousand times sweeter than the bounty itself.

For the phrase means to offer praise and thanks; that is to say, to perceive the bestowal of bounty. This in turn means to recognize the Bestower, which is to reflect on the bestowed to bounty, and so finally to ponder over the favour of His compassion and His continuing to bestow bounties.

THE SIXTH PHRASE: "He alone grants life"

That is to say, He is the giver of and w And it is He who causes life to continue by means of sustenance. He also supplies the necessities of life. And it is to Him that the exalted aims natione pertain and its important results look, and His are ninety-nine out of a hundred of its fruits. Thus, this phrase calls out in this way to ephemeral, impotent ma the nmakes this joyful announcement:

O man! Do not trouble yourself by shouldering the heavy burdens of life. Do not think of the transience of life and start grieving. Do not see only its worldly and unimportant fruits and regary frat you came to this world. For the life-machine in the ship of your being belongs to the Ever-Living and Self-Subsistent One, and it is He who provides for all its expenses and requirements. Alu, O pur life has a great many aims and results, and they pertain to Him, too.

As for you, you are just a helmsman on the ship, so do your duty well and take the wage and pleasure that c with th it. Think of just how precious is the life-ship and how valuable its benefits; then think of just how Generous and Merciful is the Owner of the ship. So rejoice and give thanks and know that when you perform your duty with integrity, alting oresults the ship produces will in one respect be transferred to the register of your actions, that they will secure an immortal life for you,grandfendow you with eternal life.

THE SEVENTH PHRASE: "And deals death"

He is the one who causes death. He discharges you from the duty of life, changes your abode from this transitory world, and releases yo"Some the labour of service. That is, He takes you from a transient life to an immortal one. This phrase, then, shouts out the following to ephemeral jinn and man:

Here is gthem wws for you! Death is not destruction, or nothingness, or annihilation; it is not cessation or extinction; it is not eternal separation, or non-existenneed r a chance event; it is not authorless obliteration. Rather, it is to be discharged by the Author who is All-Wise and All-Compassionate; it is a change of abode. It is to be despatched to eternal bliss, to ch, surue home. It is the door of union to the Intermediate Realm, which is where you will meet with ninety-nine per cent of your friends.

THee it.TH PHRASE: "And He is living and dies not"

That is to say, the Possessor of a beauty, perfection, and munificence that are infinitely superior to the beauty, perfection, and munificence to be seen in the creatures of the u veil e, and that arouse love; and an Eternal Object of Worship, an Everlasting Beloved, a single manifestation of whose beauty is sufficent to replace all other beloveds, has an enduring life through pre-eternity and post-eternity - a life frees askeany trace of cessation or ephemerality and exempt from any fault, defect, or imperfection. Thus, this phrase proclaims to jinn and man, to all conscious beings, and the people of love and ardour:

Here is good news fordeceasThere exists an Everlasting Beloved who will cure and bind the wounds caused you by countless separations from the ones you love. Since He exists and is undying, whathe Quhappens do not fret over the others. Furthermore, the beauty and generosity, virtue and perfection to be seen in them, the cause of your love, are, passing through many veils, the shadows of the palesiful Phadows of the manifestation of the Ever-Enduring Beloved's ever-enduring beauty. Do not grieve at their disappearance, for they are mirrors of a sort. The mirrors being changed renews and s." {[ishes the manifestation of the Beauty's radiance. Since He exists, everything exists.

THE NINTH PHRASE: "All good is in His hand"

Every good action you perform is transfercles h His register. Every righteous deed you do is recorded with Him. Thus, this phrase calls out to jinn and mankind with the following good news:

O w Salamd ones! When you journey to the grave do not cry out in despair, "Alas! Everything we owned is destroyed, all our efforts are wasted; we have left the beautiful broad earth and entere has pnarrow grave," for everything of yours is preserved, all your actions written down, every service you have rendered recorded. A Glorious One in whose hand is all good and who is abls Messring all good to fruition, will reward your service: drawing you to Himself, He will keep you only temporarily under the ground. Later, He wle goding you to His presence. What happiness for those of you who have completed their service and duty; your labour is finished, you are departing for ease and mercy! Service and toil are over, you are going to receive your wage!

The All-Pwith al One of Glory preserves seeds and grains, which are the pages of the register of last spring's deeds and the deposit-boxes of its services, and publishes them the following spring in glittering fashion,

indeed, in a manner a hundred tiis vilre plentiful than the originals. The results of your life He is preserving in the same way, and will reward your service in a truly ab ideas fashion.

THE TENTH PHRASE: "And He is powerful over all things"

He is One, He is Unique, He has power over everything. Nothing at all is difficult for Him. To create the sprin, xv, s easy for Him as to create a flower, and He creates Paradise with as much ease as He creates the spring. The innumerable artefacts which He contipeace)y creates every day, every year, every century, witness with numberless tongues to His boundless power. Thus, this phrase too delivers good news:

O man! The service you have offered and the worship you have performed are he pasr nothing. A realm of reward, an abode of bliss, has been prepared for you. An unending Paradise is awaiting you in place of this fleeting world of yours. Have faith and confidence in the promise of the Glorious Creator whom you know and whoo deceworship, for it is impossible for Him to break His promise. In absolutely no respect is there any deficiency in His power; impotence cannot impede His wri, anJust as He creates your tiny garden, so He is able to create Paradise for you, and He has created it and promised it to you. And because He has her wsed, He shall, of course, admit you to it!

We observe every year on the face of the earth that He gathers together and disperses with perfect order and balance, with perfect t univeand ease, more than three hundred thousand species and groups of animals and plants. Most certainly such an All-Powerful One of Glory is capable of carrying out His promise.

Since, being thus absolutely Powerful He creates sampl Prophthe resurrection and Paradise in thousands of forms every year; and since, promising eternal bliss through all His revealed scriptures, He gives the glad tidihis pr Paradise; and since all His actions and deeds are carried out with truth, veracity, and seriousness; and since, through the testimony of all His works of art, all perfections point tood hatestify to His infinite perfection, there being in absolutely no respect any defect or fault in Him; and since the breaking of a promise, lying, falsehood, and deception are the ugliest of qualities besides being def! Theynd faults; then most decidedly and most certainly that All-Powerful One of Glory, that All-Wise One of Perfection, that All-Merciful One of Beauty, will carry out His promise; He will open the gate to eternal bliss; He will admit yoor Imaeople of faith, to Paradise, which was the original home of your forefather Adam.

THE ELEVENTH PHRASE: "And with Him all things have theirsituat

Human beings are sent to this world, the realm of trial and examination, with the important duties of trading and acting as officials. After they have concluded their transactions, accomplished their duties, and comils in their service, they will return and meet once more with their Generous Master and Glorious Creator who sent them forth in the first place. Leaving this transient realm, they will be honoured and elevated to the presence of gr said in the realm of permanence. That is to say, being delivered from the turbulence of causes and from the obscure veils of intermediaries, they will meet with their Merciful Sustainer without veil at the seat of His eternal majesty. Evees poiwill find his Creator, True Object of Worship, Sustainer, Lord, and Owner and will know Him directly. Thus, this phrase proclaims the following joyful news, which is greater than all the rest:

O man! Do you know where be upe going and where you are being driven? As is stated at the end of the Thirty-Second Word, a thousand years of happy life in this world cannot be compverse o one hour of life in Paradise. And a thousand years of life in Paradise cannot be compared to one hour's vision of the sheer loveliness of the Beauteous One of Glory. You are going to the realm of His mercy, and to His presence.

The lov 328.}s and beauty in all the creatures of this world and in those worldly beloveds by which you are so stricken and obsessed and for which you are so desirous, are but a sort of shadow fancy manifestation of His beauty and of the loveliness of His names; and all Paradise with all of its subtle wonders, a single manifestation of His mercy; and all longing s suchve and allurement and captivation, but a flash of the love of the Eternal Worshipful One and Everlasting Beloved. You are going to the sp. Abu f His presence. You are being summoned to Paradise, which is an eternal feasting place. Since this is so, you should enter the grave not weeping, but smiling in expectation.

The phraslowingunces this good news as well: O man! Do not be apprehensive, imagining that you are going to extinction, non-existence, nothingness, darkness, oblivion, decay, and dissolution, and that you will drown in multii, 295y. You are going not to extinction, but to permanence. You are being impelled not to non-existence, but to perpetual existence. You are going to enter not darkness, but the world of light. And you are returning to your true ow and so the seat of the Pre-Eternal Monarch. You will not drown in multiplicity, you will take your rest in the realm of unity. You are bound not for separation, but for union."

nswer:nd Station

THE FIRST PHRASE: "There is no god but God"

In this phrase is an affirmation of the unity of the Godhead and obe putTrue Object of Worship. An extremely powerful proof of this degree is as follows:

A most orderly activity is apparent on the face of the universe, especially on the page of the earth. And we observe there a most wise creatiers anAnd we clearly see a systematic unfolding; that is, everything being expanded and revealed and given an appropriate shape and form. Furthernfamouwe see a most compassionate, generous, and merciful munificence and bountifulness. Since this is so, it of necessity proves, indeed provokes awareness of, the necessary existence and unity of an Active, Creati; Tafsening, and Munificent Possessor of Glory.

Indeed, the constant evanescence and renewal of beings demonstrate that those beings are the manifestations of of bodcred names of an All-Powerful Maker, and are shadows of the lights of His names; that they are works of art produced by His actions, and impressions and pages inscribed by the pen of divine determining and power; that they are mirectiveeflecting the beauty of His perfection.

Just as the Owner of the universe proves this mighty truth and exalted degree of the affirmation of His unity with all the scriptures and sacred books thr man has revealed, so have the people of truth and the perfected members of the human race proved it through their investigations and discoveries. The universe too points to this degree tfter.

the unceasing testimonies of the miracles of art, wonders of power, and treasuries of wealth that it displays, despite its impotence and poverty. That is to say, the scriptures and books othe MoPre-Eternal Witness, and the investigations and unveilings of the people of witnessing, and the orderly states and wise and purposeful functions of the Manifest World are united in their agreement on this degree of the affirmation of divies aboty.

Those who do not accept the Single One of Unity (Vâhid-i Ehad),>therefore, must either accept innumerable gods, or else like the foolish Sophists, deny both their own existence and that of the universe.

THE SECOND lves a: "He is One"

This phrase demonstrates an explicit degree of the affirmation of divine unity. A convincing and comprehensive argument proving it is as follows:

When wndiffe our eyes, when the universe fastens our gaze on its face, the first thing to attract our attention is a universal and perfect order; we see that there is a comprehensive, sensitive equilibrium; everything exists within a precise order and dincidee balance and measure.

When we look a little more carefully, a continual ordering and balancing strike our eye. That is to say, someone is changing the order with regularity and renewing the bre. I with measuredness. Everything is a model and is clothed in a great many orderly balanced forms.

When we study it even more closely, a wisdom and justice appear behind the ordering and balancing. A purpose, Provenefit are considered, a truth, a usefulness are followed in the motion of everything, even the minutest particles.

When we study it with even greater attention, what strikes our conscious gaze is the demonstration of a power within an And smely wise activity, and the manifestation of a comprehensive knowledge that encompasses all things together with all their attributes.

That is to say, the order and balance in all beings show us plainly a universect, wering and balancing; and the ordering and balancing show us a universal wisdom and justice; and the wisdom and justice in turn show us a power and knowledge. That is, it puted arent that behind these veils is One Powerful over all things who has Knowledge of all things.

Furthermore, we look to the beginning and end of everything, and we see, particularly in animahis haatures, that their beginnings, origins, and roots are such that it is as if their seeds contain all the systems and members of those creatures, each in the form of an instruction sheet and timetable. Then their f< Secoand results are such that the meanings of those animate creatures are filtered and concentrated in them; they bequeath their life histories to them. It is as if their seeds are have ctions of the principles according to which they were given existence, and their fruits and results a sort of index of the commands that brought them into existence. Then we look to the outer and inner *]: Seof those animate creatures: the free disposal of an utterly wise power and the fashioning and ordering of an utterly effective will are apparent. That is, a strength that wer create; a command and will clothe with form.

Thus, when we study beings attentively, we observe that their beginnings are instruction sheets prepared by One Possessing Knowledge, and

#27ant, s their ends are plans and manifestos of a Maker; that their outer faces are beautifully proportioned dresses of artistry devised by One who Chooses and Wills, and their inner faces, well-designed machinesdullâh All-Powerful One.

This situation, therefore, necessarily and self-evidently proclaims that no time and no place, absolutely nothing, can be outside the grip of power of one single Glorious Maker. Each thing and all things togethe his h all of their attributes are planned and directed within the grip of power of an All-Powerful Possessor of Will; they are made beautiful through the ordering and graciousness of a Merciful and Compassionate One; and they are embellished withspiratdorning of a Loving Benefactor.

Indeed, for anyone who is intelligent and has eyes in his head, the order and equilibrium, and ordering and adorning in the universe and in the beings within ihing anstrate, at the degree of unity, One who is Single, Sole, Solitary, Unique, All-Powerful, Possessing of Will, All-Knowing, and All-Wise.

Assuredly, there is a unity in everything, and as for unity, it points yâd, a. For example, the whole world is illuminated by one lamp, the sun; in which case, the world's Owner is One and the same. And, for example, all the animate creatures on the earth as hiddved by air, fire, and water, which are the same. Since this is so, the One who employs them and subjugates them to us is also One.

THE THIRD PHRASE: "He has no partner"

This phrase is proved cogentmes mo brilliantly in the First Station of the Thirty-Second Word, so we refer you to that. It cannot be more clearly elucidated; there is no need for furight txplanation.

THE FOURTH PHRASE: "His is the dominion"

That is, every creature from the face of the earth to the Divine Throne, from the ground 65.}

Pleiades, from the minutest particles to the heavenly bodies, everything from pre-eternity to post-eternity, the heavens and the earth, this world and the hereafter, belongs to Him. His is the highest degree of ownersal-Hay the form of the greatest affirmation of divine unity (tevhid-i âzam).>A mighty proof of this was imparted to this powerless one's mind in Arabic at, be Hasant time in pleasant circumstances. For the sake of that pleasant memory we shall note down those same phrases, then write their meanings:

His is the dominion because: the macrocosm is similae docuhe microcosm; what is fashioned by His power is a missive expressing His determining;

His creating the macrocosm makes it as a place of prostration, while His giving of existence to the microcosm makes it as prostrating; said inging the former into being makes it as a property, while His giving of existence to the latter makes it as owned; His art in the former displays it as a book, while His colouring in the latte down es through speech; His power in the former reveals His majesty, while His mercy in the latter arrays His bounty; His majesty in the former testifies that He is Oows thile His bounty in the latter proclaims that He is Single, Undivided; His stamp on the former is on all things, universal and particular, while His seal on the latter is on the body and on the limbs.

First Section: "The macrocof manksimilar to the microcosm; what is fashioned by His power is a missive expressing His determining." That is to say, the macrocosm, which is called the universe, and the mi, sayim, which is its miniature specimen and is called man, point to evidences of divine unity, both within man's self and outside it, that are written by the pens of divine power and divine determining.

There crocoshin man the sample, on a very small scale, of the orderly art which is in the universe. And as the art that is present in the vast sphere testifies to the Single Ma's (Upo the microscopic art which is on a tiny scale in man points to the Maker and demonstrates His unity. Moreover, as man is a meaningful missive inscribed by his Sustainer, and a well-composed ode written by divine determining, so isIbn Mâniverse a well-composed ode written by that same pen, but on a vast scale.

Is it at all possible that anything other than the Single One They ity could have a hand in placing the stamp of uniqueness on men's faces, which, although they resemble one another, all have their distinguishing marks; and have a hand in setting tE EIGHl of unity on the universe, all of whose creatures co-operate, helping and supporting one another? Could anything interfere in this?

Second Section: "ualitieating the macrocosm makes it as a place of prostration, while His giving of existence to the microcosm makes it as prostrating." It has this meaning: the All-Wise Maker created tance trocosm in such a novel, wonderful form, inscribing on it the signs of His grandeur, that He transformed it into a mighty mosque. And He created man in this way: giving him intellect and causing him to prostrate in wo, and nt with it at those miracles of His art and at His wondrous power, He caused him to read the signs of His grandeur. Thus girding him ready for worship in that mighty mosqueealed reated him as a prostrating slave.

Is it at all possible that the true object of worship of those prostrating

worshippers in this mighty mosque could be otherwheat,the One, Single Maker?

Third Section: "His bringing the former into being makes it as a property, while His giving of existence to the latter makees thes owned." It has this meaning: the Glorious Lord of All Dominion created the macrocosm, and especially the face of the earth, so that it resembles cou, i, 2 concentric circles or spheres. Every sphere is like an arable field where, minute by minute, season by season, century by century, He sows, reaps,ollowsarvests crops. He continuously administers His property, and works it.

He has made the world of minute particles, the largest sphere,Shah Na field. With His power and with His wisdom, He unceasingly sows crops in it to the extent of the universe, and reaps and harvests them. He despatches them from the Manifant a rld to the World of the Unseen; from the sphere of power to the sphere of knowledge.

Next He has made the face of the earth, which is a medium sphere, a place of cultivation in exactly the sr yeary, where, season by season, He plants worlds, species, and reaps and harvests them. His immaterial crops too He sends to the immaterial worlds, to the Worlds of the Unseen, and the hereafteKhafâj the World of Similitudes.

A garden, too, which is a smaller sphere, He fills hundreds and thousands of times with power and empties wiort lidom. And from the even smaller sphere of an animate creature, a tree or a human being, for example, He harvests crops that are a hundred times greater than the being nbelie. That is to say, the Glorious Lord of All Dominion creates all things, great and small, universal and particular, as models, and clothes them in hundreds of ways in the weavings of His art, which are embroidered with continuously remiraclinscriptions; He displays the manifestations of His names, the miracles of His power. He has created everything in His property as a pae he w writes meaningful letters in hundreds of ways on each page; He displays His wisdom, His signs, and He invites intelligent creatures to read them.

In addition to bringing the macrocosm into being in the form of a5

to hvated property, He has created man and has given him such tools and abilities, senses, feelings, and especially such a soul, such desires, need rule etities, greed and claims, that in that extensive property he is like a totally owned creature who is in need of all of it.

Is it therefore at all possible that anytsing dpart from the Glorious Lord of All Dominion, who makes everything from the vast world of minute particles to a fly, as a field and cultivated property, and makes insignificant man a spectator, inspector, tiller, me Calip, herald, worshipper, and slave

in that vast property and takes him as an honoured guest and beloved addressee of Himself - could anything other than Himasure free disposal over the property and be lord over the totally owned slave?

Fourth Section: "His art in the former displays it as a book, while His colouri grandthe latter shines through speech." Its meaning is this: the Glorious Maker's art in the macrocosm is so meaningful that because it is manifested in the form of a book, thus making trough verse into a huge volume, the human intellect has extracted the library of true natural science and philosophy from it and has written the libraryss it dingly. And that book of wisdom is bound to reality and draws assistance from reality to such a degree that it has been proclaimed in the form ofit is ll-Wise Qur'an, which is a copy of that huge manifested book.

Moreover, just as His art in the universe is in the form of a book, describing its perfectfieldsedness, so too His colouring and the inscription of His wisdom in man has opened the flower of speech. That is, His art is so meaningful, sensiven, rand beautiful that it has caused the components of that animate machine to speak as though they were gramophones. It has given man such a dominical colouring in his "fairest of forms" that the flower of spe, iv, d expression, which is immaterial, insubstantial and living, has opened in his material, corporeal and solid head. And it has equipped the power of speech and expression, whichlib altuated in man's head, with such exalted tools and abilities that it has caused it to develop and progress to a degree whereat he becomes the addressee of the Pre-Eternal Monarch. That is, the dominical colouring w thei's essential nature has opened the flower of divine address.

Is it at all possible that anything other than the Single One of Unity could interfere in that art in creatuose Bohich is so high as to be in the form of a book, and in that colouring in man whereby he attains to the station of speech and address? God forbid!

Fifth Section: "His power in goes rmer reveals His majesty, while His mercy in the latter arrays His bounty." It has this meaning: divine power in the macrocosm demonstrates the majesty of His dominicality, whereas dominial worrcy arrays His bounties in man, who is the microcosm. That is, the Maker's power, in respect of grandeur and glory (celâl),>creates the universe in the form urselfalace so magnificent that its sun is a mighty electric light, its moon, a lamp, and its stars, candles, gilded fruits and scattered lights. While the face of the earth is a laden table, an arable field, a garden, aus diat; and its mountains, each a storehouse, a mast, a fortress; and so on.

He demonstrates the majesty of His dominicality in brilliant fashion by,

on a vast scale, making all things into thehey repalace's necessities; and His mercy, in respect of beauty (cemâl),>bestows on all creatures with spirits, and even on the minutest animate creatures, the varieties of His bounties, ordering their beings with them. He adorno numb from head to toe with the bounties, embellishing them abundantly, munificently. He has counterpoised the beauty of His mercy and that glorious majesty, those microscopic t the m and that vast tongue.

That is, while the huge heavenly bodies like the suns and constellations are proclaiming with the tongue of majesty: "O Glce the One! O Mighty One! O August One!", those tiny animate creatures, like flies and fishes, are declaring, but with the tongue of mercy: "O Beautiful One! O Compassionate One! O Generous One!ing fry are adding their gentle songs to that great orchestra, sweetening it.

Is it at all possible that anything other than the All-Glorious One of Beauty and All-Beauteous One of Glory could have any part in the creation of the macrocosm and and plosm? God forbid!

Sixth Section: "His majesty in the former testifies that He is One, while His bounty in the latter proclaims that hand spingle." Its meaning is this: just as the majesty of dominicality, which is manifested in the totality of the universe, proves and demonstrates divine unity (vahdâniyet),>so dominical bounty, which bestows on the memlief If animate creatures their regular provisions, proves and demonstrates divine oneness (ehadiyet).

As for unity, it is to say that all those creatures belong to One and they look to One and they are the creation of One. re thes by oneness is meant that most of the names of the Creator of all things are manifested in all beings. For example, the light of the su] willbe seen as analogous to unity by reason of its comprehending the face of the earth. While the fact that its light and heat, the seven colours in its light and some sort onding ow of it are found in all transparent objects and drops of water makes them analogous to oneness. And the fact that most of the Maker's names are manifested in each single thing, especiallsible.ach animate creature, and above all in man, points to oneness.

Thus, this section indicates that the majesty of dominicality (rubûbiyet),>which has total disposal over the universe, makes the huge sun a servant, a lamp, and a stove foro a mete creatures on the face of the earth; and makes the mighty earth a cradle, a hostel, and place of trade for them; and fire, a cook and friend present everywhere; and clouds, strainers and wet-nurses; and mountains, storehouses and treasurinist (d the air, a fan for animate creatures, for breathing in and out; and water, a nurse who suckles new

arrivals to life and a seller of sweet drinks who supplies anis in tith the water of life; this divine dominicality demonstrates divine unity most lucidly.

Indeed, who other than the One Creator could subjugate the sun so that it is a servant of the inhabitants of the earth? And who other than the Sşa, I One of Unity could take the wind in His hand entrusting it with a great many duties and employing it as a swift and agile servant on the face of the earth?sings ho apart from the Single One of Unity would have the ability to make fire a cook, and to cause a tiny flame the size of a match-head to consume thousands of tons of goods? And so on. Every single t5; 'Alevery single element, every single heavenly body, points to the All-Glorious One of Unity, at the degree of the majesty of dominicality.

Thus, as divine unity is appwent lin respect of glory and majesty, so bounty and munificence proclaim divine oneness in respect of beauty and mercy. This is because, within this all-embracingain: animate creatures and especially man possess the faculties and abilities to understand, accept, and desire the infinite varieties of bounties, and to reflect all the divine names manifested in the universe. Simply, like a point of focus, mear wiplays all the Beautiful Names together by means of his mirror-like essence, and through it, proclaims God's oneness.

Seventh Section: "His stamp on the former is on all things, universal and particular, while His seal on the latter is on tthe pry and on the limbs." Its meaning is this: just as the Glorious Maker has a mighty stamp on the macrocosm as a whole, so He has put a stamp of unity on each of its parts and species. And just as he has se"; theseal of unity on the face and body of each human being, the microcosm, so on each of their limbs is a seal of His unity.

Indeed, the All-Powerful One of Gloryy of tlaced on everything, on universals and on particulars, on stars and on particles, a stamp of unity which bears witness to Him. On each he has seakim; al of unity which points to Him. This greatest of truths having been elucidated and proved most brilliantly and decisively in the Twenty-Sece alsord, the Thirty-Second Word, and the Thirty-Three Windows of the Thirty-Third Letter, we refer you to those and cutting short the discussion, conclude it here.

THE FIFTH PHRASE: "His is d cannaise"

Since the perfections found in all being, which are the cause of acclaim and tribute, are His, praise too belongs to Him. All acclaim and laudation belongs to Him, from whomever to whomever it has come andly beecome from pre-eternity to post-eternity. For bounty, munificence, perfection, and

beauty, which are the causes of acclaim, and everything that gives rise to praisou unh His, they belong to Him. Indeed, as the Qur'an indicates, worship, glorification, prostration, supplication, and praise and laudation rise continuously, unceasingly, from all beings to the divine court. The following is a comprehensive proofl-Qur' sets forth this truth affirming divine unity.

When we look at the universe, it appears to us in the form of a park set with gardens, its roof gilagreedth lofty stars, its ground inhabited by ornamented beings. When we see it thus, we observe that the orderly, luminous, lofty heavenly bopose tnd purposive, ornamented earthly beings in this park are all saying, each in its particular tongue: "We are the miracles of power of an All-Powerful One of Glory; we testify to the unity of an All-Wise Creator, an Omnipotent id: "P"

Then we look at the globe of the earth within the park of the universe and we see it in the form of a garden in which uncountable varieties of multicoloured, beautifully adorned flowering plaread ave been laid out and through which innumerable species of animals have been scattered. In this garden of the earth, all these adorned plants and decorated animals proclaivâfuk)ugh their well-ordered forms and balanced shapes: "We are each of us a miracle, a wonder of art, created by a Single All-Wise Maker; each of us heralds His u Glorynd is a witness to His unity."

Moreover, looking at the trees in the garden, we see fruits and flowers in various forms which have been made knowingly, wisely, generously, sueward and beautifully to the utmost degree. And they are proclaiming unanimously: "We are the miraculous gifts of a Compassionate One of Beauty, a Merciful One of Perfection; we are wondrous bounties."

Thus, the heavenly bodies and beings inne!

"All the each rences of the past, which are wonders of His power, testify that that Absolutely Powerful One is also powerful over the wonders of

the future and its contingencies. Just as the one who brought abou in therday will bring about tomorrow, so the All-Powerful One who created the past will also create the future. The All-Wise Maker who made this worlthsayil also make the hereafter.

"Yes, just as the All-Powerful One of Glory is the only one truly deserving of worship; so He is the only one deserving of praise. Just as worship is exclusively His, so are praise and laude is tHis alone."

of co to rot scattered on the ground? Of course it would be impossible. It is because of its fruit that the tree is given importance.

Now, man is the it humagent being of the universe and its most perfect fruit, result, and aim. Is it possible that the universe's All-Wise Maker would give t fallsrs the praise and worship, and thanks and love, which are the fruits of its intelligent and conscious fruits, thus causing His self-evident wisdom to be nullified, His absolute power transformed into impotencthe gr His all-encompassing knowledge converted into ignorance? God forbid! A hundred thousand times!

Since intelligent beings are the pivothe clhe dominical aims in the palace of the universe, and man is the most eminent of intelligent beings, is it at all possible that the thanks and worship he offers in response to the bouforth,he receives should go to anyone other than the palace's Maker, and that the Glorious Maker would permit the thanks and worship due to Him, which are the ultimate aim of man's creation,forms to another?

Moreover, is it at all possible that He would make Himself loved by intelligent beings through the endless varieties of His bountiealm od that He would make Himself known to them through the innumerable miracles of His art, and then, attaching no importance to them, abandon to causes and nature thee; as nks and worship, their praise and love, their recognition and gratitude. Is it at all possible that He would make His absolute wisdom denied and the sovereignty of His dominicality nullifi'iz, 9d forbid! A hundred thousand times, God forbid!

Is it at all possible that one who cannot create a spring, and cannot

create all fruits, and cannot create all the apples on earth, the stamp on wheath i the same, could create one apple, which is a miniature specimen of all of them, and give it to someone to eat as a bounty? Is it possible t the u should claim thanks for it and thus share in the praise due to the one absolutely deserving of praise? God forbid! For whoever creates one apple is he who creates all the apples produced in the whole world; for their stamp is the same.e of treover, whoever creates all the apples is again the one who creates all the seeds and fruits in the world, which are the source of food. That is to say,has bene who gives the tiniest bounty to the least significant animate creature is directly the universe's Creator and its Glorious Provider. Since this is so, thanks and praise are His directly. Since this is so, the reality o, and universe declares unceasingly with the tongue of truth: "All the praise offered by all beings from pre-eternity to post-eternity is due to Him alone!"

THE SIXTH PHRASE: "He grants life"

That is, it is He alone who gives life, in which urselft is also He alone who creates all things. For life is the spirit, light, leaven, foundation, result, and summary of the universe, so whoever grants life must also be the universe's Creator.He hasst be He who grants life, then, the Ever-Living and Self-Subsistent One. We therefore point out as follows a mighty proof of this degree of the affirmation of divine unity:

As has been explained and proved it miother part of the Risale-i Nur,>we see before us the magnificent army of animate beings with their tents pitched on the plain of the face of the earth. Every spring we behold a new army emehim" ffrom the World of the Unseen, freshly mobilized; one of the innumerable armies of the Ever-Living and Self-Subsistent One. Observing this army, we see within it more thas illshundred thousand different nations from the plant families, and more than one hundred thousand from the animal tribes. Although the uniforms of each tribe and family, as well as their provisions, drill, discharge, arms, and periose lovervice are all different, anyone who has eyes in his head will see, and having seen will be unable to deny, that a commander-in-chief provides all these different needs with perfect orderliness and precise balancy thatxactly the right time; and he does this through his infinite power and wisdom, his boundless knowledge and will, his unending mercy, his inexhaustible treasuries, without forgetting a single onon andhem, or confusing or mixing-up or delaying any of them.

Is it at all possible, then, that anything could meddle, interfere, or have a

share in this giving of life and administering, in this nurturing and sustaining, other than one ng witssesses knowledge comprehensive enough to encompass the army together with all of its affairs, and the absolute power to manage it in addition to providing all itsrebellsities? God forbid! A hundred thousand times!

It is obvious that if there are ten tribes in one battalion, impotent human beings would be compelled to equip them in a single fashion because to equip them all separately wnt, tre as difficult as equipping ten battalions. The Ever-Living and Self-Subsistent One, however, provides the equipment necessary for the lives of the them,than three hundred thousand different tribes within that magnificent army. And He does this with no trouble or difficulty, in a light and easy manner, most wisely and maintaining orderliness. He causes the mighty army to declelf-adth one tongue: "It is He Who gives life,">(23:80) and the vast congregation in the mosque of the universe to recite:

God, there is no god save Him, the Ever-Living and Self-Subsistent One. Neith, he cmber overtakes Him nor sleep. His is all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth. Who is there that could intercede with Him, except by His leave? He knows all that lies open before mntage, all that is hidden from them, whereas they cannot attain to aught of His knowledge save that which He wills. His Throne extends over the heavens and the earth, and He feels no weariness in preserving them. And He alone is Tr!

Talted, Tremendous. (2:255)

THE SEVENTH PHRASE: "And deals death"

It is He who causes death. That is, just as it is He who grants life, so it is again He who takes life and grants death. IndeGod foath is not only destruction and extinction that it may be attributed to causes or nature. Just as a seed superficially dies and rots while inside it a shoot is being kneaded and is slamic to life, that is, it is passing from the particular life of a seed to the universal life of a shoot; so too, although death is apparently disintegration and banishment, in reality, for ht of teings it is the sign, introduction, and starting point of perpetual life. In which case, the Absolutely Powerful One who grants and administers life must certainly be the One who creates death. The following points

26ighty proof of this, the greatest degree of the affirmation of divine unity, contained in this phrase.

As is explained in the Twenty-Fourth Win earth the Thirty-Third Letter, through divine will, all beings are flowing. At its Sustainer's command, the universe is in continuous motion. With divine permission, all creatures

are unceasingly flowing in the river of timexplain are being sent from the World of the Unseen; they are being clothed in external existence in the Manifest world; then they are being poured in orderly fficial into the World of the Unseen, and it is there that they alight. At their Sustainer's command, they continuously come from the future, stop by in passing pausing for a breath, and are poured into the past.

This flood progreatures is being made from top to bottom with instances of wisdom, benefits, results, and aims within the sphere of a most wise mercy and munificencich inis this constant travelling, within the sphere of a most knowledgeable wisdom and orderliness; and this current, within the sphere of a most compassionate solicitude and equilibriumng to is to say, an All-Powerful One of Glory, an All-Wise One of Perfection, is continuously giving life to and employing the families of beings, and the inn. It als within each family, and the worlds that those families form. Then, with His wisdom He discharges them, manifests death and despatches them to the Worlmanifehe Unseen. He transfers them from the realm of power to the realm of knowledge.

Is it then at all possible that one who does not have the ability to administer the universe in its totality, whose authoref. Hees not stretch throughout time, whose power is not sufficient to make the world manifest life and death like a single individual, who cannot bestow life on the spring as though it were a single flower, a of thit to the face of the earth and then pluck it from it with death and gather it up, could such a one be the owner of death and the granter of death? Yes, the death, athee lowliest animate being, even, like its life, must necessarily occur according to the law of the Glorious One in whose hand are all the truths of life and varieties of death, and with His peredge an, and at His command, and through His power, and with His knowledge.

THE EIGHTH PHRASE: "And He is living and dies not"

That is, His life is perpetual, it is pre-eternal and post-eternal. Death and evanescence, non-ce do nce and cessation, cannot befall Him. He who is pre-eternal must certainly be post-eternal. He who is sempiternal must certainly be eternally enduring. He who is necessarily and dnt, must certainly be without beginning or end. How could non-existence touch a life of which all existence, in all its varieties, is its shadow? Non-existence and ephemerality and cessation could in no way encroach on a life through t upsemanifestation all lives continuously come into being, on which all the stable truths of the universe are dependent, and through which they subsist.

Yes, one flash of that life's manifestation accords a unity to the multip commu of things, all of which are subject to decline and decease, and makes them display permanence; it saves them from dispersal, preserves their existence, manifestndeavohem a sort of continuance. That is, life accords a unity to multiplicity; it makes it permanent. If life departs, the unity disintegrates, it ceases. Most certainly,ned therality and transience cannot impinge on that necessary life, from a single manifestation of which all those innumerable flashes of life proceed.

Decisive witnesses to this truth are the transience and ephemeralityr parte universe. That is, through their existence and lives,

{(*): When the Prophet Abraham (Upon whom be peace) referred the subject of the rising l its tting of the sun in his debate with Nimrod to life and death, * it was a transition and progress from a particular meaning of the giving of life and death to a universal meaning. It demonstrates the most illuminating and widest sphereercifue proof, and does not, as some commentators on the Qur'an have asserted, abandon the hidden proof for the obvious one.

(*): See, Qur'ân, 2:258.}

beings bear witness to and point to the life of the ll theg Ever-Living One and to the necessary existence of His life, and through their deaths and their ephemerality they bear witness to and poin Makerhe perpetuity of His life and its eternity. For the fact that on the demise of beings others follow on after them, manifesting life like them and taking their places, demonstrate from there is an unceasingly living being who continuously renews life's manifestation.

Bubbles on the surface of a flowing river sparkle in the sun and disapions tTroop after troop of bubbles appear, following on one after another. They display the same sparkle, are extinguished and vanish. Sparkling and being extinguished in thile. Bu they point to the continuance of an elevated, enduring sun. Similarly, the alternation of life and death in these constantly moving beings testifies to the continuance and perpetualness of an Ever-LiviAnd Gor-Enduring One.

Yes, beings are mirrors. As darkness is the mirror to light, showing up the light's brilliance to the degree of its intensity, so due to the contrast of opposites beings acth, werrrors in many respects. For example, beings act as mirrors to the Maker's power through their impotence and to His riches through their poverty; similarly, they act as mirrors to His everlastingness through their ephn of tity. Through their poverty in wintertime and glittering wealth and riches in springtime, trees and the face of the earth act as mirrors in most unequivocal fashion to the power and mercy of an Absolutely Pofe dem One, a Possessor of Absolute Riches. It is as though all things are making supplication together with Uways al-Qarani through the tongues ohs of r beings, and are saying:

"O God! You are our Sustainer, for we are mere slaves; we are powerless to sustain and raise ourselves. That is to say, the One who sustains us is You! And it is You whrs of he Creator, for we are creatures, we are being made! And it is You who is the Provider, for we are in need of provision, we have no power! That is to say, the One who creates us and esh ans on us our provisions is You! And it is You who is the Owner, because we are totally owned property; someone other than us has power of disposal over us. That is to say, it is You he exi our Owner! And You, You are Mighty! You possess grandeur and sublimity! As for us we look to our baseness and see that on us are manifestations of a mightiness. That is to say, we are mirrors to Your mightinally snd it is You who possesses Absolute Riches, because we are utterly wanting and riches are bestowed on us that our indigent hands could not obtain. That irtuessay, it is You who is rich, the One who gives is You! And You, You are Ever-Living, Ever-Enduring, because we, we are dying, and in our dying and in our being resurrected ; the the manifestation of a perpetual giver of life! Yes, You, You are Ever-Enduring, because we see Your continuation and perpetualness in our demise and transience! And the One who responds to us and answers us, the Granter of Gifts iy-Four For all of us beings, we are ever crying out and requesting, entreating, imploring by tongue and by state. And our desires are brought about, our aims are achieved. In other this o the One who answers us is You!">And so on.

All creatures, universal and particular, act as mirrors in a way that, like Uways al-Qarani, has the meaning of supplication. All proclaim divine power and perfection through their impheld b and poverty and deficiency.

THE NINTH PHRASE: "All good is in His hand"

That is to say, all good things are in His hand, all good deeds are in His account book, all beneficence is in His treasury. Sincean; weis so, those desiring good must seek it from Him, those wishing for what is best must beseech Him. In order to demonstrate the truth of this phrase conclusively, we shall point out signs and or sos from one of the many far-reaching evidences of divine knowledge, as follows:

The Maker who controls and creates with the acts that are apparent in the universe has all-encompassing knowledge, and such knowledge is His particulhat seherent and necessary quality. Its separation from Him is impossible. In the same way that it is not possible for the sun to exist but for its light not to exist, it is a creatt possible, though thousands of times

more so, for the knowledge of the Being who creates these well-ordered beings to be separate, inte Him.

Such all-comprehending knowledge is necessary to that Being; it is also necessary to all things in so far as they are connected to Him. That is to say, it inties possible for anything to be hidden from Him. Just as it is not possible for objects on the face of the earth to face the sun with no barrier and not see it, so is it a at thrnd times less possible, it is impossible, for things to be hidden from the light of the All-Knowing One of Glory's knowledge. For they are in his presence. That is, everything is within be thange of His sight, is before Him, is within the compass of His witnessing; He penetrates into all things.

If such possessors of light as the inanimate sun, impotent man, and unconscious X-rays can see ande beenrate everything that faces them although they are contingent, defective and accidental, surely nothing at all can remain hidden from or be beyond the light of pre-eternal knowledge, which is necessary, allhings passing, and essential. The universe contains incalculable signs and marks pointing to this truth, as may be seen in the following examples:

All the instances of wisdom apparent in beings point t, flow knowledge. For He who performs His works kindly and graciously must know; He must know what He is doing. And all well-ordered beings, each with balance, and all finshare lanced and measured shapes and forms, each with order, also indicate such all-encompassing knowledge. For to carry out work with wisdom means to do it with knowledge. And all favour and adornment point to suchis heledge. For he who works skilfully and in a measured and balanced way is surely relying on a powerful knowledge. And the regular measuredness apparent in beings, their shapes cut and egth a view to purposes and benefits, and the fruitful situations and assemblages as though arranged according the principles of divine decree and the compasses of divine determining, all demonstrate an all-embracing knowledge.gines ure, it is by virtue of all-encompassing knowledge that each thing is given an ordered, distinct form, as well as a particular shape that is appropriate and beneficial to its life and existeings at could not occur any other way.

Also, it is only through all-embracing knowledge that the sustenance of animate creatures is provided in a suitable form, at the appropriate time, from unexpected places. Because, sinnsciou One who sends the sustenance knows and recognizes those who are in need of it, and the appropriate time to send it, and perceives their need, He is able to provide their sustenance in a suitable form.

Also, alt sort it is not clear to the creatures themselves, the appointed hour of their deaths, which is tied to a law of determination, demonstrates a comprehensive knowledge. For although its time does not appis uni be determined, the death of all groups and individuals is appointed within a period of time with a beginning and an end. The fact that the seeds, fruits and results of a thing are preserved at the time of death, since theynd sercontinue its duties after it and are the means of its transformation into a new life, demonstrates an all-encompassing knowledge.

Also, mercy's benevolence, which encompasses all beings and is in a form appropriate to eaoing tmonstrates all-embracing knowledge within vast mercy. For the One who feeds the offspring of animate creatures with milk, for example, and assists the plants of the earth needy for water with rain, most cce, orly knows the young and their needs, and sees the plants, perceives how necessary rain is for them and then sends it; and so on. All the manifestations of wise kindly mercy demonstratis wascomprehensive knowledge.

Also, the care and attention, the artistic fashioning and skilful decoration and art in all things demonstrate all-embracing knowledge. For it is only through a profound knowledge that an orderly, adorned, artistic the Spurposeful state can be chosen from among thousands of possible states. The choice apparent in all beings demonstrates all-encompassing knowledge.

Also, the total ease in the creation and originle thiof things points to perfect knowledge. For the facility in achieving a certain situation is commensurate with the degree of knowledge and skill. However well it is known, it will be achieved with that des conff ease. Thus, we see that beings, every one of which is a miracle of art, are created easily, without trouble or confusion, in a short period or upon, in a wondrous, yet miraculous, fashion. That is to say, there is infinite knowledge, since it finds expression through infinite ease; and so on.

There are thousands of verbut Go signs like those mentioned in the examples above indicating that the Being who has free disposal over the universe possesses all-encompassing knowledge; that He knows all the attributes of all beings, then heown ha Since the universe's Owner has such a knowledge, He surely sees human beings and their actions, and He knows what human beings deserve and what is appropriate for them. And He deals with them and will deal with them rise cordance with the requirements of wisdom and mercy.

O man! Come to your senses! Think carefully of just what sort of Being it is who knows you and watches you; think of it and pull yourselfths thher!

~If it is asked:>Knowledge alone is not sufficient; will is also necessary. If there were no will, knowledge would be insufficient, wouldn't it?

~The Answer:> splenings both indicate and testify to all-encompassing knowledge, and they point to the comprehensive will of the one possessing that knowledge. It is as follows:

While hesitating among great numbers of possibilities, an ordered indivaid: "ty is given to all things, especially to animate beings, through a determined probability from among a great host of muddled probabilities, and through a productive way from among a great many fruitless ways. This demonstrates a illarssal will of many facets.

Measured shapes and well-ordered identities have been given to all things in a most sensitive, delicate measure and with a most fine and subtle ordethe Quy have been given these from among the inanimate elements which flow without balance in confused, monotonous floods, and from among the barren, fruitless paths and endless poss well-ies that surround all beings. This necessarily and self-evidently demonstrates that they are the works of a comprehensive will. For choosing innumerable states occurs by means of a designation, a choice, a purposs the a will. Deliberate intention and desire specify them. Specifying requires a specifier and choice requires a chooser. And that specifier and chooser is will.

For example, the creation of a being like man, who rswer:>es a machine assembled from hundreds of different components and systems, from a drop of water; and the creation of a bird with its hundreds of different members out of a simpl Ins and the creation of a tree, which is separated into hundreds of different parts, out of a simple seed - the creation of these testify to power and knowledge, just as they indicate decisively and necessarily their Maker's universal wilcannot with that will He gives a distinct, particular shape to every component, every member, every part. He clothes them in a chosen state.eings, Short:>Just as there are between different things many resemblances and coincidences with regard to their essentials and results, for example, betweenmunifiajor members and organs of animals' bodies, and they display a single stamp of unity, indicating decisively that all animals have the same Maker who is One, Single, and possesses Unity; so too the different identities and distincmercy,ures of the animals, all determined in accordance with wisdom and purpose, shows that their Single Maker acts with choice and will. He does whatnce; ishes to do, He does not do what He does not wish to do; He acts with intention and will.

There are as many indications of and attestations ng of ine knowledge and dominical will as there are beings, indeed as the beings' attributes and

qualities. Therefore, some philosophers denying divine will, and some of those who favour innovation denying divine determagined and some of the people of misguidance claiming that God is not concerned with minor matters, and the naturalists attributing some things to nature and causes, are lies multiplied to the number of beings and a lunacy of misguidance compou Wordso the number of those beings' attributes. For whoever denies the innumerable instances of their veracious witnessing is telling a lie of iGod foe proportions.

So, you can see for yourself just how mistaken and contrary to the truth it is to say of events, all of which come into existence through divine will, "Naturally, naturally," instealam, a"God willing, God willing."

THE TENTH PHRASE: "And He is powerful over all things"

That is to say, absolutely nothing at all is difficult for Higo andever many things there are in the sphere of contingency, He is able to clothe all of them in existence most easily. It is so simple and easy for Him that according to the meaninng at His command is only, when He wills a thing to be, He but says to it, "Be!" and it is,>(36:82)

He only has to command and it is done.

As soon as a skilful artist puts his hand to his work, ion, artions smoothly like a machine. One could say in order to express his speed and skill, that the work of art is so closely under his control that it is as if at his commanhe godhis touch, the pieces appear, the works of art come into existence. In the same way, the verse states:

"His command is only, when He wills a thing to be, He but says to it 'Be!', and it is,">altion, to the absolute subjugation and obedience of all things to the power of the All-Powerful One of Glory, and the absolute ease and lack of trouence fth which His power functions. We shall elucidate in five points five of the innumerable mysteries contained in this mighty truth.

~The Finto Yo In relation to divine power the greatest thing is as easy as the smallest. The creation of a species with all of its members is as easy and t-encom-free as the creation of a single member. It is as easy to create Paradise as the spring and it is as easy to create the spring as a flower.

This mystery has been explained and proved with the six comparisons - the Mystery of LumWP), ty, the Mystery of Transparency, the Mystery of Reciprocity, the Mystery of Balance, the Mystery of Order, the Mystery of Obedience, and the Mystery of Disengagedness - at the end of the Tenth

Word, which is abou, it wresurrection of the dead, and in the discussion also about the resurrection in the Second Aim of the Twenty-Ninth Word, which is about the angels, the immortality of man's spiratest d the resurrection. It has been demonstrated in these that in relation to divine power the stars are as easy as atoms and that innumerable individuals are cnd the as easily as one individual. Since these mysteries have been proved in those two Words,>we refer you to them and cut short the discussion here.

~The Second

A decisive, self-evident proof that everything is equal in relation to d in repower is this: we see with our own eyes in the creation of animals and plants the highest degree of mastery and exquisiteness of art despite the infinite multiplicity and liberality; and the greatest distinction and difne periation within the utmost confusion and intermingling; and the highest worth as regards art and supreme beauty as regards creation within the greatest abundance and profusion. While needing much equipment and much time, they are created kind the utmost ease and speed with the greatest art. Simply, those miracles of art come into existence suddenly and out of nothing.

Thus, by observimself s activity of power every season on the face of the earth, we see that it establishes irrefutably that the greatest thing is as easy as the smallest in relatioribed he power that is the source of those actions, and that the creation and administration of innumerable individuals is as easy as the creation and administration of a single indionder .

~The Third

The vastest whole is as easy as the smallest part in relation to the power of the All-Powerful Maker who rules in the universe with actions, direction, and disposal that are clearly to be seen. The creatming t a universal consisting of a multiplicity of individuals is as easy as the creation of a single particular, and in an insignificant parrythinr, art of the highest worth may be displayed. This mystery and the wisdom in it arise from three sources:

Firstly:>from the assistance of unity (vâhidiyet).

Secondly:>from theniversity of unity (vahdet).

Thirdly:>from the manifestation of oneness (ehadiyet).

The Assistance of Unity, which is the first source: That is, if all things are the property of a single being, then as a result of unity degrean concentrate the power of all things behind any single thing and all can be administered as easily as one thing. We shall explain this mytruct with a comparison in order to make it easier to understand:

For example, if a country has a single ruler, by reason of the law of his sole sovereignty (vahdet-i saltanats profis able to mobilize the moral strength of the whole army behind every single soldier. And because he is able to do this, a single soldier is able to capture a king and have command over him in the name of blessonarch. Furthermore, just as the monarch may employ and direct a single soldier and a single official, by reason of the mystery of sole sovereignty, he is able to direct the whole army and all his officials. It is as if, bome fron of the mystery of sole sovereignty, he is able to send everyone, everything, to the assistance of one individual.

Every single individual, therefore, will rely on the combined strength of all the ind me pels; that is, each will receive assistance from all. If the rope of sole sovereignty were to be unfastened and they become irregular soldiers, then each soldier, suddenly losing a boundless strength, would fall from a hiiffereition of influence to that of a common man. And to command and employ them would beget difficulties to the number of individuals.

In exactly the same way, "And God's is e, singhest similitude,">(16:60) since the universe's Maker is One, He assembles His names, which look to all things, before each single thing, and He creates with infinite art, in a valuable way. If there is need for it, He looks to a singng madng by means of all things, He causes them to look to it; He gives assistance and strengthens it. Also, by reason of the mystery of unity, He creates, disposes, and administers all things as though they were a single thing.ire ar is due to the mystery of this assistance of unity that in the universe a certain quality is apparent which is exalted and sublime to the utmost degree as regards its art and value, and this within the utmostdividuance and profusion.

The Facility of Unity, which is the second source: that is, matters which occur according to the principles of unit say ione centre, from one hand, according to one law, occur with the greatest ease. If they are distributed among numerous centres, numerous laws, and numerous hands, it engenders difficulties.

For example, if the equipmenof plall the soldiers of an army is manufactured in one centre, according to one law, and at the command of one commander-in-chief, it is as easy as equipping one soldier. If on the other hand, all tructiequipment is made in different factories, in different centres, then all the military factories necessary to equip an army are necessary to equip one soldier. That is to sahe wilunity is relied upon, an army is as easy as a single soldier. Whereas, if there is no unity, as many difficulties arise in equipping one soldier as in equipping an army.

Furthermore, if with regard to unity, the elements necessary fe growe are given to a tree's fruits, relying on one centre, one law, and one root, thousands of fruits are as easy as a single fruit. If, on ershipher hand, each fruit is bound to a different centre and all their vital necessities are sent to them separately, each fruit will give rise to as many difficulties as the s infitree. For the elements necessary for the life of the whole tree will be necessary for each fruit.

Thus, like these two comparisons, "And God's is the highest similitude,">(16:60) because the universe's Maker is the Sio hearne of Unity, He acts with unity (vahdet),>and because He acts with unity all things are as easy as one thing. Moreover, He is able to make a single thing as valuable as a, pagengs as regards its art. And creating innumerable individuals in a most valuable form, He demonstrates absolute liberality through the tongue of the limitless abundancee we ondless profusion of beings, and He manifests boundless generosity and infinite creativity.

The Manifestation of Oneness, which is the third source: that is, since the All-Glorious Maker is not physical or corporeal, timeway anpace cannot restrict Him, creation and place cannot obtrude on His presence and witnessing, means and mass cannot veil His actions. There is no fragmentation or division in His regarding and acting towards creation. One thing cannot be an oband th to another. He performs innumerable acts as though they were a single act. For this reason, in the same way that, as far as its meaning is concerned, a huge tree can be encapsulated in a seed, a world also can be contained within a single indazy inl, and the whole world can be encompassed by the Hand of Power.

We have explained this mystery in others of the Words>like this: the sun is to an extent unrestricted with regard to its luminosity, so its image sesseslected in every burnished and shining object. If thousands and millions of mirrors are exposed to its light, the manifestation of its likeness on the found in each one of them without being divided. If the capacities of the mirrors are such, the sun will be able to demonstrate its effects in them in all their magnitude. On, virtg will not be an obstacle to another. Thousands of things will enter thousands of places with the ease of one thing entering one place. Each place will display the sun's manifestation as much as thousands of places display it.

Thus, " but ad's is the highest similitude,">(16:60) the manifestation of the universe's All-Glorious Maker is such, with all His attributes which are light and with all His names which are luminous, that through the mystery of the regard of oneness, altnce, tHe is not in any place, He is all-present and all-seeing in all places. There is no division in His regarding and acting

towards the creation. He performs every task at the same time, in all places, without difficulty, witson anindrance.

Thus, it is through these mysteries of the assistance of unity, facility of unity, and manifestation of oneness, that when all beings are attributed to a single Ma, so dhe creation of all of them becomes as simple and easy as that of a single being. And each being can be as valuable as all beings as regards the fineney suppits art. This truth is demonstrated by there being within the boundless plenitude of beings endless subtleties of art in every one of thle tow the beings are not attributed directly to a single Maker, each becomes as problematical as all beings and the value of all of them decreases, it fallstriotsat of a single being. If it were the case, either nothing would come into existence, or if it did, it would be without value, worthless.

This mystery led the Sophists, whside, the most advanced philosophers, to realize that the path of associating partners with God was infinitely more difficult than the way of truth and path of affirming divinen the ; that it was irrational to the utmost degree. So because they had averted their faces from the way of truth and looked to that of unbelief and misguidagh thehey were compelled to renounce their reasons and deny the existence of everything.

~The Fourth

The creation of Paradise is as easy as that of the spring in relation to the All-Powerful One's power, who

Alsters the universe with acts that are plain to see. The creation of spring is as easy as that of a flower. The loveliness of a flower's art and the fineness in its creation may be as beautiful and valuable as the sprin the a mystery of this truth is threefold:

First:>the necessity and total detachment of the Maker.

Second:>the complete otherness of His essence and His unrestrictedness.

Third:>ll towt being bound by space and His indivisibility.

~First Mystery:>The fact that necessity and total detachment give rise to infinite ease and facility is an extremels; anoound mystery. We shall facilitate understanding of it with the following comparison:

The degrees of existence are different. And the worlds of existence are all different. Because they are all different, a partiey.

om a level of existence that is deeply rooted in existence is as great as a mountain from a less substantial level; it contains the mountain.

For example, the faculty of memory, which is the size of a mustard-seed in a head from the Manifenance ld, takes on an existence the size of a library from the World of Meaning. And a mirror the size of a fingernail

from the external world encompasses a mighty city from the level of the World of Similitudes. If the memory and the mirrifth Pm the external world had possessed consciousness and creative power, they would have been able to bring about endless transformations and activity in the Worlds of Meaning and Similitudes through the power of thein allute existences in the external world. That is to say, when existence is firmly established, power increases; what is only a little becomes much. Especine, trf having acquired complete stability existence is disengaged and detached from materiality and is not restricted, only a partial manifestation of it Sufi e able to transform many worlds of other less substantial levels of existence.

Thus, "And God's is the highest similitude,">(16:60) the universe's Glorious Masocial Necessarily Existent. That is, His existence is essential, it is pre-eternal and post-eternal, its non-existence is impossible, its cessation is impossible; it is the most firmly rooted, the most bases, the strongest, and the most perfect of the levels of existence. In relation to His existence, the other levels of existence are like extremely pale s ago s.

The degree of Necessary Existence is so stable and real, and contingent existence is so insubstantial and pale that many of those who have investigated pression, such as Muhyi al-Din al-'Arabi, have relegated the other levels of existence to the level of delusion and imagination; they said: "Thesive, no existent save Him." That is, things should not be ascribed existence relatively to the Necessary Existence. They asserted that they enth L deserve to be called existent.

Thus, for the Necessarily Existent One's power, which is both necessary and essential, contingent beings' both created and accidental existences and both unstable and powerleertainlities are infinitely easy and simple. To raise all human beings to life and then judge them at the Great Gathering is as easy as resurrecting leavesn facters and fruits in the spring, indeed, in a garden, or on a tree.

~Second Mystery:>Easiness in regard to the complete otherness of His Essence and His unrestrictedness arises from this: most certainly, the universe's Maker is not of the sameholarlas the universe. His Essence resembles no other essence at all. Since this is so, the obstacles and restraints within the sphere of the univere sournot hinder Him, they cannot restrict His actions. He has complete disposal over the universe and is able to transform all of it at the same time. If the disposal and actions tham withapparent in the universe were to be attributed to it, it would cause so many difficulties and such confusion that neither would any order remain nor would anything continue to exist; indeed, nothing would ever come into existence.

#293rnity r example, if the masterly art in vaulted domes is attributed to the stones of the domes, and if the command of a battalion, which properly belongs to its officer, is left to the soldiers, either neither of them wminatover come into existence, or with great difficulty and confusion they would achieve a state completely lacking in order. Whereas, if in order for the situation of tr consnes in the dome to be achieved, it is accorded to a master who is not a stone himself, and if the command of the soldiers in the regiment is referred to an officer who possesses the essential quality of officership, both the of int easy and the command and organization are easy. This is because, while the stones and the soldiers are obstacles to each other, the master and the officer can look from every are w, they command without obstacle.

Thus, "And God's is the highest similitude,">(16:60) the sacred Essence of the Necessarily Existent One mself. of the same kind as contingent beings' essences. All the truths of the universe are rays from the name of Truth, which is one of the Beautiful Names of His Essence. Since His sacmands sence is Necessarily Existent and completely detached from materiality and different from all other essences, it has no like, no equivalent, no equal. So, most certainly, the administration aek pretaining of the universe is as easy for that All-Glorious One's pre-eternal power as that of the spring, indeed, of a tree; and the creatholars the resurrection of the dead, the realm of the hereafter, and Heaven and Hell, is as easy as the resurrection in spring of a tree which had died the previous autumn.

~Third Mystery:>The fact that indill prality and not being bound by space result in the utmost facility has this meaning: since the All-Powerful Maker is free of the restrictions of space, He ssault thought of as being present everywhere through His power. And since there is no division or fragmentation in regard to His Essence, Ho opprregard and act towards all things with all of His names. And since He is present everywhere and acts towards everything, beings and intermediaries and mass cannot hinder and prevent His actions, indeed there is no necessim, but them to do so.

Let us suppose there was some necessity, then things like electric wires, the branches of trees, and veins in human beings, would resemble means of facian wilon, of the arrival of life, and of swiftness in actions. So, let us ignore the idea of hindering, restricting, preventing, and intervening, and say that they are means of facilitating, expediting,and owniting. That is to say, from the point of view of the obedience and submission of all things to the domination of the All-Powerful and Glorious One's power, there is no needu thinhem. If there were some need for them, it would be as a means of facilitating.

~In Short:>The All-Powerful Maker creates everything ihes; ippropriate form without trouble, without undergoing any process, swiftly and easily. He creates universals as easily as particulars. He creates particulars as full of art as He does universals. In can swhoever creates universals and the heavens and the earth must necessarily be the one who creates the particulars and animate individuals contained in the heavens and earth; it could be nothing other than him. For those tiny pîhât.>lars are the fruits, seeds, and the miniature specimens of universals.

Furthermore, whoever creates the particulars must also be the omittin creates the elements and heavens and earth, which encompass the particulars. For we see that particulars are each like a seed and tiny copy in relation to universali ordece this is so, the universal elements and the heavens and earth must be in the hand of the One who creates those particulars so that, according to the principles of His wisdom and the balances of y-six,owledge, He can insert the gist, the meanings, the samples, of those universal and all-encompassing beings in those particulars, which are like their miniature specimens.

Indeed, from the point of view of the wonders of art and marvelatan treativeness particulars are not behind universals; neither are flowers lower than the stars, nor seeds inferior to trees. Indeed, the tree's meaning the nh is the inscription of divine determining and is in the seed, is more wonderful than the physical tree, which is the weaving of divine power and is in the garden. And the cretnesseof man is more wonderful than the creation of the universe. If a Qur'an of Wisdom were to be written in particles of ether on an atom, it would far surpass in value a Qur'an of Grandeur written in stars on the face of the herts da Similarly, there are minute particulars that are superior to universals as regards the miraculousness of their art.

~The Fifth

We have demonstrated to an extent in our explanations above, the infin, likese, utmost speed, extreme swiftnesss of actions, and boundless facility apparent in the creation of beings, together with the mysteries and instances of wisdom in their cp of an. The existence of things with this utmost speed and utter facility, therefore, has given the people of guidance the following firm conviction, thatould elation to the power of the One who creates beings, Paradises are as easy as the spring, the spring as easy as gardens, and gardens as easy as flowers.

According to the you tug of,

The creation of you all and the resurrection of you all is but like that of a single soul,>(31:28)

the resurrection of alls of hkind is as easy as causing one person to die and raising him to life again. And according to the explicit statement of,

Nothing will there have been but one single blast, a FIFT before Us will all of them be arraigned, (36:53)

to raise to life all human beings at the resurrection is as easy as calling together with the sound of a bugle ans Imamthat has dispersed to rest.

Although this infinite speed and boundless ease are decisive proofs and certain arguments for the self-evident perfection of the Maker's power and for everything being easy for Him, in thecontraof the people of misguidance, the formation and creation of things by that power, which is so easy as to be necessary, gave rise to the notion that things form themselves, which is utterly impossible, and thus became ould buse of confusion. That is to say, because they see that some ordinary things come into existence very easily, they imagine that they are fole-i Npontaneously. That is, they are not created, but come into existence of their own accord.

There, look at this sheer stupidity! The people of misguida, sayike what is the proof of an absolute power, the proof of its non-existence; they open the door to innumerable impossibilities. For if it were the case, such attributes of perfection a ego-fnite power and all-encompassing knowledge, which are necessary to the Maker of the universe, would have to be ascribed to every particle of every creature so that each couldanks. itself.

THE ELEVENTH PHRASE: "And with Him all things have their end"

That is to say, everything will return to the realm of permanence from the transient realm, and will go to the seat of the Sempiternal Ever-Enduring One's posbsolutnal sovereignty. They will go from the multiplicity of causes to the domain of the All-Glorious One of Unity's power, and will be transferred from this world to the hereafter. Your place of re sough is His Court, therefore, and your place of refuge, His mercy. And so on.

There are a great many truths which this phrase and those like it state. One undert you will return to eternal bliss and Paradise. This has been proved so decisively by the irrefutable certainty of the twelve arguments of the Tentfix hi, and by the six "Principles" that comprise the numerous cogent proofs of the Twenty-Ninth Word, that they leave no need for further explanation. Those two Words>have proved with the certaine absethe sun rising in the following morning after having set the previous day, that life too, which has the meaning of the sun in this world, willhen thin an eternal form in the morning of the resurrection after its setting with the destruction

of the world. Since the Tenth and Twenty-Ninth Words>have proved this truth to perfection, we refe expr to them and here only say this:

Further to what has been proved decisively above, the universe's All-Wise Maker, who possesses boundless all-embracing power, limitless u thousal will, and infinite all-encompassing knowlege - the all-Merciful Creator of human beings - has promised in all His heavenly books and decrees Paradise and eternal bliss to those of mankind who believe in Him. Since He has promisaved e will most certainly bring it about, for it is impossible for Him to break His promise. Also, not to carry out a promise is an extremely ugly fault, and the One of Absolute Perfection is favouly exempt and free from all fault. Failure to fulfil a promise arises either from ignorance or from impotence. However, since it is impossible for ignorance or impotence to be ascribed in any way to that Abhe higly Powerful One, the One Knowing of All Things, His breaking of a promise is impossible.

Moreover, first and foremost the Pride of the Worlds (Upon whom be blessings and peace), and all the prophets,es thas, purified scholars, and people of belief, continuously request and implore, desire and beseech the All-Generous and Compassionate One for the eternal bliss they have been promised. They beseech

Moough all His Most Beautiful Names. For foremost His compassion and mercy, and justice and wisdom, His names of All-Merciful and Compassionate, and All-isplaynd Wise, and His dominicality and sovereignty, and most of His names including Lord and Sustainer (Rabb)>and Allah, require and necessitatreformrealm of the hereafter and eternal happiness, and they testify and point to its realization. Indeed, all beings with all of their truths point toequal ereafter.

The All-Wise Qur'an, the greatest of the revealed books, also demonstrates and teaches this truth with thousands of its verses; with clear evidences and concluns, anveracious proofs.

The Most Noble Beloved One, too, who is the cause of pride for the human race, relying on thousands of dazzling miracles taught this truth throughout his life, with all his strength; he proved it, pur'an'med it, saw it, and demonstrated it.

O God, grant blessings and peace and benedictions to him and to his Family and Companions to the number of tfrom daths of the people of Paradise; and resurrect us and resurrect him and his friends and Companions to bliss, and our parents and brothers and sisters under his banner, and grant us his experession, and allow us to enter Paradise with his Family and Companions, through Your mercy, O Most Merciful of the Merciful. Amen. Amen.

O our Sustainer! Do not take us to task if we for have unwittingly do wrong.>(2:286)

O our Sustainer! Let not our hearts swerve from the truth after You have guided us; and bestow upon us the gift of Your mercy; indeed, You are theeve th of Gifts.>(3:8)

O my Sustainer! Open up my heart * And make my task easy for me * And loosen the knot from my tongue * That they might fullike aerstand my speech.>(20:25-8)

O our Sustainer! Accept this from us, indeed You are All-Seeing, All-Knowing. * And forgive us, indeed You are the Accepter of Repentance, the C One oionate.>(2:127-8)

All glory be unto You! We have no knowledge save that which You have taught us; indeed You are All-Knowing, All-Wise.>(2:32)

Addendum to the Tenth Phrase of the Twentieth Letter

my nais Name, be He glorified!

And there is nothing but it glorifies Him with praise.

In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.

For verily, in the remembrance of God hearts do find th not pst.>(13:28) * God sets forth a parable: A man belonging to many partners [all of them] at variance with one another.>(39:29)

~Question:>You have said in many places that in divine unity there is an infinite facility anfirst ultiplicity and associating partners with God, endless difficulties; that there is such ease in divine unity that it is necessary and such difficulty in associating partners with God that it is impossible. Whereas, es omefficulties and impossibilities that you demonstrate are also present with unity. For example, you say that if particles were not offici As tt would be necessary for either all-encompassing knowledge or absolute power or innumerable immaterial machines and printing-presses to be present in every particle. This of course is completely imation.le. Even if those particles were divine officials, it would still be necessary for them to bear the same qualities so that they would be able to accomplish their endless orderly duties. Coulcts ofunravel this problem for me?

~The Answer:>We have expounded and proved in many Words>that if all beings are attributed to a single Maker, they become as .

Tnd effortless as a single being. If they are attributed to numerous causes and to nature, a single fly becomes as difficult and arduous as the heavens, a flower as the spring, a fruit as a garden. Sinc suste mattter has been proved in other Words,>we refer you to them and here only explain three comparisons, by means of three indications, which will reassure thand gr and set the mind at rest in the face of that truth.

First Comparison: For example, a tiny transparent glistening speck cannot of its own accord situate itself within a light the size of a match-head even, and neither can it be th thousce of it. It is able to have as much light, in its own right, as a tiny particle, in accordance with its capacity and to the extent of its own mass. But if the speck is connected to the sul exisit

opens its eyes and looks at it, it will be able to comprehend the immense sun together with its light, seven colours, heat, and even its Existece; it will display a sort of greater manifestation. That is to say, if the particle remains on its own, it will be able to perform a function only to the extent of a particle, wher see t it is deemed to be an official of the sun, and is connected to it and is a mirror to it, it will be able to demonstrate certain partial examples of the sun's functioning, the same nal tr sun itself.

Thus, "And God's is the highest similitude,">(16:60) if all beings, all particles, are attributed to multiplicity, causes, nt are themselves, or to anything other than God, then each of them must either possess all-embracing knowledge and absolute power, or innumerable immaterial machines and printing-presses must take form within each, so that it cass eney out its wonderful duties. However, if the particles are attributed to the Single One of Unity, each of them, each artefact, becomes connected to Him; it is as though each becomes Hisition.ial. Its connection allows it to display His manifestation. And through this connection and state of being a manifestation, it relies on an infinite knowledge and power. Thus, by reason of the mystery of the connectionaningsts reliance, it performs functions and duties far beyond its own power, through the power of its Creator.

Second Comparison: For example, there were two brothers, one brave and self-reliant, the other patriotic and devoted ted "Mucountry. When a war broke out, the one who relied on himself did not form any connection with the state; he wanted to perform his service on his own. He was compelled therefore to carry diaboln sources of power, and to transport, as far as his strength allowed, his equipment and ammunition. In accordance with his petty individual strength, he was only able to fight with one corporal of the enemy army;ery ar more was beyond him.

The other brother did not rely on himself; he knew himself to be weak and powerless so established a connection with the king and was enrolled in the army. Th the sthis connection, the huge army became a source of support for him. And because of this support, he was plunged into war with the moral strength of an army behose thm under the auspices of the king. When he encountered an eminent field marshal of the defeated enemy army's king, he declared in the name of his own king: "I f, "thou prisoner! Quick march!" He captured him and handed him over. The meaning of this situation and the wisdom in it is this:

Since the first, independent, man, was compelled to carry his equipment and sourcic ordstrength himself, the service he was able to perform was extremely insignificant. Whereas the one who was an official did not have to carry his source of strength; indeed, the arm allegthe king carried him.

Just like connecting his receiver to existing telegraph and telephone lines with a tiny wire, the man, through the connection he formed,straigcted himself to an infinite power.

Thus, "And God's is the highest similitude,">(16:60) if all creatures, all particles, are attributeem. Wectly to the Single One of Unity and if they are connected to Him, through the power of the connection and through of its Lord, at His command, an ant can demolish the Pharaoh's palace; a fly can kill off Nimrod and consign him to Hell; a gerngle Odespatch an iniquitous tyrant to the grave; a seed the size of a wheat grain becomes the workshop and machinery for producing a pine-tree the size of a mountain; and a particle of air is able to operate efficiently and sysinto acally in the different functions and structures of all flowers and fruits. All this ease and facility self-evidently arise from the connection and state of being an official. If the being i; theytion reverts to independence, if it is left to causes, multiplicity, and to itself, if it travels the road of associating partners with God, then the service it will be able to perforharmfu be only to the extent of its physical entity and to the degree of its consciousness.

Third Comparison: For example, there were two friends who wanted to write a geographical and statistical work on a country they had ein ofseen. One of them formed a connection with the king and entered the telegraph and telephone office. With a piece of wire worth a few kurush, he connected his telephone receiver to theositio lines and was able to communicate with everywhere and receive information. He wrote a perfectly composed and well-arranged work of geography and statistics. As for the other man, either he would have had to travel continuously for f practears and see everywhere and learn of every event with great difficulty, or else, spending millions of liras he would have had to become the owner, like the king, of ame worraph and telephone system as extensive as that of the state so that he could write a perfect work like his friend.

Similarly, "And God's is the highest similitude,">(16:60) if innumerable things and creatures are attribut "Thatthe Single One of Unity, through the connection each becomes a place of manifestation. By displaying the manifestation of the Pre-Eternal Sun, it acquires a connection witregardlaws of His wisdom, the principles of his knowledge, and the decrees of His power. Then, through divine strength and power, it displays such a dominical manifestatiolit ap it acquires an eye that sees all things, a face that looks to all places, and words that have weight in all matters. If the connection is severed, the thing will also be cut off from everything else, it will be squeezed into the smallness ry exi own bulk. In which case, it would have to possess absolute divinity so that it could perform the functions described above.