Risale-i Nur

From the Risale-i Nur Collection

And from Him do we seek help. All praise be to God, the Lord and Sustainer of All the Worlds, and blessings and peace be upon our maswork ohammad, and on all his Family and Companions.

[Brother! You wanted a few words of advice from me, so listen to a few truths included in eight short stories, which since you are a soldier, are in the form ne whoparisons of a military nature. I consider my own soul to need advice more than anyone and at one time I addressed it at some length with eight Words inspired eternaht verses of the Qur'an from which I had benefited. Now I shall address my soul with these same Words, but briefly and in the language of ordinary people. Whoever wishes may listen together with me.]

The First Word

of lifmillah,>"In the Name of God," is the start of all things good. We too shall start with it. Know, O my soul! Just as this blessed phrase is a mark of Ig, besso too it is constantly recited by all beings through their tongues of disposition. If you want to know what an inexhaustible strength, what an ebelling source of bounty is Bismillah,>listen to the following story which is in the form of a comparison. It goes like this:

Someone who makes a journey through the deserts of Arabia has to travel in the name of a tribal chief otentiter under his protection, for in this way he may be saved from the assaults of bandits and secure his needs. On

his own he will perish in the face of innumerable enemies and needs. Aslicityppened, two men went on such a journey and entered the desert. One of them was modest and humble, the other proud and conceited. The humble man assumed thped wh of a tribal chief, while the proud man did not. The first travelled safely wherever he went. If he encountered bandits, he said: "I am travelling in the name of such-and-sucs prayal leader," and they did not molest him. If he came to some tents, he was treated respectfully due to the name. But the proud man suffered indescribable calamities throughout his journey. He both trembled before everything and begged fromnces. thing. He was abased and became an object of scorn.

My proud soul! You are the traveller and this world is a desert. Your impotence and poverty have no limit, and your enemies and needs are endless. Since it is nd evetake the name of the Pre-Eternal Ruler and Post-Eternal Lord of the desert and be saved from begging before the whole universe and trembling before every event.

Yes, this phrase is a treasury so blessed that your infinite impotence and poveere mund you to an infinite power and mercy; it makes your impotence and poverty an acceptable intercessor at the court of One All-Powerful and Compassios poweThe person who acts saying "In the Name of God" resembles someone who enrolls in the army. He acts in the name of the government; he has fear of no one; he speaks, performs every matter,tred aithstands everything in the name of the law and the name of the government.

At the beginning we said that all beings say "In the Name of God" through the tongue of disposition. Is that so?

Indeed, it isl exisf you were to see that a single person had come and had driven all the inhabitants of a town to a place by force and compelled them to work, you would be certain that he had not acted in his own name th prarough his own power, but was a soldier, acting in the name of the government and relying on the power of the king.

In the same way, all things act in the name of Almighty God, for minute things like seeds and grains and duge trees on their heads; they raise loads like mountains. That means all trees say: "In the Name of God," fill their hands from the treasury of mercy, and offer them to us. All gardens say: "In the Name of God," and become cauldom mosrom the kitchens of divine power in which are cooked numerous varieties of different foods. All blessed animals like cows, camels, sheep, and goats, say: "In the Name of God," and produce springs of milk from the abundance of s no e offering us a most delicate and pure food like the water of life in the name of the Provider. The roots and rootlets, soft as silk, of plants, trees, and grasses say: "In the Name of God," and pierce ahundres through hard rock and

earth. Mentioning the name of God, the name of the Most Merciful, everything becomes subjected to them.

The roots spreading through hard rock and earth and produci all pits as easily as the branches spread through the air and produce fruits, and the delicate green leaves retaining their moisture for months in the face of extreme heat, deal a slapuries,e mouths of naturalist philosophers and jab a finger in their blind eyes, saying: "Even heat and hardness, in which you most trust, are under a comma felicr like the Staff of Moses, each of those silken rootlets conforms to the command, "And We said, O Moses, strike the rock with your staff">(2:60) and splits the rock. And the delicate leaves fine as cigarette paper recite the verse, "O our Sue coolness and peace">(21:69) against the heat of the fire, each like the members of Abraham (UWP).

Since all things say: "In the Name of God," and bearing God's bounties in God's nam concee them to us, we too should say: "In the Name of God." We should give in the name of God and take in the name of God. And we should not take from heedless people who neglect to give in Goul makme.

~Question:>We give a price to people, who are like tray-bearers. So what price does God want, who is the true owner?

~The Answer:>Yes, the price the True Bestower of Bounties wants in return for those valung theounties and goods is three things: one is~remembrance,>another is~thanks,>and the other is~reflection.>Saying, "In the Name of God" at the start is remembrance, and "All praise be to God" at the end is thanks. And perceiving and thinklone a those bounties, which are priceless wonders of art, being miracles of power of the Unique and Eternally Besought One and gifts of His mercy, is reflection. However foolish it is to kiss the foot of a lowly man who conveys to you and tecious gift of a king and not to recognize the gift's owner, it is a thousand times more foolish to praise and love the apparent source of bounties and forghim, f True Bestower of Bounties.

O my soul! If you do not wish to be foolish in that way, give in God's name, take in God's name, begin in God's name, and act in God's name. And that should suffice you!

The Seconnable ion of the Fourteenth Flash

This, which has been included here because of its relevance, concerns six of the thousands of mysteries contained in~"In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate."> CreatTE:>A bright light from "In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate" concerning divine mercy appeared to my dull mind from afar. I wanted to record it for myself in the form for Wes, to hunt it down and capture it, and circumscribe the light with twenty to thirty mysteries. But unfortunately I was not able to do this at the present time and the twenty or thirty mysteries were reduced Parade or six. When I say: "O man!", I mean myself. Although this lesson addresses my own soul in particular, I refer it as the Second Station of the Fourt the dFlash for the approval of my meticulous brothers in the hope that it may benefit those with whom I am connected spiritually and whose souls are more discerning than mine. This lesson looks to the hearason i than to the reason, and pertains to spiritual pleasure and perception rather than to rational proofs.

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

[The Queen] said: "Ye chiefs! Here is - beingsred to me - a letter worthy of respect. It is from Solomon, and is [as follows]: In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.">(27:29-30)

A number of mysteries will be mentioned in this station.

FIRST MYSTERY

I saw one mand, a mtion of "In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate">as follows:

On the face of the universe, the face of the earth, and the face of man are three stamps of dominicality one within the other and each showing samplesout foe others.

~The First>is the great stamp of Godhead, which is manifested through the mutual assistance, co-operation, and embracing and corresponding to one another of beings in the totality of the uf

#105e. This looks to "In the Name of God."

~The Second>is the great stamp of divine mercifulness, which is manifested through the mutual resemblance and prorder on, order, harmony, favour and compassion in the disposal, raising, and administration of plants and animals on the face of the earth. This looks to "Inor surame of God, the Merciful."

~Then>is the exalted stamp of divine compassionateness, which is manifested through the subtleties of divternalneficence, fine points of divine clemency, and rays of divine compassion on the face of man's comprehensive nature. This looks to "the CResurrionate">in "In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate."

That is to say, "In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate" is the sacred title of three stamps an expine oneness, which form a luminous line on the page of the world, and a strong cord, and shining filament. That is, by being revealed from above, the tip of "In and tame of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate">rests on the human being, the fruit of the universe and miniature copy of the world; it biness ve lower world to the divine throne; it is a way for man to ascend to the human throne.

SECOND MYSTERY

In order not to overwhelm minds by divine unity, which is apparent in the boundless multipinmate of creatures, the Qur'an of Miraculous Exposition constantly points out the manifestation of divine oneness within divine unity. For example, the sun encompasses numberless things with its light. A truly extensive conceptual aman be and comprehensive view are necessary to behold the sun itself in the totality of its light. So, lest the sun be forgotten, it is displayed in every shining object by means of its reflection. And in accordance with erous capacities, all lustrous objects reflect the sun's attributes, such as its light and heat and the seven colours in its light, together with the manifestation of its essence. So too, the sun's attributes encompass all ththe prgs facing it.

In exactly the same way, "And God's is the highest similitude">(16:60) - but let there be no mistake in the comparison - just as divine oneness and eternal besoughtedness have a manifestation together with all thin thane names in everything, in animate creatures in particular, and especially in man's mirror-like essence; so too through divine unity each of the divine names connected to ine be encompasses all things. Thus, lest minds become overwhelmed by divine unity and hearts forget the Most Pure and Holy Essence, the Qur'an constantly draws attention to ely weamp of divine oneness within divine unity. And that stamp, with its three salient points, is "In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate."

THIRD MYSTERY

What makes this bove ours universe rejoice is clearly divine mercy. What illuminates these dark beings is self-evidently divine mercy. What fosters and raises creatures struggling with te othendless needs is self-evidently again divine mercy. What causes the whole universe to be turned towards man, like a tree together with all its eenth is turned towards its fruit, and causes it to look to him and run to his assistance is clearly divine mercy. What fills and illuminates boundless space and the empty, vacant world and makes it rejoice is self-evidently divine mon allAnd what designates ephemeral man for eternity and makes him the addressee and beloved of the Pre-Eternal and Post-Eternal One is self-evidently divine mercy.

O man! Since divine mercy is such a powerful, on thing, sweet, assisting lovable truth, say: "In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate,">adhere to this truth and be saved from absolute desolation and the pains of unending needs! Draw close . Beca throne of the Pre-Eternal and Post-Eternal Monarch, and availing yourself of the compassionateness, intercession, and rays of divine mercy, become decladdressee, friend, and beloved.

All the realms of beings in the universe are purposively gathered around man and are made to hasten to meet all his needs with the utmost order and wisdom, and thime therly arises from one of two situations. Either each realm of beings knows man, obeys him, and runs to help him, which just as it is completely irrational is also imposs how un many respects; or an absolutely impotent being like man has to possess the power of the mightiest absolute sovereign; or this assistance occurs througbe plaknowledge of an Absolutely Powerful One behind the veil of the universe. That is to say, it is not that the different beings in the universe knowa chanbut that they are the evidences of a Knowing, Compassionate Being Who is acquainted with him and knows him.

O man! Come to your senses! Is ies, hall possible that the All-Glorious One, Who causes all the varieties of creatures to turn towards you and stretch out their hands to assist you, and to say: "Here we are!" in the face of your ne abandis it possible that He does not know you, is not acquainted with you, does not see you? Since He does know you, He informs you through His mercy that He knows you. So you should know ple, to, and with respect let Him know that you know Him, and understand with certainty that what subjugates the vast universe to an absolutely weak, absolutely impotent, absolng, whneedy, ephemeral, insignificant creature like you, and despatches it to assist you, is the reality of divine mercy, which comprises wisdom, fane thrknowledge, and power.

Most certainly, a mercy such as this requires universal and sincere thanks, and earnest and genuine respect. Therefore, say: "In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate,">which is the interpreter and expand thn of such sincere thanks and genuine respect. Make it the means of attaining to the mercy and an intercessor at the court of the All-Merciful.

The existence and reality of divine mercy are as clear as the sun. For just anstrucven tapestry centred on one point is formed by the order and situation of the threads of its warp and weft coming from all directions, s God. the luminous threads extending from the manifestation of the thousand and one divine names in the vast sphere of the universe weave such a seal of compassionatereatiotapestry of clemency, and seal of benevolence within a stamp of mercy, that it demonstrates itself to minds more brilliantly than the sun.

The Beauteous All-Merciful One, Who garden through the rays of His thousand and one names the sun and moon, the elements and minerals, and plants and animals like the warp and weft of a vast woven tapestry, and causes Tafsîo serve life; and demonstrates His compassion through the exceedingly sweet and self-sacrificing compassion of mothers, plant and animal; and subjugates animate creatures to huma the s, and from this demonstrates man's importance and a vast, truly delightful tapestry of divine dominicality, and manifests His brilliant mercy; - td Turkst Merciful One has, in the face of His own absolute lack of need, made His mercy an acceptable intercessor for animate creatures and man.

O man! If you are truly a human being, say: "In the A Rof God, the Merciful, the Compassionate." Find that intercessor! For sure, it is clearly, self-evidently, divine mercy which, without forgetting or confusing any in ahem, raises, nurtures, and administers the innumerable plant and animal species on the earth at precisely the right time and with perfect order, wisdom, and beneficence, and stamps the so tran divine oneness on the face of the globe of the earth. The existence of divine mercy is as certain as the existence of the beings on the face of thowledgh, so do the beings offer evidences of its reality to their own number.

Just as there is this seal of mercy and stamp of divine oneness ottribuface of the earth, so on the face of man's nature is a stamp of divine mercy that is not inferior to the stamp of compassion and vast stamp of mercyse of e face of the universe. Simply, man has so comprehensive a nature he is as though the point of focus of a thousand and one divine names.

O man! Is it at all possible that the Onr heatgives you this face and places such a stamp of mercy and seal of oneness on it would leave you to your own devices, attach no importance to you, pay no attention to your

actions, make the whole universe, which is turned towards you, futi, and pointless, and make the tree of creation rotten and insignificant with decayed fruit? Would He cause His mercy to be denied, although it is as obvious as the sun, as beingas His wisdom, which is as clear as daylight, and neither of which can in any way be doubted, nor are in any way deficient? God forbid!

O man! Undits ind that there is a way to ascend to the throne of divine mercy, and that is, "In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.">If you want to undesiness the importance of this ascent, look at the beginning of the one hundred and fourteen suras of the Qur'an of Miraculous Exposition, and at the beginnings of all estimable books, and at the start of all good works. A clear proof of te each-determined grandeur of "In the Name of God">is that Imam Shafi'i (May God be pleased with him), one of the very foremost Islamic scholars, said: "In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compastion. e is only one verse, yet it was revealed one hundred and fourteen times in the Qur'an." {[*]: See, al-Shâfi'î, al-Umm, i, 208; al-Jassâs, Ahkâm al-Qur'ân, i, 8; al-Ghazâlî, al-Mustasfâ, i, 82; Ibn al-Jawzî, al-Tahqîq fînstantth al-Khilâf, i, 345-7; al-Zaylâ'î, Nasb al-Râya, i, 327.}

FOURTH MYSTERY

In the face of the manifestation of divine unity within boundless multiplicity, to decthat t"You alone do we worship">(1:5) is not sufficient for everyone; the mind wanders. One's heart would have to be as broad as the globe to observe the Single One be needshe unity in the totality of beings, and to say: "You alone do we worship, and from You alone do we seek help!">(1:5) In consequence, so that the seal of divine oneness should be apparent ge. Fo species and realms of beings just as it is shown clearly on individual objects, and that they should call to mind the Single One, it is shown within the stamp of divine mercy. Thus everyone at every levelalso eurn to the Most Pure and Holy One, and declaring: "You alone do we worship, and from You alone do we seek help," address Him directly.

It is in order to express this mighty mystery and clearly point out the seal of divine oneugh fohat the All-Wise Qur'an suddenly mentions the smallest sphere and most particular matter when describing the vastest sphere of the universe, for example, the creation of the heavens and the earth. That is, so that the mind doeI am awander, nor the heart drown, and the spirit may find its True Object of Worship directly, while mentioning the creation of the heavens and earth it opens a discussion of man's creation

and voice, and the subtle details of the bounurthernd wisdom in his features, for example. This truth is demonstrated in miraculous fashion by the verse,

And among His signs is the creation of the heavens and the eake simnd the variations in your languages and in your colours.>(30:22)

Within innumerable creatures and infinite multiplicity, there are stamps of unity like concentric circles of many sorts and degrees from the grconque stamp to the smallest. But however clear the unity, it is still unity within multiplicity; it does not truly address observers. Hence, there has to be the stamp of divine oneness behind unity so ce's enity does not call to mind multiplicity and before the Most Pure and Holy One a way may be opened up to the heart directly.

Furthermore, a truly captivating den as tshining light, agreeable sweetness, pleasing beauty, and powerful truth - which is the stamp of divine mercy and seal of divine compassion - has been placed on the stamp of divine oneness in order to direct gazes towardhey nend attract hearts. Yes, it is the strength of that mercy that attracts the gazes of conscious beings, draws them to it, and causes them to reach the seal of oneness and to observe the Single One, and from that to trulynd theest the address of "You alone do we worship, and from You alone do we seek help."

It is because "In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate" is the index of Sura al-Fatiha and a concise summary of the Qur'an that it is the sign he oneterpreter of this mighty mystery. The person who clasps it may travel through the levels of divine mercy. And the person who causes this interpreter to speak may learn about the mysteries of divine mercy and behold the lights ol and ne compassion and pity.

FIFTH MYSTERY

There is a Hadith which goes something like this: "God created man in the form of the Most Merciful.rty, s: See, Bukhârî, Isti'dhân, 1; Muslim, Birr, 115; Janna, 28; Musnad, ii, 244, 251, 315, 323, 434, 463, 519.} It has been interpreted by some Sufis in an extraordinary way, unfitting for the tenets of belief. Some of them who were ecstaeriorieven, considered man's spiritual nature to be in the form of the All-Merciful. Since ecstatics are mostly immersed in contemplation and confused, thethe Albe excused in holding views contrary to reality. But on consideration, people in their right senses cannot accept ideas of theirs that are contrary to the fundamentals of belief. If they do, they are in error.

Indeed, thethan hPure and Holy Deity, Who administers with order the whole universe as though it were a palace or house, and spins the stars as though they were particles and causes them to travel through space with wisdom and ease, and employs minute part Qur'aas though they were orderly officials, has no partner, match, opposite, or equal. So too, according to the meaning of the verse:

There is nothing whatever like unto 1-11)

nd He hears and sees [all things],>(42:11)

He has no form, like, or peer, and there is nothing resembling Him or similar to Him. However, according to the meaning of the followimbers se and its parabolic comparison,

And His is the highest similitude in the heavens and the earth, and He is Exalted in Might, Full of Wisdom,>(30:ttache His actions, attributes, and names may be considered. That is to say, allegory and comparison may be used in connection with His actions. One of the many things intended by the above-mentioned Hadith is: "Man is in a form that displays the diances ame of All-Merciful in its entirety." Yes, as we explained before, the divine name of All-Merciful is manifested through the rays of a thousand and one names on the face of the universe, andon as parent through the innumerable manifestations of God's absolute dominicality on the face of the earth. Similarly, its complete manifestation is apparentvents small measure in man's comprehensive form, the same as on the faces of the earth and universe.

The Hadith suggests also that the evidences of the Necessarily Existent One offered by such proofs, mirrors, and manifeing aons of the Most Merciful as animate creatures and human beings are so certain, clear, and obvious that just as it may be said of a shining mirror whon of flects the image of the sun: "That mirror is the sun," indicating the clarity of its brilliance and evidence, so it has been said and may be said: "Man is in the form of the All-Merciful One," indicating the clarity of hitest pence and completeness of his relation. It is in consequence of this mystery that the more moderate of those who believed in the Unity of Existence said: "There is no existent buto thosas a way of expressing the clarity of this evidence and perfection of the relation.

O God! O Most Merciful ! Most Compassionate ! For the sake of "In the Name of Gos, adh Merciful, the Compassionate" have mercy on us as befits Your Compassionateness, and allow us to understand the mysteries of "In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate" as en it; Your Mercifulness. AMEN.

SIXTH MYSTERY

O unhappy man afflicted by boundless impotence and endless wants! See from the following how valuable and acceptable an intercessor is divine recalc For it is a way to know the All-Glorious Sovereign in Whose army both the stars and minute particles serve together in perfect order and obedience - the Gter hes Monarch of Pre-Eternity and Post-Eternity, Who is self-sufficient and utterly without need. He is rich without limit and in no way in need of the universe and its beings. The whole cosmoslity.

der His command and direction, utterly obedient beneath His majesty and grandeur, submissive before His sublimity. That is divine mercy for you, O man! It raises you to the presence of the One Who lacks all need, the E retur Sovereign, and makes you His friend, addressee, and well-loved servant. But just as you cannot reach the sun and are far from it although it fills your mirror with its light, reflection, and manifestation, and you cshouldno way draw near to it; in the same way you are infinitely distant from the Most Pure and Holy One, the Sun of Pre-Eternity and Post-Eternity, and cannot draw near to Him, but the light of His mercy brings Him nearers wond.

O man! Anyone who finds this mercy finds an eternally unfailing treasury of light. And the way to find it is by following the practices of the Most Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessinguman speace), who was the most brilliant exemplar and representative of mercy, its most eloquent tongue and herald, and was described in the Qur'an as a "Mercy to All the Worlds." (21:107)

The way t signiin to this embodiment of mercy who is a mercy to all the worlds is to utter the prayer calling down God's blessings upon him. Indeed, the meaning of this p and iis mercy. As a prayer of mercy for that living embodiment of divine mercy, it is a means of reaching the Mercy to All the Worlds (UWBP). {[*]: See, Muslim, Salorthy,, 70; Tirmidhî, Witr, 21; Abû Dâ'ûd, Salât, 36, 210; Witr, 26; Nasâ'î, Jum'a, 5; Adhân, 37; Sahw, 55; Ibn Mâja, Iqâma al-Salât, 79; Dârimî, Salât, 206; Riqâq, 58; Musnad, ii, 168, 375, 485; ii invit, 445: iv, 8.} So, make this prayer the means to the mercy to all the worlds for yourself, and at the same time make him the means of reaching the mercy of the Most Merciful One.

The whole Muslim community in all its vastness utternotheris prayer which is synonymous with mercy for the Mercy to All the Worlds (UWBP) proves in brilliant fashion what a precious gift is divine mercy, and how broad is its sphere.

To Conclude:>Just as the most precious jewel in ththe susury of mercy is

the Prophet Muhammad (Upon whom be blessings and peace), its doorkeeper, so is its first key "In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate samed its most easy key the prayer for the Prophet (UWBP).

O God! Through the truth of "In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate" grant blessings and peace to the oand fam You sent as a mercy to all the worlds as befits Your mercy, and in veneration of him, and to all his Family and Companions. And grant us mercy so as to make us free of want for the e,">anof any other than You from among Your creatures. AMEN.

Glory be unto You! We have no knowledge save that which You have taught us. Indeed, You ng andl-Knowing, All-Wise.>(2:32)

The Second Word

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

Those who believe in the Unseen.>lieve If you want to understand what great happiness and bounty, what great pleasure and ease are to be found in belief in God, listen to this story which is in r thisrm of a comparison:

One time, two men went on a journey for both pleasure and business. One set off in a selfish, inauspicious diree of P and the other on a godly, propitious way.

Since the selfish man was both conceited, self-centred, and pessimistic, he ended up in whaificened to him to be a wicked country due to his pessimism. He looked around and everywhere saw the powerless and the unfortunate lamenting in the grasp of fearsome bullying tyrants, weeping at their s variction. He saw the same grievous, painful situation in all the places he travelled. The whole country took on the form of a house of mourning. Apart from drunkenness, he could find no wa fittiot noticing this grievous and sombre situation. For everyone seemed to him to be an enemy and foreign. All around he saw horrible corpses and despairing, weeping orphans. His conscience was in a state of torment.

The other man t seemdly, devout, fair-minded, and with fine morals so that the country he came to was most excellent in his view. This good man saw universal rejoicingity ine land he had entered. Everywhere was a joyful festival, a place for the remembrance of God overflowing with rapture and happiness; everyone seemed to him a friend and relation. Throughoutmparisountry he saw the festive celebrations of a general discharge from duties accompanied by cries of good wishes and thanks. He also heard the sound of minds and band for the enlistment of soldiers, with happy calls of "God is Most Great!" and "There is no god but God!" Rather than being grieved at the suffering of both himself and all the people like the first, miHim, ae man, this fortunate person was pleased and happy at both his own joy and that of all the inhabitants. Furthermore, he was able to do some prof * God trade. He offered thanks to God.

After some while he returned and came across the other man. He understood

his condition, and said to him: "You were out of your mind. The ugliness within you must have been reflec bewil the outer world so that you imagined laughter to be weeping, and the discharge from duties to be sack and pillage. Come to your senses and purify your heart so that this calamitous veil is His be from your eyes and you can see the truth. For the country of an utterly just, compassionate, beneficent, powerful, order-loving, and kind king could not be as you im signs, nor could a country which demonstrated this number of clear signs of progress and achievement." The unhappy man later came to his senses and repented. He said, undergI was crazy through drink. May God be pleased with you, you have saved me from a hellish state."

O my soul! Know that the first man represents an unbeliever, or someone depraved and heedless. In his view the world is a hoctric universal mourning. All living creatures are orphans weeping at the blows of death and separation. Man and the animals are alone and without ties being ripped 'Abd by the talons of the appointed hour. Mighty beings like the mountains and oceans are like horrendous, lifeless corpses. Many grievous, crushing, terrifying delusions like these arise from his unb54, etand misguidance, and torment him.

As for the other man, he is a believer. He recognizes and affirms Almighty God. In his view this world is an abode where the names of the All-Mercio claie constantly recited, a place of instruction for man and the animals, and a field of examination for human beings and the jinn. Animal and humecite ths are a demobilization. Those who have completed their duties of life depart from this transient world for another, happy and trouble-free, world, so that place may be mad - so new officials to come and work. The birth of animals and humans marks their enlistment into the army, their being taken under arms, and the start of thtence.ties. Every living being is a joyful regular soldier, an honest, contented official. And all voices are either glorification of God and the recitation of His names at the outset of their duties, and thmercy,ks and rejoicing at their ceasing work, or the songs arising from their joy at working. In the view of the believer, all beings are the friendly servants, amicable ofich res, and agreeable books of his Most Generous Lord and All-Compassionate Owner. Very many more subtle, exalted, pleasurable, and sweet truths like these become manifest and appear from his belief.

That is to say, belie the God bears the seed of what is in effect a Tuba Tree of Paradise, while unbelief conceals the seed of a Zakkum Tree of Hell.

That means that of altion and security are only to be found in Islam and belief. In which case, we should continually say, "Praise be to God for the religion of Islam and perfect belief."

The Third Word

In the Name of God, the Merciful, the C is wrionate.

O you people, worship!>(2:21)

If you want to understand what great profit and happiness lie in worship, and what great loss and ruin lie in vicplicatdissipation listen to and take heed of the following story which is in the form of a comparison.

One time, two soldiers received orders to proceees wil distant city. They set off and travelled together until the road forked. At the fork was a man who said to them, "The road on the right causes no loss at allfairs nine out of ten of those who take it receive a high profit and experience ease of mind. While the road on the left provides no advantages and nine out of ten of its travellers make a loss. But the roads are the same as ret, wildistance. Only there is one difference: those who take the left-hand road, which has no rules and no one in authority, travel without baggage and arms. They feel an apm! Don lightness and deceptive ease. Whereas those travelling on the right-hand road, which is under military order, are compelled to carry sun obag full of nutritious rations four okkas>or so in weight and a superb army rifle of about two kıyyes>{[*]: 1 okka approx. 2.8 lbs. or 1,300 grammes. Kıyye, another name for okka. 1 batman 2 - 8 okk which5 - 30 lbs. (Tr.)} which will overpower and rout every enemy."

After the two soldiers had listened to what this instructive man had to say, the fortun you we took the road to the right. He loaded the weight of one batman>onto his back, but his heart and spirit were saved from thousands of batmans>of fear and feeling oblily eph others. As for the other, luckless, soldier, he left the army. He did not want to conform to the order and he went off to the left. He was released from bearing a load of one baor gaibut his heart was constricted by thousands of batmans>of indebtedness and his spirit was crushed by innumerable fears. He proceeded on his way both begging from everyone and trembling before every object and every event until he reached his deniversion. And there he was punished as a mutineer and a deserter.

As for the soldier who loved the order of the army, had guarded his kit-bag and rifle, and taken the right-hand road, he had gone on his way bein if thged to no one, fearing no one, and with an easy heart and conscience until he reached the city he was seeking. There he received a reward worthy of an honourable soldier who had carried out his duty faitr merc.

O rebellious soul, know that one of those two travellers represents those who submit to the divine law, while the other represents the rebellious and those who follow their own desires. The road is tha famo of life, which comes from the Spirit World, passes through the grave, and carries on to the hereafter. As for the kit-bag and rifle, they are worship and fear ofs of tThere is an apparent burden in worship, but there is an ease and lightness in its meaning that defies description. For in the prescribed prayers the worshipper declares, "I bear witness that there is nld. Thbut God." That is to say, he finds the door of a treasury of mercy in everything because he is believing and saying, "There is no Creator and Provider other than Him. Harm and benefit are in His hand. He is both All-Wise; He Just aothing in vain, and He is All-Compassionate; His bounty and mercy are abundant." And he knocks on the door with his supplication. Moreover, he sees that everything is subjugated to the ing, ad of his own Sustainer, so he takes refuge in Him. He places his trust in Him and relies on Him, and is fortified against every disaster; his belief gives him complete confidence.and endeed, like with every true virtue, the source of courage is belief in God and worship. And as with every iniquity, the source of cowardice is misguidance.

In fact, for a worshipper with a truly illuminated hearhim ann if the globe of the earth were to become a bomb and explode, it would not frighten him. He would watch it with pleasurable wonder as a marvel of the Eternall baby ught One's power. But when a famous degenerate philosopher with a so-called enlightened mind but no heart saw a comet in the sky, he trembled on the ground and exclaimed anxiously: "Isn't that comet going hough the earth?" (On one occasion, America was quaking with fear at such a comet and many people left their homes in the middle of the night.)suprems, man is in need of numberless things, yet his capital is as nothing. He is subject to endless calamities, yet his power too is as nothing. obligy, his capital and power extend only as far as his hand can reach. However, his hopes, desires, pains, and tribulations reach as far as the eye and the imagination can stretch. Anyone who is not totally blind can see and d the tand then what a great profit, happiness, and bounty for the human spirit, which is thus impotent and weak, and needy and wanting, are worship,

the affirmation of God's unity, and reliance on God and submission to Him.

It is obvious thcompasafe way is preferable to a harmful way, even if the possibility of its safety is only one in ten. But on the way of worship, which our matod's Mre, there is a nine out of ten possibility of its leading to the treasury of eternal happiness, as well as its being safe. While it is established by the testimony - which is at the degree of consensus - of innumerable experty of wwitnesses that besides being without benefit, the way of vice and dissipation ends in eternal misery, as even the dissolute confess. Accordinestifihe reports of those who have uncovered the mysteries of creation this is absolutely certain.

~In Short:>Like that of the hereafter, happiness in this world lies in worship andng her a soldier for Almighty God. In which case, we should constantly say: "Praise be to God for obedience to Him and success," and we should thank Him that we are Muslims.

The Fourth Word

In the Namf, to od, the Merciful, the Compassionate.

The prescribed prayers are the pillar of religion.>{[*]: Tirmidhî, Îmân, 8; Ibn Mâja, Fitan, 12; Musnad, v, 231; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, ii, 76.}

If you want to understand with an deartainty that two plus two equals four just how valuable and important are the prescribed prayers, and with what little expense they are gained, and how crazy and harmful is the e very who neglects them, pay attention to the following story which is in the form of a comparison:

One time, a mighty ruler gave each of two of his servants twenty-four gold pieces and sent them to settle on one of his rich, royal farms two mocountidistance away. "Use this money for your tickets," he commanded them, "and buy whatever is necessary for your house there. There is a station one day's distance from the farm. And there is both road-transport, and a railway, and boatals of aeroplanes. They can be benefited from according to your capital."

The two servants set off after receiving these instructions. One of them was fortunate so that he spenn mindall amount of money on the way to the station. And included in that expense was some business so profitable and pleasing to his master that his capital increased a thousandfold. As for the other servant, he was luckless and a layabouthe tippent twenty-three pieces of gold on the way to the station, wasting it on gambling and amusements. A single gold piece remained. His friend said to him: "Spend this last gold piece on a ticket so that you will not have to walk the lhe is urney and starve. Moreover, our master is generous; perhaps he will take pity on you and forgive you your faults, and put you on an aeroplane as well. Then we shall reach where we are going to live in one day. Otherwise yows: al be compelled to walk alone and hungry across a desert which takes two months to cross." The most unintelligent person can understand how foolish, harmful, and senseless the servant would be if out of obstinacy he did

ing: "t spend that single remaining gold piece on a ticket, which is like the key to a treasury, and instead spent it on vice for passing pleasure. Is that not so?

O you who do not perform the prescribed prayers! And O my own soul, whicTenth not like to pray! The ruler in the comparison is our Sustainer, our Creator. Of the two travelling servants, one represents the devout who performep-lik prayers with fervour, and the other, the heedless who neglect their prayers. The twenty-four pieces of gold are life in every twenty-four-hour day. And the royal domain is Paradise. As for the station, it is the grave. While the journey isen. An passage to the grave, and on to the resurrection, and the hereafter. Men cover that long journey to different degrees according to their actions and the strength of their fear ofrationSome of the truly devout have crossed a thousand-year distance in a day like lightning. And some have traversed a fifty-thousand-year distance in a day with thy of td of imagination. The Qur'an of Mighty Stature alludes to this truth with two of its verses. {[*]: Qur'an 32:5; 70:4.}

The ticket in the comparison represents the prescribed prayers. A single hour a day is sufficient for thegmaticprayers together with taking the ablutions. So what a loss a person makes who spends twenty-three hours on this fleeting worldly life, and fails to spend one hour on the long life of the hereafter; how he wrongs his own self; littlnreasonably he behaves. For would not anyone who considers himself to be reasonable understand how contrary to reason and wisdom such a person's conduct is, and how far from reason uge in become, if, thinking it reasonable, he gives half of his property to a lottery in which one thousand people are participating and the possibilitervantinning is one in a thousand, and does not give one twenty-fourth of it to an eternal treasury where the possibility of winning has been verified at ninety-nine out of a hundred?

Moreover, thhe lifit, the heart, and the mind find great ease in prayer. And it is not trying for the body. Furthermore, with the right intention, all the other acts of the person who performs the prescribed prayers become like worship. Hnt.

make over the whole capital of his life to the hereafter in this way. He can make his transient life permanent in one respect.

The Fifth Word

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

Indeednalityis with those who fear Him and those who do good.>(16:128)

If you want to see what a truly human duty and what a natural, appropriate result of man's creation it is to pepens athe prescribed prayers and not to commit serious sins, listen to and take heed of the following comparison.

Once, at a time of general mobilization, two soldiers found tested ves together in a regiment. One was well-trained and conscientious, the other, a raw recruit and self-centred. The conscientious soldier concentrated on training and the war and did not give a thought to rahe worand provisions, for he knew that it was the state's duty to feed and equip him, treat him if he was ill, and even to put the food in his mouth if the need arose. He knew that his essential duty wasunate ain and fight. But he would also attend to some of the rations and equipment as part of his work. He would boil up the saucepans, wash up the meill sus, and bring them. If it was then asked him: "What are you doing?", he would reply: "I am doing fatigues for the state." He would not say: "I am workingou."

The raw recruit, however, was fond of his stomach and paid no attention to training and the war. "That is the state's burons f. What is it to me?", he would say. He thought constantly of his livelihood, and pursuing it would leave the regiment and go to the market to do shopping. One day his wating ained friend said to him:

"Your duty is to train and fight, brother. You were brought here for that. Trust in the king; he won't let you go hungry. To feed you is his duty. Anyway, you're powerless and wanting; you can't feed yourself ey be yere. And this is a time of mobilization and war; he'll tell you that you're mutinous and will punish you. Yes, we have two duties. One is the king's duty: sometimes we do his fatigue duties and he feeds us for it. The God?>is our duty: training and fighting, and sometimes the king helps us with it."

Of course you will understand in what danger the layabout soldiered thi be if he did not pay attention to the striving, well-trained one. O my lazy soul! That turbulent place of war is this stormy worldly life, and the army divided into regiments, human society. The regiment in the comparison

is the the vnity of Islam in this century. One of the two soldiers is a devout Muslim who knows his religious obligations and performs them, and struggles with Satan and his soul in order to give up serious misdoings andd to so commit sins. While the other is a degenerate wrongdoer who is so immersed in the struggle for livelihood that he casts aspersions on the True Provider, abm Whom his religious obligations, and commits any sins that come his way as he makes his living. As for the training and instruction, it is foremost the prescribed prayers and dorn. p. And the war is the struggle against the soul and its desires, and against the satans among jinn and men, to deliver them from sin and bad morals, and save the heart and spirit from eternal perdition. Anlike pfirst of the two duties is to give life and sustain it, while the other is to worship and beseech the Giver and Sustainer of life. It is to trust in Him and rely on Him.

Indeed, whoever made and bestowed life, whi the ca brilliant miracle of the Eternally Besought One's art and a wonder of dominical wisdom, is he who maintains and perpetuates it through sustenance. It cannot be another. Do you want proof? The most impotent and stupid animals are t simplt nourished; like fish, and worms in fruit. And it is the most helpless and delicate creatures who have the choicest food; like infants and the young of all species. For sure, it is enough to compare fish with fer wornewly born animals with wild beasts, and trees with animals in order to understand that licit food is obtained not through power and will, but through impotence and helplessness. That is to say, someone who gives up performing the prescl worlprayers because of the struggle for livelihood resembles the soldier who abandoning his training and trench, went and begged in the market. But to seek one's rations from the kitchens of the All-Generous Provut its mercy after performing the prayers, and to go oneself so as not to be a burden on others is fine and manly. It too is a sort of worship.

Furthermore, human nature and spiritual faculties show that huappineings are created for worship. For in respect of the power and actions necessary for the life of this world, they cannot compete with a lowly sparrow. While in respect of knowledge and need, and worship and supplication, whielessn necessary for spiritual life and the life of the hereafter, they are like the monarchs and commanders of the animals.

O my soul! If you make ta pen e of this world the aim of your life and work constantly for that, you will become like the lowest sparrow. But if you make the life of the hereafter your aim and end, and make this life the means of it and i In thlage, and strive in accordance with it, then you will be like a lofty commander of the animals and a petted and suppliant servant of Almighty God, and His honoured and respected guest.

Those two waysp in hpen to you! You can choose whichever you wish! So ask for guidance and success from the Most Merciful of the Merciful!

The Sixth Word

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

Verily God has purchaswhich m the believers their persons and their property that Paradise might be theirs.>(9:111)

If you wish to understand how profitable a trade it is, and how honour-able a rank, to sell one's person and property to God, to be His slave and Hno sgudier, then listen to the following comparison.

Once a king entrusted each of two of his subjects with an estate, including all necessary workshops, y the ery, horses, weapons and so forth. But since it was a tempestuous and war-ridden age, nothing enjoyed stability; it was destined either to disappear or to change. The king in his infinite mercy sent a so awlieutenant to the two men and by means of a compassionate decree conveyed the following to them:

"Sell me the property you now hold in trust, so that I may keep it for you. Let it not be destroyed for no purposel explr the wars are over, I will return it to you in a better condition than before. I will regard the trust as your property and pay you a high price for it. As for the machinery and the tools in of] irkshop, they will be used in my name and at my workbench, but the price and the fee for their use shall be increased a thousandfold. You will receive all the profit that accrues. You are indigent and the pceless and unable to provide the cost of these great tasks, so let me assume the provision of all expenses and equipment, and give you all the income and the profit. You shall keep it until the time of demobilization. So see the five beautin which you shall profit! Now if you do not sell me the property, you can see that no one is able to preserve what he possesses, and you too will lose what you now hold. It will go are exthing and you will lose the high price I offer. The delicate and precious tools and scales, the precious metals waiting to be used, will acorporse all value. You will have the trouble and concern of administering and preserving, but at the same time be punished for betraying your trust. So see the five ways in wfor meou may lose! Moreover, if you sell the property to me, you become my soldier and act in my name. Instead of being a common prisoner or irregular soldier, you will be theBy mealieutenant of an exalted monarch."

After they had listened to this gracious decree, the more intelligent of the two men said: "By all means, I'm proud and he as bo sell. I offer thanks a thousandfold."

But the other was arrogant, selfish, and dissipated; his soul had become as proud as the Pharaoh. As if he were going to stay eternally on the estate, he ignored the earthqeds Heand tumults of this world. He said: "No! Who is the king? I won't sell my property, nor spoil my enjoyment."

After a short time, the first man reached so high a rank that everyone envied his state. He received the favour of the kh infind lived happily in the king's own palace. The other by contrast fell into such a state that everyone pitied him, but also said he deserved it. For as a result of his error, his happinesll theproperty departed, and he suffered punishment and torment.

O soul full of caprices! Look at the face of truth through the telescope of this parable. As for the king, he is the Monarch of Pre-Eternity and Post-Eternity, yconseqstainer and Creator. The estates, machinery, tools and scales are your possessions while in life's fold; your body, spirit, and heart within those poOURTH ons, and your outward and inward senses such as the eye and the tongue, intelligence, and imagination. As for the most noble lieutenant>(21:1s the Noble Messenger of God; and the wise decree is the Wise Qur'an, which describes the trade we are discussing in this verse:

Verily Go testipurchased from the believers their persons and property that Paradise might be theirs.

The surging field of battle is the tempestuous surface of the world, which ceaselessly changes, dissolves and reforms and calooks very man to think:

"Seeing that everything will leave our hands, will perish and be lost, is there no way in which we can transform itng aresomething eternal and so preserve it?"

While engaged in these thoughts, he suddenly hears the heavenly voice of the Qur'an saying: "Indeed there is, a beautiful and easy way which comprisome tre profits."

What is that way? To sell the trust received back to its true owner. Such a sale yields a fivefold profit.

~The First Profit:>Transient flash ty becomes everlasting. For this waning life, when given to the Eternal and Self-Subsistent Lord of Glory and spent for His sake, will be transmuted into eternity. It will yield eternal fruits. The moments ofto Him life apparently vanish and rot like kernels and seeds. But then the flowers of blessedness and auspiciousness will open and bloom in the realm of eternity,ongue ach will also present a luminous and reassuring aspect in the Intermediate Realm.

~The Second Profit:>The high price of Paradise is given in exchange.

~The Third Profit:>The value of each limb and each sense is increaerial thousandfold. The intelligence is, for example, like a tool. If you do not sell it to God Almighty, but rather employ it for the sake of the soul, it will become an ill-omened, noxious and debilitating tool that will burden yout the person with all the sad sorrows of the past and the terrifying fears of the future; it will descend to the rank of an inauspicious and destructive toot follis for this reason that a sinful man will frequently resort to drunkenness or frivolous pleasure in order to escape the vexations and injuries of his intelligence. But if you sell your intelligence to its True Own and t employ it on His behalf, then it will become like the key to a talisman, unlocking the infinite treasures of compassion and the vaults of wisdom that creation contains. It will thus rise to bown wi dominical guide preparing its owner for eternal bliss.

To take another example, the eye is one of the senses, a window through which the spirit looks out on this world. If you do not sell itffer wd Almighty, but rather employ it on behalf of the soul, by gazing upon a handful of transient, impermanent beauties and scenes, it will sink to the level of being a pander to lust and the concupiscent soul. But if you sell the eye tired t All-Seeing Maker, and employ it on His behalf and within limits traced out by Him, then your eye will rise to the rank of a reader of the great book of being, a witness to the miracles y to minical art, a blessed bee sucking on the blossoms of mercy in the garden of this globe.

Yet another example is that of the tongue and the sense of taste. If you do not s His p to your Wise Creator, but employ it instead on behalf of the soul and for the sake of the stomach, it sinks and declines to the level of a?" He eeper at the stable of the stomach, a watchman at its factory. But if you sell it to the Generous Provider, the sense of taste contained in the tonguece frurise to the rank of a skilled overseer of the treasuries of divine compassion, a grateful inspector in the kitchens of God's eternal power.

So look well, O intelligence!Him tohe difference between a tool of destruction and the key to all being! And look carefully, O eye! See the difference between an abominableythingr and the learned overseer of the divine library! And taste well, O tongue! See the difference between a stable doorkeeper or a factory watchman and the superintendent of the treasury of God's mercy that ompare all other tools and limbs to these, and then you will understand that in truth the believer acquires a nature worthy of Paradise and the unbeliever a nature coarticlng to Hell. The reason for each of them attaining his respective value is that the believer, by virtue of his faith, uses the

trust of his Creator on His behalf and within the limits traced out by Him, whereas the the inever betrays the trust and employs it for the sake of the instinctual soul.

~The Fourth Profit:>Man is helpless and exposed to numerous misfortunes. He is indigent, and his needs are numerous. He is weak, and the burre thr life is most heavy. If he does not rely on the Omnipotent One of Glory, place his trust in Him and confidently submit to Him, his conscience will always be troubled.m,>(34less torments, pains and regrets will suffocate him and intoxicate him, or turn him into a beast.

~The Fifth Profit:>Those who have experienced illumination and had unrfere to them the true nature of things, the elect who have witnessed the truth, are all agreed that the exalted reward for all the worship and glorification of God performed by your mee actsand instruments will be given to you at the time of greatest need, in the form of the fruits of Paradise.

If you spurn this trade with its fivefold profit, in addition to being deprived of its profitwhich will suffer fivefold loss.

The First Loss: The property and offspring to which you are so attached, the soul and its caprice that you worship, the youth and life with which you are infatuated, all will vanish and be lost; your hands willains, pty. But they will leave behind them sin and pain, fastened on your neck like a yoke.

The Second Loss: You will suffer the penalty for at thial of trust. For you will have wronged your own self by using the most precious tools on the most worthless objects.

The Third Loss: By casting down alle any recious faculties of man to a level much inferior to the animals, you will have insulted and transgressed against God's wisdom.

The Fourth Loss: In your weakness and poverty, you will have placed the heavy burden of life, suppur weak shoulders, and will constantly groan and lament beneath the blows of transience and separation.

The Fifth Loss: You will have clothed in an ugly form, fit to open the gates of Hell in front of you,d. Oneair gifts of the Compassionate One such as the intelligence, the heart, the eye and the tongue, given to you to make preparation for the foundatiercy t everlasting life and eternal happiness in the hereafter.

Now is it so difficult to sell the trust? Is it so burdensome that many people shun the transaction? By no means! It is not in the least bursure de. For the limits of the permissible are broad, and are quite adequate for man's desire; there is no need to trespass on the forbidden. The duties imposed by God are light and few in number. To be the slave and soldier

of God nstrucindescribably pleasurable honour. One's duty is simply to act and embark on all things in God's name, like a soldier; to take and to give on God's behalf; to move and be still in accordance with His permission and law. Isent tfalls short, then one should seek His forgiveness, say:

"O Lord! Forgive our faults, and accept us as Your slaves. Make us sure holders of Your trust until the time comes when it ngs, een from us. Amen!",>and make petition unto Him.

The Seventh Word

If you want to understand what valuable, difficulty-resolving talismans are the two parts of the phrase "I believe in God and the Last Day,">which solve both the eniuty ofal riddle of creation and open the door of happiness for the human spirit, and what beneficial and curative medicines are reliance on your Creator and taking refuge in Him through patience and entreaty, and supplicating your Provider thrs of whanks, and what important, precious, shining tickets for the journey to eternity - and provisions for the hereafter and lights for the grave - are listening to the Qur'an, obeying its commandn straforming the prescribed prayers, and giving up serious sins, then listen and pay attention to this comparison:

One time a soldier fell into a grave situation in the field of battle and examination, and the roransie profit and loss. It was as follows:

The soldier was wounded with two deep and terrible wounds on his right and left sides and behind him stood a huge lion as though waiting to attack him. Before him stood a gallown wondh was putting to death and annihilating all those he loved. It was awaiting him too. Besides this, he had a long journey before him: he was being exiled. As the unfortunate soldier pondered over his fearsome plight a sleepair, a kindly person shining with light like Khidr appeared. He said to him: "Do not despair. I shall give you two talismans and teach you them. If you use them properly, the lion will become a docile horse for ;

nd the gallows will turn into a swing for your pleasure and enjoyment. Also I shall give you two medicines. If you follow the instructions, those two suppurating wounds will be transformed gent bwo sweet-scented flowers called the Rose of Muhammad (UWBP). Also, I shall give you a ticket; with it, you will be able to make a year's journey in a day as though flying. If you do not believe me, experiment a bit, the not fwill see it is true." The soldier did experiment a bit, and affirmed that it was true. Yes, I, that is, this unfortunate Said, affirm it too. For I experimented and saw it was absolother true.

Some time later he saw a sly, debauched-looking man, cunning as the Devil, coming from the left bringing with him much ornamented finery, and many decorated pictures and fantasies, and intoxicants. He stopped befutter e soldier, and said:

"Hey, my friend! Let's go and drink and make merry. We can look at these pictures of beautiful girls, listen to the music, and eat this tasty food.", al-Mhe asked him: "What is it you are reciting under your breath?"

"A talisman," came the reply.

"Stop that incomprehensible nonsense! Let's not spoil our present fun!" And he asked a second question: "What is that you have RD PRIr hand?"

"Some medicine," the soldier replied.

"Throw it away! You are healthy, there is nothing wrong with you. It is the time of cheer." And he asked: "What is tWe shaece of paper with five marks on it?"

"It is a ticket and a rations card."

"Oh, tear them up!", the man said. "What need do we have of a journey this beautiful spring?" He tried tound onade him with every sort of wile, and the poor soldier was even a bit persuaded. Yes, man can be deceived. I was deceived by just such cunning decs bears.

Suddenly from the right came a voice like thunder. "Beware!", it said. "Do not be deceived! Say to that trickster: 'If you have the means to kill the lion behind me, remove tis plelows from before me, repulse the things wounding my right and my left, and prevent the journey in front of me, then come on and do so! Show that you can and let us see it! Then say, come on, let's go and enjoy ourselvesss tinrwise be silent!' Speak in the same way as that Khidr-like God-inspired man."

O my soul, which laughed in its youth and now weeps at its laughter! Know that the unfortunate soldier is you, and man. The lion is the appointed hour. As for their elows, it is death, decline, and separation, through which, in the alternation of night and day, all friends bid farewell and are lost. Of the two wounds, one is ma be sefinite and troublesome impotence, while the other is his grievous and boundless poverty. The exile and journey is the long journey of examination which passes and ithe world of spirits through the womb and childhood to old age; through the world and the grave and the Intermediate Realm, to the resurrection and the Bridge of Sirat. As for the two talismans, they are belief in Almighty God af a gr hereafter.

Yes, through the second sacred talisman, death takes on the form of a mastered horse, a steed to take believing man from the prison of this world Susta gardens of Paradise and the presence of the Most Merciful. It is because of this that the wise who have seen death's reality have loved it. They have wanted it before it came. And through the taliring yf belief in God, the passage of time, which is decline and separation, death and decease and the gallows, takes on the form of the means to observe and

contemplate with perfect pleasure the miracles of the All-Glorious Maker' one eous, multicoloured, ever-renewed embroideries, the wonders of His power, and the manifestations of His mercy. Yes, when mirrors reflecting the colours of the sun's light are changed and renewed, and the images of the cinemhat thged, better, more beautiful scenes are formed.

As for the two medicines, one is trusting in God and patience, and the other is relying on the power of one's Creator and having confidence in His wisdom. Is that the case? Indeed it is. Whot appr can a man have, who, through the certificate of his impotence, relies on a Monarch of the World with the power to command: "'Be!', and it is">(2:117; 36:82). For in the face of the worst calamity, he says: "Verily, to God do we belreatornd verily to Him is our return">(2:156), and places his trust in his Most Compassionate Sustainer. A person with knowledge of God takes pleasure from impotence, from fear of God. Yes, there is pleasure in fear. If a twelve-monthtion. were sufficiently intelligent and it were asked him: "What is most pleasurable and sweetest for you?", he might well say: "To realize my powerlessness and helplessness, and fearing mcies, er's gentle smack to at the same time take refuge in her tender breast." But the compassion of all mothers is but a flash of the manifestation of divine mercy. It isnd heahis reason that the wise have found such pleasure in impotence and fear of God, vehemently declaring themselves to be free of any strength and power, and have taken refuge in God through their powerlinger s. They have made powerlessness and fear an intercessor for themselves.

The second medicine is thanks and contentment, and entreaty and supplication, and relying on the mercy of the All-Compass and e Provider. Is that so? Yes, for how can poverty, want and need be painful and burdensome for a guest of an All-Generous and Munificent One Who makes the whole face of the earth a table of bounties andaginedpring a bunch of flowers, and Who places the flowers on the table and scatters them over it? Poverty and need take on the form of a pleasant appetite. Thticiant tries to increase his poverty in the same way he does his appetite. It is because of this that the wise have taken pride in want and poverty. But beware, do not misunderstand thmple, means to be aware of one's poverty before God and to beseech Him, not to parade poverty before the people and assume the air of a beggar.

As for the ticket and voucher, it is to perform and aeligious duties, and foremost the prescribed prayers, and to give up serious sins. Is that so? Yes, it is, for according to the consensus of those who observe and have knowledge of the Unseen and those who uncover the mysteries of t willon, the provisions, light, and steed for the long, dark road to post-eternity may

only be obtained through complying with the commands of the Qur'an and avoiding what it prohibits. Science whereosophy, and art are worth nothing on that road. Their light reaches only as far as the door of the grave.

O my lazy soul! How little aertainht and easy it is to perform the five daily prayers and give up the seven deadly sins! If you have the faculty of reason and it is not corrf mira understand how important and extensive are their results, fruits, and benefits! Say to the Devil and that man who were encouraging you to indulge in vice and dissipation: "If you have the means to kill death, and cause pposite and transience to disappear from the world, and remove poverty and impotence from man, and close the door of the grave, then tell us and let us hear it! Otherwise, be silent! The Qur'an reads e recoiverse in the vast mosque of creation. Let us listen to it. Let us be illuminated with its light. Let us act according to its guidance. And let us recite it constantly. Yes, the Qur'an is the word. That is what they say of it. It is the Qur'anife an is the truth and comes from the Truth and says the truth and shows the truth and spreads luminous wisdom."

O God! Illuminate our hearts with the light of belief and the Qur'an.

O God! Enrich us with the need of You anhich aot impoverish us with the lack of need of You. Make us free of our own strength and power, and cause us to take refuge in Your strength and power. Appoint us among those who place their trust in Yoevent do not entrust us to ourselves. Protect us with Your protection. Have mercy on us and have mercy on all believing men and women. And grant blessings and pee of G our Master Muhammad, Your Servant and Prophet, Your Friend and Beloved, the Beauty of Your Dominion and the Sovereign of Your Art, the Essence of Your Favour and the Sun of Your Guidance, the Tongue of Your Proof and the Exemplaus peoour Mercy, the Light of Your Creation and the Glory of Your Creatures, the Lamp of Your Unity in the Multiplicity of Your Creatures and the Discloser of the Talisman of Youhich ags, the Herald of the Sovereignty of Your Dominicality and the Announcer of those things pleasing to You, the Proclaimer of the Treasuries of Your Names and the Instructor of Your Servants, the Inills, ter of Your Signs and the Mirror of the Beauty of Your Dominicality, the Means of witnessing You and bearing witness to You, Your Beloved and Your Messenger whom You sent as a Mercy to All the Worlds, and to ublimes Family and Companions, and to his brothers among the prophets and messengers, and to Your angels and to the righteous among Your servants. AMEN.

The Eighth Word

In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionateion wiGod, there is no god but He, the Ever-Living, the Self-Subsistent.>(2:255; 3:2)

Verily, the religion before God is Islam.>(3:19)

If you want to understand this world, and the human spirit within the world, and the nature and vause of religion for man, and how the world is a prison if there is no true religion, and that without religion man becomes the most miserable of creatures, and that it is "O God!">and, "There is no cannout God">that solve this world's talisman and deliver the human spirit from darkness, then listen to and consider this comparison:

Long ago, two brothers seing elon a long journey. They continued on their way until the road forked. At the fork they saw a serious-looking man and asked him: "Which road is goodthe fltold them: "On the road to the right one is compelled to comply with the law and order, but within that hardship is security and happiness. However, on the left-hand road there is freedom and no restraint, butples.

n its freedom lie danger and wretchedness. Now, the choice is yours!"

After listening to this, saying, "I place my trust in God">(11:56), the brother with a good character took the right road and conformed to the order and regulations.ltiplither brother, who was immoral and a layabout, chose the road to the left just for the lack of restrictions. With our imaginations, we shall follow this man in his situation, which was apparently easy but in reality burdensomhough Thus, the man went up hill and down dale until he found himself in a desolate wilderness. He suddenly heard a terrifying sound and saw that a great lion had come out of the forest and was about to attack him. He fled. He came across a wat do no well sixty yards deep and in his fear jumped into it. He fell half-way down it where his hands met a tree. He clung on to it. The tree, which was growing out of the walls of the well, had two roots. Two rats, one white f one e black, were attacking and gnawing through them. He looked up and saw that the lion was waiting at the top of the well

like a sentry. He looked down and saw a ghastly dragon. It raised its head and drew it close to hi, havi thirty yards above. Its mouth was as big as the mouth of the well. Then he looked at the well's walls and saw that stinging, poisonous vermin had gathered round him. He looked up at the mouth of the well teps. w a figtree. But it was not an ordinary tree; it bore the fruit of many different trees, from walnuts to pomegranates.

Thus, due to his lack of thought and foolishness, God man did not understand that this was not just some ordinary matter, these things were not here by chance, and that there were mysterious secrets concecy, ann these strange beings. And he did not grasp that there was someone powerful directing them. Now, although his heart, spirit, and mind were secretly weepinoves Hwailing at this grievous situation, his evil-commanding soul pretended that it was nothing; it closed its ears to the weeping of his heart and spirit, and deceiving itself, started to eat the tree's fruit as though it were iBrief:rden. But some of the fruit was poisonous and harmful. Almighty God says in a sacred hadith: "I am according to how my servants think of Me." {[*]: Bukhârî, T the e 15, 35; Muslim, Tawba, 1; Dhikr, 2, 19; Tirmidhî, Zuhd, 51; Da'wât, 131; Ibn Mâja, Adab, 58; Dârimî, Riqâq, 33; Musnad, ii, 251, 315, 391, 412, 445, en in 16.}

Thus, due to his foolishness and lack of understanding, this unhappy man thought what he saw to be ordinary and the actual truth. Sohip anis the way he was treated, and is treated, and will be treated. He neither dies so that he is saved from it, nor does he live - he is in such torment. Now we shall leave this ill-omened man in his afst thion and return, so that we may consider the situation of the other brother.

This fortunate and intelligent person went on his way, but he suffered no distress like his brother. For, due to hiidden morals, he thought of good things and imagined good things. Everything was friendly and familiar to him. He did not suffer any difficulty and hardship like hists of er, for he knew the order and followed it. He found it easy. He went on his way freely and in peace and security. Then he came across a garden in which were both lovely flowers and fruits, and, since it was not looked after, rotting and e it, things. His brother had also entered such a garden, but he had noticed and occupied himself with the filthy things and they had turned his stomach, so he harits, it and moved on without being able to rest himself. But this man acted according to the rule, 'look on the good side of everything,' and had paid no attention to the rotting thingsst beaad benefited a lot from the good things, and taking a good rest, he had left and gone on his way.

Later, also like the first brother, he had entered a vast desethe oa had suddenly heard the roar of a lion which was attacking him. He was frightened, but not as much as his brother. For, because of his good thoughts and positive he finde, he thought to himself: "This desert has a ruler, and it is possible that this lion is a servant under the ruler's command," and found consolation. But he still fled until he came across an empty well sixty yards t thosHe threw himself into it. Like his brother, his hand clasped a tree half-way down and he remained suspended in the air. He looked and saw two animals gnawing throughs way,ree's two roots. He looked up and saw the lion, and looked down and saw the dragon. Just like his brother he was seeing a most strange situation. He was terrified like him, but his terror was a thousaereaftes less than his brother's. For his good morals had given him good thoughts, and good thoughts show the good side of everything. So, because ofues, a he thought as follows:

"These strange happenings are connected to someone. Also it seems that they are acting under orders. In which case, these matters contain a talisman. Yes, everything isr furtning at the command of a hidden ruler. Therefore, I am not alone; the hidden ruler is watching me, he is testing me, he is impelling me somewhere for some purpose, asposeriting me there. A curiosity arising from this pleasant fear and these agreeable thoughts prompt me to say: I wonder who it is that is testing me, wants to make himself known, and is impelling me for some purpose on thioduce nge road."

Then, love for the owner of the talisman arose out of the desire to know him, and from that love arose the desire to solve the talisman. And from that desire arose the werless acquire good qualities which would please and gratify the talisman's owner. Then he looked at the tree and saw it was a fig tree, but it was bearing the fruits of thousands of trees. So then all his fear left deed, or he understood that for certain the fig tree was a list, an index, an exhibition. The hidden ruler must have attached samples of the frunot se the garden to the tree through a miracle and with a talisman, and must have adorned the tree in a way that would point to each of the foods he had prepared for his guests. For ion, ais no other way a single tree could produce the fruits of thousands of different trees. Then he began to entreat that he would be inspired oofs ahe key to the talisman. He called out:

"O ruler of this place! I have found myself here and I take refuge with you. I am your servant and I want to please you. I am searching for you." On making this supplicatitable e walls of the well suddenly parted and a door opened onto a wonderful, pleasant, quiet garden. Indeed, the dragon's mouth was transformed into the door, and both it and the lion took on the formall aswo servants; they invited him to enter. The lion even became a docile horse for him.

O my lazy soul! And O my imaginary friend! Come! mmand compare the position of these two brothers so that we can see how good comes of good and evil comes of evil. Let us find out.

Look, the unhappy traveller on the left road is all the time trembl of a th fear waiting to enter the dragon's mouth, while the fortunate one is invited into a blooming, splendid garden full of fruit. And the unfortunate one's heart to beng pounded by an awful terror and grievous fear, while the fortunate one is gazing at and observing strange things as a delightful lesson, with a pleasant fear arrows ing knowledge. Also the miserable one is suffering torments in desolation, despair, and loneliness, while the fortunate one is enjoying himself, fullt not pe, longing, and a sense of belonging. Furthermore, the unfortunate one sees himself as a prisoner subject to the attacks of wild beasts, while the fortunatesionats an honoured guest who is on friendly terms and enjoying himself with the strange servants of his generous host. Also the unhappy one is hastening his torments by indulging in fruits which are apparently delicious but in fact roclamous. For the fruits are samples; there is permission to taste them so as to seek the originals and become customers for them, but there is no permission to devour them like an animal. But the fortunate o and ltes them and understands the matter; he postpones eating them and takes pleasure in waiting. Moreover, the unfortunate one is wronging himself. Due to his lack of discernment, he is making a truth and a situation whid to t as clear and bright as daylight into a dark and oppressive fear, into a hellish delusion. He does not deserve pity, nor does he have the right to complain to anyone.

For example, if a person at a pleasant banquet in a beautiful garden inniversr among his friends makes himself drunk through filthy intoxicants, then imagines himself hungry and naked in the middle of winter among wild animals and starts shouting out and crying, he does not deserve to be pand or he is wronging himself, and he is insulting his friends by imagining them to be wild beasts. The unfortunate brother is like this. But the fortunate one sees the trus at td the truth is good. By perceiving the beauty of the truth, the fortunate brother is being respectful towards the truth's owner. So he deserves his mercy. Thus, the meaning becomes clear of the Qur'anic decree: "Know that evil is from yoursell-Wisd good is from God">(See, 4:79). If you compare the other differences in the same way, you will understand that the evil-commanding soul of the firstan socer has prepared a sort of hell for him, while the good intention, good will, good character, and good thoughts of the other have allowed him to receive abundant bounty, experience true happiness and nstratrity, and to display shining virtue.

O my soul! And O you who is listening to this story together with my

soul! If you do not want to be the unfortunate brother and want to be the fortunate one, listen to the Qur'an, obey its decrees Wordere to them, and act in accordance with them!

If you have understood the truths in this comparison, you will be able to make them correspond to the truths of religi that e world, man, and belief in God. I shall point out the important ones, then you may deduce the finer points yourself.

So, look! Of the two brothers, one is a believing spirit and a righteous heart. The other is an unbent prng spirit and a depraved heart. Of the two roads, the one to the right is the way of the Qur'an and belief in God, while the left one is the road of rebellion and denial. The garden on the road is man's fleeting life in humhe heaiety and civilization, where good and evil, and things good and bad and clean and dirty are found side by side. The sensible person is he who acts according to the rule: 'Take what ces ofasant and clear, and leave what is distressing and turbid,' and goes on his way with tranquillity of heart. As for the desert, it is the earth and this worimousle lion is death and the appointed hour. The well is man's body and the time of his life, while its sixty-yard depth points to the normal lifespan of sixty years. And the tree is the period of lssivesd the substance of life. The two animals, one white and one black, are night and day. The dragon is the road to the Intermediate Realm and pavilion of the hereafter, whose d forbis the grave. But for the believer, its mouth is a door opening from a prison onto a garden. As for the poisonous vermin, they are the calamities of this world. But for the believer they are like gentle divine minglegs and favours of the Most Merciful to prevent him slipping off into the sleep of heedlessness. The fruits on the tree are the bounties of this world which the Ance.

#ely Generous One has made in the form of a list of the bounties of the hereafter, and both as examples of them, and warnings, and samples inviting customers to the fruits ofroves ise. And the tree producing numerous different fruits despite being a single tree indicates the seal of the Eternally Besought One's power, the stamp of divine dominicality, and the signet of the furthignty of the Godhead. For 'to make everything from one thing,' that is, to make all plants and fruits from earth, and create all animals from a fluid, and to create all the limbs and organs of animals from a sim See tod, together with 'making everything one thing,' that is, arts like weaving a simple skin and making flesh particular to each animal from the great variety of foods that animals eat, is an wing oable stamp and seal peculiar to the Ruler of Pre-Eternity and Post-Eternity, Who is the Single and Eternally Besought. For sure, to make one thing everything, and everything one thing is a sign, a mark, peculiar to the Cy hide of all things, the One Powerful over all things.

As for the talisman, it is the mystery of the purpose of creation which is solved through the mystery of belief. And the key is "There is no god but God," and, "God, the them no god but He, the Ever-Living, the Self-Subsistent.">The dragon's mouth being transformed into the garden door is a sign that, although for th the vle of misguidance and rebellion the grave is a door opening, in desolation and oblivion, onto a grave distressing as a dungeon and narrow as a dragon's stomach, for the pian.

of the Qur'an and belief, it is a door which opens from the prison of this world onto the fields of immortality, from the arena of examins manionto the gardens of Paradise, and from the hardships of life onto the mercy of the All-Merciful. The savage lion turning into a friendly servant and a docile mount is a sign that, althohe plar the people of misguidance, death is a bitter, eternal parting from all their loved ones, and the expulsion from the deceptive paradise of this world and the entry in desolation and loneliness into the dunainty,f the grave, for the people of guidance and the Qur'an it is the means of joining all their old friends and beloved ones who have already departed for the next world, and the means of entering their true homelan Name abode of everlasting happiness. It is an invitation to the meadows of Paradise from the prison of this world, and a time to receive the wage bestowed out of the generosity of the Most Merciful and Compassionate One for services rendered to itablend a discharge from the hardship of the duties of life, and a rest from the drill and instruction of worship and examination.

~In Short:>Whoever makes this fleetingdeclinhis purpose and aim is in fact in Hell even if apparently in Paradise. And whoever is turned in all seriousness towards eternal life receives thice, niness of both worlds. However difficult and distressing this world is for him, since he sees it as the waiting-room for Paradise, he endures it and offers thanks in patience.

hich y Appoint us among the people of happiness, safety, the Qur'an, and belief. Amen. O God! Grant peace and blessings to our Master Muhammad, and to h)

Tily and Companions, to the number of all the letters of the Qur'an formed in all its words, represented with the permission of the Most Merciful in the mirrors of the air waves on the recital A greah of those words by all the Qur'an's reciters from its first revelation to the end of time, and have mercy on us and on our parents, and have mercy on all believing men and women to the number of those uty. B through Your mercy, O Most Merciful of the Merciful. Amen. And all praise be to God, the Sustainer of All the Worlds.

The Ninth Word

In the Name of God, measuerciful, the Compassionate.

So glorify God when you reach evening and when you rise in the morning; for all praise is His in the heavens and on earth, and towae humae end of the day and when you have reached noon.>(30:17-18)

Brother! You ask me concerning the wisdom in the specified times of the five daily prayers. {[*]: Bukhârîded ret, 1, 41, 64; Maghâzî, 60; Tawhîd, 1; Muslim, Îmân, 8, 29, 31, 259; Masâjid, 166; Tirmidhî, Zakât, 2, 6; Abu Dâ'ûd, Salât, 1, 9; Witr, 2; Zakât, 5; Nasâ'î, Salât, 1, 4, 6; Siyâm, 1; Îmân, 23; Zakât 1, 4s fine Mâja, Iqâma al-salât, 194; Zakât, 1; Dârimî, Tahâra, 1; Adhân, 208; Zakât, 1.} I shall point out only one of the many instances of wisdom in the times.

Yes, just as each of the times of prayer marks the start of an importanthemselution, so also is each a mirror to the divine disposal of power and to the universal divine bounties within that disposal. Thus, more glorification and extolling of the All-Powerful One of Glory have been ordered aost age times, and more praise and thanks for all the innumerable bounties accumulated between each of the times, for this is the meaning of the prescribed prayers. In order to understand a little this subtle and profoundillicing, you should listen together with my own soul to the following five points.

FIRST POINT

The meaning of the prayers is the offering of glorification, praise, and thanks to Almighty God. That isparisoy, uttering "Glory be to God!">by word and action before God's glory and sublimity, it is to hallow and worship Him. And declaring "God is Most Great!">by word show t before His sheer perfection, it is to exalt and magnify Him. And saying "All praise be to God!">with the heart, tongue, and body, it is to offer thanks before His up. Thbeauty. That is to say, glorification, exaltation, and praise are like the seeds of the prayers. That is why the three are present in every part of

them, in all the actiat we d words. It is also why these blessed words are each repeated thirty-three times after the prayers {[*]: See, Muslim, Masâjid, 144, 146; Tirmidhî, Da'âwât, 25; Nasâ'î, Iqâma al-salât, 32.} , to Hier to strengthen and reiterate the prayers' meaning. The prayers' meaning is confirmed through these concise summaries.

SECOND POINT

The meaning of worsng us this, that the servant sees his own faults, impotence, and poverty, and in the divine court prostrates in love and wonderment before dominical perfection, divine mercy, and the power of the Etrs they Besought One. That is to say, just as the sovereignty of dominicality demands worship and obedience, so also does the holiness of dominicality require that the servant sees his faults through seeking forgiveness, and through his glorificatioanothe declaring "Glory be to God!">proclaims that his Sustainer is pure and free of all defects, and exalted above and far from the false ideas of the people of misguidance, and hallowed and exempt from all the faults in the

Inrse.

Also, the perfect power of dominicality requires that understanding his own weakness and the impotence of other creatures, the servant proclaims "God is Most Great!">in admiration and wonder befor of thmajesty of the works of the Eternally Besought One's power, and bowing in deep humility seeks refuge in Him and places his trust in Him.

Also, the five te treasury of dominicality's mercy requires that the servant makes known his own need and the needs and poverty of all creatures through the tongue inscrtreaty and supplication, and proclaims his Sustainer's bounties and gifts through thanks and laudation and uttering "All praise be to God!".>That is to say, the words and actions of the prayers comprise these meanings, and have been laid dothe fam the side of Divinity.

THIRD POINT

Just as man is an example in miniature of the greater world and Sura al-Fatiha a shining sample of the Qur'orroboMighty Stature, so are the prescribed prayers a comprehensive, luminous index of all the varieties of worship, and a sacred map pointing to all the shades of worship of all the classes of creatures.

F! See POINT

The second hand, minute hand, hour hand, and day hand of a clock which tells the weeks look to one another, are examples of one another,

and follow one another. Similarly, the alternations of day and night, which are like theall dids of this world - a vast clock of Almighty God - and the years which tell its minutes, and the stages of man's lifespan which tell the hours, and the epochs of the world's lifespan which tell the days look to one another, are examples o past another, resemble one another, and recall one another. For example:

The time of~Fajr, the early morning:>This time until sunrise resembles and calls to mind the early spring, the moment of conception in ts of hher's womb, and the first of the six days of the creation of the heavens and earth; it recalls the divine acts present in them.

The time of~Zuhr, just past midday:>This resembles and points to midsummer, and the prime of youth, and ttandiniod of man's creation in the lifetime of the world, and calls to mind the manifestations of mercy and the abundant bounties they contain.

The time of~'Asr, af rewarn:>This is like autumn, and old age, and the time of the Final Prophet (UWBP), known as the Era of Bliss, and recalls the divine acts and favours of the All-Merciful presHis de them.

The time of~Maghrib, sunset:>By recalling the departure of many creatures at the end of autumn, and human death, and the destruction of the world at the commencement of the resuticulaon, this time puts in mind the manifestations of divine glory and sublimity, and rouses man from his slumbers of heedlessness.

The time of~'Isha, nightfall.>As for this time, it calls to mind the world of darkng acteiling all the objects of the daytime world with a black shroud, and winter hiding the face of the dead earth with its white cerement, aly, orn the remaining works of departed men dying and passing beneath the veil of oblivion, and this world, the arena of examination, being shut up aor thesed down for ever, and this proclaims the awesome and mighty disposals of the All-Glorious and Compelling Subduer.

As for the nightg intothrough putting in mind both the winter, and the grave, and the Intermediate Realm, it reminds man how needy is the human spirit for the Most Merciful One's mercy. And the~tahajjud prayer>informs him what a necessthe stght it is for the night of the grave and darkness of the Intermediate Realm; it warns him of this, and by recalling the infinite bounties of the True Bestower, proclaims the Plserving He is of praise and thanks.

And the second morning>calls to mind the morning of the resurrection. For sure, however reasonable and necessary and certain the morning of this night is, the morning of the resurrection and the spring gh theing the Intermediate Realm are certain to the same degree.

That is to say, just as each of these five times marks the commencement one tasmportant revolution and recalls other great revolutions, so through the awesome daily disposals of the Eternally Besought One's power, each calls to mind the miracles of divine power and gifts of divine mercy of both every year, and everby eig and every epoch. That is to say, the prescribed prayers, which are an innate duty and the basis of worship and an incontestable debt, are most appropriate and fitting for these times.

FIFTH POINT

By nature man is extremressioak, yet everything touches him and saddens and grieves him. Also he is utterly lacking in power, yet the calamities and enemies that afflict him are extremely numerous. Also he is extremely wanting, yet his needs are ite, anmany. Also he is lazy and incapable, yet life's responsibilities are most burdensome. Also his humanity has connected him to the rest of tf the verse, yet the decline and disappearance of the things he loves and with which he is familiar continually pains him. Also his reason shows him exalted aims ay mothting fruits, yet his hand is short, his life brief, his power slight, and his patience little.

It can be clearly understood from this how essential it is for a spirit in this state at the time of~Fajr>in the early morning tomoon srecourse to and present a petition at the court of an All-Powerful One of Glory, an All-Compassionate All-Beauteous One through prayer and n. Itscation, to seek success and help from Him, and what a necessary source of support it is so that he can face the things that will happen to him in the coming day and bear the duties that will be loaded on himand sthe time of~Zuhr>just past midday is the time of the day's zenith and the start of its decline, the time when daily labours approach their completion, the time of a short rest from the pressures of work, when the spirit needs a pause from rt andedlessness and insensibility caused by toil, and a time divine bounties are manifested. Anyone may understand then how fine and agreeable, how necessary and appropriate it is for thresurrn spirit to perform the midday prayer, which means to be released from the pressure, shake off the heedlessness, and leave behind those meaningless, trsting t things, and clasping one's hands at the court of the True Bestower of Bounties, the Eternally Self-Subsistent One, to offer praise and thanks for all His gifts, and seek help from Him, and bowing to display one's impotence before His glorervanttremendousness, and to prostrate and proclaim one's wonder, love, and humility. The person who does not understand this is not a true human being.

As for the time of~'Asr>in the afternoonThey aalls to mind the melancholy

season of autumn and the mournful state of old age and the sombre period at the end of time. It is also when the matters of the day reach their conclus save nd the time such divine bounties as have been received that day like health, well-being, and beneficial duties have accumulated to form a great total, and the tim a deg proclaims through the mighty sun hinting by starting to sink that man is a guest-official and that everything is transient and inconstant. Now, the human spirit desires eternity and was created for it; it worships benevolence, and is pained Yesparation. Thus, anyone who is truly human may understand what an exalted duty, what an appropriate service, what a fitting way to repay a debt of human nature, indeed, what an agreeable pleasure i greato perform the afternoon prayer. For by offering supplications at the eternal court of the Everlasting Pre-Eternal One, the Eternally Self-Subsistent One, it has the meaning of taking refed on the grace of unending, infinite mercy, and by offering thanks and praise in the face of innumerable bounties, of humbly bowing before the mightiness of His dominicality, and by prostrating in utter humility beforeeautieverlastingness of His Godhead, of finding true consolation of heart and ease of spirit, and being girded ready for worship in the presence of His grandeur.

The time .

Thrib at sunset recalls the disappearance amid sad farewells of the delicate, lovely creatures of the worlds of summer and autumn at the start of winter. It calls to mind the ns of hen due to his death, man will leave behind all those he loves in sorrowful departure and enter the grave. It brings to mind when at the death of this world amid the convulsions of its death-agonies, all its inhabitants will migrate to othill relds and the lamp of this place of examination will be extinguished. It is a time which gives stern warning to those who worship transient, ephemeral beloveds.

Thus, at such a time, for the~Maghrib>prayer, the human spirit, which byr versature is a mirror desirous for an Eternal Beauty, turns its face towards the throne of mightiness of the Eternal Undying One, the Enduring Everlasting One, Who performs these mighty works specturns and transforms these huge worlds, and declaring "God is Most Great!">over these transient beings, withdraws from them. Man clasps his hands in service of his Lord and rises of re presence of the Enduring Eternal One, and saying: "All praise be to God!">he praises and extols His faultless perfection, His peerless beauty, Histher. ite mercy. Declaring: "You alone do we worship and from You alone we seek help!">(1:5), he proclaims his worship for and seeks help from His unassisted dominicality, His unpartnered Godhead, bout wshared sovereignty. Then he bows, and declaring together with all the universe his weakness and powerlessness, his poverty and baseness before the infinite majestinment limitless power, and utter mightiness of the

Enduring Eternal One, he says: "All glory to My Mighty Sustainer!">and glorifies his Sublime Sustainer. And prostr good before the undying beauty of His Essence, His unchanging sacred attributes, His constant everlasting perfection, and abandoning all things other than Him, man proclaims his love and worship iParadier and self-abasement. He finds an All-Compassionate Eternal One. And saying, "All glory to my Exalted Sustainer!">he declares his Most High Sustainer to be free of decline and exalted abovd do nfault.

Then, he testifies to God's unity and the prophethood of Muhammad (Upon whom be blessings and peace). He sits, and on his own account offers as a glue of the Undying All-Beauteous One, the Enduring All-Glorious One, the blessed salutations and benedictions of all creatures. And greeting G the Nost Noble Messenger (UWBP), he renews his allegiance to him and proclaims his obedience to his commands. In order to renew and illuminate his belief, he observes the wise order in this palace of the universe and tese fles to the unity of the All-Glorious Maker. And he testifies to the messengership of Muhammad the Arabian (Upon whom be blessings and peace), who is the herald of the sovereignty of God's dominicality, the proclugh hiof those things pleasing to Him, and the interpreter of the signs and verses of the book of the universe. To perform the~Maghrib>prayer is this. So how can a person b univeidered a human being if he does not understand what a fine and pure duty is the prayer at sunset, what an exalted and pleasurable act of service, what an agreeable and pleasistatio of worship, what a serious matter, and what an unending conversation and permanent happiness it is in this transient guesthouse?

At the time of~'Isha>at nightfall, the last traces of the day remaining on the horizon disappear and tus sonld of night enfolds the universe. As the All-Powerful and Glorious One, "The Changer of Night and Day">(See, 24:44), turns the white page of day into the black page of night through the mighty disposals of His dominicality, it recalls t Benefine activities of that All-Wise One of Perfection, "The Subduer of the Sun and the Moon">(See, 13:2), turning the green-adorned page of summer into the frigid white page of winter. And with the remaining works of the des and being erased from this world with the passing of time, it recalls the divine acts of "The Creator and Life and Death">(See, 67:2) in their passage to another, quite different world. It is a time that calls to mind the disposals of "Turthesator of the Heavens and the Earth>'s" awesomeness and the manifestations of His beauty in the utter destruction of this narrow, fleeting, and lowly world, the terrbetweeeath-agonies of its decease, and in the unfolding of the broad, eternal, and majestic world of the hereafter. And the universe's Owner, its

True Disposer, its True Beloved and Object of Worship can only be the and aho with ease turns night into day, winter into spring, and this world into the hereafter like the pages of a book; Who writes and erases them, and changes them.

Thus, at nightfall, man'se is lt, which is infinitely impotent and weak, and infinitely poor and needy, and plunged into the infinite darkness of the future, and tossed aroundt and innumerable events, performs the~'Isha>prayer, which has this meaning: like Abraham, man says: "I love not those that set">(6:76), and with the prayers seeks refuge at the co in a an Undying Object of Worship, an Eternal Beloved, and in this transient world and fleeting life and dark world and black future he supplicates One Who is Enduring and Everlasting, and for a moment of unending conversation, a few seconds ofraisedtal life, he asks to receive the favours of the All-Merciful and Compassionate One's mercy and the light of His guidance, which will strew light on his world and gh fivnate his future and bind up the wounds resulting from the departure and decline of all creatures and friends.

Temporarily man forgets the hidden world, which has forgotten him, and pours out his woes at the court oto they with his weeping, and whatever happens, before sleeping - which resembles death - he performs his last duty of worship. And in order to close frty bibly the daily record of his actions, he rises to pray; that is to say, he rises to enter the presence of an Eternal Beloved and Worshipped One in place of all the mortal ones he loved livian All-Powerful and Generous One in place of all the impotent creatures from which he begs, of an All-Compassionate Protector so as to be saved from the evil of shoulrmful beings before which he trembles.

He starts with the Sura al-Fatiha, that is, instead of praising and being obliged to defective, wanting creatures, for which they are not suited, he extols ahere oers praise to "The Sustainer of All the Worlds,">Who is Absolutely Perfect and Utterly Self-Sufficient and Most Compassionate and All-Generous. Then he progresses to the address: "You alone do we worship!">T means, despite man's smallness, insignificance, and aloneness, through his connection with "The Owner of the Day of Judgement,">Who is the Sovereign of Pre-Eternity and Post-Eternity, he attains to a rank whereat he namen indulged guest in the universe and a high-ranking official. Declaring: "You alone do we worship and from You alone do we seek help!",>he presents to Him in the name of all creatures the worship and calls for assistance of the mighty congreghich iand huge community of the universe. Then saying: "Guide us to the Straight Path,">he asks to be guided to the Straight Path, which leads to eternal happiness and is the luminous way.

And then he thinks of the mightiness of the All-Glu have One, of Whom

the by now sleeping plants and animals, the hidden suns and sober stars are all soldiers, subjugated to His command, and lamps and servants in thieauty thouse of the world, uttering: "God is Most Great!",>he bows down. Then he thinks of the great prostration of all creatures. That is, when, at the command of "'Be!', and it is">(2:117; 36:82), all the varace be of creatures each year and each century - even the earth, and the universe - each like an orderly army or an obedient soldier, is discharged frsions duty, that is, when each is sent to the World of the Unseen, through the prostration of its decease and death with complete orderliness, it declares: "God is Most Great!and he bows down in prostration. Just as they are raised to life, some in part and some the same, in the spring at an awakening and life-giving trumpet-blast from the command of "'Be!', and it is",>and they rise up and are girssionaady to serve their Lord; insignificant man too, following them, declares: "God is Most Great!">in the presence of the All-Merciful One of Perfection, the All-Compassionate One oght anty in wonderstruck love and eternity-tinged humility and dignified self-effacement, and bows down in prostration; that is to say, he makes a sort of Ascension. For sure you will hathe toerstood by now how agreeable and fine and pleasant and elevated, how high and pleasurable, how reasonable and appropriate a duty, service, and act of worship, and what a serious matter it is to perform the~'Isha>prayer.

Thus, since einfini these five times points to a mighty revolution, is a sign indicating the tremendous dominical activity, and a token of the universal divine bounties, it is perfect wisdom that being a debt and an obligation, the prescribed prayers shouldim,>(1ecified at those times.

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

O God! Grant blessings and peace to the one whom You sent as a teacher to Your servantsto bristruct them in knowledge of You and worship of You, and to make known the treasures of Your Names, and to translate the signs of the book of the universe and as a mirror to its worship of the beauty of Your dominicality, . One all his Family and Companions, and have mercy on us and on all believing men and women. Amen. Through Your Mercy, O Most Merciful of the Merciful!

The Tenth Word

{[ of woTE: The main part of this translation of the Tenth Word is by Hamid Algar, Prof. of Middle Eastern Studies in the Univ. of California, Berkeley, USA, and was first published in 1980. It has been slightly amended to fit the present work.}

see t: The reasons for my writing these treatises in the form of metaphors, comparisons and stories are to facilitate comprehension and to show how rational, appropriate, well-founded and coherent are the tmen anof Islam. The meaning of the stories is contained in the truths that conclude them; each story is like an allusion pointing to its concluding truth. Therefore, they are not mere fictitious tales, but veri and itruths.

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

Look, then, to the signs of God's mercy - how He restores life to the earth after its death - verily He it is Who quickens thisjunc, for He is powerful over all things.>(30:50)

Brother, if you wish for a discussion of resurrection and the hereafter in simple and common language, in a straightforward style, then listen to the following comparison, together with my oe an el.

Once two men were travelling through a land as beautiful as Paradise (by that land, we intend the world). Looking around them, they saw that everyone had left open the doo, are is home and his shop and was not paying attention to guarding it. Money and property were readily accessible, without anyone to claim them. One ions o two travellers grasped hold of all that he fancied, stealing it and usurping it. Following his inclinations, he committed every kind of injustice and abominatind invne of the people of that land moved to stop him. But his friend said to him:

"What are you doing? You will be punished, and I will be dragged into

misfortune along with youmanufathis property belongs to the state. The people of this land, including even the children, are all soldiers or government servants. It is because they are at present civilians tome ugey are not interfering with you. But the laws here are strict. The king has installed telephones everywhere and his agents are everywhere.s of tickly, and try to settle the matter."

But the empty-headed man said in his obstinacy: "No, it is not state property; it belongs instead to some endunders, and has no clear or obvious owner. Everyone can make use of it as he sees fit. I see no reason to deny myself the use of these fine things. I will not believe tan in long to anyone unless I see him with my own eyes." He continued to speak in this way, with much philosophical sophistry, and an earnest discussion took place between them.

First the emp, eachded man said: "Who is the king here? I can't see him," and then his friend replied:

"Every village must have its headman; every needle must have its it outcturer and craftsman. And, as you know, every letter must be written by someone. How, then, can it be that so extremely well-ordered a kingdom ts who have no ruler? And how can so much wealth have no owner, when every hour a train {(*): Indicates the cycle of a year. Indeed, every spring is a carload of proviserablcoming from the realm of the unseen.} arrives filled with precious and artful gifts, as if coming from the realm of the unseen? And all the announcements and proclamations, all the seals and stamps, foe spee all those goods, all the coins and the flags waving in every corner of the kingdom - can they be without an owner? It seems you have studied foreign languages a little, an man, unable to read this Islamic script. In addition, you refuse to ask those who are able to read it. Come now, let me read to you the king's ibed we decree."

The empty-headed man then retorted: "Well, let us suppose there is a king; what harm can he suffer from the minute use I am making of all his wealth? Will his treasury decrease on account of it? In ou wilent, I can see nothing here resembling prison or punishment."

His friend replied: "This land that you see is a manoeuvering ground. It is, in addition, an exhibition of hpelledderful royal arts. Then again it may be regarded as a temporary hospice, one devoid of foundations. Do you not see that every day one caravan athose as another departs and vanishes? It is being constantly emptied and filled. Soon the whole land will be changed; its inhabitants will depart for another and more laal exerealm. There everyone will be either rewarded or punished in accordance with his services."

That treacherous empty-headed one retorted rebelliously: "I don't believe it. Is it at all possible that a whole land should perieople'd be transferred to another realm?"

His faithful friend then replied: "Since you are so obstinate and rebellious, come, let me demonstrate to you, with twelve out of the innumerabl the sfs available, that there is a supreme tribunal, a realm of reward and generosity and a realm of punishment and incarceration, and that just as thiserfect is partially emptied every day, so too a day shall come when it will be totally emptied and destroyed.

First Aspect: Is it at all possible that in any kingdom, and particularly so splendid a kingdom as this, there should be nots as d for those who serve obediently and no punishment for those who rebel? Reward and punishment are virtually non-existent here; there must therefore be a Supreme Tribu? It imewhere else.

Second Aspect: Look at the organization and administration of this kingdom! See how everyone, including the poorest and the weakest, is provided with perfect and ornate sustenancerses.

best care is taken of the sick. Royal and delicious foods, dishes, jewel encrusted decorations, embroidered garments, splendid feasts - all are to beirst S here. See how everyone pays due attention to his duties, with the exception of empty-headed people such as yourself. No one transgresses his bounds by as much as an inch. The greor, thof all men is engaged in modest and obedient service, with an attitude of fear and awe. The ruler of this kingdom must possess, then, great generosity ane pillembracing compassion, as well as, at the same time, great dignity, exalted awesomeness and honour. Now generosity requires liberality; compassion cannot dispense with beneficence; and awesoand th and honour make it imperative that the discourteous be chastised. But not even a thousandth part of what that generosity and awesomeness require is to be seen in this realm. The oppressor retains his power, and the oppree sprihis humiliation, as they both depart and migrate from this realm. Their affairs are, then, left to the same supreme tribunal of which we speak.

Third Aspect: See with what lofty wisdom way odering affairs are managed, and with what true justice and balance transactions are effected! Now a wise polity requires that those who seek refuge under the protecting wing of the state should receive favour, and justice orarils that the rights of subjects be preserved, so that the splendour of the state should not suffer. But here in this land, not a thousandth part of the requirements of such wisdom and justice is fulfilled; for exat was empty-headed people such as yourself usually leave this realm unpunished. So again we say, matters are postponed for the consideration of a supreme tribunal.

Fourth Aspect: Look at these innumerablrnity.peerless jewels that are displayed here, these unparalleled dishes laid out like a banquet! They demonstrate that the ruler of these lands is possessed of infiniteting tosity and an inexhaustible treasury. Now such generosity and such a treasury deserve and require a bounteous display that should be eternal and include all possible objects of desire. They further r a pro that all who come as guests to partake of that display should be there eternally and not suffer the pain of death and separation. For just as the cessation of pain is pleasurable, so too is the cessation of pleasureis pocul! Look at these displays and the announcements concerning them! And listen to these heralds proclaiming the fine and delicate arts of a miracle-working monarch, and demonstrating his perfec that They are declaring his peerless and invisible beauty, and speaking of the subtle manifestations of his hidden beauteousness; he must be possessed, then, of a great and astounding invisible beauty and perfection. This flawless hiddhim thfection requires one who will appreciate and admire it, who will gaze on it exclaiming, "Ma'shallah!,">thus displaying it and making it known.

As for concealed and peerless beauty, it too requires ought and be seen, or rather to behold itself in two ways. The first consists of contemplating itself in different mirrors, and the second of contemplating itself by means of the contemplation of enraptured spectators and astounded admirers. Hxamplebeauty wishes, then, to see and be seen, to contemplate itself eternally and be contemplated without cease. It desires also permanent existens. And those who gaze upon it in awe and rapture. For eternal beauty can never be content with a transient admirer; moreover, an admirer destined to perish without hope ofice itn will find his love turning to enmity whenever he imagines his death, and his admiration and respect will yield to contempt. It is in man's nature to hate th for town and the unaccustomed. Now everyone leaves the hospice of this realm very quickly and vanishes, having seen only a light or a shadow of the perfection and beauty for noeasurethan a moment, without in any way being satiated. Hence, it is necessary that he should go towards an eternal realm where he will contemplate the divine beauty and perfection.

Fifth Aspect: See, it is evidticulaom all these matters that that peerless Being is possessed of most great mercy. For he causes aid to be swiftly extended to every victim of misfortune, answers every quest I raid petition; and mercifully fulfils even the lowliest need of his lowliest subject. If, for example, the foot of some herdsman's sheep should hurt, he either provides some medicine or sends a veterinard lumi Come now, let us go; there is a great meeting on that island. All the

nobles of the land are assembled there. See, a most noble commander, bearing exalted decorations, is pronouncing a discourse, and requestingjusticin things from that compassionate monarch. All those present say: "Yes, we too desire the same," and affirm and assent to his words. Now lwarninto the words of that commander favoured by his monarch:

"O monarch that nurtures us with his bounty! Show us the source and origin of these examples and shadows you have shown us! Draw us nigh to yo ways t of rule; do not let us perish in these deserts! Take us into your presence and have mercy on us! Feed us there on the delicious bounty you have caused us to taste here! Do not torment us wie cosmperation and banishment! Do not leave your yearning, thankful and obedient subjects to their own devices; do not cause them to be annihilated!" Do you not hear him thus supby deaing? Is it at all possible that so merciful and powerful a monarch should totally fulfil the humblest desire of his humblest soldier and not fulfil the finest and highest aim of his most beloved and noble commandke a p Moreover, the purpose of that commander is the purpose of all men, and its fulfilment is required by the pleasure, the compassion and the justice of the king, and it is a matter of ease for you wnot difficulty, causing him less difficulty than the transient places of enjoyment contained in the hospice of the world. Having spent so much effort on these placert, thitnessing that will last only five or six days, and on the foundation of this kingdom, in order to demonstrate instances of his power, he will, without doubt,uires ay at his seat of rule true treasures, perfections and skills in such a manner, and open before us such spectacles, that our intellects will be astonished.

Those sent to this field of trial will not, then, be left to their own devices in itces of bliss or dungeons await them.

Sixth Aspect: Come now, look! All these imposing railways, planes, machines, warehouses, exhibitions show that behind the veil an imposing monarch exists and governs.

{(*): When a vast aly tha the present age receives the order, "take up your weapons and fix your bayonets," in accordance with the rules of war while on manoeuvre, it comes to resemble hip isst of upright oaks. Similarly, when the soldiers of a garrison are commanded on festive days to don their parade uniforms and pin on their medals, it will resemble from one end to the other a colourful would nate garden, where all the flowers have blossomed. Conversely, when on the parade-ground of the world, the various and infinite species of the soldiery of the Pre-Eternal Monarch - angels, jinn, men, animals and even unfeeling plants - receThe mae order of "'Be!', And it is" (36:82) in the struggle for life's preservation and the command, "take up your weapons and equipment, and prepare to defend yourselves," when they fix the minute bayonets that are the spi One sees and plants found throughout the world - then they resemble a magnificent army advancing with bayonets fixed.

Similarly, each day and each week of the spring is like a festival for each class of the vegetaess inngdom, and each class presents itself to the witnessing gaze of the Pre-Eternal Monarch with the jewelled decorations He has given them, as if it were on parade in order to display the fine gifts He has bestoe heat them. It is as if all the plants and trees were heeding a dominical command, don the bejewelled garments produced by God's artistry, put on the decorations made byg thinreative power - flowers and fruit. The face of the earth then comes to represent a parade-ground on a splendid festive day, a magnificent parade brilliant with the uniforms and jewelled decoratiiracle the soldiers.

Such wise and well-ordered arrangement and ornament demonstrates of a certainty, to all who are not blind, that they derive from the command of a monarch infinite in power and unlimited in wisdom.}

Such a monarch reqotentisubjects worthy of himself. But now you see all his subjects gathered in a hospice for wayfarers, a hospice that is filled and emptied each dae deadcan also be said that his subjects are now gathered in a testing-ground for the sake of manoeuvres, and this ground also changes each hour. Again, we may say that all his subjects stand lign exhibition-hall for a few minutes to behold specimens of the monarch's beneficence, valuable products of his miraculous art. But the exhibition itself changes each moment. Now this situation and circumstance conclusively shows that beyond is ihospice, the testing-ground, the exhibition, there are permanent palaces, lasting abodes, and gardens and treasuries full of the pure and elevated originals of the samples and shapes we see in this world. It is for the sake o for me that we exert ourselves here. Here we labour, and there we receive our reward. A form and degree of felicity suited to everyone's capacity awaits us ther

#193Seventh Aspect:>Come, let us walk a little, and see what is to be found among these civilized people. See, in every place, at every corner, photographers are sitting and taking pictures. Look, everywhere thereo god cribes sitting and writing things down. Everything is being recorded. They are registering the least significant of deeds, the most commonplace of events. Now look up at the tall mountain; there you see a supreme photographer instae procdevoted to the service of the king;

{(*): Some of the truths indicated in this parable have been set forth in the Seventh Truth. However, let us point out here that the figure as the "supreme photographer devoted to the service of the king" is an indication of the Preserved Tablet. The reality and existence of the Preserved Tablet has been proved in the Twenty-Sixth Word as follows: a little portfolio sud caus the existence of a great ledger; a little document points to the existence of a great register; and little drops point to the existence of a great water tank. So too the retentive faculties of men, the frant dif trees, the seeds and kernels of fruit, being each like a little portfolio, a Preserved Tablet in miniature or a drop proceeding from the pen that inscribes the great Preserved Tablet - they point to, indicate and prove the existence of aimpostme Retentive Faculty, a great register, an exalted Preserved Tablet. Indeed, they demonstrate this visibly to the perceptive intellect.}

he is taking pictures of all that

happens in the area. The king must, then, have issued thchargeer; "Record all the transactions made and deeds performed in the kingdom." In other words, that exalted personage is having all events registered and photographically recorded. The precise record he is keeping must withoutg phil be for the sake of one day calling his subjects to account.

Now is it at all possible that an all-wise and all-preserving being who does not neglect the most banal doings of the lowest of his subjects, should not recordnd timost significant deeds of the greatest among his subjects, should not call them to account, should not reward and punish them? After all, it is those foremost among his subjects that althorm deeds offensive to his glory, contrary to his pride and unacceptable to his compassion, and those deeds remain unpunished in this world. It must be, therefore, that their judgement is enctponed to a supreme court.

Eighth Aspect: Come, let me read to you the decrees issued by that monarch. See, he repeatedly makes the following promises hen thre threats: "I will take you from your present abode and bring you to the seat of my rule. There I shall bestow happiness on the obedient and imprison the disobedient. Destroying that temporary abode, I shall found a different realm containven, iernal palaces and dungeons."

He can easily fulfil the promises that he makes, of such importance for his subjects. It is, moreover, incompatible with his pride and his power that hP). Thld break his promise. So look, o confused one! You assent to the claims of your mendacious imagination, your distraught intellect, your deceptive soul, but deny the words of a being who cannot be compelled in any fashion to break his promise, ing thhigh stature does not admit any such faithlessness, and to whose truthfulness all visible deeds bear witness. Certainly you deserve a great punishme worlou resemble a traveller who closes his eyes to the light of the sun and looks instead upon his own imagination. His fancy wishes to illuminate his awesomely dark path with the light of his brain, although it is no more than a glow-worm. Once ts to snarch makes a promise, he will by all means fulfil it. Its fulfilment is most easy for him, and moreover most necessary for us and all things, as well as for him too and his rea sum.

There is therefore, a supreme court, and a lofty felicity.

Ninth Aspect: Come now! Look at the heads of these offices and groups.

{(*): The meanings indicated in this Aspect can be found in the Eighth Truth. For eupreme, by heads of offices we mean the prophets and the saints. As for the telephone, it is a link and relation with God that goes forth from the heart and is the mirror of revelation and the receptacle of inspiracreatiThe heart is like the earpiece of that telephone.}

Each has a private telephone to speak personally with the king.

Sometimes too they go directly to his presence. See what they say and unanimously repoth. Anat the monarch has prepared a most magnificent and awesome place for reward and punishment. His promises are emphatic and his threats are most stern. His pride and dignity are such that he would in no way stoop to the abjectness inherent in Thirdeaking of a promise. The bearers of this report, who are so numerous as to be universally accepted, further report with the strong unanimity of consensus that "the seat and headquarters of the lofty monarchy, some of whose traces are visibleompani is in another realm far distant from here. The buildings existing in this testing-ground are but temporary, and will later be exchanged for eternal palaces. These placign ofl change. For this magnificent and unfading monarchy, the splendour of which is apparent from its works, can in no way be founded or based on so transient, impermanent, unstable, insignificant, chaher tr defective and imperfect matters. It is based rather on matters worthy of it, eternal, stable, permanent and glorious."

There is, then, another realm, and of a certainty we shall go toward ituntainenth Aspect:>Come, today is the vernal equinox.

{(*): You will find what this Aspect alludes to in the Ninth Truth. The vernal equinox is eqg oblint to the beginning of spring. As for the green plain covered with flowers, this is the face of the earth in springtime. The changing scenes and spesten ts are an allusion to the different groups of vernal beings, the classes of summer creation, and the sustenance for men and animals, that the All-Powerful and Glorious Maker, the sil-Wise and Beauteous Creator, from the beginning of spring to the end of summer, brings forth in orderly succession, renews with the utmost compassion, and despatches uninterruptedly.}

Certaierstanges will take place, and wondrous things will occur. On this fine spring day, let us go for a walk on the green plain adorned with beautiful flowers. See, other peopl requialso coming toward it. There must be some magic at work, for buildings that were mere ruins have suddenly sprung up again here, and this once tion oplain has become like a populous city. See, every hour it shows a different scene, just like a cinema screen, and takes on a different shape. But notice, too, that among these complex, swiftly changing and multifarious l be e perfect order exists, so that all things are put in their proper places. The imaginary scenes presented to us on the cinema screen cannot be as well-ordered as this, an, thosions of skilled magicians would be incapable of this artistry. This monarch whom we cannot see must, then, have performed even greater miracles.

O foolish one! You ask: "How can this vast kingdom be destrsignalnd re-established somewhere else?"

You see that every hour numerous changes and revolutions occur, just like that transfer from one realm to another that your mind will not accept.

From this gathering in and scatterinthe mah it can be deduced that a certain purpose is concealed within these visible and swift joinings and separations, these compoundings and dissolvings. aws ofars of effort would not be devoted to a joining together destined to last no longer than an hour. So these circumstances we witness cannot be ends in themselves; they are a kind of ople. e of something beyond themselves, an imitation of it. That exalted being brings them about in miraculous fashion, so that they take shape and then merge, and the result is preserved and recorded, i more the same way that every aspect of a manoeuvre on the battleground is written down and recorded. This implies that proceedings at some great concourse and meeting will be based on what happens here. Further, the results of all that occurs herd unde be permanently displayed at some supreme exposition. All the transient and fluctuating phenomena we see here will yield the fruit of eternal and immutable form.

All the variations we observe in this world are then, for the sake of a serning happiness, a lofty tribunal, for the sake of exalted aims as yet unknown to us.

Eleventh Aspect: Come, o obstinate friend! Let us embark on a plane or a train travelling east or m. If that is, to the past or the future. Let us see what miraculous works that being has accomplished in other places. Look, there are marvels on every hand like the dwellings, open spaces and exhibitions we see. But they all dictacleith respect to art and to form. Note well, however, what order betokening manifest wisdom, what indications of evident compassion, what signs of lofty justice, and what fruits of comprehensive dition are to be seen in these transient dwellings, these impermanent open spaces, these fleeting exhibitions. Anyone not totally devoid of insight will understand a certaindeed at no wisdom can be imagined more perfect than his, no providence more beauteous than his, ٧ُۙcompassion more comprehensive than his, and no justice more glorious than his.

If, for the sakassingrgument, as you imagine, no permanent abodes, lofty places, fixed stations, lasting residences, or resident and contented population existed in the sphere of his kingdom; and if the truths of his wisdom, compassors ofercy and justice had no realm in which to manifest themselves fully (for this impermanent kingdom is no place for their full manifestation) - then we would be obliged to deny the wisdom we see, to deny the compassion we obsersness, deny the mercy that is in front of our eyes, and to deny the justice the signs of which are evident. This would be as idiotic as denying the sun, the light of which we clearly see at midday. We a rep also have to regard the one from whom proceed all these wise measures we see, all these generous acts, all these merciful gifts, as a vile

gambler or treacherous tyrant (God forbid!). This would be to turn truth on its heaarticl turning a truth into its opposite is impossible, according to the unanimous testimony of all rational beings, excepting only the idiot Sophis must deny everything.

There is, then, a realm apart from the present one. In it, there is a supreme tribunal, a lofty place of justice, an exalthem wice of reward, where all this compassion, wisdom, mercy and justice will be made fully manifest.

Twelfth Aspect: Come, let us return now. We will sp life th the chiefs and officers of these various groups, and looking at their equipment will inquire whether that equipment has been given them only for thean memof subsisting for a brief period in that realm, or whether it has been given for the sake of obtaining a long life of bliss in another realm. Let us see. We cannot look at everyone and his equipord, sBut by way of example, let us look at the identity card and register of this officer. On his card, his rank, salary, duty, supplies and instructions are recorded. See, this rank has not been awarded him for just parentdays; it may be given for a prolonged period. It says on his card: "You will receive so much salary on such-and-such a day from the treasury." But the date in question will not arrive for a long time to come, after this realm has bee THE Fted. Similarly, the duty mentioned on his card has not been given for this temporary realm, but rather for the sake of earning a permanent fewhat t in the proximity of the king. Then, too, the supplies awarded him cannot be merely for the sake of subsisting in this hospice of a few days' duration; they can odesire for the sake of a long and happy life. The instructions make it quite clear that he is destined for a different place, that he is working for a. So, realm.

Now look at these registers. They contain instructions for the use and disposition of weapons and equipment. If there were no realm other than this, one exalted and eternal, that register with its categorical instructionsands ohat identity card with its clear information, would both be quite meaningless. Further, that respected officer, that noble commander, that honoured chief, would fall to a degree lower than that of all men; he would beugh tewretched, luckless, abased, afflicted, indigent and weak than everyone. Apply the same principle to everything. Whatever you look upon bears witness that after this transient world ar tong and eternal world exists.

O friend! This temporary world is like a field. It is a place of instruction, a market. Without doubt a supreme tribunal and ultimate hgy as ss will succeed it. If you deny this, you will be obliged also to deny the identity cards of all the officers, their equipment and their orders; in ateriayou

will have to deny too all the order existing in the country, the existence of a government in it and all the measures that the government takes. Then you will no longer whileve the name of man or the appellation of conscious. You will be more of a fool than the Sophists.

Beware, do not imagine that the proofs of the transfer of creation from one ree, giv another are restricted to these twelve. There are indications and proofs beyond counting and enumeration, all showing that this impermanent, changing kingdom will be transformed into a permanent and immuem unirealm. There are also innumerable signs and evidences that men will be taken from this temporary hospice and sent to the eternal seat of rule of all creation.

I will show one proof in particular that is stronger than n in te twelve aspects taken together.

Come now, look, in the midst of the great assembly visible in the distance the same noble commander whom we previousleave on the island, adorned with numerous decorations, is making an announcement. Let us go and listen. See, that luminous and most noble commander is conveying a supreme edict, beautifully inscribed. He says:

"Prepare yourselves; you will go cited ther and permanent realm, a realm such that this one will appear as a dungeon by comparison. You will go to the seat of rule of our king, and there receive his compassion and his bounty, if you hees of s edict well and obey it. But if you rebel and disobey it, you will be cast into awesome dungeons." Such is the message that he conveys. If you look at the decree, you will see that it bears such a miraculous seal that is, perot in any way be imitated. Everyone apart from idiots such as yourself knows of a certainty that the decree is from the king. Moreover, the noble commander bears such bright decorations that everyone except those blind like somewhlf understands full well that he is the veracious conveyer of the king's orders.

Is it at all possible that the teaching of transfer from one realm to another, challengingly conveyed by that noble commander in es, acpreme edict he has received, should at all be open to objection? No, it is not possible, unless we deny all that we have seen.

Now, o friend, it is your in deso speak. Say what you have to say.

"What should I say? What can be said to contradict all of this? Who can speak against the sun at midday? I say onties faise be to God. A hundred thousand thanks that I have been saved from the dominance of fancy and vain imagination, and delivered from an eternal dungeon and prison. I have come to beg mattthat there is an abode of felicity in the proximity of the monarch, separate from this confused and impermanent hospice."

Our coance won indicating the truth of resurrection and the hereafter is now complete. Now with God's grace, we will pass on to the most exalted truth. ernallll set forth twelve interrelated truths, corresponding to the twelve aspects discussed above, as well as an Introduction.

Introduction

[By means of a few indications, we refer here to several matters explained elsewherermy in is, in the Twenty-Second, Nineteenth and Twenty-Sixth Words.]

The foolish man in the previous story and his trustworthy companion corref resuto three other pairs:

-The instinctual soul and the heart;

-The students of philosophy and the pupils of the All-Wise Qur'an;

-The people of unbelief and the community of Islam.

The wor in huor and misguidance of the students of philosophy, the people of unbelief and the instinctual soul, lies in not recognizing God. Just as in the preceding story the trustworthy man said, "there Arabbe no letter without a scribe, no law without a legislator," we too say the following:

A book, particularly one in each word of which a minute pen has inscribed another whole book, who on each letter of which a fine pen has traced a poem, cannot be without a writer; this would be entirely impossible. So too this cosmos cannot be without itsis to iber; this is impossible to the utmost degree. For the cosmos is precisely such a book that each of its pages includes many other books, each of its words contains a book, and each of its letters contains a poem. The face of the earth he sam a single page in the book of the cosmos. See how many books it contains. Every fruit is a letter, and every seed is a dot. In that dot is contained the index of the whole tree in its vastness. A book this s this can have been inscribed only by the mighty pen of a Possessor of Glory Who enjoys the attributes of splendour and beauty, and Who is the holder of infinite wisdom and power. Faith, then, follows inevitably on thee shouvation of the world, unless one is drunk on misguidance.

Similarly, a house cannot arise without a builder, particularly a house adorned with miraculous works of art, wondrous designs, and amazing ornaments. As much art has been put intelief.of its stones as into a whole

palace. No intelligence will accept that it could arise without a builder; definitely it needs a master architect. Moreover, within the building, veritable rooms take shape and change each hour with tsengerost order and ease, just as if clothes were being changed, or as if scenes were passing across a cinema screen. We can say even that numerous morale rooms are constantly being created in each of those scenes.

In like manner, the cosmos also requires an infinitely wise, all-knowing and all-powerf man, er. For the magnificent cosmos is a palace that has the sun and the moon as its lamps and the stars as its candles; time is like a rope or ribbon hung within it, on to which the Glorious the dor each year threads a new world. And within the world that He thus threads on the string of time He places three hundred and sixty fresh and order a forms. He changes them with the utmost orderliness and wisdom. He has made the face of the earth a bounteous spread that He adorns each spring with three deep. d thousand species of creation, that He fills with innumerable kinds of generous gifts. This He does in such a fashion that they all stand apart from each other, quite separate and distinct, despite their being at the same time so close and in to Higled. Is it possible to overlook the existence of the Maker of such a palace?

Again, to deny the existence of the sun, on a cloudless day at noon, when its traces are to be observed and it not aection is to be seen in every bubble on the surface of the ocean, in every shining object on dry land, and in every particle of snow - to make such a denial would be to rave liken lifeeranged. For if one denied and refused to accept the existence of the single, unique sun, he would be compelled to accept the existence of a whole series of minor suns, each real and existent in its own right, as numerous as the drops. If iubbles of the ocean, as countless as the particles of snow. It would be necessary to believe that each minute particle contains a huge sun, even tthere the particle is large enough only to contain itself. It would be an even greater sign of lunacy and misguidance to refuse one's assent to ths, andibutes of perfection of the Glorious Creator, even while beholding the well-ordered cosmos that is constantly changing in wise and regular posseon, that is being ceaselessly renewed in disciplined manner. This, too, would be like the ravings of a lunatic, since it would then become necessary to believe and accept thaten vanute divinity is present in all things, even a particle. For every particle of air is somehow able to enter and work its effects upon every flower, fruit and leaf, and unless the particle be entrusted with this task by a Creator, rds tht know of itself the structure and form of all the objects it penetrates and affects. In other words, it must possess all-encompassing power and knowledge.

Every particle of soil is pDivinially capable of giving rise to all the different seeds that exist. If it is not acting under command, it must contain within itself equipment and instruments corresponsign, o all the various trees and plants in the world. Or, to put it differently, one must attribute to the particle such artistry and power that it is aware of the structure oction, of them, knows the forms that each of them is caused to assume, and is capable of fashioning those forms. The same is true with respect to the particle and other realms of creation. thereom this you can understand that in all things there are numerous and manifest proofs of God's unity. To create all things from one thing, and to make all things into one tformatis a task possible only for the Creator of all things. Pay heed to the sublime declaration: "There is naught but proclaims His glory with praise">(17:44). For if one does not accept God, the Oneicant nique, one must accept gods as numerous as created beings.

In our story, we made mention of a Most Noble Commander and said that whoever is not blind and sees hircle frations and medals will understand that he acts in accordance with the commands of a monarch and is his favoured servant. Now that Most Nobves ofmander is the Most Noble Messenger of God, upon whom be blessings and peace. The sacred Creator of so ornamented a cosmos must of necessity have a Noble Mes

Fr, just as the sun must of necessity have light. For the sun cannot exist without giving light, and Divinity cannot be without showing itself through the sending oof comhets. Is it at all possible that a beauty of utter perfection should not desire to manifest itself by means of one who will demonstrate and display it?

Is it at all possible that a perfection of beauteousngs artry should not desire to make itself known by means of a herald that will draw men's gazes upon it?

Is it at all possible that the universal monarchy is ord-embracing dominicality should not desire to announce its unity and eternal besoughtedness throughout the different levels of multiplicity and particularity by means of an envoy possessing two aspects? By the two aspects, we mean that h man'soth the envoy of the realm of multiplicity to the divine court, by virtue of his universal worship, and also the messenger of the divine court to the realm of multiplicity, by virtue of his closeness to God and being entrusted), theHis message.

Is it at all possible that a possessor of infinite inherent beauty should not wish both to behold himself and to display to others, in numerous

mirrors, the charms of his beauty and the allurements of his fairness? destruMessenger (UWBP) is His beloved, making himself beloved of Him by means of his worship and holding up a mirror to Him, and he is also the bearer of His message, making Him beloved of man. No demonstrating to them the beauty of His names.

Is it at all possible that the owner of treasuries full of wondrous miracles, rare and valuable items, should not wish and desire to display them to men's gaze by means o arounxpert jeweller, and eloquent describer, thereby revealing his hidden perfections?

Is it at all possible that the One Who manifests the perfection of all His names in the cosmos by means of artful adornment for men to look uponr, on hat the cosmos comes to resemble a palace decorated with all kinds of wondrous and subtle art, should not also designate a teacher and a guide to the wonders of his creation?

Is it at all possible that the Lord of the cosmitted uld not solve, by means of a messenger, the complex talisman of the aim and purpose of all the changes that take place in the cosmos, and the riddle contained in " {[*]ree difficult questions posed by all beings: "What is our origin? What is our destination? What is our purpose?"

Is it at all possible that the Glorious Maker Who makes Himself known to sentient beings by means of His fair creationflowerWho makes himself loved by means of His precious bounties, should not also communicate to sentient beings, by means of a messenger, what His pleasure desires of them in exchangecessits it at all possible that God should create mankind in a form predisposing it to suffer the consciousness of multiplicity but also containing the ability to engage in uy tracal worship, without at the same time wishing to turn it away from multiplicity to unity, by means of a teacher and guide?

There are numerous other functions of prophethood, each of which is a decisive proof that and inty necessarily implies messengership.

Did anyone ever appear in the world more worthy and more in possession of the abovementioned qualities and functions than Muhammad, the Arabian Prophetdrous peace and blessings be upon him? Has time ever shown us one more fitting and suited to the rank of messengerhood and the task of conveying God's message? No,ly saw means! He is the master of all messengers, the foremost of all prophets, the leader of all pure ones, the closest to God of all those who have drawn nigh unto Him, the most perfect of all creatures, thee yet ch of all guides to righteousness.

Quite apart from the countless indications of his prophethood deriving from more than a thousand min eloq, such as the splitting of the moon and

the flowing of water from his fingers, that all scholars unanimously confirm, the supreme miracle of singlorious Qur'an - an ocean of truth and a book miraculous in forty different respects - is itself enough to demonstrate his prophethood as clearly as the sun. Since we discuss the forty different aspects of the Qur'an's miraculousness in oty. Theeatises, particularly the Twenty-Fifth Word, we curtail our discussion of the matter here.

Let it not be thought that petty man is too insignificant for this vast world to be brought to an end andn and er realm to be unfolded simply for the sake of his being brought to account. For apparently petty man bears great importance as the master of all creatureO God!virtue of the comprehensiveness of his disposition, as the herald of God's monarchy, and the manifester of universal worship. Also let nobody ask: "How can(UWBP)arn eternal torment in the course of a very brief life?" For unbelief seeks to drag creation, something as valuable and exalted as a letter written by God, down to the depths of meaninglessness and purpose thaness. It is an insult to all being, since it denies and rejects the manifestations and impresses of God's sacred names that are visible in all being, and it seeks to negate all the infinite proofs that demonstrate the veracity and truthf and b of God Almighty. Hence, unbelief is a crime of infinite proportions, deserving of infinite punishment.

In the story, we saw by means of twelve aspects that a king who had one realm resembling a transient hosporicalst of a necessity have another realm, one eternal and permanent, manifesting his splendour and the sublimity of his power. In the same way, it is not at all possible that the Eternal Creator of the te placnt world should not create also an eternal realm. It is not possible that the Everlasting Maker of this fine but unstable cosmos, should not create anoth lucenmos, permanent and lasting. It is not possible that the Wise, Powerful and Merciful Creator of this world, which is like an exhibition, or a testing-ground, or a field, should not clso loalso a hereafter in which the purposes of this world shall be made manifest. Entry is to be had to this truth by means of twelve gates, and the twelve gates are to be unlocked byis old of twelve other truths. We will begin with the shortest and simplest of them:

FIRST TRUTH

The Gate of Dominicality and Sovereignty, the Manifestation of the Name of Sustaiun's l Is it at all possible that the glory of God's dominicality and His divine sovereignty should create a cosmos such as this, in order ts of tlay His perfections, with such lofty aims and elevated purposes, without establishing a reward for those believers who through faith and worship respond to these aims and purposes? Or that He should not punish those misguided ones who treat Monarurposes with rejection and scorn?

SECOND TRUTH

The Gate of Generosity and Mercy, the Manifestation of the Names of Generous and Merciful

Is it at ad spirsible that the Lord of this world, Who in His works demonstrates infinite generosity, infinite mercy, infinite splendour and infinite glory, should not give reward in a manner befi are sHis generosity and mercy, and not punish in a manner befitting His splendour and glory? If one looks at the disposition of affairs in t all trld, one sees that all animate beings - from the weakest to the most powerful - are given some fitting form of sustenance.

{(*): All licit n like ment is obtained not through the exercise of strength, but through the existence of need. The decisive proof of this is that powerless infants enjoy the finest of livelihoods, while strong wild beasts suffer fof youl kinds of deficiency, and that fish, for all their lack of intelligence, wax fat, while the cunning fox and monkey remain thin in their quest for livelihood. There is, therefore, an inveation lationship between sustenance on the one hand and strength and will power on the other. The more one relies on strength and will power the more difficult it will be to sustain one's l, and ood.}

Indeed, the weakest and most powerless are given the best form of sustenance. This largesse and bounty is distributed with such lofty generosity that a hand of intion. generosity is manifestly at work.

For example, in the spring, all the trees are garbed in clothes as fine as silk, just like the houris in Paradise; tice are encrusted with flowers and fruits, as if with jewels, and caused to offer us numerous varieties of the choicest fruits, on branches delicately outstretcheds are the hands of a servant. Similarly, we are given wholesome and sweet honey to eat, from the hand of the bee with its sting; we are clothed in the fiove thnd softest of clothes by means of an insect that has no hands; and within a small seed a great treasure of mercy is preserved for us. It is self-evident that all of this

is the effect of a most beauteous generosity, a most delicate seannot mercy.

Then, too, the fact that, with the exception of man and certain wild animals, all things, from the sun, the moon and earth to the smallehat hicreatures, perform their functions with the utmost exactitude, do not overstep their bounds by an inch, and observe a universal obedience in a spirit of great awe - this shows that they act by the command of a Possessor of great glory and digfriendIt is also apparent that the fashion in which all mothers, in the vegetable, animal and human realms, succour their weak and powerless infants with the delicate nurture of milk, in tender compassion,eparatmanifestation of God's all-embracing mercy.

{(*): The fact that a hungry lion will prefer its offspring to itself, and give to it a piece of meat it would otherwise have eaten; that the cowardly rabbit will attack a lion in order to the ft its young; that the figtree contents itself with mud while giving pure milk to its offspring, the fruit - this shows to anyone not blind that they Over n accordance with the commands of a Being infinitely merciful, generous and solicitous. Again, the fact that even unconscious plants and beasts function in the wisest and most conscious of fashions demonstrates irrefutably that One Ut is apKnowing and All-Wise has set them to work, and that they are acting in His name.}

Since the master of this world has, then, such infinite generosity, mercy, splendour and glory, iom theows that His infinite glory and splendour require the chastisement of the discourteous; that His infinite generosity requires infinite bounty, and His infinite mercy requires a bestowal of favour worthy of itself. Now in this transitory tion, and brief life, only a millionth part of all this, like one drop from the ocean, establishes and manifests itself. There must therefore be a realm of blessednessgnificpriate to that generosity and worthy of that mercy. One would otherwise have to deny the existence of the mercy that is visible to us, and this would be like denying the existence of them the hat fills every day with its light. For irrevocable death would transform compassion into disaster, love into affliction, blessing into vengeance, intellect into a tool of misery, and plhe spi into pain, so that the very essence of God's mercy would vanish.

There must in addition be a realm of punishment appropriate to God's glory and dignity. For generally the oppressor leaves this world while still in possession of his might,the mohe oppressed while still subjected to humiliation. These matters are therefore deferred for the attention of a supreme tribunal; it is not that they are neglected. Iul cirtimes happens too that punishment is enacted in this world. The torments suffered by disobedient and rebellious peoples in previous centuries show that man is not left to his own devices, and that he is always subject to the blows thaach ofs splendour and majesty may choose to inflict on him.

Is it at all possible that man should have the most important duty in all aturesation and be endowed with the most important capacities; that man's Sustainer should make Himself known to him with all His well-ordered works, and man should then fail to recognize Him in return by way of worship - or that God nd off make Himself beloved of men through the numerous adorned fruits of His mercy, and man should then fail to make himself beloved of God through worship - or that God should demonstrate His love and mercgraph an through His variegated bounties and man should then fail to respect Him with thanks and with praise - is it at all possible that man should remain unpunished, left to his own devi they r that that powerful Possessor of Splendour and Glory should not make ready for him a realm of requital?

Is it at all possible, on the other hand, that He should not prepare a rhe pref reward and eternal bliss for those believers who respond to the Merciful and Compassionate One's making Himself known by recognizing Him in faith; to His making Himself beloved by loving Him in worship; and to His mercy fireflering thanks and veneration?

THIRD TRUTH

The Gate of Wisdom and Justice, the Manifestation of the Names of Wise and Just

Is it at all possible

{(*): The sentence "is it at all possible?" is indeed repeated many times, becng on t expresses a most significant mystery. Misguidance and lack of belief generally spring from the habit of imagining things to be impossible, far removed from the realm of reason, avine nrefore denying them. Now in this discussion of resurrection it has been decisively demonstrated that true impossibility, absurdity and irrationareatorertain to the path of misbelief and the road of misguidance, whereas true possibility, facility and rationality are characteristics of the path of faith and highway of ne mom

In short, the philosophers tend to unbelief on account of their regarding things as impossible, whereas the Tenth Word (discussion of resurrection), by means of the repeated sentence, "ill feet all possible?" shows where impossibility lies, and thus deals them a blow in the mouth.}

that the Lord of Glory, Who demonstrates His dominical soveal-Maby in the wisdom and order, the justice and equilibrium that pervade all things, from the atom to the sun, should not bestow favour on those believers who seek refuge beneath the protective wing of His dominicality, who believe in His wisdh the justice, and whose acts are for the purpose of worshipping Him?

Again, is it possible that He should not chastise those rude and discourteous men who disbelieve in His wisdom and justice, anoupon'l against

Him in insolence? Now not even a thousandth part of that wisdom and justice is exercised with respect to man, in this transient world; it is rather deferred. Most of the people of misguidancethose this world unpunished, and most of the people of guidance leave it unrewarded. All things are, then, postponed for a supreme tribunal, an ultimate bliss.

Yes, it is apparent that the Being Who controhe Qurs world does so in accordance with an infinite wisdom. Do you require a proof? It is the preservation of interest and benefit in all things. Do you not see that numerous wise benefits are intended iitterlthe limbs, bones and veins of man, even in the cells of his brain and in every particle of his body? Do you not see that from certain limbs wise benefits are to be had as numerous as the fruits of a tree? All of this shows that matters are d The o accordance with infinite wisdom. The existence of the utmost regularity in the making of all things is a proof of the same truth.

The compy. It n of the exact programme of development of a beautiful flower into a minute seed, the inscription on a small seed by the pen of destiny of the scroll of deeds of a tree, its life history and list of equipment,ble anthat a pen of utmost wisdom is at work.

The existence of a high degree of fine artistry in all things proves that there exists also the impress of an infinitely Wise Maker. Further, the inclusion within the minute body ronged of an index of all being, of the keys to all the treasuries of mercy, and of the mirrors of all the divine names, demonstrates the existence of wisdom within that infinitely fine artistry. Now is it at all possible that the wisdom tha will permeates the workings of dominicality should not wish eternally to favour those who seek refuge beneath the wing of dominicality andndard-ffer obedience in faith?

Do you wish for a proof that all things are done with justice and balance? The fact that all things are endowed with being, given shapeany mout in their appropriate place in accordance with precise equilibrium and in appropriate measure, shows that all matters are done in accordance with infinite justice a, it iance.

Similarly, the fact that all things are given their rights in accordance with their disposition, that they receive all the necessities of their being and all the requirements of l town the most fitting form - this too is the sign left by a hand of infinite justice.

Again, the fact that answer is always given to evepoetryition and request made by the tongue of disposition, and of natural need or necessity, demonstrates the existence of infinite justice and wisdtely P Now is it at all possible that the justice and wisdom that hasten to relieve the pettiest need of the smallest of creation should fail to provide

immortality, the greatest need of man, the greatest of creaturing that it should fail to respond to his greatest plea and cry for assistance? Or that it should not preserve the dignity of God's dominicality by preserving the rights of His servants? Man, whose life is so brief, cannole a hrience the true essence of justice in this transient world; it is for this reason that matters are postponed for a supreme tribunal. For true justice requires that man, this apparently petty creature, should be rewarded and punished, not from ordance with his pettiness, but in accordance with the magnitude of his crime, the importance of his nature and the greatness of his funcanity,Since this passing and transient world is far from manifesting such wisdom and justice for man, who is created for eternity, of necessity there will be an eternal Hell and everlasting Paradise of that Just and Awesome f. Thasor of Beauty, that Wise and Beauteous Possessor of Awe.

FOURTH TRUTH

The Gate of Generosity and Beauty, the Manifestation of the Names of Generous and Beautiful

Is it at all possible that infinite generositye fromiberality, inexhaustible riches, unending treasures, peerless and eternal beauty, flawless and everlasting perfection, should not require the existence of grateful supplicants, yearningwith tators and astounded onlookers, all destined to stay an eternity in an abode of bliss, a place of repose? Yes, adorning the face of the world with all these objects of beauty, creating the moon and thring ias its lamps, filling the surface of the earth with the finest varieties of sustenance and thus making it a banquet of bounty, making fruit trees into so many dishes, and renewing them several times each seasonowerfu this shows the existence of infinite generosity and liberality. Such unending liberality and generosity, such inexhaustible treasures of mercy, require the existence of an abode of repose, a place of bliss, that shance theverlasting and contain all desirable objects within it. They also require that those who enjoy such bliss should remain in that abode of repose eternally, without suffering the pain of cessation and separation. For justrrectie cessation of pain is a form of pleasure, so too the cessation of pleasure is a form of pain, one that such infinite generosity is unwilling to countenance. It requireression, the existence both of an eternal paradise and of supplicants to abide in it eternally.

Infinite generosity and liberality desire to b the minfinite bounty and infinite kindness. The bestowal of infinite bounty and infinite kindness require in turn infinite gratitude. This necessitates the perpetual existence of those who receive all the kindness soe of Pthey can demonstrate their

thanks and gratitude for that perpetual bestowal and constant bounty. A petty enjoyment, made bitter by cessation, and lasting for only a brief time, is not compatible with the requirements of generosi by se liberality.

Look too at the different regions of the world, each like an exhibition where God's crafts are displayed. Pay attention to the dominical proclamatiosaid tthe hands of all the plants and animals on the face of the earth

{(*): The existence of a brightly designed and brilliantly adorned flower, a most artfully conceived and bejewel be diuit on a twig as thin as a wire, affixed to a dry, bonelike tree - this is without doubt a proclamation to all animate beings of the fine arts produced by a most skilled, wise and miraculous maker. This holds true not only of the vegetable ks, and, but also of the animal realm.}

and listen to the prophets and the saints, the heralds of the beauties of dominicality. They unanimously display the flawless perfections of the Glorious Maker by demonstrating His miraculous arts, and thus hfully the gazes of men.

The Maker of this world has, then, most important, astounding and secret perfections. It is these He wishes to display by means of His miraculous arts. For secret, flawless perfection wishes to be manifested t neithe who will appreciate, admire and wonderingly gaze at it. Eternal perfection requires eternal manifestation. Such eternal manifestation in turn requires the perpetuaer ovetence of those who are to appreciate and admire it. The value of perfection will always sink in the view of its admirer if he is devoid of perpetual existence.

{(*): There is a proverbial occurrence pert and g to this point. A celebrated beauty once expelled from her presence a common man who had become infatuated with her. In order to console himself, he said, "how ugly she is!", thus denying her beauty. Once a bear stood beneath a vi your llis, and wished to eat the grapes. But he was unable to reach out for the grapes, or to climb up the trellis. So he said to himself, by way of consolation, "the grapes must be sour," and gled frg went on his way.}

Again, the beauteous, artistic, brilliant and adorned creatures that cover the face of the globe, bear witness to the fairness of a peerless, transcendent beauty, and indicate the subtle charms of an unparalleled, buzz o pulchritude, just as sunlight bears witness to the sun.

{(*): Although all beings that act as mirrors for God's beauty constantly vanish and disappear, those that succeed them display and manifest inople d forms and features the same beauty and fairness. This shows that the beauty in question does not belong to them; the visible instances of beautytics, ather the signs and indications of a transcendent and sacred beauty.}

Each manifestation of that sacred, transcendent beauty, indicates the exisn has of countless hidden treasures in each of God's names. Now so exalted, peerless and hidden a beauty, just as it desires to view its own fairness in a mirror and to behold the degrees and measures of its beauty in an animate refle, Zakâ desires also to become manifest, in order to look on its own beauty through the eyes of others. That is, it wishes to look at its own

beauty in two ways; firstly, by bthout ng itself in mirrors of variegated colour; secondly, through the gaze of yearning witnesses to itself, of bewildered admirers of its beauty.

In sh of Hieauty and fairness desire to see and be seen. Both of these require the existence of yearning witnesses and bewildered admirers. And since beauty and fairness are eternal and everlasting, their witnesses and admirers must have perpetualence i An eternal beauty can never be satisfied with transient admirers. An admirer condemned to irreversible separation will find his love turning to enmity once he conceives of separation. His admiration will yield to ridiculto see respect to contempt. For just as obstinate man is an enemy to what is unknown to him, so too he is opposed to all that lies beyond his reach, and love that is not infinite will respond to a beauty that deserves unending adme, yetn with implicit enmity, hatred and rejection. From this we understand the profound reason for the unbeliever's enmity to God.

So endless generosity and liberality, peerless fairness and beauty, flawless perfeldier - all these require the existence of eternally grateful and longing supplicants and admirers. But we see in this hospice of the world that everyone quickly leaves and vanishthe Glving had only a taste of that generosity, enough to whet his appetite but not to satiate him, and having seen only a dim light coming from the perfection, or rather a faint sne perof its light, without in any way being fully satisfied. It follows, then, that men are going toward a place of eternal joy where all will be bestowed on them in full measure.

In short,in ciras this world, with all its creatures, decisively demonstrates the existence of the Glorious Maker, so too do His sacred attributes and names indicate, show and logically requort, bhe existence of the hereafter.

FIFTH TRUTH

The gate of Compassion and Muhammadan Worship, the Manifestation of the Names of Answerer of Prayer ands not ssionate

Is it at all possible that a Lord possessing infinite compassion and mercy, Who most compassionately fulfils the smallest need oficalitowliest creatures in the most unexpected fashion, Who heeds the muffled plea for help of His most obscure creature, and Who responds to all n the titions He hears, whether vocal or mute - is it at all possible that such a Lord should not pay heed to the greatest petition of the foremost among His servants, the most beloved among his creatures, that He should not hear and

granverywhmost exalted prayer? The kindness and ease manifested in the feeding and nurturing of weak and young animals show that the Monarch of the cosmos exercises his dominicality with infinite mercy.

Is it at all possible that a ct all ion merciful to this degree in the exercise of dominicality should not accept the prayer of the most virtuous and beautiful of all creation?

{(*): He whosnnot bdom has lasted one thousand three hundred and fifty years, who has generally had more than three hundred and fifty million subjects, to whom his subjects daily renew their pledge of allegiance and to whose perfectionssionatcontinually bear witness, whose commands are obeyed in perfect submission, whose spiritual hue has coloured half of the globe and a fifth of mankind, who is the beloved of men's hearts and the educator oy of nr spirits - such a being is without doubt the greatest servant of the Lord Who holds sway over the universe. Also, since most of the realms of beLet uspplauded that being's function and duty through each bearing the fruit of his miracles, he is for sure the most beloved creature of the Fis it er of the cosmos. Similarly, the desire for perpetuity existing in all men by virtue of their very nature, a desire that lifts men from the lowest of the low to the highest of the high, is the greatest of all desithe Ned petitions, fit to be presented to the Provider of all Needs only by the greatest among His servants.}

This truth is explained in the Nineteenth Word, but let us repeat our statement of the matter here:

O friend listening to te you.ords together with my own soul! We said in the comparison that a meeting took place on a certain island, and a most noble commander delivered a speech there. In order tunbeli out the truth indicated in the comparison, come, let us depart from this age, and in our mind and imagination travel to the Arabian Peninsula in the blessed age of the Prophet (UWBP), in ord *

visit and watch him while he is performing his duties and engaging in worship. See, just as he is the means for the attainment of eternal bliss, byn it w of his messengerhood and guidance, so too he is the cause for the existence of that bliss and the means for the creation of Paradise, by means of his worship and prayer.

Now see! That being is praying for eternal bliens a such supreme supplication, with such sublime worship, that it is as if this island, or even the whole world, were praying and supplicating togethvine nh him. For the worship he performs contains within itself not only the worship of the community that follows him, but also that of all the other prophets, in its essential form, by virtue of the correspondence existing between ls thed them. Moreover, he performs his supreme prayer and offers his supplications in such a vast congregation that it is as if all luminous and perfect men, from the time of Adam down tos needresent, were following him in prayer and saying "amen" to his supplications!

{(*): From the time that the Prophet (Upon whom be blessings and peaceteachet made his supplication down to the present, all the invocations upon him of peace and blessings made by his community are a kind of eternal amen to histhe har, a form of universal participation in it. Every invocation of peace and blessings upon him by every member of the Muslim community in the course of his prayer, as well as the prayer for him uttered after tappy tond call to prayer according to the Shafi'i School - this too is a powerful and universal amen to his supplication for eternal bliss. So the eternity and everlasting bliss dedeliveby all men with all of their strength, in accordance with their primordial disposition, is requested in the name of humanity by the Prophet (UWBP), and the luminous segment of humanity says "amen" after him. Is it tainer possible that such a prayer should not be accepted?}

He is praying for so universal a need

- immortality - that not merely the people of this earth, but also the inhab an ab of the heavens and the entirety of creation are participating in his supplications and silently proclaiming, "yes, o Lord! Grant his prayer; we too desire it." He petitions for everlasting bliss withr weaktouching sadness, in so yearning, so longing, and so pleading a fashion, that he causes the whole of the cosmos to weep and thus to share in his prayer.

See, he desires and prays for bliss, for such a purpose and goal that helf lovtes man and all creatures from captivity in the abysmal state of utter annihilation, from worthlessness, uselessness, and purposelessness to the apex of preciousness, eternity, exalted functoremosnd the rank of being a script penned by God.

See, he makes his petition with such elevated plea for succour, makes his supplication with so sweet a request loriourcy, that it is as if he caused all beings, the heavens and God's throne itself to listen, and to echo his prayer ecstatically with crand di "amen, o Lord, amen!"

{(*): Indeed, it is not at all possible that the Master of this world, all of Whose doings are self-evidently inspired by consciousness, knowledge and wisdom, should be een the and uninformed of the acts of the foremost among all of His creatures. Again, it is not at all possible that the All-Knowing Master should remain indifferent to the deeds and prayers of that foremost among His creatures, and deem the happmportant despite being aware of them. It is further impossible that the Powerful and Merciful Master of the World should not accept his prayers, having not remained indifferent to them. Yes, through the light of the Muhammadan Being te divim of the world has changed. The true essence of men and all beings in the cosmos became apparent through that light; it became clear that they are each missives of the Eternally Besought One proclaimil appe divine names, precious and profound beings with God-given functions and destined to manifest eternity. Were it not for that light, beings would be condemned to utter annihilation, they would be valueless, meaningless, us about confused, the result of blind chance, sunk in the darkness of illusion. It is for this reason that just as men say "amen" to the prayer of the Prophet, so too all other beings, from the face of the earth up to God's throneo esta the soil to the stars, all take pride in his light, and proclaim their connection with him. The very spirit of the worship of the Prophet is indeed none otherand onthis prayer. Again, all the motions and workings of the cosmos are in their essence prayer. For example, the progress of a seed until it becomes a tree is a form of prayer to the Creator.}

See, he requests both cand eternity from a Being, One so All-Hearing, Generous and Powerful, so All-Seeing, Merciful and Knowledgeable that He sees, hears, accepty menttakes pity upon the most secret wish, the slightest desire of the most obscure of his creatures, this, in observable form. He answers all pleas even if they are silentlylaim Gered. He bestows all things and answers all pleas in so wise, percipient and merciful a fashion that no doubt remains that all that nurturing and regu the p can derive only from One All-Hearing and All-Seeing, One Generous and Merciful.

Let us listen to what the Pride of All Being is requesting, that source of honour for all of mankind, that one unique in all of creation, who bears on

hthe hek the burden of all men, who standing on this earth lifts up his hands towards God's throne and offers up a prayer which in its reality contains the essence of the worship of all of mankind. See, he is asking for eternal bliss for himself and not tos community. He is asking for eternity and Paradise. He is making his plea together with all the divine sacred names that display their beautted anhe mirrors of all created being. You can see, indeed, that he is seeking intercession from those names.

If there were not countless reasons and c114

anfor the existence of the hereafter, a single prayer of that exalted being would be enough for the creation of Paradise, a task as easy for the power of the Merciful Creator as the creatid us ospring.

{(*): To display wondrous samples of art, and examples of resurrection on the face of the earth that, compared with the hereafter is like a narrow page, to inscribe and include on that single page, in perfect order, nate. e different species of creation, that resemble three hundred thousand separate books, is certainly more difficult than building and creating the delicate and symmetrical structur at alaradise in the broad realm of eternity. Indeed, it may be said that to whatever degree Paradise is more elevated than the spring, to that degree the creation of the gardens of spring is more difficult and wonible dthan the creation of Paradise.}

Indeed, how could the creation of spring be difficult for the Possessor of Absolute Power Who each spri, the es the face of the world into a plain of resurrection, and brings forth there a hundred thousand examples of resurrection? In just the same way that the messengerhood of the Prophet was the reason for the soundation of this realm of trial - the saying "Were it not for thee, were it not for thee, I would not have created the spheres" {[*]: 'Alî al-Qârî, Sharh al-Shifâ', i, 16; al-'Ajlûnî, Kashty.

hafâ', ii, 164.} being an indication of this - so too the worship he performed was the cause for the foundation of the abode of bliss.

Is it at all possible that the flawless perfection of artistry, the peerless beauty of dominicalin whomressed in the order of the world and the comprehensive mercy that reduce all to bewilderment, should not answer his prayer, and thus tolerate an extreme form of ugliness, cr otherand disorder? Is it possible that it would listen to the most petty and insignificant desires and grant them, but dismiss significant and important desires

tman,> worthless, and fail to fulfil them? No, a thousand times no! Such beauty can never accept such ugliness and itself become ugly.

{(*): It is unanimously agreed the total reversal of truths sness,ossible. It is quite impossible that something should become the very opposite and reverse of itself, and impossible to the thousandth degree that something should retain its own nature, and yet at the same time ultima identical with its opposite. Thus infinite beauty cannot become ugliness, while yet remaining beauty, and, in our example, it is not possible that the beauty of dominicelief a beauty perceptible and manifest in its existence, should retain its quiddity as the beauty of dominicality, but become the very essence of ugliness. This would be the strangest of all impossible of liflse notions in the world.}

So just as the Prophet (UWBP) opened the gates of this world with his messengerhood, he opens the gates of the hereafter with hisf one ip.

May the blessings of the Compassionate One be upon him, to the extent of all that this world and paradise contain. O God, grant blessings and peace to Your servancipal Messenger, that Beloved One who is the Master of both Realms, the Pride of all the Worlds, the source of life in both spheres, the means for the attainment of hh are ss here and in the hereafter, he who flies on two wings, who is the messenger to both men and jinn - to him, and to his Family, and all of his Companions, as well as his brethrend the among the prophets and messengers. Amen.

SIXTH TRUTH

The Gate of Splendour and Eternity, the Manifestation of the Names of Glorious and E such

Is it at all possible that the splendour of dominicality that subdues and commands all beings, from suns and trees down to particles, just like obedient soldiers, should concentrate i Is iire attention on the wretched and transient beings that pass a temporary life in the hospice of this world, and not create an eternal and everlasting sphere of splendour, an unending manifestation of dominicality? The dispsive o divine splendour in the changing of the seasons, the sublime motions of the planets in the heavens as if they were aeroplanes, the subjugation of all things and the creation of the earth as man's cradle and the sun as his lamp, vast transg and ions such as the reviving and adornment of the dead and dry globe - all of this shows that behind the veil a sublime dominicality exists, that a splendid monarchy is at work.

Now such a dominical kingdom requionarchbjects worthy of itself, as well as an appropriate mode of manifestation. But look at this hospice of the

world, and you will see that the most significant class of its subjects, endowed with the most comprehenequiref functions, are gathered together only temporarily and that, in the most wretched of states. The hospice fills and empties each day. All of the subjects stay only temp of thy in this abode of trial for the sake of being tested in service. The abode itself changes each hour. Again, all of the monarch's subjects stay only for a few brief minutes in order to behold thrmly bles of the precious bounty of the Glorious Maker, to look on His miraculous works of art in the exhibition of the world with the eye of a buyer. Then they disappear. The exhibitio of Mulf changes every minute. Whoever leaves it, never returns, and whoever comes to it, will ultimately depart.

Now this state and circumstance definitively shows that behind and beyond this hospice, this testing-ground, thll avoibition, there are permanent palaces and eternal abodes that fully manifest and support God's everlasting sovereignty; there are gardens and treasu wondeses full of the pure and exalted originals of the forms and copies we see in this world. If we strive here in this world, it is for the sake of what awaits us there. We work here, and are rewarded there. Bliss awaits everyone there, in accoed fro with his capacity, as long as he does not squander his share. Yes, it is impossible that such eternal kingship should concentrate exclusively on these wretple foransient beings.

Consider this truth through the telescope of the following comparison. You are travelling along a road. You see a caravanserai ahead of you on the road, built by a great personage for peophe uniing to visit him. Millions are spent on the decoration of the caravanserai so that guests should enjoy their one night's stay there, and for their instruction. But theons ans see very little of those decorations, look at them for a very short time; briefly tasting the joys of what is offered them, they go on their way without being satiated. But each guest takes a photod, yetof the objects in the caravanserai by means of his special camera. Also, the servants of that great personage record with great care the conduct of all the guests and preserve the record. You see, too, that he destroys every day ma, and the valuable decorations, and replaces them with fresh decorations for the newly arriving guests. After seeing all this, will any doubt remain that the personage who has constructed this caravanserai on the road has petable t and exalted dwellings, inexhaustible and precious treasures, an uninterrupted flow of great generosity? By means of the generosity displayed in the caravanserai, he intends merely tntaneo the appetite of his guests for those things he keeps in his immediate presence; to awaken their desire for the gifts he has prepared for them. So too, if you look upon the state of the

hospice of this world without fallinnivers drunkenness, you will understand the following nine principles:

First Principle: You will understand that this world does not exist for its own sake, lace, re than does the caravanserai. It is impossible that it should assume this shape by itself. Rather, it is a well-constructed hospice, wisely designed to receive the caravan of be bounthat constantly arrive to alight before departing again.

Second Principle: You will understand, too, that those living within this hosp artise guests. They are invited by their Generous Sustainer to the Abode of Peace.

Third Principle: You will understand, further, that the adornments of this world are not simply for the sake of enjoyment or admiration. For if they yield pleasucries a time, they cause pain for a longer time with their cessation. They give you a taste and whet your appetite, but never satiate you. For either the life of the pleasure is short, or your life ine whot, too brief for you to become satiated. These adornments of high value and brief duration must, then, be for the sake of instruction in wisdom,

{(*): Now the lifespan of everytCreatos short, although its value is high and the subtleties of its artistry are most exalted and beautiful. This implies that everything is only a sample, a form of somethor ratse, that it has the function of drawing the gaze of the customer to the authentic and original object. This being the case, it may be said that 6; Ibnriegated adornments of this world are the samples of the bounties of Paradise, prepared by the Compassionate and Merciful One for His beloved servants.}

for arousing gratitude, and for encouraging men to seek out the perpetual originhundre which they are copies. They are, then, for other exalted goals beyond themselves.

Fourth Principle: You will understand also that the adornmubjugaf this world

{(*): There are numerous purposes for the existence of everything, and numerous results flow from its being. These are not restricted to this world and to the souls of men, as the people of misguidance imagine,gdoing thus lost in vanity and purposelessness. On the contrary, the purposes for the existence and the results of the lives of all things relate to the following three categories.

The first and the most exalted pertains to the Creator. It consisrth, apresenting to the gaze of the Pre-Eternal Witness the bejewelled and miraculous wonders He has affixed to the object in question, as if in a military parade. To live for a fleeting second is enough to attain that glance. Indeed, the p be peality and intent for existence is enough, without ever emerging into life. This purpose is fully realized, for example, by delicate creatures that vanish swiftly and by seeds and kernels, each a a plaf art, that never come to life, that is, never bear fruit or flower. They all remain untouched by vanity and purposelessness. Thus the first purpose of all things is to proclaim, by means of their life and existence, the miracles ofand tw and the traces of artistry of the Maker and display them to the gaze of the Glorious Monarch.

The second purpose of all existence and the result of all being pertains to conscious creation. Evecred gg is like a truth-displaying missive, an artistic poem, or a wise word of the Glorious Maker, offered to the gaze of angels and jinn, of men and animals, and desiring to free d by them. It is an object for the contemplation and instruction of every conscious being that looks upon it.

The third purpose of all existence and result of all being pertains to the soseed othe thing itself, and consists of such minor consequences as the experience of pleasure and joy, and living with some degree of permanence and comreigntIf we consider the purpose of a servant employed as a steersman on some royal ship, we see that only one hundredth of that purpose relates to the steersman himself, the wage he receives; ninty-nine hundredthve it.he purpose relate to the king who owns the ship. A similar relation exists between the purpose of a thing related to its own self and its worldly existence, and its purpose rn ever to its Maker. In the light of this multiplicity of purposes we can now explain the ultimate compatibility between divine wisdom and economy on the one hand, and divine liberality and genbe reay - in fact, infinite generosity - on the other hand, even though they appear to be opposites and contradictory. In the individual purposes of things, libt and y and generosity predominate, and the name of Most Generous is manifested. From the point of view of individual purpose, fruits and grains are indeed beyond computation, and they demonstrate infinite generosityy and in universal purposes, wisdom predominates, and the name of All-Wise is manifested. However many purposes a tree has, each of its fruits contains that many purposes, and these can be divided into the three categories we ha TRUTHablished. Their universal purposes demonstrate an infinite wisdom and economy. Infinite wisdom and infinite generosity and liberality are thus combined, despite their apparent obeingsion. For example, one of the purposes for raising an army is the maintenance of order. Whatever troops are available for the purpose w with ffice or be more than enough. But the whole army will be barely enough for other purposes such as protecting the national frontiers and repelling enemies; its size will be in perfect balance with utter wisdom. Thus the wisdomn the e state will be joined to its splendour, and it can be said that there is no excess in the army.}

are like samples and forms of the blessings stored up in Paradise by the mercy ovoid oCompassionate One for the people of faith.

Fifth Principle: You will understand, too, that all of these transient objects have not been created for the sake of annihilation, in order to appear briefly and th, the ish. The purpose for their creation is rather briefly to be assembled in existence and acquire the desired form, so that these may be noted, their images preserved, their meanings known, and their results recorder of hs is so that, for example, everlasting spectacles might be wrought for the people of eternity, and that they might serve other purposes in the realm of eternity. You will understand thod forngs have been created for eternity, not for annihilation; and as for apparent annihilation, it has the sense of a completion of duty and a release from service, for every transient thing advances to annihilation with one aspect, h thesmains eternally with numerous other aspects.

Look, for example, at the flower, a word of God's power; for a short time it smiles and looks at us, and then hides behind the ve fruitannihilation. It departs just like a word leaving your mouth. But it does so entrusting thousands of its fellows to men's ears. It leaves behind meanings in

Yen's minds as numerous as those minds. The flower, too, expressing its meaning and thus fulfilling its function, goes and departs. But it goes leaving its apparent form in the memory of everything that sees it, iment. er essence in every seed. It is as if each memory and seed were a camera to record the adornment of the flower, or a means for its perpetuation. If such be the case with an object at t!

Cplest level of life, it can be readily understood how closely tied to eternity is man, the highest form of life and the possessor of an eternal soul. Again, from the fact that the laws - each resembling a spirit - according pecialch large flowering and fruit bearing plants are formed and the representations of their forms are preserved and perpetuated in most regular fashion in tiny seeds throughout tempesount ochanges - from this fact it can be easily understood how closely tied and related to eternity is the spirit of man, which possesses an extremely exalted and comprehensiworld ure, and which although clothed in a body, is a conscious and luminous law issuing from the divine command.

Sixth Principle: You will also understand that man has not been left to that at will, with a halter loosely tied around his neck; on the contrary, the forms of all his deeds are recorded and registered, and the results of all his actnd is preserved for the day when he shall be called to account.

Seventh Principle: You will understand, further, that the destruction visited upon the beautiful creatures of summer and spring in the autumn ise battor the sake of annihilation. Instead, it is a form of dismissal after the completion of service.

{(*): Yes, it is fitting that the fruits, flowers and leaves on the tips of enranches of a tree, proceeding from the treasuries of sustenance provided by divine mercy, should depart when they become old and their duties are at an end. Otherwise the gate will remain closed to those that come after them, and a barrier wils.

rected against the expansion of God's mercy and the services to be performed by their brethren (i.e., other members of the species). Moreover, withmilarlassing of youth, they will become wretched and distraught. Spring is like a fruit-bearing tree that in turn is an indication of the plain oand forrection. Similarly, the world of humanity in every age is like a tree inviting contemplation, and the world as a whole is like an amazing tree the fruits of which are despatched to the market of the heretions!}

It is also a form of emptying in order to clear a space for the new creation that is to come in the following spring, of preparing the ground and making ready for the beings that are to come and assume their functionsed thelly, it is a form of divine warning to conscious beings to awake from the neglect that causes them to forget their duties, from the drunken torpor that causes them to forget their obligation of offering thanks.

e man. Principle: You will understand this, too, that the eternal Maker of this transient world has another, everlasting world; it is to this that He urges and impels Hissed tants.

Ninth Principle: You will understand, also, that so Compassionate a Being will bestow upon His choice servants in that world such gifts as no eye has ever seen, ransfo has ever heard, nor has their image crossed the heart of any man. {[*]: Bukhârî, Bad' al-Khalq, 8; Tafsîr al-Sûra, 32:1; Tawhîd, 35; Muslim, Îmân, 312; Janna, 2-5; Tirmidhî, Tafsîr al-Sûra, 32:2; 56:1; Ibn o dispZuhd, 39.} In this we believe.

SEVENTH TRUTH

The Gate of Protection and Preservation, the Manifestation of the Names of Preserver and Guardian

Is it at all possible that God's attribute of Preserver, which prly out all things with the utmost order and balance - things in the heavens and on the earth, on dry land and in the ocean, dry and wet, large and small, commonplace and exalted - and as it w givenifts their results by way of accounting - is it at all possible that this attribute should permit the deeds and acts of man, man who has been given the lofty disposition of humanity, the rank of the supreme vicd the cy, and the duty of bearing the Supreme Trust, not to be recorded, not to be passed through the sieve of accounting, not to be weighed in the balance of justwho enot to be punished or rewarded fittingly, even though his acts and deeds closely pertain to God's universal dominicality? No, it is not in any way possible!

Yes, the BeArabi,at administers this cosmos preserves all things in order and balance. Order and balance are the manifestation of knowledge and wisdom, of will and power. n just see that the substance of every created object is fashioned in well-ordered and symmetrical fashion. Not only is each of the forms it changes throughoStatur life well-ordered, but the totality of these forms is also marked by the same orderliness. We see, too, that the Glorious Preserver preserves many forms of all things the life us Crech comes to an end when they have performed their function and which depart from the Manifest World, in the memories of men, that are like a kind of preserved tablet, {(*): See, the foos thatto the Seventh Aspect above.} or in a form of archetypal mirror. He also writes and inscribes a brief history of their life in a seed, that is like the result and outcome of the whole. Thus He causes all thing the ee preserved in mirrors pertaining to both the outer and inner worlds. The memory of man, the fruit of the tree, the kernel of the fruit, the seed of the h trib - all of these demonstrate the universality and comprehensiveness of the law of preservation.

Do you not see that all the flowers and fruits of the vast spring, the

rec

Tf their deeds in appropriate form, the laws of their formation, and the images of their forms, are all inscribed into the finite space of a minute seed and are there preservâkemate following spring, their record of deeds is set forth, in a form of accounting appropriate to them, and another vast world of spring is brought foth's sith the utmost order and wisdom. This demonstrates with what powerful comprehensiveness God's attribute of Preserver exercises itself. Considering that the results of such transient, commonpgly;

{impermanent and insignificant things are preserved, is it at all possible that men's deeds, that yield important fruit in the world of the unseen, the world of the hereaftple, ad the world of spirits, from the point of view of universal dominicality, is it at all possible that they should not be guarded and preserved, should not bate anrded as a matter of importance? No, by no means!

Yes, from this manifestation of God's attribute of Preserver it can be deduced that the Masterlibriul creation devotes great care to the orderliness of all things that come to pass in His realm. He pays great attention to the function of sovereignty, and lavishes extreme care on the domin the ey of kingship. Thus He records, or causes to be recorded, the pettiest of happenings, the smallest of services, and preserves in numerous things parablrm of everything that happens in His realm. This attribute of Preserver indicates that an important register of deeds will be subjected to a precise examination and weighing: the records of men's deeds will stand revealed the row is it at all possible that man should be ennobled with the vicegerency and the Trust, that, as a witness to the universality of dominicality, he should prochat mood's unity in the realm of multiplicity, and thus act as a controller and witness by having some share in the glorification of God and worship of most nother - is it at all possible that he should do all of this and then go to his grave and sleep peacefully without ever being awakened? Without ever being asked concerning his deeds, small and great? That he should not go to the plafrom,

resurrection and be tried at the Supreme Tribunal? No, by no means!

Or is it possible for man to flee and hide himself in annihilation, for him to enter the earth and conceal himself from that Powerful and Glorious One to Whosns andr over all contingencies in the future,

{(*): The entirety of the past, extending from the present back to the beginning of creation, consists of occurrences. Every day, year and century that came into being is ts, Go line, a page, a book, written by the pen of destiny; the hand of God's power has inscribed His miraculous signs there with the utmost wisdom and order.

Similarly, time from the present until resurrection, ng andse and eternity, consists entirely of contingencies. The past consists of occurrences, the future of contingencies. The past consists of occurrences, the future of contingt with. Now if these two chains of time be compared with each other, it will be seen to be true of a certainty that the Being That created yesterday and brought into being the cremiracu peculiar to it, is capable, too, of creating tomorrow together with its creatures. Again, there is no doubt that the beings and wonders of with time, that wondrous display, are the miraculous works of a Powerful and Glorious One. They bear decisive witness that that Powerful One is capable of creating all of the future and its contingencies, and maniom theg all of its wonders.

The one who creates an apple must of a certainty be able to create all the apples in the world and to bring the vast spring into being. Conversely, the one whorse ret create a spring cannot create a single apple either, for the apple is made at the same workbench. But the one who makes an apple can make the spring. Each apple is an exng of in miniature of a tree, even of a garden or a cosmos. The apple seed that carries within itself the life-story of the huge tree is, from the point of view of artistry, such a miracle that the one who creates it thus is ito lifle of nothing. So too, the one that creates today is able also to create the day of resurrection, and it is only the one capable of creating thting wng that is able, too, to create resurrection. The one who affixes all the worlds of past time to the ribbon of time and displays them there in utmost wisdom and order, is without doubt capable of attaching other beings to the ribbon of manifture and displaying them there. In several of the Words, particularly the Twenty-Second Word, we proved with utter certainty that: "the one who cannot create everything cannot create anything he inthe one who can fashion one thing, can fashion everything. Also, if the creation of everything is entrusted to a single being, the creation of all things becomes as easy as the creation ol retungle thing; thus facility arises. If, on the contrary, it is entrusted to numerous causes, and ascribed to multiplicity, the creation of a single tuded tecomes as difficult as the creation of everything, and such difficulty arises as borders on impossibility."}

the occurrences of

past time - each a miracle of His power - bear witness, and Who visibly turn ts winter and spring, that, taken together, resemble resurrection? Since man is not called to account and judged in fitting fashion while in this world, it followsng pighe must proceed to a supreme tribunal and a final felicity.

EIGHTH TRUTH

The Gate of Promise and Threat, the Manifestation of the Names of Beautiful and Glorious

Is it at all possible that the Maker of this world, the Possesnity. Absolute Knowledge and Absolute Power, should not fulfil the oft-repeated promise and threat that has been proclaimed unanimously by all the prophets and been witnessed in unison by all the veracious and the saints, and thus display weaknesimaginignorance? God forbid! All that is implied by His promise and threat is not at all difficult for His power to fulfil; it is extremely simple and easy. It is as easy for Him as bringing back ncountlring the countless beings of last spring, in part identically, {(*): Like trees and the roots of grasses.} in part in

simile. {(*): Like leaves and fruits.} It is our need, the need ve strrything, His own need and the need of His dominical sovereignty, that He should fulfil His promise. For Him to break His promise would be contrary to the dignity of His power, and it would contradict the comprehensiveness of His knowled displr the breaking of a promise can arise only from ignorance or impotence.

O denier! Do you know how foolish a crime you are committing with your unbelief and denial? Paying heed to your own lying fancy,poisondelirious intellect, your deceptive soul, you reject as a liar One Who in no way can be compelled to the breaking of His promise, Whose glory and stature can in no way admit the breaking of His word, and Whose truthfulness and veracity are attt of sby all visible matters and objects! Despite your infinite pettiness, you are committing a crime of infinitely great proportions. Without doubt you deserve great and eternal punishment. Accordin foundertain narrations, the fact that the teeth of some of the people of Hell will be as big as mountains {[*]: Muslim, Janna, 44; Tirmidhî, Jahannam, 3; Ibn Mâja, Zuhd, 3rtaintnad, ii, 26, 328, 334.} will serve as an indication of the magnitude of their crime. O denier, you are like a traveller who closes his eyes to the sunlight and looks instead at the fantasy in his owheaven. His imagination wishes to illumine the awesome path in front of him with the light proceeding from his mind's lamp that in reality is no stronger than a glow-worm. Whatever has been promised by God Aas a ly, Whose veracious words are these beings we see and Whose truthful, eloquent signs are the processes of nature, He will of a surety fulfil. He will establish a Supreme Tribunal, and bestow an ultimate bliss.

NINTHals. T

The Gate of God's bestowal of life and death, the Manifestation of the Names of Eternally Living and Self-Subsistent, and Giver of Life and Giver of Death

the wo at all possible that the One Who gives life to this vast dead and dry earth; Who in so doing demonstrates His power by deploying more than three hundred thousand different forms of creation, each of them as remarkable as man; WhoGlory er demonstrates in this deployment His all-embracing knowledge by the infinite distinctions and differentiations He makes in the complex intermingling of all of those forms; Who directs the gazehind tl His slaves to everlasting bliss by promising them resurrection

in all of His heavenly decrees; Who demonstrates the splendour of His dominicality by causing all oacles creation to collaborate with one another, to revolve within the circle of His command and His will, to aid one another and be submitted to Him; Who shows the importance He has given to man by creating him as the most comprehensiable be most precious and delicate, the most valued and valuable fruit on the tree of creation by addressing him without intermediary and subjugating all things to him; - is it aa mirapossible that so Compassionate and Powerful a One, so Wise and All-Knowing a One, should not bring about resurrection; should not gather His creatures together or be unable to do so; should not restore os; co life, or be unable to do so; should not be able to inaugurate His supreme court; should not be able to create Heaven and Hell? Nay, indeed, by no means is any of this possible.

Indeed,of thelmighty Disposer of this world's affairs creates in every century, every year and every day, on the narrow and transient face of the globe, numerous signs, examples and indications of the Supreme Gathering and the Plain of was poection.

Thus in the gathering that takes place every spring we see that in the course of five or six days more than three hundred thoue fruiifferent kinds of animal and plant are first gathered together and then dispersed. The roots of all the trees and plants, as well as some animals, are revived and restored exactlyietiesey were. The other animals are recreated in a form so similar as to be almost identical. The seeds which appear, in their outward form,WBP) w so close to each other, nonetheless, in the course of six days or six weeks, become distinct and differentiated from each other, and then with extreme speed, ease and facility, are brought to life in the utmost ne blaand equilibrium. Is it at all possible that for the One Who does all of this anything should be difficult; that He should be unable to cre the fe heavens and the earth in six days; that He should be unable to resurrect men with a single blast? No, by no means is it possible!

Let us suppose there were to be some gifted writer who could h thouout in a single hour the confused and obliterated letters of three hundred thousand books on a single sheet without any error, omission ohad boct, complete and in the best form. If someone were then to say to you that that writer could write out again from memory a book written by him that had fallen into the water and become obliterated, ;' it you then say that he is unable, and would you not believe in his ability? Or think of some talented king who, in order to demonstrate his power or for the sake of providing a warning example, removes whole mountains with a ssal elcommand, turns his realm upside down, and transforms the sea into dry land.

Then you see that a great rock rolls down into a valley, so that the path is blocked for guests travelling to attend the king's r truthon and they are unable to pass. If someone should say to you: "that exalted one will remove or dissolve the stone, however great it may be, with a single command; he will not leave his guests stranded," would you then say that he will not rem faulte stone, or be unable to do so? Or if someone one day should gather together a great army, and you are then informed that he will summon its battalions together with a blast of the trumpet after they had dispersed to rest, and thc, butalions will form up in disciplined shape, would you respond by saying, "I don't believe it?" Were you to say any of these things your behaviour would truly be madness.

If you have understood these three parables, now look fhope o and see how the Pre-Eternal Designer turns over in front of our eyes the white page of winter and opens the green pages of spring and summer. Then He inscribes on the page of the earth's surface, with the pen of power and destint his the most beautiful form, more than three hundred thousand species of creation. Not one encroaches upon another. He writes them all together, but none blocks the acles f another. In their formation and shape, each is kept separate from the other without any confusion. There is no error in the writing. That Wise and Preserving One, Who preserves and inserts the spirit onot beeat tree in the smallest seed, no bigger than a dot - is it permissible even to ask how He preserves the spirits of those who die? That Powerful One Who causes the globe to this,e like a pebble in a sling - is it permissible even to ask how He will remove this globe from the path of His guests who are travelling to meet Him in the hereafter?

Again, the One of Glorious Essence Who from non-being recruits anew, the nscribes into His battalions, with the command of "'Be!', and it is">(36:82) and with utmost discipline, the troops of all living things, theuge moparticles of all of their bodies, and thus creates highly disciplined armies - is it permissible even to ask how He can make bodies submit to His discipline like a battalion, how He can gather together their m yoursy acquainted fundamental particles, and their component members?

You can, moreover, behold with your own eyes, the numerous designs made by God as signs, similes and indications of resurrection, designs placed by Him issed, y age and epoch of the world, in the alternation of day and night, even in the appearance and disappearance of clouds in the sky. If you imacausesourself to have been living a thousand years ago, and then compare with each other the two wings of time that are the past and the future, then you will behold similes of the gathering teps bdications of resurrection as numerous as the centuries and days. If, then, after

witnessing so many similes and indications, you regard Paradieal resurrection as improbable and rationally unacceptable, know your behaviour to be pure lunacy.

See what the Supreme Decree says concerning the truth we are discussing:

Look upon the signs of God's mer God, d see how He restores life to the earth after its death. Verily He it is Who shall bring to life the dead, and He is powerful over all things. impor0)

In Short: There is nothing that makes impossible the gathering of resurrection, and much that necessitates it. The glorious and eternal dominicality, the almighty and all embracing sovereignty of the One Who gives life and deathf themis vast and wondrous earth as if it were a mere animal; Who has made of this earth a pleasing cradle, a fine ship, for man and the animals; Who has made of the sun a lamp furnishing light and h man's the hostelry of the world; Who has made of the planets vehicles for the conveyance of His angels - the dominicality and sovereignty of such a One cannot rest upon and be restricted to the transitory, wer:>Aanent, unstable, insignificant, changeable, unlasting, deficient and imperfect affairs of this world. He must, therefore, have another realm, one worthy of Him, permanent, stable, immutable and glorious. In experHe does have another kingdom, and it is for the sake of this that He causes us to labour, and to this that He summons us. All those of illumined spi may io have penetrated from outer appearances to truth, and have been ennobled with proximity to the divine presence, all the spiritual poles endowed with luminous hearts, all the possessors ofaffirmt intelligence, all bear witness that He will transfer us to that other kingdom. They inform us unanimously that He has prepared for us there reward ulousnquital, and relate that He is repeatedly giving us firm promises and stern warnings.

As for the breaking of a promise, it is baseless and utter humiliation. It cannot in any way bate onnciled with the glory of His sanctity. Similarly, failure to fulfil a threat arises either from forgiveness or powerlessness. Now unbelief is extreme crime, and cannot be forgiven.

{(*): Unbelief denounces creation for alleged wortdise, ess and meaninglessness. It is an insult to all of creation, a denial of the manifestation of the divine names in the mirror of beings. It is disrespect to all the divine names, and rejection of t prophness borne to the divine unity by all beings. It is a denial of all creation. It corrupts man's potentialities in such a way that they are incapable of reform and unreceptive to good. Unbeliwill talso an act of utter injustice, a transgression against all of creation and the rights of God's names. The preservation of those rights, as well as the unredeemable nature of the unbeliever's soul, make it necessary toe to belief should be unpardonable. The words, "to assign partners to God is verily a great transgression," (31:13) express this meaning.}

The Absolutely Omnipotent One is exempt of and exalted above all powerlessness. Those who brinecesstheir testimony and report, despite all the differences in their methods, temperaments and paths, are totally unanimous and agreed on this bahe wittter. By their number, they have the authority of unanimity. By their quality, they have the authority of learned consensus. By their rank, each one is a guiding star of mankind, the cherished eye of a people, the object of a nation's veness in . By their importance, each one is an expert and an authority in the matter. In any art or science, two experts are preferred to thousands of non-experts, and two positive affirmers are preferred to thousands of negators in the transmissiectiona report. For example, the testimony of two men affirming the sighting of the crescent moon at the beginning of Ramadan totally nullifies the negation of thousands of deniers.

In Shorof histhe whole world there is no truer report, no firmer claim, no more apparent truth than this. The world is without doubt a field, and the resurrection a threshing-floor, a harvest. Paradise and Hell are each storehouses for the grahe sim TENTH TRUTH

The Gate of Wisdom, Grace, Mercy and Justice; the Manifestation of the Names of All-Wise, Generous, Just and Merciful

Is it at all possible that the Glorious Possessor of all Dominio just his impermanent hospice of the world, in this transient place of testing, in this unstable showplace of the earth so manifest a wisdom, so evident a grace, so overwhelming a justice, so comprehensive a mercy - is it at all possible all rn His realm, in the worlds of the outer and inner dimensions of things, there should not exist permanent abodes with eternal inhabitants, everlasting stations with immortal residenhundred that as a result all the truths of wisdom, grace, mercy and justice that we now see should decline into nothingness.

Again, is itin of l possible that that All-Wise Being should choose man, among all His creation, to receive direct and universal address from Him, should make him a comprehensive mirrory may mself, should permit him to taste, weigh, and become acquainted with, all the contents of His treasuries of mercy, should make Himself known to him with all His names, should love him and make Himself belovedto botm - that He should do all this and then fail to despatch wretched man to that eternal realm, to invite him to that abode of permanent bliss and make him happy there?

Is it at all re#33

nole that He should impose on every being, even the seed, a task as heavy as a tree, mount in it instances of His wisdom as numerous as the flowers, and beneficial aspects as numeround balhe fruits, but assign to that task, to those instances of His wisdom and those beneficial aspects, a purpose pertaining only to this world, one as small as a seed? That He should make that purpothe skhing more than the life of this world, something less valuable than a grain of mustard seed? That He should not make of beings seeds for the world of meaning and tillage for the realm of the hereafter, for them to yield they in tir true and worthy results? That He should permit such significant alternations to remain without purpose, to be empty and vain? That Hrm of ld not turn their faces towards the world of meaning and the hereafter, so that they might there reveal their true purposes and fitting results?

Again, is it at all possible that by thus causing things to controvert their own nature He sleavespresent His own veracious names, All-Wise, Generous, Just, Merciful, as being characterized by their opposites - God forbid! - that He should deny the true essences of all those beings that indicate His wisdom and generosity, His justice page orcy, that He should reject the testimony of all creatures, that He should negate the indications made by all things?

Can intelligence at all accept that God should impose on man and his senses duties as numerous as the hair on his headhey begive him no more than an earthly reward, something no more valuable than a hair? That He should act meaninglessly, in a fashion contraryway ans true justice and opposed to His true wisdom?

Again, is it at all possible that God Who proves and shows Himself to be a possessor of absolute wisdom, by attaching to every animate being, or even to every member like the tongue, indeed many ery creature, instances of His wisdom and sources of benefit as numerous as the results and the fruits He has attached to a tree - is it at all possible that He should fail to bestow of Himself the greatest theirl instances of His wisdom, the most significant of all sources of benefit, the most necessary of all results, that which makes His wisdom into wisdom, His blessings into blessings, His mermercy.o mercy, the source and aim of all of His wisdom, bounty, mercy and beneficence - eternity, the meeting with Him in the hereafter and everlasting bliss? Were He to abandon these, He would plunge all of His doings unto utter pointlessness anuivalee Himself to resemble a being who constructed a palace, each stone of which contained thousands of designs, in each corner of which thousands of adornmess andre to be found, and in each part of which thousands of precious household instruments

and tools were provided, but failed to build a roof over it, so that everything rotted and was needlessly dnd. Foed. No, by no means can this be true! From absolute goodness comes forth goodness, and from the Possessor of Absolute Beauty comes forth beauty. So too nothing devoid of purpose can emergd all- the Possessor of Absolute Wisdom.

Whoever in his imagination embarks on the ship of history and sets sail for the past, will see dead stages, places, gatherings and worlds, as numerous as the years, and each liheard stopping-place that is the world, the field of trial, the gathering of creation, that we now see. In form and quality they are different from each other, but they resemble each no earwith respect to their orderliness, their wondrousness and the fashion in which they display the power and wisdom of the Maker.

In those impermanent stopping-places, those transient fields, those fleeting gatherings, he will also see the onds a workings of so manifest a wisdom, the indications of so evident a beneficence, the signs of so imperious a justice, the fruits of so comprehensive a mercy, that he will know of a certainty - unless totally de and nf perception - that a more perfect wisdom that that which he beholds is inconceivable, that a beneficence more beauteous than that the signs of whin the observes is impossible, that a justice more glorious than that the indications of which he sees cannot exist, and a mercy more comprehensive than that the fruits of which he sees is unimaginable.

Iext spsuppose the impossible, there were no permanent abodes, lofty mansions, everlasting stations and eternal abodes, with their eternal residenot negd's joyous servants, in the realm of that Eternal Monarch Who disposes all affairs and Who constantly is changing the hospice and its le coms, then it would be necessary to reject the true essences of wisdom, justice, beneficence and compassion, those four powerful and universal spiritual elements that are like light, air, water and earth, and to denynivers existence, even though they are as apparent as that of the external elements. For it is plain that this impermanent world and its contents cannot be a complete manifestation of their true essences. If there is no other place, monarere else, where they can be manifested fully, it then becomes necessary, with a lunacy like that of the man who denies the existence of the sun even though he sees its light filling the day, to denytever isdom that we can see in everything in front of our eyes; to deny the beneficence that we can observe in our own souls and in most other things; to deny the justice the signs of which appear so stroned out(*): There are two varieties of justice, one affirmative, the other negative. The positive variety consists in giving the deserving his right. This form of justice exists throughoutating orld in the most obvious fashion, because, as proven in the Third Truth, it observably bestows, in accordance with special balances and particular criteria, all the objects of desire requested by everything from its Glorioed intator with the tongue of innate capacity, the language of natural need, the speech of necessity, and all the requirements of life and existence. This variety of justice is, then, as certain as life and existy, in tself.

The other variety of justice, the negative, consists in chastising the unjust; it gives wrongdoers their due by way of requital and punishment. This type of justice is not fully manifest in this world, even though there are chantiess signs and indications that permit us to sense its true nature. For example, all the chastising blows and punitive lashes that have descended on all rebellio agateples, from the 'Ad and Thamud to those of the present age, show definitely that an exalted justice dominates the world.}

and to

deny the compassion we see everywhere in operation. It follows in turn that we must regard as a foolishis bacster, a treacherous tyrant, the one from whom proceed all the wise processes, the generous deeds and the merciful gifts we perceive in the universe. Goh my wid that this should be so; it is a totally impossible reversal of the truth. Even the foolish Sophists, who denied the existence of everything and even that of their own selves, would not readily contemplate such Your position.

In Short: Considering the utter disparity between - on the one hand - this state of affairs which we see together with the universal fusions of life and the swift separations of death, the imposing gatherings and the rapid dit at ions, the magnificent revolutions and the great manifestations, and - on the other hand - the petty fruits we see briefly attained in this transient world, the temporary numernsignificant purposes of beings that pertain to this world, we conclude that the non-existence of the hereafter would mean attaching to a little stone wise purposes as great as a mplace n, and to a great mountain, a purpose as petty as a small stone. No intelligence or wisdom can find this acceptable.

In other words, this lack of proportion between beings and these matters on the one hand, and their purposes pertai proffo this world on the other, demonstrates with certainty that all beings have their faces turned to the world of meaning. It is there that they will yield their appropriate fruits, and their eyes are fixir eyethe sacred names. Their ultimate aims pertain to that world alone. While their substance is hidden beneath the soil of this world, their flowers will unfold in the World of Similitudes. Man sows ad and sown in this world, in accordance with his capacity; the harvest is gathered in the hereafter. If you look at the aspect of things that is turned towards the divine names and the hereafter you will see that each seensive iracle of power, has an aim as vast as a tree. Each flower, which is like a

word of divine wisdom, has meanings as numerous as the flowers on a tree, and each fruit, a wonder of God's workmanship and a poem dictated by His mercy, Almighse purposes as numerous as the fruits of a tree. As for the fruit serving us as sustenance, it is merely one out of those many thousand wise purposes; it fulfils its purpose, exprn itseits meanings, and dies, being buried in our stomach. {(*): If it be asked, "why do your parables consist chiefly of flowers, seeds and fruits," our answer is that they are the most wondhat liremarkable and delicate of the miracles of God's power. Moreover, since naturalists, philosophers and the people of misguidance have been unable to read the subtle script written upon them by the pen of destiny and power, they have choked onieth W and fallen into the swamp of nature.} Since these transient beings yield eternal fruits in another place, leave there permanent forms of themselves, and express there the vasting meanings; since they engage in ceaseless glorification of the Maker; and since man becomes man by perceiving these aspects of things that are oriented to the hciple;er, thus finding his way to eternity by means of the transient - since all of this is true, there must be some other purpose for all these beings thatn to tast around between life and death, that are first gathered and then dispersed.

There is no error in this comparison: the above-mentioned state of afe who resembles circumstances formed and arranged by way of imitation and representation. Brief gatherings and dispersions are arranged at gran of pense merely for the sake of taking pictures that can thereafter be shown in the cinema. So too, one of the reasons for our passage throknown dividual and social life in this life, for a brief time, is to enable pictures to be taken and images formed, to enable the result of our deeds to be registered and recorded, for display on a day of acbear hng, for being shown at a vast gathering, and to yield the fruit of supreme happiness. The noble saying of the Prophet (Upon whom be blessings and peace) "This world is the tillage for the hereaftisten [*]: al-'Ajlûnî, Kashf al-Khafâ', i, 320.} indicates this meaning.

Since the world exists, and within this world wisdom, beneficence, compassion and justice also exist, with their numerous evidences, of a certainty the hereafter est inxists, just as surely as does this world. Since one aspect of everything in this world is turned to that world and is proceeding toward it, to deny that world would be denying, you world with all it contains. Just as the allotted hour and the grave await man, so too do Paradise and Hell, anxiously watching for his arrival.

ELEVENTH TRUTH

The Gate of Humanity, a to th Manifestation of the Name of Truth

Is it at all possible that God Almighty, He Who is worshipped by right, should create man within creatiis thethe most significant of all of His servants with respect to His absolute dominicality and with respect to His universal dominicality in all of His realmhousant He should make him the most thoughtful recipient of His glorious address, the most comprehensive mirror to the manifestation of His names; that He should create him as the mos strautiful miracle of His power in the fairest of forms, in order to receive the manifestation of the greatest name, as well as that quality of the greatest name inherent in thder anr names, in order for him to assess and perceive the contents of His treasuries of mercy; that He should make him an investigator of secrets equipped more than any other creature with balancef Beauinstruments; and He should make him the most needy of all creatures with respect to His infinite gifts, the one suffering most from annihilation and the one mHim, asirous of immortality; that He should make him the most delicate, the poorest and neediest of animals, most wretched and subject to pain in his worldly life but most sth cap in disposition, in the highest of forms and characters - is it possible that God Almighty should do all this with man and not send him to the eternal realm for which he is suited and fitted and for which he is longder tos it possible that He should thus negate the whole essence of humanity, act in a manner totally contrary to His own veracity, and perform an act of injustice that:32)

Again, is it at all possible that He Who rules justly, Whose mercy is absolute, should bestow on man such aed to sition that he took up the Supreme Trust, from which the heavens and mountains both shrank, in order to measure and know, with his slias thod petty measures and crafts, the all encompassing attributes, the universal workings, and the infinite manifestations of the Creator; that He should create him as the most delicate, vulnerable, weak and powerless of beings, whilright entrusting him with the regulation of all the vegetal and animal life upon earth, and causing him to intervene in their modes of worship and glorification of God; that He should cause him to beackeneresentation in miniature of His cosmic processes; that He should cause him to proclaim His glorious dominicality to all beings, in word and deed; that He should prefer him to theme of s and give him the rank of vicegerent - is it at all possible that God should

bestow all of this on man and not give him eternal bliss, the purpose, result and fruit of all of these duties? That He should cast him down to low degree, as y doubst wretched, ill-fortuned, humiliated and suffering of all His creatures; or that He should make of intelligence, a gift from His own wisdomof not most blessed and luminous tool for the attainment of happiness, an inauspicious and sombre tool of torment for that wretch, thus acting in t and pontradiction to His absolute wisdom and in opposition to His absolute mercy? No, it is by no means possible!

In Short: Just as we saw by looking at the identity papers of an officer in our comod likn that his rank, duty, wage, instructions and equipment prove that he exists not for the sake of some temporary battlefield, but rather that he is proceeding to some permanent kingdom, for the sake of which he is exerting himselfer andtoo those to whom truth and certainty have been unveiled are unanimously agreed that the subtleties inscribed in the book of man's heart, the sensee guesten down in the notebook of his intellect, the equipment contained in his essential character, are all turned towards eternal bliss; they have been given to man and fashioned in accordance with this osefulte goal.

For example, if one servant and illustrator of the intellect called the imaginative power, is told that "you can have a million years of life and ruleal-Tabthe world, but in the end you shall become nothing," it will react with sorrow instead of pleasure, unless deceived by vain fancy and the interference of the soul. The greatest of transient things cannot, then, satisfy the smalleis solulty of man.

It is, then, this disposition of man - his desires extending to eternity, his thoughts that embrace all of creation and his wishes that embrace the e. Theent varieties of eternal bliss - that demonstrates he has been created for eternity and will indeed proceed to eternity. This world is like a hospice for him, a waitier bubm for the hereafter.

TWELFTH TRUTH

The Gate of Messengerhood and Revelation, and the Manifestation of "In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate"

ince tt at all possible that errant doubts, no stronger than the wing of a fly, could close the path to the hereafter and the gate to Paradise that have been definitively opened by the Most Noble Messenger (Upo to my be blessings and peace), with all of his might, relying upon the power of his thousand certified miracles as well as the thousands of decisive verses of the All-Wise

Qur'an, a book miraculous in fe multifferent ways - that Messenger whose words are affirmed by all of the other prophets, relying upon their own miracles, whose claim is affirmed by all of the saints, relying upon their visionary and charismatic experiences, and to wt canneracity all of the purified scholars bear witness, relying upon their investigations of truth?

From the previous truths it has become apparent that resurrection is so firmly rooted a truth tof Allt even a power capable of lifting up the globe, breaking it and casting it aside, could shake it. For God Almighty Himself affirms this truth in accordance with the meaning on chanHis names and attributes; His Noble Messenger (UWBP) confirms it with all of his miracles and evidences; the All-Wise Qur'an establishes it with all of its truths s not rses; and the cosmos itself bears witness to it with all the creational signs it contains and all the wise processes that take place within it. Is it at all possible that r glorcessary Being should unite with all of His creation (excepting only the unbelievers) on this question of resurrection, and doubts feebler than a whisker and satanic insinuations whichd shake and uproot that exalted and firmly-rooted truth which resembles a mountain? No, by no means!

Beware, do not imagine that the proofs of resurrection eople stricted to the Twelve Truths we have mentioned. The All-Wise Qur'an alone, that instructed us in these twelve Truths, indicates thousands of other aspects of thuelty er as well, each aspect being a sign that our Creator will transfer us from this transient realm to an eternal one.

Again, do not imagine that the divine names which logically require the etoo shce of resurrection are only those we have discussed - Wise, Generous, Merciful, Just, Preserver. On the contrary, all the divine names manifest in the ordering of parentsmos logically require the existence of resurrection, indeed make it imperative.

Do not imagine, either, that the creational signs indicer theresurrection are confined to those we have mentioned above. On the contrary, in the majority of beings, there exist different aspects and qualities that are like curtains opening to the righieversthe left: one aspect bears witness to the Maker, and the other aspect indicates resurrection. For example, the beauty of man's being, fashioned as he is in the fairest of forms, demonstrates the existenaring the Maker, while at the same time the fact that together with his comprehensive abilities, lodged in that fairest of forms, he soon declines and dies, demonstrates the existence of resurrection. Sometimes, i consc

one looks at the same aspect in two different ways, one sees that it demonstrates the existence both of the Maker and of resurrection. For example, if one y age,at the wise ordering, the just balance, the gracious adornment and the merciful favour inherent in most things, they are seen to demonstrate that they proceed from the powerful hand of a Wise, Generous, Just and Merciful Maker. So too, ipremaclooks at the brief and insignificant life of the transient beings that are the manifestations of these qualities, despite their power and infinitude, the hereafter aprationbefore one. In other words, all things silently recite and cause others to recite "I believe in God and the Last Day."

Conclusion

The preceding twelve Truths confirmf complement and support each other. Coming together in union, they demonstrate the required result. Does it lie in the capacity of any doubt to penetrate those twelve firm walls, each like steel or diamondn the order to shake the belief in resurrection housed within their closed citadel?

The verse, "Your creation and resurrection is but like a single soul">(31:28), indicates the following meaning: "The creation and resurrs of r of all men is as easy for God's power as the creation and resurrection of a single man." Yes indeed. In a treatise entitled Nokta>(Pointo undexplained in detail the truth expressed by this verse. Here we will indicate only a summary by means of a few comparisons. If you want more detail, then refer to Nokta.

For example, "And God's is the highest similitude">(16:60), and thejlûnî,no error in the comparison, if the manifestation of the sun were in accordance with its own will, it could be said that the sun bestows its mystery of manifestation on numerous transparent objeAdam (th the same ease as on a single particle.

In accordance with the mystery of transparency, the little pupil of a transparent particlar as qual to the vast face of the ocean in receiving the reflection of the sun.

In accordance with the mystery of order, it overturns a hugful arleship with the same ease as a child turning over his toy boat with his finger.

In accordance with the mystery of obedience, it causes a vast army to mov are c the same word that a commander uses to make a single infantryman move.

In accordance with the mystery of equilibrium, let us imagine there to exist in space a balance so sensitive and at the same time so large that were two walnuts to . He hced in its pans it would feel them, and be equally able to hold and to weigh two suns. If two suns of equal weight were placed in the pans of the scale; the same power, which causes one of the walnuts to be lifted up to the horthin and the other walnut to descend to the ground, will move these heavenly bodies with the same ease. Since in this lowly, deficient and transient world of contingency, they oeatest and smallest things are equal, and numerous, infinite things appear equal to a single thing, through the mystery of luminosity, transparency, ander, obedience and balance, then of a certainty little and much, small and great, will be equal before the possessor of absolute power, andt becall be able to summon all men to resurrection with a single blast on the trumpet, just as if they were one man - this, by virtue of the mysteries of the luminousting festations of the infinite and utterly perfect power of His essence, the transparency of the inner dimension of things, the order decreed by wisdom and destiny, the complete obedience of all thingseativis creational commands, and the equilibrium existing in contingent being, that consists of the equivalence of the being and non-being of the contingent.

Furthermore, the degrees of strength and weakness s own thing possesses are determined by the intervention in that thing of its opposite. For example, degrees of heat are determined by the intervention of cold; degrees of beauty, by the intervention of ugliness; stages of light, by rvant'tervention of darkness. But if something exists of itself, and is not accidental, then its opposite cannot interfere with it, for then a union of opposites would logically have to occur, and that is impoe and . In something that exists of itself, there can then be no gradation. Now the power of the Possessor of Absolute Power pertains to His essence; it enjoys absolute perfection and is not accidental like contin,

Ieing. It is therefore impossible that its opposite, impotence, should intervene in it. Hence it is as easy for the Lord of Glory to create a spring as it is to create a flower. But if creation were ascribed to causal. It then the creation of a single flower would be as difficult as that of a whole spring. For God it is as easy to resurrect and gather all men as it is to resurrect and gather one man.

All thties, have expounded so far with regard to resurrection, the comparisons indicating it and its truths, is derived from the effulgence of the All-Wise Qur'ae the sole purpose has been bringing the soul to surrender

and the heart to acceptance. It is to the Qur'an that the right to speak belongs. It is true th the, and all speech is subordinate to it. Let us listen, then, to the Qur'an:

Say: "With God is the argument that reaches home: if it had been His will, He could indeed have guided you all.">(6:149)

Look upon thethose of God's mercy, and see how He restores life to the earth after its death. Verily He it is Who shall bring to life the dead, and He is powerful over all things.>(30:50)

And he makes compa to in for Us, and forgets his own [Origin and] Creation: he says, "Who can give life to [dry] bones and decomposed ones [at that]?">(36:78-79)

O mankind! Fear your Lord! For the convulsion of the Hour [of Judgement] will be path og terrible!

The Day ye shall see it, every mother giving suck shall forget her suckling-babe, and every pregnant female shall drop her load [unformed]: thou shalt see mankind as in a dr is poriot, yet not drunk: but dreadful will be the Wrath of God.>(22:1-2)

God! There is no god but He: of a surety He will gather you together against the Day of Judgement, aing.

hich there is no doubt. And whose word can be truer than God's?>(4:87)

As for the righteous, they will be in bliss;

And the wicked - they will be in the fire.>(82:13-14)

When the the p is shaken to her [utmost] convulsion,

And the Earth throws up her burdens [from within],

And man cries [distressed]: "What is the matter with her!" -

For that thy Lord will havns aren her inspiration.

On that Day will men proceed in companies sorted out, to be shown the deeds that they [had done].

Then shall anys and o has done an atom's weight of good, see it.

And anyone who has done an atom's weight of evil, shall see it.>(99:1-8)

What is the [Day] of Noise and Clamour?

And what will explain to thee is Mohe [Day] of Noise and Clamour is?

[It is] a Day whereon men will be like moths scattered about,

And the mountains will be like carded wool.

Then, he whose balance [of good deeds] will be [found] heavy,

Will be in a life of go" Sincasure and satisfaction.

But he whose balance [of good deeds] will be [found] light,-

Will have his home in a [bottomless] Pit.

And what will explain to thee what this is?

[It is] a Fire blazing fiercely!>(101:ful; I To God belongs the mystery of the heavens and the earth. And the decision of the Hour is as the twinkling of an eye or even quicker: for God has power over all things.>(16:77)

Listening to these and othres suar verses of the Qur'an, let us say, "yes, we believe and give our assent."

I believe in God, His angels, His books, His messengers and in the Last Day. I believe that both the good and evil of destiny are from God Almighty; tha The vrrection after death is a reality; that Paradise is a reality; that Hell-fire is a reality; that intercession is a reality; that Munkar and Nakir are reality; and that God will resurrect those who are in truthombs. I bear witness that there is no god but God, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of God.

O God, grant blessings to the most delicate, the most noble, the most perfect, the most beautiful fruit of the Tuba of Youth of y, him whom You sent as a mercy to all the worlds, and as a means for our attaining unto the most beauteous, the fairest, purest and most exal to ev the fruits of that Tuba, the branches of which are outspread over the hereafter and paradise; o God, protect us and our parents against the fire, and cause us and our parenthas winter Paradise with the pious, for the sake of Thy chosen Prophet. Amen.

O brother studying this treatise with an open mind! Do not say, "why cannot I immedi the gunderstand this Tenth Word in all its details?" and do not be saddened by your failure to understand it completely. For even a master of philosh appeuch as Ibn Sina said that "resurrection cannot be understood by rational criteria." {[*]: al-Ghazâlî, al-Iqtisâd, 210-13; Ibn Khaldûn, Muqaddima, ii, 1254.} His judgement was that we and ibelieve in resurrection, but reason cannot aid our belief. Similarly, all the scholars of Islam unanimously have held that resurrection rests entirely on traditional proofs; it c and ibe rationally examined. Naturally, so profound, and at the same time, so exalted a path cannot suddenly become a public highway for the exercise of the reason. But we would offer a thousand thanks that the Merciful Creator has bestowed uuncoun this much of the path, by means of the effulgence of the All-Wise Qur'an and His own mercy, in an

age when belief by imitation is past and meek acceptance has disappeared. Foreachesmount vouchsafed to each of us is enough for the salvation of our faith. Being content with the amount that we have been able to understand, we should reread#85

asreatise and seek to increase our comprehension.

One of the reasons that it is impossible to approach a rational understanding of resurrection is that since the supreme gathering, resurrection, is through the manifestatio, theyhe greatest name, only through beholding and demonstrating the great deeds evident in the maximum manifestation of the greatest name of God as well as His other names, is it possible to prove it as certain; and unshakeably believe that erositection is as simple as the spring. Thus do matters appear and thus they are demonstrated in this Tenth Word (Resurrection and the Hereafter), by means of the effulgence of the Qur'an. Were it not for this effulgence, and were our intelligent probbe left to its own petty devices, it would be powerless, and condemned to believing in resurrection by way of imitation.

The First Part of an Important Supplement and Addendum to the Tenth Word

In the Name of Gthe foe Merciful, the Compassionate.

So [give] glory to God, when you reach eventide and when you rise in the morning; Yea, to Him be praise, in the heavens and on earth; and in the late afternoon an or, G the day begins to decline.

It is He Who brings out the living from the dead, and brings out the dead from the living, and Who Gives life to the earth after it rs.

d: and thus shall you be brought out [from the dead].

Among His Signs is this, that He created you from dust; and then, - behold, you are men scattered [far and wide]!

And among His Signstimonyis, that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that you may dwell in tranquillity with them, and He has put love and mercy between your [hearts]: Verily in that are Signs for those who reflect.

And among His Signs is the and iion of the heavens and the earth, and the variations in your languages and your colours: verily in that are Signs for those who know.

And among His Signs is the sleep that you takeraclesght and by day, and the quest that you [make for livelihood] out of His Bounty: verily in that are Signs for those who hearken.

And among His Signs, He shows you the lightning, by way both of fes shor of hope, and He sends down rain from the sky and with it gives life to the earth after it is dead: verily in that are Signs for those who are wise.

And among Hbliss ns is this, that heaven and earth stand by His Command: then when He calls you, by a single call, from the earth, behold, you [straightway] come forth.

To Him belongs every beingation.is in the heavens and on earth: all are devoutly obedient to Him.

It is He Who begins [the process of] creation; then repeats it; and for Him it is most easy. To Him belongs the loftiest similitude [we can think and bn the heavens and the earth: For He is Exalted in Might, Full of Wisdom.>(30:17-27)

In this Ninth Ray will be expounded a supreme point of these sublime heavenly verses, which demo and be one of the poles of belief; these mighty sacred proofs of the resurrection of the dead will be explained. It is a subtle instance of dominical grace that thirty years ago at the end of his work entitled Muhg ever>(Rational Arguments), which was written to set out some principles of Qur'anic exegesis, the Old Said wrote: "Second Aim: Two Qur'anic verses alluding to the resurrection of the dead will be expounded and explained.ur'an e Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate." There he stopped and could write no further. Now, praise and thanks to my Compassionate is beir to the number of signs and indications of the resurrection, that after thirty years He has given me success. Yes, nine or ten years ago, He bestowed the Tenth and Twenty-Ninth Words, two brilliant and powerful proofs es, whiing the divine decree of:

So look to the signs of God's mercy, how He raises to life the earth after its death; He it is who will raise the dead to life, for He is Powerfulr impoAll Things,>(30:50)

which was the first of the two verses. They silenced the deniers of resurrection. Now, nine or ten years after those two impregs, renbastions of belief in the resurrection of the dead, He bestowed with the present treatise a commentary on the second of the above two sublime verses. This them Ray, then, consists of nine elevated stations, indicated by the above-mentioned verses, and an important introduction.

[This consists of two points comprising a concise explaning veof one comprehensive result of the numerous spiritual benefits of belief in resurrection and of its vital consequences; a demonstration of how essential it is for human life and especially for the life of socier althsummary of one universal proof out of numerous proofs of the tenet of belief in the resurrection; and a statement of how indubitable andupted,evident is that tenet of belief.]

FIRST POINT

We shall indicate, as a measure, only four out of hundreds of proofs that belief in the hereafter is fundamental to the life of society and to man's personal life, and is the basis of Sustaihappiness, prosperity, and achievement.

~The First:>It is only with the thought of Paradise that children,

who form almost a half of humankind, can endure all the deaths around them, whicunken ar to them to be grievous and frightening, and strengthen the morale of their weak and delicate beings. Through Paradise they find hope in their vulnerable spirits, p one io weeping, and may live happily. For example, with the thought of Paradise, one may say: "My little brother or friend has died and become a bird in Paradise. He is flying around Paradise anfocating more happily than us." The frequent deaths before their unhappy eyes of other children like themselves or of grown-ups will otherwise destroy all their resistance and morale, makeeps aeir subtle faculties like their spirits, hearts, and minds weep in addition to their eyes; they will either decline utterly or become crazy, wretched animals.

Second Proof:>It is only through the life of the key tter that the elderly, who in one respect form half of mankind, can endure the proximity of the grave, and be consoled at the thought that their lives, to which they are firmly attached, will soon be extinguished and thifelesne worlds come to an end. It is only at the hope of eternal life that they can respond to the grievous despair they feel in their emotional child-like spirits at the thought of death and decline. Those worthy, anxious fat177

wand mothers, so deserving of compassion and in need of tranquillity and peace of mind, will otherwise feel a terrible spiritual turmoil and distrgether their hearts, and this world will become a dark prison for them, and life even, grievous torment.

Third Proof:>It is only the thought of Hell-fire that checks the turbulent emotions of youths, thinto t vigorous element in the life of society, and their violent excesses, restraining them from aggression, oppression, and destruction, and ensuring that the life of society continues tranquilly. If not for fear ol rece, in accordance with the rule 'might is right,' in pursuing their desires, those drunken youths would turn the worlds of the wretched weak and powerless into Hell, and elevated huthat i into base animality.

Fourth Proof:>The most comprehensive centre of man's worldly life, and its mainspring, and a paradise, refuge, and fortress of worldly happiness, is the life of the faf HellEveryone's home is a small world for him. And the life and happiness of his home and family are possible through genuine, earnest, and loyal respec If true, tender, and self-sacrificing compassion. This true respect and genuine kindness may be achieved with the idea of the members of the family having an everlasting companionship and lainedship and togetherness, and their parental, filial, brotherly, and friendly relations continuing for all eternity in a limitless life, and their believing this. One says, for example: "My wife will be my coe is b companion in an everlasting world and eternal life. It does not matter if she is now old and ugly, for she will have an immortal beauty." He will tell him-

self that he will en perkind and devoted as he can for the sake of that permanent companionship, and treat his elderly wife lovingly and kindly as though she were a beautiful houri. A companionship that was to end in eternal separation after an hour or two of brle andpparent friendship would otherwise afford only superficial, temporary, feigned, animal-like feelings, and false compassion and artificial respect. As with aniealm oself-interest and other overpowering emotions would prevail over the respect and compassion, transforming that worldly paradise into Hell.

Thus, one of the hundredfor hiesults of belief in resurrection is connected with the life of society. If a comparison is made between the above four proofs out of the hundreds of aspects and benefits ofong josingle consequence and the rest, it will be understood that the realization of the truth of resurrection, and its occurrence, are as certain as the elevated reality of humanity and its uief anal need. It is clearer even than the evidence for the existence of food offered by the existence of need in man's stomach, and tells of its existence even more clearly. Ann yourroves that if the consequences of the truth of resurrection were to quit humanity, whose nature is extremely significant, lofty, and living, it would descend to being a corrupt corpse fed on by microbes.

The sociologists, polis cleas, and moralists, who are concerned with the government of humankind and its social and moral questions should be aware of this! How do they propose to fill this vacuum? With what can they cure time theep wounds?

SECOND POINT

This explains in summary form a proof - one of many - proceeding from the testimony to the truth of resurrection of the other pillars of bnd the It is as follows:

All the miracles indicating the messengership of Muhammad (Upon and blessings be upon him) and the evidences for his prophethood, and all the proofs of his vhow dey, together testify to the occurrence of the resurrection, and prove it. For after divine unity, everything he claimed throughout his life was centred on the resurrection of the dead. Also, all his mirare giand proofs affirming, and making affirmed, all the previous prophets attest to the same truth. Also, the testimony of the phrase "and in His Scriptures," which makes completely clear the testimonces, ohe phrase "and in His Prophets," testifies to the same truth. Like this:

All the miracles, truths, and proofs proving foremost the veracity of the Qur'an of Miraculere isposition, testify to and prove the realization and occurrence of resurrection. For almost a third of the Qur'an is about resurrection,

#ore thd at the beginning of most of its short suras are powerful verses about it. It expresses the same truth explicitly and implicitly with thousands of its verses, anthe thes and demonstrates it. For example:

When the sun is folded up.>(81:1)

O men, fear your Sustainer; the trembling of the Hour

is an awesome event;>(22:ainmenWhen the earth is convulsed;>(99:1)

When the heavens are torn asunder;>(82:1)

When the heavens are torn apart;>(84:1)

Concerning what they dispute;>(78:1)

Has the story reached you, of the overwhelming event?>(88:1)

Besides Needstrating with complete certainty at the beginning of thirty or forty suras that resurrection is the most important and necessary truth in the universe, it sets forth various persuasive evidences for that truth in others of its vehose g Is there any possibility that belief in the hereafter should be false, which emerges like the sun from the thousands of declarations the satements of a Book a single indication of one of the verses of which has yielded before our eyes the fruits of numerous learned and cosmic truths in the Islamic sciences? Is there any possibility of denying the sun, or the existence of the u. Aftee? Would it not be impossible and absurd? Is it at all possible that although an army may sometimes be plunged into battle so that a mere slay of the king should not be given the lie, to show as false the thousands of words, promises, and threats of that most serious, proud monarch? Is it possible that they should be false?

Altemely a single sign of that glorious spiritual monarch who for thirteen centuries without break has ruled over innumerable spirits, minds, hearts, and souls within the bounds of truth and reality, and trained and raised theveiledld be sufficient to prove the truth of resurrection, it has demonstrated it with thousands of explicit statements. Is the torment of Hell-fire not necessary then for the compounded idiot who does not recognize this fact? Isrmanent pure justice?

Moreover, by their definite acceptance of the truth of resurrection, which the Qur'an - prevailing over the future and all times - repeatedly proves in detail and eluciy says all the revealed scriptures and sacred books, each of which dominated a particular period, proved it according to their own times and centuries, but in undetailed, veiledorderssummary manner, confirming with a thousand signatures what the Qur'an teaches.

Included here since it is related to this discussion is the tes eithe at the end of the Third Ray of the other pillars of faith and particularly "the Prophets" and "Holy Scriptures" to "belief in the Last Day." It forms a convincing proof of resurrection, and is in the form of a powerful ye the finct supplication, which dispels all doubts. It says in the supplication:

"O My Compassionate Sustainer!

"I have understood from the instruction of Your Nob33

senger (UWBP) and the teaching of the Qur'an, that foremost the Qur'an and the Messenger, and all the sacred scriptures and prophets, have unanimously testifity; a pointed out that the manifestations of the names related to Your beauty and glory, examples of which are to be seen in this world, will continue even more radiantly for all eternity, and that Your bounties, compassionate samples andis praestations of which are to be observed in this transitory world, will continue in the abode of bliss in more glittering fashion, and that those who long for them in thisng mak will accompany them for all eternity.

"Also, relying on hundreds of evident miracles and decisive signs, foremost Your Most Noble Messenger (Upon whom be blessings and peace) and the All-Wise Qur'an, and the prabsolu with their luminous spirits, and the saints, who are spiritual poles with their light-filled hearts, and the purified scholars with their enlightened intellects, relying on Your repeated threats and promises inness the sacred scriptures, and trusting in Your sacred attributes like power, mercy, favour, wisdom, glory, and beauty, and on Your functions, and the dignity of Your of "y, and the sovereignty of Your dominicality, and in consequence of their illuminations and visions and beliefs at the knowledge of certainty and vision of certainty, giveis butlad tidings to men and jinn of eternal happiness and inform them of Hell for the people of misguidance; they firmly believe this and testify to it.

"O All-Powerful and Wise Ohts anMost Merciful and Compassionate! O Munificent One True to His Promise! O All-Compelling One of Glory, One of Dignity, Grandeur, and Wrath!

"You are utterly exempt from and exalted above giving the lie to s the e loyal friends, and so many promises, and attributes and functions, and denying the certain demands of the sovereignty of Your dominicality and the endless prayers and supplications ofhe numinnumerable acceptable servants, whom You love and who attract Your love by assenting to You and obeying You; and You are exempt from confirming the denial oted onrrection by the people of miٍٓ"idance and

unbelief, who through their disbelief and rebellion and denial of Your promises, offend the magnificence of Your grandeur and affront "We doignity and glory and the honour of Your Godhead, and sadden the compassion of Your dominicality. We declare Your justice, beauty, and mercy to be exempt from such infinite tyranny, such ugliness. We believe with all our strength that the have mony of the prophets, purified scholars, and saints, who are Your most numerous truthful envoys, the heralds of Your sovereignty, at the degreesld be solute certainty, knowledge of certainty, and the vision of certainty, to the treasuries of Your mercy in the hereafter and the stores of Your bounties in the everlassiblerealm, and to the wondrously beautiful manifestations of Your beautiful names, which will be manifested totally in the abode of bliss, are absolutely store nd veracious, and what they have indicated conforms absolutely with reality, and that what they have given glad tidings of is true and will occur. Believing thternal supreme ray of Your name of Truth, which is the source, sun, and protector of all realities, is this truth of the resurrection and Great Gathering, they teach it to Your servants.

"O God! For the sake of what they teadomini in veneration of it, grant us and all students of the Risale-i Nur>perfect belief and a happy death. And allow us to receive their intercession. Amen!"

Moreover, just as all the proofs demonstpon us the veracity of the revealed scriptures, and all the miracles and evidences proving the prophethood of God's Beloved (Upon whom be blessings and peace) and of all the prophets, ind embray prove the reality of the hereafter, which is what they teach above all else; so most of the evidences for the existence and unity of the Necessary Exissfy thestify indirectly to the existence and opening up of an eternal realm of bliss, which will be the supreme manifestation of dominicality and divinity. For as is explained and proved in the following

Wraphs, both the existence of the Necessarily Existent One, and most of His attributes, functions and names, like dominicality, Godhead, mercy, grace, wisdom, and de knoe, necessitate the hereafter with the utmost certainty, and demand an eternal realm and the resurrection of the dead and Last Judgement for the granting of reward and punishment.

Seable here is a pre-eternal and post-eternal God, most certainly there is the hereafter, the everlasting means of the sovereignty of His Godhead.

And since there is in the universe and in living beings a most mnal soc, wise, and compassionate absolute dominicality, and it is apparent; there is certain to be an eternal realm of happiness which will save the majesty of that dominicality frthe aisement, its wisdom from purposelessness, and its compassion from cruelty; and that realm shall be entered.

And since the unlimited bestowals, bounties, favours, gifts, and instpears of grace and mercy which are to be seen, show to minds that are not extinguished and hearts that are not dead that behind the veil of the Unseen is One All-Merciful and Compassionate; et to there is an immortal life in an eternal realm which will save the bestowal from mockery, the bounties from deception, the favours from enmity, the mercy from torment, the grace and giftsof liftreachery, and will make the bounties bounty and the bestowal bestowal.

And since in the springtime on the narrow page of the earth, a pen of power writes a hundred thousand books without error tirelessly before our eyes; and demonthe Holder of the pen has promised a hundred thousand times: "I am going to write a fine, immortal book in a broad realm, easier than this book of th on yong, which is written in this narrow realm, confused and intermingled, and I shall allow you to read it;" He mentions the book in all his decrees; certainly it hamain part of the book has been written, and with the resurrection and Last Judgement its footnotes shall be added, and all the notebooks of pthey as actions shall be recorded in it.

And since, with its multiplicity of creatures, and its being the dwelling, source, factory, exhibition, and gathering place of huhat ju of thousands of constantly changing species of living beings and beings with spirits, and the heart, centre, summary, and result of the universe,the wohe reason for its creation, the earth has supreme importance, and is held equal to the mighty heavens despite its smallness; in the heavenly decrees, it is always said: Lord and Sustainer oy, thiHeavens and Earth.

And since there is man, who rules over the earth, which is thus, has disposal over most creatures, and subjects most living beings gathering themr of td himself; and so orders, displays, and gathers each remarkable species together in one place like a list, adorning them, that he attracts not only the attention and admiration of men and jinn, but of the dwellers of the heav, and d the universe, and the appreciative gaze of the universe's Owner, thus gaining great importance and high worth; and who shows through his sciences and arts that he is the purpose of the universe's crand be, and its most important result, and most precious fruit, and vicegerent of the earth; and who because with respect to this world, he has ordered and displayed excellently the miraculous arts of the world's Maker, is le paragthis world despite his rebellion and disbelief, and whose punishment is postponed, and because of this work of his, whose term is prolonged and is allowed success.

And since there is an extremely powerful, wise, and compassionate Dithat a, Who makes the mighty globe into a treasury of every sort of metal

and mineral that man needs in a way entirely beyond his strength and will - who despite being weak, impotent, and wanting by nature and creation, has innified!le needs and is subject to innumerable pains - and a store of every sort of food, and a shop stocking goods of every kind that pleases man, and looks to man in thiAnd fo and nurtures him, and gives him what he wants.

And since there is a Sustainer Who is thus, Who both loves man, and causes man to love Him, and Who is enduring, and has eternaspiciods, and Who performs every work with justice, and carries out everything with wisdom; and since the splendour of that Pre-Eternal Sovereign's rule and His eternal rule cannot be contained in this brief worldly life, and inm the fleeting span, and in the temporary and transient earth; and since the excessive wrongdoing and rebellion that occur among men, which are contrary to and opposed to the universe's order, justiceavensance, and beauty, and their denial, treachery, and disbelief towards their Benefactor, Who nurtures them tenderly, are not punished in this world, and the cruel oppressor passes his life in ease, while the unhappy oppressed live in hardship; and since the absolute justice whose traces are to be seen throughout the universe is om itsly opposed to the cruel tyrant and despairing oppressed being equal in death, and would in no way permit it.

And since just as the universe's Owner has chosen the earth from the univsired and man from the earth, and bestowed on him a high rank and importance; so out of mankind He has chosen the prophets, saints, and purified ones, true human beings who conform to the aims of His dominicality f His rough their belief and submission make Him love them; He has taken them as friends and addressees, and bestowed miracles and success on them and punished their eave th with heavenly blows. And out of these worthy and lovable friends He has chosen their leader and source of pride, Muhammad (Upon whom be blessings and peace), and for long centuries has illuminaugh thth his light half the globe and a fifth of humanity; as though the universe was created for him, all its purposes become apparent through him and his religion and the Qur'an. And although he deserveptionlive for an infinite time in recompense for his infinitely valuable service, for millions of years, he only lived a brief sixty-three years of great hardship and striving. Isrit wh any possibility then that he should not be resurrected together with all his peers and friends? That they should not now be living in the spiall thhat they should have been annihilated eternally? God forbid, a hundred thousand times! Yes, all the universe and the reality of the world demand that he should be resurrected and they beseech the universe my heer that he should be living.

And since in the Seventh Ray, The Supreme Sign,>each with the strength of a mountain, the thirty-three powerful consensuses have proved that the universe emerged from a Book e hand and is the property of a single being; and have demonstrated self-evidently His unity and oneness, the means of the divine perfections; and through unity and oneness all beings become like soldiers under orders and subservicatedfficials; and with the coming of the hereafter, perfections are saved from decline, absolute justice from mocking cruelty, universal wisdom negateoolish absurdity, all-embracing mercy from jeering torment, and the dignity of power from abased impotence, and they are exonerated from this.

Certainly and without anly Powt, as necessitated by the truths in these six 'sinces' - eight out of hundreds of points of belief in God - the end of the world shall come and the resurrection of the dead shall occur. Abodes of reward and punishment sh. Othe thrown open so that the above-mentioned importance of the earth, and its centrality, and man's importance and value shall be realized, and the above-mentioned justice, wisdom, mercy, and sovereignty of the All-Wise Disposer, Who Fifth Creator of the earth and of man, and their Sustainer, shall be established; and the true and yearning friends of that eternal Sustainer shall be saved from eternal annihilation; and the most eminent and worthy of those friends receiv, pagerecompense for his sacred services, which have made all beings pleased and indebted; and the perfections of the Eternal Sovereign be exempted and exonerated from all fault and deficiency, and His power from impotence, and H. Theydom from foolishness, and His justice from tyranny.

In Short: Since God exists, so does the hereafter certainly exist.

Moreover, just as with all the evidences thaple's e them, the above three pillars of belief testify to and indicate resurrection; so do the two pillars "and in the angels, and in divine " Theyining, that both the good of it and the evil of it are from God Almighty," also necessitate resurrection and testify in powerful fashion to the eternal realm. It is like thi in feAll the evidences proving the existence of the angels and their duties of worship, and innumerable observations of them and conversations with them, prove indirectly the existence of the Spirit World, andcommanorld of the Unseen, and the eternal realm and world of the hereafter, and the existence of an abode of happiness and Paradise and Hell, which in the future shall be populated with men and jinn. For with divine permission, the angels can see tall wiorlds and enter them. And all the angels closest to God who meet with humans, like Gabriel, tell unanimously of the existence of these worlds and of their travelling round them. Just as we are certain, due to the informaispersf those coming from there, that the continent

of America exists, although we have not seen it, so due to information given by the angels, which has the strength of a hundredfold consensus, we should believe in the existencbenefihe world of eternity, the realm of the hereafter, and Paradise and Hell with the same certainty. And thus we do believe in it.

Furthermore, all the evidences proving the pilla gatekbelief in divine determining," included in the Treatise on Divine Determining, the Twenty-Sixth Word, prove indirectly the resurrection of the dead, the ba thinng of deeds on the supreme scales, and the publishing of the pages of deeds. For the recording before our eyes of the appointed courses of all things on the tablets of order and balance, and the inscribing of the life stolace ff all living beings in their faculties of memory and seeds and in other tablets in the World of Similitudes, and the transcribing of the notebooks of deeds of all beings with spirits, and es our dly men, on the Preserved Tablet, such a comprehensive determining and wise apportioning and precise recording and preserving inscription could surely only be the result ofto sayeral judgement in a supreme tribunal set up to mete out permanent reward and punishment. That comprehensive and precise recording and preservation would otherwise be coof evely meaningless and purposeless, and contrary to wisdom and reality.

Also, if there were no resurrection, all the certain meanings of the book of the universe, written with the pen of divine determining, would be nullified, wme ands completely impossible. It is as impossible as denying the universe's existence, indeed, is a delirium.

In Short: The five pillars of belief prove and demand with all their evidences the occurrence ofa jouresurrection and Last Judgement, and their existence, and the existence and opening up of the realm of the hereafter, and they testify to these and sguidaitate them.

Thus, it is because there are such vast and unshakeable supports and proofs of the resurrection, completely in conformity with its vastness, that aion, aone third of the Qur'an of Miraculous Exposition is formed by resurrection and the hereafter, and it makes it the basis and foundation stone oling aits truths, and constructs everything on it.

Second Part of the Addendum

The first of nine stations comprising the nine levels of proofs of resurrection miraculously indicated in the followall hirse:

Glory be to God in the evening and at daybreak, * And praise is His in the heavens and earth, at nightfall and when the day begins to decline. * I t is He Who brings forth the living from the dead, and brings forth ver agad from the living, and gives life to the earth after its death; thus, too, will you be brought forth.>(30:17-19)

The manifest proof and brilliant evidence of God's decree concerning resurrection co the od in this verse will now be expounded and set forth, God willing.

{(*): The whole station has not yet been written and has been included here because of the relevance of the topic of life to resurrecs ManuIn addition, it contains a subtle and profound allusion to the pillar of divine determining at the end of the topic of life.}

In connection with the twenty-eighth property of life it was explained turthesfe looks upon the six pillars of faith and proves them; it contains a series of indications of their truth.

Now the most important result, substance and reason for the creation of the cosmos is none other tha of th, and life, that exalted verity, can in no way be restricted to this transient, brief, defective and painful worldly life. Rather the purpose and result of the attr of life, the splendour of which can be deduced from its twenty-nine properties, the fruit of that tree worthy of its splendour, is the eternal life of the hereafter; it is life in the So thl realm where even stones, trees and the soil will be endowed with life. Otherwise, it will follow that the tree of life, so plentifully decked out with significant instruments, yields no fruit, benefit or truth for animate bei and aspecially man; and man who in his substance and faculties is twenty times superior to the sparrow and is indeed the most important and elevated of all creation, will fall to a degreee peopy times lower than that of the sparrow; with respect to the felicity of his life, he will be the most unfortunate and humiliated of wretches.

Similarly, intelligence, the most precious of gifts for man, will wound hflictirt through constant reflection of the pains of the past and the fears of

the future; it will mix nine pains with every pleasure and thus become a disaster to mr all w this is false to the hundredth degree. The life of this world thus proves decisively the pillar of faith that is belief in the hereafter and displays to our eyes every spring more than three hundred thousand specimens of resurrection.

Is then all possible that an All-Powerful Agent Who promptly supplies and provides, with wisdom, solicitude and mercy, all the instruments and tool. He oed for your life, in your body, your garden and your homeland, Who hears and answers the private and particular prayer made for sustenance by your stomach, for the sake of its life and survival, Who shows His acceptance of that prayer ut loons of numerous delicious foods - is it at all possible that such a Being should not be aware of you or hear you, that He should not provide you with the means of life eternal, the greautely urpose of the human species? Is it possible that He should not accept the greatest, most significant, most worthy and most universal prayer ford the ity of the human species by establishing eternal life and creating Paradise? Is it possible that He should not heed the universal and insistent prayer of the human species, the most important creature in the cosmos, the of thh of the earth, a prayer that resounds throughout heaven and earth, and not pay it the same attention, or grant it the same gratification, as a little sto are sIs it possible that He should thus cause His perfect wisdom and infinite mercy to be denied? No, a hundred thousand times no!

Again, is it at all possible that He should hear the most revoet voice of the most minute of beings, remedy its pain and succour its plaint; that He should nourish it with the utmost care and consideration and cause creatures greater than ieir duto serve it - is it at all possible that He should do all of this and not hear the thunderous cry of life, the greatest, most precious, most eternal and most delicate form of life? That He should pay no heed 37:96) powerful prayer and supplications for eternity? It would be like equipping a single soldier with the utmost care and totally ignoring a vast and obedient army! Like seeing a speck and overlooking the sun! Like hearing the "And f a fly and not hearing the roar of the thunder! No, a hundred thousand times no!

Again, can the intelligence at all accept that an All-Powerful and All-Wise Being, Whose mercy, love and solicitude are infinite, Who loves Hens [f artistry, Who causes Himself to be loved, and Who greatly loves those that love Him - can it accept that such a Being would annihilate through permanent death a life that l non-eim greatly, that is itself lovable and that instinctively worships its Maker; and, the essence and jewel of that life, the spirit? That He would offend and insult His lover and

beloved for all eternity, that He wouggestsure his feelings and deny Himself, and cause others to deny, the mystery of His mercy and the light of His love? No, a hundred thousand times no! An absolute beauty that adorns creation with its manifestation and the absolute mts enthat makes all creatures rejoice are without doubt exempt and purified from such infinite ugliness, such utter abomination and pitilessness.

The result, then, is that considering the existence of life, those men wner

erstand the purpose of life and who do not misuse their lives will become manifestations of eternal life in the realm of eternity and eternal Paradise. In this we believe heavetoo, the shining of brilliant objects found on the earth through the reflection of sunlight, the brief glinting on the surface of the ocean of little bubbles through flashes of light, and the coming in their place of furtheationbles that like them hold up a mirror to a whole series of imaginary suns - this demonstrates tangibly that those flashes are the reflectory manifestation of tmachin supreme sun. With their manifold tongues, they make mention of that one sun and they point toward it with their luminous fingers.

So, too, the fashion in which, through the supreme manifestation of the name Giver of Life of the Livi by ni Self-Subsistent Being, all the animate beings on the face of the earth and in the depths of the sea shine through God's power, and then disathat ubehind the veil of the unseen, saying, "O Eternally Living One!", in order to make room for those that follow them - this represents a series of testimonies to and indications of the life and necessary existenceeen sue Eternally Ever-Living and Self-Subsistent Being.

Similarly, all the proofs that bear witness to divine knowledge the traces of which are visible in the ordering of all beings; all the evidences that establish the existence ofrfect er working its will throughout creation; all the arguments that point to a volition and purposefulness dominating the ordering and administeringe powee cosmos; all the signs and miracles that attest the messengerhood of the prophets, the means of dominical speech and divine revelation, and the indicationrom oting witness to the seven attributes of Divinity - all of them point to, testify to, and indicate unanimously the life of the Living and Self-Subsistent Being. For if the faculty of vision is present in a thing, tho hurlst also be life. If there is hearing, this too is a sign of life. If there is speech, this also points to the existence of life. If there are will and choice, this indicates lifeutuallimilarly, attributes the existence of which is proven and self-evident by virtue of their traces throughout the cosmos, attributes such as absolute power, all-embracing will, and comprehensive knowledge, beused sness with all of their proofs to the life and necessary existence of the Living and

Self-Subsistent Being. They attest His everlasting life, one shadow of which is enough to iurt ofe the whole of the cosmos, and one manifestation of which suffices to give life to the hereafter, together with all of its particles.

The divine attribute of life is also connected with thniversar of belief in the angels, and proves it by way of indication. For the most important of all goals of the cosmos is life, and animate beings constitute the most widespread form of creation, with its specimens multiplied on account of tsasteralue; they constantly animate the hospice of this world with the coming and going of their caravans. Further, the globe, which is filled with so many species of animate beings, isr whet constantly emptied and refilled as these various species are renewed and multiplied, and animate beings are created in multiplicity even in the vilest and most corrupt substances, so that there is - as iof My - a constant resurrection of microbes. Finally, consciousness and intellect, which are the distilled essence of life, and the spirit, which is its subtle and stable substance, are also created everywhere on the globe in the utmost mu texticity, so that it is as if the globe were animated and caused to rejoice by life, intellect, consciousness and spirit. If we take into consideration all of the foregoing, it is totally impossible that the heavenly bodies, w Adam!re subtler, more luminous, greater and more significant than the globe, should be dead, rigid, lifeless, and dumb.

There must, then, exist and be provided with the property of life,ould eious and animate beings that animate the skies, the suns, and the stars, bestow upon them their vitality, manifest the result of the purpose for the creation of the heavens, and renibs oaddress from the Glorious Creator. These creatures, of a nature suited to the heavens, are none other than the angels.

Similarly, the innermost essence of life symbolically proves the pillar of belief in the prophets. For the sainos was created for the sake of life, and life is in turn one of the supreme manifestations of the Living, Self-Subsistent and Eternal One. It is one of His most perfect designs, one of His most beauteous arts. Further, from ternal life of God shows itself only through the sending of messengers and the revelation of books. If there were no books or prophets, then eternal life would remain unknown. When a man speaks, he is recognized to be alive. Si far ay, it is the prophets and revealed books that make manifest the words and decrees of the Being Who, from behind the World of the Unseen that is veiled by the cosmos, speaks, talks, and emits His commands and prohibitions. Just as the liferse wtent in the cosmos bears decisive witness to the necessary existence of the Living and Eternal One, so too does it point to and indirectly confirm the pillars of belief in the sending of messengers and the revelation of

so. Icriptures, for these are the rays, the manifestations, and the relations of that eternal life. And especially the messengership of Muhammad - Upon whom be blessings and peace - and the Qur'anic revelation, sGod's hey are like the very spirit and intellect of life, their veracity is as indisputable as the existence of this life.

Life is, then, the distilled essence of the cosmtent tnsciousness and feeling are the distilled essence of life; the intellect is the distilled essence of consciousness; and the spirit, fiof the is the pure and unsullied substance, the stable and autonomous essence, that lies at the heart of life. So, too, the life of the Prophet Muhammad - Upon whom be blessings and peace - in both its outer and its inner aspings as the distilled quintessence of life and the spirit of the cosmos, and the messengership of Muhammad - Upon whom be blessings and peace - is the pure and distippear ssence of the feeling, the consciousness and the intellect of the cosmos. Rather, the life of the Prophet Muhammad - Upon whom be blessings and peace - in its outer and inner aspects is, as the centuries have borne witness, thou wil essence of the life of the cosmos, and the prophethood of Muhammad - Upon whom be blessings and peace - is the very light and essence of the consciousness of the cosmos. The Qur'anic revelation, as its living truths testify, ifact, the spirit of the cosmos' life and the intellect of its consciousness.

If the light of the messengership of Muhammad - Upon whom be blessings and peace - were to depart from the cosmnd the vanish, the cosmos would die. If the Qur'an were to depart, the cosmos would lose its sanity, and the globe would lose its sense and its head. Its d. And uncomprehending head would collide with a planet, and the end of the world would result.

Life also looks to the pillar of belief in divon of termining, and proves it indirectly. Because, since life is the light of the Manifest World, and it dominates it, and is the result and aim of existence, andeless, it is the most comprehensive mirror of the Creator of the universe and the most perfect sample and index of dominical activity, and - let there be no mistake in the comparison - is like a sort of programme, for sure, the mysguratef life necessitates that the creatures in the World of the Unseen, that is, the past and the future, that is, that have been and will come, are predisposed its nform to order, regularity, being known and observed, specific individual existence, and the creative commands, which are their lives in one respect.

The original among f a tree and its root, as well as the seeds contained in its fruit and final outcome, all manifest a sort of life, no less than the tree itself; indeed,e othebear within themselves laws of life more subtle than those of the tree. Similarly, the seeds and roots left by last autumn, before

the present spring, as well as the seeds and roots that will be left to subsequent sprinwhose er this spring has departed - they all bear the manifestations of life, just like this spring, and are subject to the laws of life. In just the same way, all the If yes and twigs of the cosmic tree each have a past and a future. They have a chain consisting of past and future stages and circumstances. The multiple existences and stages og a pa species and each member of each species, existing in divine knowledge, forms a chain of being in God's knowledge, and both its external existence, and its existence in God's kestroyge, is a manifestation of universal life that draws all the aspects of its life from these meaningful and vital tablets of divine determining.

The fact that the World of Spirits - which isnts weorm of the World of the Unseen - is full of the essence of life, the matter of life and the spirits, which are the substances and essence - alle, demands and requires of a certainty that past and future - which are another form of the World of the Unseen and its second segment - should also receive the manifestation of life.

In addition, the perfect order, the meaningf!

"cumstances and vital fruits and stages inherent in the existence of a thing within God's knowledge, also demonstrate the manifestation of a sort of life. Such a manifestation of life, which is the light emitted by theterniof eternal life, cannot be limited to this Manifest World, this present time, this external existence. On the contrary, each world receives the manifestation of that light in accted wie with its capacity, and the cosmos together with all its worlds is alive and illumined through it. Otherwise, as the misguided imagine, beneath a temporarylly. Bpparent life, each world would be a vast and terrible corpse, a dark ruin.

One broad aspect of the pillar of belief in divine determining and decree is, then, understood through ths restery of life and is established by it. Just as the life and vitality of the Manifest World and existent, visible objects becomes apparent from their orderliness and the consequences of their existence, so too past and future creatures - regarre hea belonging to the World of the Unseen - have an immaterial existence and sort of life, and a spiritual presence in God's knowledge. The trace of this life and presence is made m Thus,t and known by means of the Tablet of Divine Determining and Decree and through all the stages and circumstances of their external lives and existences.

ch are Part of the Addendum

The frequently repeated verse, "It will be naught but a single cry">(36:29, etc.), and the verse, "The co how, of the Hour will be like the glance of the eye">(16:77), show that the resurrection of the dead and Great Gathering will occur instantane All-G in a flash. But man's narrow reason requires some tangible example so that it can conceive of this wondrous, extraordinary, and unparalleled event, and accept it.

The Ansbefitst the resurrection there will be the return of spirits to their bodies, the revivification of the bodies, and the remaking of the bodies. It consists of three matters.

FIRST MATTER: An example for the return of spirits to their bodies is tr illstering, at a loud bugle call, of the members of a well-disciplined army after they have dispersed to rest. Yes, the Sur of the Angel Israfil is no less powerful thand sevrmy bugle. The spirits, too, who, while in post-eternity, reply with "Yes, we accept">to the question "Am I not your Sustainer?">(7:172), contricomes from pre-eternity, are infinitely more subjugated, disciplined, and obedient than the soldiers of an army. The Thirtieth Word has demonstrated with decisive proofs that not only spirits, but reflearticles, form a divine army and are its soldiers under command.

SECOND MATTER: An example for the revivification of bodies is the springing revolve in an instant of the hundred thousand electric lights of a large city on a festival night, switched on from one centre. It would be possible to light up in the same way a hundredtion aon lamps scattered over the face of the earth from one centre. Since through the training and instruction in regularity and order it has received from its Creator, a creature of Almighty Ga thine electricity - a servant and candleholder in His guesthouse - possesses this quality, surely the resurrection of the dead could occur in the twinkling of an eye within the bounds of the regular lll be divine wisdom, which thousands of luminous servants represent, like electricity.

THIRD MATTER: An example for the remaking of bodies instantaneously is the perfect remaking within a few days of all the trees in the spriarisonich are far more numerous than all humanity, together with all

their leaves, in exactly the same way as those of the previous spring; and the bringing into being, again like those of previous springs, all the blossoms, fruits and lea etern the trees with the speed of lightning; and the sudden awakening of the uncountable numbers of seeds, grains, and roots, which are the source of the spring, and their unfolding

Ineing raised to life; and reflecting the meaning of "resurrection after death," the sudden raising to life at a command of the upright skeleton-like corpses of the trees; and the reanimation of the innumerable members of all specielicitymall animals; and the revivification of all the sorts of flying insects, particularly those which, continually cleaning their faces, eyes, and wings, reminhe earf our ablutions and cleanliness, and caress our faces - the resurrection and remaking of all the members of this tribe within a few days every spring before our very eyes together with all the other species, despite being ajestir in number than all mankind since the time of Adam, provides not one example of the remaking of all human bodies at the resurrection, but thousands.

Yes, since this world is the realm of wisdom and the herea and ys the realm of power, numerous divine names like All-Wise, Arranger, Disposer, and Nurturer, and dominical wisdom, require that the creation of things in this world is gradual and in the cour Elevetime. In the hereafter, however, power and mercy will be manifested more than wisdom, and there being no need for matter, time, and waiting, things will be made instae a clusly. Alluding to the fact that things which are made here in a day or in a year will be made in the hereafter in an instant or a flash, the Qur'an of Miraculous Exposition states:

The command of ness our will be like the glance of the eye, or briefer>(16:77).

If you want to be as certain about the occurrence of the resurrection of the dead as you are about the arrival of next spring, study the ousnesand Twenty-Ninth Words carefully, which are about this, and you will see! If you do not then believe that it will occur as you believe the coming of spring, come and stick your feye whin my eye!

A FOURTH MATTER: The death of the world and Doomsday. The sudden collision with this globe, our guesthouse, at a dominical command, of a planet or comet, could wipe out ths refllling-place of ours. Like the destruction in a minute of a palace the building of which had taken ten years.

Fourth Part of the Addendum

He said: "Who shall gi

As was illustrated in the third comparison in the Ninth Truth of the Tenth W to saome personage may one day summon together before your eyes a great army. If someone were then to say, "that personage is able to call together the troops in his army, who had dispersed to take rest, and assemble them agaeak wibattalions," and you were to say, "I don't believe it," you know well how lunatic would be your denial. So too, an All-Powerful and All-Knowing Being Who out of nothing recorded and put in place, cred whe command of, "'Be!', and it is">(36:82), all the particles and subtle aspects of the bodies of all animals and other animate beings, as if they were an army with the utmost orderliness and wise equind lovm, and Who creates each century, or rather each spring, the hundreds of thousands of different species and groups of animate beings that populate the face of the earth, each like an army - such a sell tcan gather together, with one blow on the trump of Israfil, all the fundamental particles and original components that enjoy mutual acquaintance through joint submission to the order of the body that corresponds to a batitied;. Were you to say, "how can this be?" or consider it unlikely, it would be idiotic lunacy.

It sometimes happens in the Qur'an that, in order to impress upon the heart the wondrous deeds He will perform in the hereafter and to is unre the mind for acceptance of them, God Almighty mentions the wondrous deeds He performs in this world as a kind of preparation. Alternatively, He may sometimes mention the wondrous deg thos will perform in the future and the hereafter in such a fashion that we are convinced of them by analogy with the similar deeds we observe in this worlpecial example is furnished by the verse,

Has not man seen that We created him from a drop of sperm? And then he becomes an open disputer.>(36:77)

and the remaining verses of the same sura. The All-Wise Qur'anwith tproves the question of resurrection in a different way in seven or eight different forms.

It first directs man's attention to hilmost origins. It says "you see how you advanced from a drop of sperm to a drop of blood, from a drop of blood to a formless lump of flesh, and from a formless lump of flesh to human form. How, then, can you deny your second creationMPASSIs just the same as the first, or even easier of accomplishment for God." God Almighty also refers to the great bounties He has bestowed on man with phrases such as:

He Who made fire for you from the green tree>(36:80)

and s whom man: "Will the Being Who thus bestowed bounty upon you leave you to your own devices, in such fashion that you enter the grave to sleep without rising again?" He also hints at the following: "You see how dead trees come to life and grch areen again. Refusing to regard as a parallel the reanimation of your bones, that resemble dry wood, you dismiss the whole matter as improbable. Now is it at all pohat He that the One Who creates the heavens and earth should not be empowered over the life and death of man, the fruit of heaven and earth? Do you imagine that He would make fruitless and vain the tree of univeron that He has moulded with wisdom in all its parts, by abandoning the supreme result of that tree?"

The Qur'an says further: "The Being That will restore you to life at resurrection is such that the whole cosmof diviike an obedient soldier of His. It bows its head submissively whenever it hears the command,

"'Be!', and it is">(2:117; 36:82).

To create a spring is easier for Him than the creation of a flower. To create the whole of ts writmal realm is as easy for His power as creating a fly. None may belittlingly challenge His power by saying to Him:

Who will give life to the bones?>(36:78)

Then, from the verse,

Glory be to Him in Whose hand lies the sovet, evey of all things,>(36:83)

we see that the reins of all things are in His hand, the key to all things is in His possession; He rotates night and day, winter and summer, with as much ease as if He were turning the pages of a b. Finae is an All-Powerful, Glorious Being Who closes the door on this world and opens it on the hereafter as if they were two stations. This being the case, as the result of the mentioned evidences,

To Him you shals abilrn,>(10:56)

that is, He will bring you back to life from your graves, take you to the plain of resurrection, and judge you in His majestic presee is e131

Now these verses prepare the mind and make ready the heart to accept the reality of resurrection, for they have demonstrated parallels to resurrection in worldly processes. Sometimen it ilso happens that He mentions the deeds He will perform in the hereafter in such a way as to draw attention to their worldly parallels, so that no room should be left for doubt and denial. Examples are the suras introduced by thes, and es:

When the sun is rolled up,>(81:1)

When the heavens are torn asunder.>(82:1)

When the sky is rent asunder.>(84:1)

In these suras, God Almightve-menions resurrection and the vast revolutions and dominical deeds that shall take place at that time, in such a fashion that man thinks of their worldly parallels that he has seen i Go qumn and spring, and then, with awe in his heart, easily accepts what the intellect would otherwise refuse. Even to indicate the general meaning of the three suras just mentioned would take very long. Let us, then, taf propply one word as a specimen of the whole. With the words,

When the pages are spread out,>(81:10)

God Almighty expresses the following: "Upon resurrection, everyone's deeds will begards led on a written page. This appears to be very strange, and totally beyond the reach of reason. But as the sura indicates, just as the resurrectid's nathe spring is a parallel to other matters, so too the 'spreading out of pages' has a very clear parallel. Every fruit-bearing tree, every flowering plant has its deeds, actions and functions. It performs a certain st of f worship, depending on the fashion in which it glorifies God through the manifestations of His names. Now all of its deeds and the record of its life are inscribed in all the seeds that are to emerge next spring in another plot ofod, th With the tongue of shape and form, the seeds make eloquent mention of the origins of those deeds, and spread out the page of deeds together with branch, twig, leaf, flower and fruit. He Who says: "Whending tages are spread out">is the same Being that performs, before our eyes, these wise, preserving, nurturing and subtle acts.

Compare other matters with this by analogy, and deduce the truth if you have the capacity. Let us aid you w it tee following. The verse, "When the sun is rolled up,">refers to a brilliant similitude and hints at its parallel:

~First:>God Almighty has cast aside the curtains of non-being, the ether and the betrays to bring forth from His treasury of mercy and show to the world a jewel-like lamp illumining the world - the sun. After closing the world, He will wrap that jewel again in its veils and remodizzy,

~Second:>The sun may be depicted as an official entrusted with the task

of distributing the commodity of light over the globe, and causing it and darknesstar. ucceed each other. Every evening the official is ordered to gather up the light. It may sometimes happen also that his trade may be sloothild when he is hidden by the veil of a cloud. At other times it may be that the moon will also form a veil, and hinder his task. Now just as that official has his goods and ledgers gathered ng and inspection, so too he will one day be relieved of his duties. Even if there be no cause for his dismissal, there are two dark spots on the sun - now small, but liable to grow - that one day will grow to the point that the sun ansienake back, by dominical command, the light it now wraps around the head of the earth, and wrap it around its own head. It will then be told: "Come, your task on earth is now complete. Go to Hell, and burn there tof manho have worshipped you and thus mocked with faithlessness an obedient servant like you." With its own dark and scarred face, it will read out the decree, "When the sun is rolled up."

Fifth Part brings Addendum

The hundred and twenty-four thousand prophets, {[*]: Musnad, v, 266; Tabrîzî, Mishkât al-Masâbîh, iii, 122; Ibn Qayyim al-Jawzî, Zâd al-Ma'âd (tahqîq: al-Arnâ'No jus, 43-4.} who are according to explicit prophetic tradition the choice part of humanity, have unanimously and with one accord reported, partly on the basis of direct vision and partly on the basis of absolute certainty, tby meae hereafter exists and that all human beings will be taken to the hereafter as the universe's Creator has firmly promised.

Similarly, the one hundred and twenty-four million saints who confirm the reports of the dwellets through unveiling and witnessing, give testimony to the existence of the hereafter in the form of certain knowledge.

And all the names of the cosmos' All-Wise Maker also necessitate the existence of an eternal realm throu, but manifestations they display in this world.

The existence of the hereafter is furthermore necessitated by the infinite pre-eternal power, the unlimited and exact everlasut theisdom, that revives every spring the countless dead trees scattered all over the earth with the command of "'Be!', and it is">(36:82), thus making of them manifestations of "resurrection after death," and that resurrects three hundred thouom ingifferent species of the various groups of plant and nations of animals, as hundreds of thousands of specimens of the supreme resurrection.

The existence of the hereafter is also necessitated by the everlasting mercy a a dismanent grace that sustains in wondrous and solicitous fashion all animate beings that stand in need of nurture, and that display each spring, in the briefest of perât, 11infinite different varieties of adornment and beauty.

Finally, there is the self-evident proof and indication given by the intense, unshakeable, and permanent love of eternity, yearning for immortality and and thf permanence that are lodged in man, the most beloved creation of the Maker of the cosmos, and whose concern with all the beings in the cosmos is the greatest.

All of the foregoing so firmly prove that after this transient wo so fiere

will be an eternal world, a hereafter, a realm of felicity, that we are compelled to accept the existence of a hereafter as indisputably as we accept the existence of this world.

{(*): It can be realized frogh bel comparison how easy it is to make a positive affirmation and how difficult to make a denial and negation. If, for example, someone should say, "there exists somewhere on this earth a wondrous t to b containing canned milk," and someone else should say, "there is not," the affirmer need only point to the place of that garden or show some of its fruits in order to prove his claim. The denier, by contraso percl have to inspect and display the whole world in order to justify his negation. So too the testimony of two veracious witnesses will be enough to establish the existence of Paradise, quite apart from the hundredspartedousands of traces, fruits and indications demonstrated by those who assert its existence. Those who deny it must examine, explore and sift the infinite cosmos and infinite time before they can prove their , let and demonstrate the non-existence of Paradise. So, o aged brothers of mine, understand how firm is belief in the hereafter.}

One of the most important lessons taing tos by the All-Wise Qur'an, is, then, belief in the hereafter. This belief is so firm and contains within itself so powerful a hope and a consolation that if a person be assailed by old age a hundred thousandfoldagnificonsolation derived from this belief will be fully enough. Saying, "Praise be to God for the perfection of belief," we old people should rejoice in old age.

The whichnth Word

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

By the sun and its glorious splendour; * By the moon as it follows it; * By the dad to at shows [the sun's] glory; * By the night as it conceals it; * By the firmament and its wonderful structure; * By the earth and its wide e and c; * By the soul and the order and proportion given it.>(91:1-7)

Brother! If you want to understand a little about the talisman of the world's purpose and the riddle of man's cing? In and the mystery of the reality of the prescribed prayers, then consider this short comparison together with my own soul.

One time there was a king. As wealth he possesty andmerous treasuries containing diamonds and emeralds and jewels of every kind. Besides these he had other, hidden, wondrous treasuries. By way of attainment he had consummate skill i18; Abnge arts, and encompassing knowledge of innumerable wondrous sciences, and great erudition in endless branches of abstruse learning. Now, like every possessor of beauty and perfection wants to see and display his own btime wand perfection, that glorious king wanted to open up an exhibition and set out displays within it in order to make manifest and display in the view of the people the majesty of does nle, his glittering wealth, the wonders of his art, and the marvels of his knowledge, and so that he could behold his beauty and perfection in two respects:

The First Respect:>so that he himself could behold his beauty and perfection wint of own discerning eye.

The Other:>so that he could look through the view of others.

With this purpose in mind, the king started to construct a vast and majestic secone. He divided it into magnificent apartments and dwellings, and decorated it with every sort of jewel from his treasuries, and with his own hand so full of art adorned it with t your est and most beautiful works. He ordered it with the subtlest of the arts of his wisdom, and decked it out

with the miraculous works of his knowledge. Then after completing it, he set up in the palace broad tables containing the most deli into of every kind of food and every sort of bounty. He specified an appropriate table for each group. He set out such a munificent and artful banquet it was as though the boundless priceless bounties he gener out had come into existence through the works of a hundred subtle arts. Then he invited his people and subjects from all the regions of his lands to feast and Alsoold the spectacle.

Later the king appointed a supreme commander as teacher, to make known the purposes of the palace and the meanings of its contents; to describe its maker and its contents to the people, make known the secrets of the palacy, ormbellishments, teach what the arts within it were pointing to, and to explain what the well-set jewels were, and the harmonious embroideries; to explaionsisthose who entered the palace the way in which they indicated the perfections and arts of the palace's owner; to inform them of the correct conduct e mystolding them; and to explain the official ceremonies as the king, who did not appear, wished them to be. The teacher and instructor had an assistant in each area of the palaabidinile he himself remained in the largest apartment among his students, making the following announcement to all the spectators. He told them:

"O people! By making thisnot gie and displaying these things our lord, who is the king of the palace, wants to make himself known to you. You therefore should recognize him and try to get to know him. And with these adornments he wants to make himsefinal ed by you. You, too, make yourself loved by him by appreciating his art and admiring his works. Also, he shows his love for you througer cose bounties that you see, so you should love him too by obeying him. And through these bounties and gifts which are to be seen he shows his compassion and kindness for you, so you should show your respect for him by offering thaw, he nd through these works of his perfection he wants to display his transcendent beauty to you, so you should show your eagerness to see him and gain his regard. And through placing a pur tralar stamp and special seal and an inimitable signet on every one of these adorned works of art that you see, he wants to show that everything is particular to him, and is the work of his own hand, and that he is single and unique and indepd forb and removed. You therefore should recognize that he is single and alone and without peer or like or match, and accept that he is such." He spoke further, and ng words to the spectators like these concerning the king and this station. Then the people who had entered the palace separated into two groups.

~The First Group:>Since these p powerhad self-knowledge, were intelligent,

and their hearts were in the right place, when they looked at the wonders inside the palace, they declared: "There are great matters afoot here!" They understood that it was not in vain ten cae trifling plaything. They were curious, and while wondering: "I wonder what the talisman to this is and what it contains," they suddenly heard the e eloq the master and instructor was giving, and they realized that the keys to all the mysteries were with him. So they approached him and said: "PeHis un upon you, O master! By rights, a truthful and exact instructor like you is necessary for a magnificent palace such as this. Please tell us what our lord has mafinitewn to you!" First of all the master repeated the speech to them. They listened carefully, and accepting it, profited greatly. They acted as the king wished. And because the king was pleased at their becoming conduct and manners,dam, avited them to another special, elevated, ineffable palace. And he bestowed it on them in a way worthy of such a munificent king, and fitting for such obedient subjects, and suitable for such well-mannered guests, and appropriate tohese wan elevated palace. He made them permanently happy.

~As for the Second Group,>because their minds were corrupted and their hearts extinguished, when they entered the palace, they were defeated by their evil-commanding souls and took notiof My nothing apart from the delicious foods; they closed their eyes to all the virtues and stopped up their ears to the guidance of the master and the warnings of his studeat allhey stuffed themselves like animals then sank into sleep. They quaffed elixirs which had been prepared for certain other matters and were not toes? Thbeen consumed. Then they became drunk and started shouting so much they greatly upset the other spectating guests. They were ill-mannered in the face of the glorious maker's rules. So the soldiers of the palaa kit-wner arrested them, and cast them into a prison appropriate to such unmannerly people.

O friend who is listening to this story with me! Of course you have understood that the glorious ruler built this pahe anior the above-mentioned aims. The achievement of these aims is dependent on two things:

~The First:>The existence of the master whom we saw and whose speech we heardden ofuse if it were not for him, all these aims would be in vain. For if an incomprehensible book has no teacher, it consists only of meanilled, paper.

~The Second>is the people accepting the master's words and heeding them. That is to say, the master's existence is the cause of the palace's existence, and the peo been listening to him is the cause of the continuation of the palace's existence. In which case it can be said that if it were not for

the master, the glorious king would not have built the palace. And again it may be said that when the pemals, o not heed the master's instructions, the palace will of a certainty be transformed and changed.

Friend! The story ends here. If you have understood the meaning of the comparison, cos and behold the truth of it.

The palace is this world. Its roof is the heavens illuminated with smiling stars, and its floor, the face of the earth adorned from east to west with the tarious flowers. As for the king, he is the Most Holy One, the Pre-Eternal and Post-Eternal Monarch, Whom all things in the seven heavens and the earth glorify and extol, each with its particular tongue. He is e with so powerful He created the heavens and earth in six days, then abided on the throne. One of Power and Majesty, Who, alternating night and day like two threads, one white and ostyle.ck, writes His signs of the page of the universe; One to Whose command the sun, moon, and stars are subjugated. The apartments of the palace are the eighteen thousamy, islds, each of which has been set in order and decorated in a fashion suitable to it. The strange arts you saw in the palace are the miracles of sense power you see in this world, and the foods you saw there allude to the wonderful fruits of divine mercy in this world, especially in summer, and above all in the gardens of Barla. The stove and kitchen the m is the earth here, which has fire in its heart, and the face of the earth. While the jewels of the hidden treasuries you saw in the comparison are the similitudes of the manifestations of the sacred divine names. Andith thmbroideries there, and the signs of the embroideries, are the well-ordered and finely worked beings and the harmonious impresses of the pen of power which adorn this world and he galto the names of the All-Powerful One of Glory.

As for the master, he is our Master Muhammad (Upon whom be blessings and peace). His assistants are the prophets (Upon whom be peace), and his ife ints, the saints and purified scholars. The ruler's servants in the palace indicate the angels (Upon whom be peace) in this world. And the guests invited to the banquet to spe wouldin the comparison are the jinn and humankind in this guesthouse of the world, and the animals, who are the servants of humankind. As for the two groups, one of them here car wits of the people of belief, who are the students of the All-Wise Qur'an, the interpreter of the verses and signs of the book of the universe. The other group are the people of unbelief and rebked tr, who follow Satan and their evil-commanding souls; deaf and dumb, like animals, or even lower, they form the group of the misguided, who recognize the life of this world only.

The First Group: These are theeasureitous and the good, who listened to the Master, the Possessor of Two Wings. He is both the worshipping servant

of God; in regard to worship he describes his Sustainer so that he is like theet and of his community at the court of Almighty God. He is also God's Messenger; with regard to messengership he conveys his Sustainer's decrees to men and the jinn by means of the Qur'an.

This happy community heedeld a fMessenger and listened to the Qur'an. They saw themselves invested with the prescribed prayers, which are the index of all the varieties of wor.

Nand numerous subtle duties within elevated stations. Indeed, they saw in detail the duties and stations which the prayers point to with their various formulasraclesctions. It was like this:

~Firstly:>Since they observed the divine works, and in the form of relations with someone unseen, saw themselves in the station of observing the wonders of the sovereignty of dominicality, they performed the dwrite extolling and glorifying God, declaring: "God is Most Great!"

~Secondly:>Being seen in the station of herald of His brilliant and wonderful works, which are the manifestations of the sacred dind theames, they exclaimed: "Glory be to God! All Praise be to God!", so performing the duty of hallowing and praising God.

~Thirdly:>In the station of perceiving and understanding with their inner and outerall bes the bounties stored up in the treasuries of divine mercy, they started to carry out the duty of thanks and praise.

~Fourthly:>In the station of weighing up with the meanis of their spiritual faculties the jewels in the treasuries of the divine names, they began the duty of praise and declaring God to be free of all fault.

~Fifthly:>In the station of studying the Sustainer's mielated, written with the pen of power on the plan of divine determining, they began the duty of contemplation and appreciation.

~Sixthly:>On beholding the subtle, delicate, fine beauteither the creation of things and in the art in beings, in the station of declaring God to be free of all defect, they took up the duty of love and yearning for their All-Glorious Creator, their ects iauteous Maker. That is to say, after observing the universe and works and performing the duties in the above-mentioned stations in the foens anrelations with an unseen object of worship, they rose to the degree of beholding too the dealings and acts of the All-Wise Maker, whereby, in the form of relations inwerfulresence of the person concerned, they responded with knowledge and wonder in the face of the All-Glorious Creator's making Himself known to conscious hrough through the miracles of His art, and declared: "Glory be unto You! How can we truly know you? What makes You known are the miracles of Your works of art!"

Then, sinc responded with love and passion to that Most Merciful One's making Himself loved through the beautiful fruits of His mercy. "You alone do we worship and from You alone do we seek help!">(, fromthey declared.

Then they responded with thanks and praise to the True Bestower's showing His mercy and compassion through His sweet bounties, and exclaimed: "Glory be unto You! All praise is Yours! {[*]: Muslim, Salât, 2h joy û Dâ'ûd, Adab, 98; Nasâ'î, Iftitâh, 17; Musnad, vi, 77, 151.} How can we thank You as is Your due? You are utterly worthy of thanks! For all Your bounties spread through alcate muniverse hymn Your praises and thanks through the clear tongues of their beings. All Your bounties lined up in the market of the world and scattered over the face of the earth proclaim Your praises and extol You. By testifying to Your munother ce and generosity, all the well-ordered, finely proportioned fruits of Your mercy and bounty offer You thanks before the gazes of Your creatures."

Then they responded, saying: "God is Most Great!" before the manifestatif the divine beauty, glory, perfection, and majesty in the mirrors of beings, ever changing on the face of the universe; they bowed reverently in their impotence, and prostrated in humility with love its conder.

Then announcing their poverty and need, they responded with supplication and beseeching to the Possessor of Absolute Riches' displaying the abundance of His wealth and breadndredsHis mercy, and declared: "From You alone do we seek help!"

Then they responded appreciatively to the All-Glorious Maker's displaying the subtleties and wonders of His antique art in the exhibition of creatures, exf the ng: "What wonders God has willed!" Observing and applauding them, they declared, "How beautifully they are made!" Beholding them, they exclaimed: "What blessings God has bestowed!" and testified: he bes indeed believe!" Holding everyone witness, they said in wonder: "Come! Look at these! Hasten to the prayers and to prosperity!"

And they responded with submission and obedience to the Monarch of Pre-Eternity and Post-Eternity's per?

ation of the sovereignty of His dominicality in every corner of the universe and the manifestation of His unity. Declaring: "We hear and we obey!", they affirmed His unihe utm Then, before the manifestation of the Godhead of that Sustainer of All the Worlds, they responded with worship and humble veneration, which consists of proclai Fruitheir weakness within powerlessness and poverty within need and with the prescribed prayers, which are the summary of worship. Thus, by performing their various duties of worsh>(30:5the mighty

mosque known as the abode of this world, they carried out the obligations and duties of their lives, and assumed "the finest of forms." They ascended to a rank above all creatures by which, thro the se auspiciousness of belief and assurance and the Trust, they became trustworthy vicegerents of the earth. And after this field of trial and place of examination, their Munificent Sustainer invited them to eternence hpiness in recompense for their belief, and to the Abode of Peace in reward for their adhering to His religion of Islam. There, He bestowed on them out of His mercy bounties so dazzling thaspeechye has seen them, nor ear heard them, nor have they occurred to the heart of man {[*]: Bukhârî, Bad' al-Khalq, 8; Tafsîr al-Sûra, 32:1; Tawhîd, 35; Muslim, Îmân, 312; Janna, 2-5; Tirmidhî, Tafsîuse itûra, 32:2; l54:1; Ibn Mâja, Zuhd, 39.} - and so He does bestow these on them, and He gives them eternity and everlasting life. For the desirous, mirror-bearing lovers of an eternal, iples,g beauty who gaze upon it will certainly not perish, but will go to eternity. The final state of the Qur'an's students is thus. May Almighty God include us among them, Amen!

As for the other group, ong sinners and the wicked, when they entered the palace of this world at the age of discretion, they responded with unbelief to all the evidences of divine unity, and with ingratitude towards all thessionaies, and by accusing all creatures of being valueless, insulted them in an unbelieving manner. And since they rejected and denied all the manifestations of the divine names, they committed a boundless crime in a short time and became desedinaryof endless punishment. For the capital of life and the human faculties were given to man for the duties mentioned above.

O my senseless soul and foolish friend! Do you suppose your life's duty ithing ricted to living the good life according to the requisites of civilization, and, if you will excuse the expression, to gratifying the physicaniverstites? Do you suppose the sole aim of the delicate and subtle senses, the sensitive faculties and members, the well-ordered limbs and systems verseinquisitive feelings and senses included in the machine of your life is restricted to satisfying the low desires of the base soul in this fleeting life? God forbid! There are two main aims in their creation and inclusion ithe sa essential being:

~The First>consists in making known to you all the varieties of the True Bestower's bounties, and causing you to offer Him thanks. You should be aware angelis, and offer Him thanks and worship.

~The Second>is to make known to you by means of your faculties all the sorts of the sacred divine names' manifegreatens displayed in the world and to cause you to experience them. And you, by recognizing them by experiencing them, should come to believe in them.

Thus, man develops and is perfected through the achievemee shouthese two basic aims. Through them, man becomes a true human being.

Look through the meaning of the following comparison, and see that the human faculties were ays toven in order to gain worldly life like an animal.

For example, someone gave one of his servants twenty gold pieces, telling him to have a suit of clothes made out of a particular cloth. The servant went and got himself a fine sug on t of the highest grade of the cloth, and put it on. Then he saw that his employer had given another of his servants a thousand gold pieces, and putting in the se princs pocket a piece of paper with some things written on it, had sent him to conclude some business. Now, anyone with any sense would know that the capital was not for getting a suit of clothes, for, since the first servant reigntught a suit of the finest cloth with twenty gold pieces, the thousand gold pieces were certainly not to be spent in the same way. But since the second servant had not read the paper in h3:185)ket, and looking at the first servant, had given all the money to a shopkeeper for a suit of clothes, and then received the most inferior grade of cloth and a suit fifty times worse tt is ts friend's, his employer was bound to reprimand him severely for his utter stupidity, and punish him angrily.

O my soul and my friend! Come to your senses! Do not spend the capital and potentialities of your life on pleasures of Otheresh and this fleeting life like an animal, or even lower. Otherwise, although you are fifty times superior with regard to capital than the highest animal, you will fall fifty times lower than the lowest.

O my hey appa soul! If you want to understand to a degree both the aim of your life and its nature, and the form of your life, and the true meaning nging,r life, and its perfect happiness, then look! The summary of the aims of your life consists of nine matters.

~The First is this:>To weigh up on the scales of the senses incluf thes your being the bounties stored up in the treasuries of divine mercy, and to offer universal thanks.

~The Second:>To open with the keys of the faculties placed in your nature the hidden treasuries of the sacredicles e names, and through those names to know the Most Pure and Holy One.

~The Third:>To consciously display and make known through your life in the view doubt creatures in this exhibition of the world the wondrous arts and subtle manifestations which the divine names have attached to you.

~The Fourth1:5), roclaim your worship at the court of the Creator's dominicality verbally and through the tongue of your disposition.

~The Fifth:>As on ceremonial occasions a soldier wears all the decorations he has received from his king, and appears of sfore the king, displays the marks of his favour towards him, so this is to consciously adorn yourself in the jewels of the subtle senses which the manifestations of the divine names have givet expe and to appear in the observant view of the Pre-Eternal Witness.

~The Sixth:>To consciously observe the salutations of living beings to their Creator, known as the mann undetions of life, and their glorifications of their Maker, known as the signs of life, and their worship of the Bestower of Life, known as the aims of life, and by reflecting on them to see them, and throad beestifying to them to display them.

~The Seventh:>By taking as units of measurement the small samples of such attributes as the partial knowledge, power, and will given",>andur life, it is to know through those measures the absolute attributes and sacred qualities of the All-Glorious Creator. For example, since, with your partial powen a gawledge, and will, you have made your house in orderly fashion, you should know that the Maker of the palace of the world is its Disposer and is Powerful, Knowing, and Wise to the degree it is greater t I wanur house.

~The Eighth:>To understand the words concerning the Creator's unity and Maker's dominicality uttered by the beings in the e exiseach in its particular tongue.

~The Ninth:>To understand through your impotence and weakness, your poverty and need, the degrees of divine power and dominical riches. Just as the pleasure and degrees and varieties of food are unders dispohrough the degrees of hunger and the sorts of need, so you should understand the degrees of the infinite divine power and riches through your infinite impotence and poverty. The aims of your life, then, briefly, are matters like these. Nods of ider the nature of your life; its summary is this:

It is an index of wonders pertaining to the divine names; a scale for measuring the divine qualities and attributes; a balance of the worlds withugh th universe; a list of the mighty world; a map of the cosmos; a summary of the vast book of the universe; a bunch of keys with which to open the hidden treasuries of divine power; and a most excellent pattern oon of perfections scattered over beings and attached to time. The nature of your life consists of matters like these.

Now, the form of your life and the manner of its duty is this: your life is an inscrhing bord, a wisdom-displaying word written by the pen of power. Seen and heard, it points to the divine names. The form of your life consists of matters like these.

Now tivelihe meaning of your life is this: its acting as a mirror to the manifestation of divine oneness and the manifestation of eternal besoughtedness. That is to say, by virtue of the comprehensiveness arising from being like the point of foc your all the divine names manifested in the world, it is its being a mirror to the Single and Eternally Besought One.

Now, as for the perfection of your life, it is to perceive the lights of the Pre-Eternal Sun whichfly toepicted in the mirror of your life, and to love them. As a conscious being, it is to display ardour for Him. It is to pass beyond yourself with love of Him. It is t twentblish the reflection of His light in the centre of your heart. It is due to this mystery that the Sacred Hadith was uttered, which is expressed by thnts. Towing lines, and will raise you to the highest of the high:

The heavens and the earth contain me not;

Yet, how strange! I am contained in the hearts of believers.>{[*]: See, al-'A it co Kashf al-Khafâ', ii, 165; al-Ghazâlî, Ihyâ' 'Ulûm al-Dîn, iii, 14.}

My soul! Since your life is turned towards such elevated aims and gathers together such priceless trease of t does it befit reason and fairness that you should spend it on temporary gratification of the instinctual soul and fleeting worldly pleasures, and waste it? If you do not want to fritter away your life, ponder over life aths in the following sura of the Qur'an, which allude to the above comparison and truths, and act accordingly:

By the sun and its [glorious] splendour; * By the moon as it follows it; *you, ae day as it shows up [the sun's] glory; * By the night as it conceals it; * By the firmament and its [wonderful] structure; * By the earth and its [wide] expanse; * By the soul and the order and proportion giv God. * And its enlightenment to its wrong and its right. * Truly he succeeds that purifies it, * And he fails that corrupts it.>(91:1-10)

O God, grant blessings and peace to the Sun of the Skies of Messengere is athe Moon of the Constellation of Prophethood, and to his Family and Companions, the stars of guidance, and grant mercy to us and to all believing men and all believing women. Amen. Amen. Amen.at fea* *

The Twelfth Word

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

And he who has been given wisdom has been given great good.>(2:269)

[This Word consists of a brief comparison between the saoul! Yisdom of the All-Wise Qur'an and the wisdom of philosophy and science, and a concise summary of the instruction and training which Qur'anic wisdom gives to man in his personal life and social life, and an indication of the Qur'an's supere, sty to other divine words, and to all speech. There are four principles in this Word.]

FIRST PRINCIPLE

Look through the telescope of the following story which is in the form of a comparison, and see the differences unendin Qur'anic wisdom and that of philosophy and science:

One time, a renowned ruler who was both religious and a fine craftsman wanted to write the All-Wise Qur'an in a script worthy of the sacredness of its meaning and the miraculousness oeal ofwords, so that its marvel-displaying stature would be arrayed in wondrous apparel. The artist-king therefore wrote the Qur'an in a truly wonderful fashion. He used all his precious jewels in ths writing. In order to indicate the great variety of its truths, he wrote some of its embodied letters in diamonds and emeralds, and some in rubies and the a, and other sorts in brilliants and coral, while others he inscribed with silver and gold. He adorned and decorated it in such a way that everyone, those who knew how to read and those who did not, were full of adifteenon and astonishment when they beheld it. Especially in the view of the people of truth, since the outer beauty was an indication of the brilliant beauty and striking adornment in its mtty, s, it became a truly precious antique.

Then the ruler showed the artistically wrought and bejewelled Qur'an to a European philosopher and to a Muslim scholar. In order to test them nd clor reward, he commanded them: "Each of you write a work about the

wisdom and purposes of this!" First the philosopher, then the scholar composed a book about it. However, the philosopher's book discussed only the decorations of the letterard potheir relationships and conditions, and the properties of the jewels, and described them. It did not touch on their meaning at all, for the n an aan had no knowledge of the Arabic script. He did not even know that the embellished Qur'an was a book, a written piece, expressing a meaning. He rather looked on it as an ornamented antique. He did not know any Arabit sent he was a very good engineer and he described things very aptly, and he was a skilful chemist, and an ingenious jeweller. So this man wrote his work according to those crafts.

As fof its Muslim scholar, when he looked at the qur'an, he understood that it was the Perspicuous Book, the All-Wise Qur'an. This truth-loving person neither attached importance to the external adnd lasts, nor busied himself with the ornamented letters. He became preoccupied with something a million times higher, more elevated, more subtle, e, baloble, more beneficial, and more comprehensive than the matters with which the other man had busied himself. For discussing the sacred truths and lights of the mysteries beneath the veil of the Onetions, he wrote a truly fine commentary. Then the two of them took their works and presented them to the illustrious ruler. The ruler first took the philosopher's work. He looked at it and saw that the self-cenercifund nature-worshipping man had worked very hard, but had written nothing of true wisdom; he had understood nothing of its meaning. Indeed, he had confused it and been disresotal cl towards it, and ill-mannered even. For supposing that source of truths, the qur'an, to be meaningless decoration, he had insulted it as being valueless in regard to meaning. So the wise ruler hit him over the head with his work and exfollow him from his presence.

Then he looked at the work of the other, the truth-loving, scrupulous scholar, and saw that it was an extremely fine and beneficial commentary, a most wise composition full of guality,. "Congratulations! May God bless you!", he said. Thus, wisdom is this and they call those who possess it knowledgeable and wise. As for the others is lhe was a craftsman who had exceeded his mark. Then in reward for the scholar's work, he commanded that in return for each letter ten gold pieces should be given him from his inexhaustible treasury.

If you have understood the cos verson, now look and see the reality:

The ornamented qur'an is this artistically fashioned universe, and the ruler is the Pre-Eternal All-Wise Onay: thfor the two men, one - the European - represents philosophy and its philosophers, and the other, the Qur'an and its students. Yes, the All-Wise Qur'an is a most elevated

expounder, a most eloquent translator of the mighty qur'an of the ce these. Yes, it is the Criterion which instructs man and the jinn concerning the signs of creation inscribed by the pen of power on the pages of the universe and on the leaves of time. It regards beings, each of which is a meaningful letter, as beons ofthe meaning of another, that is, it looks at them on account of their Maker. It says, "How beautifully they have been made! How exquisitely they point to their Maker's beauty!", thus showing the universe's true beaone ofut the philosophy they call natural philosophy or science has plunged into the decorations of the letters of beings and into their relationships, and has becomee proodered; it has confused the way of reality. While the letters of this mighty book should be looked at as bearing the meaning of another, that is, on account of Gction ey have not done this; they have looked at beings as signifying themselves. That is, they have looked at beings on account of beings, and have discussed them in that way. Instead of saying, "How beautifully they have beundlese," they say "How beautiful they are," and have made them ugly. In doing this they have insulted the universe, and made it complain about them. Indeed, philosophy without ree sun is a sophistry divorced from reality and an insult to the universe.

SECOND PRINCIPLE

A comparison between the moral training the wisdom of the All-Wise Qur'an gives to personal t succnd what philosophy and science teach:

The sincere student of philosophy is a pharaoh, but he is a contemptible pharaoh who worships the basest thing for the sake of benefit; he recognizes everything from which he can profitet I ws lord. Such an irreligious student is obstinate and refractory, but he is wretched together with his obstinacy and accepts endless abasement for the sake of one pleasure. And he is abject together with his infinitrance and shows his abasement by kissing the feet of satanic people for the sake of some base benefit. And that irreligious student is conceiition d domineering, but since he can find no point of support in his heart, he is an utterly impotent blustering tyrant. And that student is a self-centered seeker of benefit whose aim and endeavour study gratify his animal appetites; a crafty egotist who seeks his personal interests within certain nationalist interests.

However, the sincere student of Qur'anic wisdom ishemselvant, but he does not stoop to worship even the greatest of creatures; he is an esteemed slave who makes not even a supreme benefit like Paradise the purpose of his worship. And its student is humble; he is righteous and milpoint outside the limits of his Maker's leave, he would not voluntarily lower and

abase himself before anything other than his Maker. And ee in weak and in want and he knows his weakness and poverty, but he is self-sufficient due to the wealth which his All-Generous Lord has stored up for him in the hereafter, and he is stre consnce he relies on his Master's infinite power. And he acts and strives only for God's sake, for God's pleasure, and for virtue.

The training the two give may be understood from the comparison of the two students.

THIrules NCIPLE

The training philosophy and science and Qur'anic wisdom give to human social life is this:

Philosophy accepts force as its point of support in the life of society. It considers its aim to be benefits. The principle eracit life it recognizes to be conflict. It holds the bond between communities to be racialism and negative nationalism. Its fruits are gratifying the appetites ofing inoul and increasing human needs. However, the mark of force is aggression. The mark of benefit - since they are insufficient for every desire - is joston, thnd tussling. While the mark of conflict is strife. And the mark of racialism - since it is nourished by devouring others - is aggression. It is for these reasons that it has r defed the happiness of humankind.

As for the Qur'anic wisdom, its point of support is truth instead of force. It takes virtue and God's pleasure as its aims in place of benefits. It takes the principle of mutual assistance as thebe madiple of life in place of the principle of conflict. And it holds the ties of religion, class, and country to be the ties bonding communities. Its aim is to form a barrier against the lusts of the soul, urge the spirit to sublime matters, satient toe high emotions, and urging man to the human perfections, make him a true human being. And the mark of the truth is accord. The mark of virtue is solidarity. The mark of mutual assistance is hastening to assist one another. he Qurrk of religion is brotherhood and attraction. And the mark of reining in and tethering the soul and leaving the spirit free and urging it towards perfections is happiness in this world and the next.

FOURve natNCIPLE

If you want to understand the Qur'an's superiority among all the divine scriptures and its supremacy over all speech and writings, then consider the following two compd and s:

~The First:>A king has two forms of speech, two forms of address. One is to speak on his private telephone with a common subject concerning

some minor matter, some private need. The other, under the title of sublime e.

ignty, supreme vicegerent, and universal rulership, is to speak with an envoy or high official for the purpose of making known and promulg the Nhis commands, to make an utterance through an elevated decree proclaiming his majesty.

~The Second:>One man holds the mirror he is holding up to thof cre He receives light containing the seven colours according to the capacity of the mirror. He becomes connected to the sun through that relation and converses with it, and if he directs the light-filled mirror towards the fork house or his roofed garden, he will benefit, not in relation to the sun's value, but in accordance with the capacity of the mirror.such aer man, however, opens up broad windows in his house or in the roof over his garden. He opens up ways to the sun in the sky. He converses with the perpetual light of the actual su>{(*):speaks with it, and says in gratitude through the tongue of his being: "O you beauty of the world who gilds the face of the earth with his light and makes the faces of the flowers smile! O beauty of the skies, fine sun! You have furhis wo my little house and garden with light and heat the same as you have furnished them with light and heat." Whereas the man with the mirror cannot say that. The reflection and works of the sun are restricted and limited; they hat th accordance with the restriction. Look at the Qur'an through the telescope of these two comparisons and see its miraculousness and understand its sacredness.

The Qur'an says: "If all the trees on the land were to become in yound all the seas were ink and they were to write the words of Almighty God, they would never come to the end of them." Now, the reason the Qur'an has been given the highest rank among the infinite words of God is this: the Qur'an has come fr(Upon greatest divine name and from the greatest level of every name. It is God's Word in respect of His being Sustainer of All the Worlds; it is His decree through His title of God of All Beings; an address in regard to re foring Creator of the Heavens and the Earth; a conversation in regard to absolute dominicality; a pre-eternal address on account of universal divine sovereignty; a notebook of the favours of the Most Merciful One from the point of view oto cauall-embracing, comprehensive mercy; a collection of communications at the beginnings of which ciphers are sometimes found which are related to the sublime majesty of the Godhead; a wisdomsman oering holy scripture which, descending from the reaches of the greatest name, looks to and inspects the all-comprehensive domain of the supreme throne. It is for these reasons that the title of Word of God hasUWBP).given with complete worthiness to the Qur'an.

In respect to the other divine words, they are speech which has become evident through a o findular regard, a minor title, through the partial manifestation of a particular name; through a particular dominicality, special sovereignty, a private mercy. Their degrees vary in regard to pamore narity and universality. Most inspiration is of this sort, but its degrees vary greatly. For example, the most particular and simple is the inspiration of animelatiohen there is the inspiration of ordinary people; then the inspiration of ordinary angels; then the inspiration of the saints, then the inspirat scrip the higher angels. Thus, it is for this reason that a saint who offers supplications directly without means by the telephone of the heart says: "My heart tells me news of mythe nainer." {[*]: See, Ibn al-Jawzî, Talbîs Iblîs, 217, 390, 450, 451; Ibn Qayyim, Ighâtha al-Lahafân, i, 123; Madârij al-Sâlikîn, i, 40; iii, 412; Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bârî, xi, 345; al-Isâba, ii, 528.} He does not say, "It tells me of the Susourney of All the Worlds." And he says: "My heart is the mirror, the throne, of my Sustainer." He does not say, "It is the throne of the Sustainer of All the Worlds." For he can manifest the address to the extent of its ming tty and to the degree nearly seventy thousand veils {[*]: See, Abû Ya'lâ, al-Musnad, xiii, 520; al-Tabarânî, al-Mu'jam al-Awsat, vi, 278; viii, 382; al-Rûyânî, al-Musnad, ii, 212; Ibn Abî 'Âsim, al-Sunna, ii, 367; le Comarî, Jâmi' al-Bayân, xvi, 95.} have been raised. Thus, however much higher and more elevated is the decree of a king promulgated in respect of his supreme sovereignty than the limited, insignificant speech it musommon man, and however much more abundantly the effulgence of the sun in the sky may be benefited from than the manifestation of its reflection in the mirror, and however greater is its superiority, to that degree the Qur'an of Mighty f a sie is superior to all other speech and all other books.

After the Qur'an, at the second level, the holy books and revealed scriptures have superiorf manycording to their degree. They have their share from the mystery of that superiority. If all the fine words of all men and jinn which do not issue from the Qur'an were to be gathered together, they still could not attain It thu sacred rank of the Qur'an and imitate it. If you want to understand a little of how the Qur'an comes from the greatest name and from the greatest level of every name, consider the universal, elevated statements of Ayat al-Kursi>aning tofollowing verses:

And with Him are the keys of the Unseen.>(6:59)

O God! Lord of All Dominion.>(3:26)

He draws the night as a veil over day, each seeking the other in

rapid succession; He created therythinthe moon, and the stars, [all] subject to His command.>(7:54)

O Earth, swallow up your water! And O Sky, withhold your rain!>(11:44)

The heavens and the earth and all within them extol and glorify Him.>(17:44uits ohe creation of you all and the resurrection of you all is but like that of a single soul.>(31:28)

We did indeed offer the Trust to the heavens, 228

e earth, and the mountains.>(33:72)

The Day that We roll up the heavens like a scroll rolled up for books [completed].>(21:104)

e mattt estimate have they made of God, such as is due to Him: on the Day of Judgement the whole of the earth will be but His handful.>(39:67)

Had We sent down this Qur'an on a mountain, you would indeed have seen it humble itself and caturesasunder for fear of God.>(59:21)

And study the suras which begin "al-hamdulillah,">or "tusabbihu,">and see the rays of this mighty mystery. Look too at the openings of the Alif. Lam. Mim.>'s, the truth Lam. Ra.>'s, and the Ha. Mim.>'s, and understand the Qur'an's importance in the sight of God.

If you have understood the valuable mystery of this Fourth Principle, you have understood that revelation mostly comes to the pping, s by means of an angel, and inspiration is mostly without means. You will have also understood the reason why the greatest saint cannot attain to the level of a prophet. And you will have understood too the Qur'an's sublimity and its sat provrandeur and the mystery of its elevated miraculousness. So too you will have understood the mystery of the necessity of the Prophet Muhammad's Ascension, that is, that on of t to the heavens, to "the furthest Lote-tree">(53:14), to "the distance of two bow-lengths">(53:9), offered supplications to the All-Glorious One, Who is "closer to him r and is jugular vein">(50:16), and in the twinkling of an eye returned whence he came. Indeed, just as the Splitting of the Moon was a miracle of hi brothengership whereby he demonstrated his prophethood to the jinn and mankind, so the Ascension was a miracle of his worship and servitude to God whereby he demonstrated to the spirits and angels that he was Gooing. loved.

O God, grant blessings and peace to him and to his Family as befits Your mercy, and in veneration of him. Amen.

The Thirteenth Word

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

And We send down [stage by stage] in the Qur'an that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe.>(17:82) * We have not instructed [the Prophet] in poetry, nor is it meet for him.>(36:69)

s alsoou want to compare the results yielded by the wisdom of the All-Wise Qur'an and of the sciences of philosophy, and their instruction and teaching and the degrees in their knowledge, then lisur searefully to the following words.

With its acute expositions, the Qur'an of Miraculous Exposition rends the veil of familiarity and tand toitual cast over all the beings in the universe, which are known as ordinary things but are all extraordinary and miracles of divine power, anMoreovals those astonishing wonders to conscious beings. It attracts their gazes and opens up before their minds an inexhaustible treasury of knowledge.

As for philosophy, it conceals within veils of the commonpd the ll the miracles of power, which are extraordinary, and passes over them in an ignorant and indifferent fashion. It only puts forward to be noted freaks, which have fallen from being extraordinary and deviated from the order of crethe pe and sheered away from the perfections of their true natures; it offers them to conscious beings as objects of wise instruction. For example, it says that man's creation is ore will, despite its being a comprehensive miracle of power, and looks on it indifferently. But then with cries of astonishment, it points out as an object of instruction a person who has diverged frowisdomperfection of creation and has three legs or two heads.

And for example, it considers ordinary the regular sustenance of infants and younstudentowed from the treasury of mercy, which is a truly delicate, general miracle of mercy, and draws a veil of ingratitude over it. But then, on spotting an insect under the sea which is an exception from the general order and is abilitynd isolated from its fellows, being fed with green sea-weed, it wants to make the fishermen weep for it, because of the divine favour and munificence manifested on it. {(*): Just such an event occurred inheavenca. (Author)}

So see the wealth and riches of the Holy Qur'an in regard to the knowledge, wisdom, and cognizance of God, and the poverty and bankruptcy of philosophy regarding learning, instruction, and knowledge of the Makerve estthem and take a lesson!

It is because of this that the All-Wise Qur'an is free of the fancies of poetry, because it contains infinite brilliant, elevated truths. Another reason the densom of Miraculous Exposition is not in verse, despite its composition and orderedness, which are so perfect as to be inimitable, and its expounding with its well-ordered styles the order and art of the book of the uy locue, is this: by not entering under the restrictions of metre, each star of its verses can be a sort of centre to the most of the other verses, and be a brother to them, and each can form a connecting line withal anderses within the sphere encompassing it in order to be a bond in the relationships which exist between them. It is as if every single verse has an ve guiich looks to most of the other verses and a face which is turned towards them. Thousands of Qur'ans are present within the Qur'an, each of which it offers to followers of the dfrom fnt paths. As is described in the Twenty-Fifth Word, within Sura al-Ikhlas is a treasury of knowledge about divine unity comprising thirty-six Sura al-Ikhlas'sen madormed of a compound of six phrases, each winged. Indeed, like the apparently unordered stars in the sky, each is unrestricted and as a sort of centre extends a connecting line to all the stars in the at:>Yourrounding it, indicating the hidden relation between beings. It is as if, like the stars of verses, each single star has an eye which looks to all stars and aedlesswhich is turned to them. See then the perfect order within the apparent lack of order and take a lesson! Understand one meaning of the verse,

We have not instructed [the Prophet] in poetrykind ois it meet for him!>(36:69)

Understand from it also that the mark of poetry is to adorn insignificant and dull facts with big, shining images and fanr al-Sto make them attractive. Whereas the truths of the Qur'an are so great, elevated, shining and brilliant, that even the greatest and most brilliat), I ginings are dull and insignificant in comparison. Innumerable truths like the following verses testify to this. For example:

The Day that We roll up the heavens like a scroll rolled up for books [completed]. the t04) * He draws the night as a veil over the day, each seeking the other in rapid succession.>(7:54) * It will be no more

than a single blast, when lo! they will all be brought up before Us!>(36:53)

If you want to see and appreciateopes alike shining stars, each of the Qur'an's verses scatters the darkness of unbelief by spreading the light of miraculousness and guidance, imagine yourself in the Age of Ignorance and desert of savagery where everything was envels, mann veils of lifelessness and nature amid the darkness of ignorance and heedlessness. Then suddenly from the elevated tongue of the Qur'an, you hear verses like:

Whateveby offn the heavens and earth declares the praises and glory of God, the Sovereign, the Most Holy One, the Mighty, the Wise.>(62:1)

See how those dead or sleeping creatures of the world spring to life in the er it of those listening at the sound of "declares the praises and glory," how they awake, spring up, and mention God's names! And at the sound of,

The seven heavens and the earth and all within them extol and glorify Hthe li7:44)

the stars in those black skies, all lifeless pieces of fire, and the wretched creatures on the face of the earth, present the following view to those listening: the sky appears as a mouth and the stars each as wisunishmsplaying words and truth-uttering lights. The earth appears as a head, the land and sea as tongues, and all animals and plants as words of glorification. Ynnot bl otherwise not appreciate the fine points and pleasure at looking from this time to that. For if when you consider its verses, you see them as havi possittered their light since that time, becoming like universally accepted knowledge with the passage of time, and as shining with the other lights of Islam, and taking their colour frr: "A sun of the Qur'an, or if you look at them through a superficial, simple veil of familiarity, you will not truly see the darkness each verse scatters or how sweet is the recital of its miraculousness; you will n>(6:1)reciate this sort of miraculousness among its many varieties. If you want to understand one of the highest degrees of the Qur'an of Miraculous Exposition's miraculou may t listen to the following comparison:

Let us imagine an extremely strange, vast, and spreading tree which is concealed beneath a veil of the unseen and hiddrderlya level of concealment. It is clear that there has to be a relationship, harmony, and balance between a tree and all its members for instance its branches, fruits, leaves, and blossom, the same as between the humdemandbers. Each of its parts assumes a form and is given a shape in accordance with the tree's nature.

So if someone appears and traces a picture on top of the veil corresponding to the members oTen yetree, which has never been seen, then delimits each member, and from the branches to the fruit and the fruit to the leaves draws a form proportionately, and filestow space between its source and extremities - which are an infinite distance from one another - with drawings showing exactly the shape and form of its members, cert otherno doubt will remain that the artist sees the concealed tree with an eye that penetrates and encompasses the unseen, then he depicts it.

In just the same way, the discriminatiasis otements of the Qur'an of Miraculous Exposition concerning the reality of contingent beings (that is, concerning the reality of the tree of creation which stretches from the and ening of the world to the farthest limits of the hereafter, and spreads from the earth to the divine throne and from minute particles to the sun) have preserved the proportion between the members to such a dtalionand have given all the members and fruits a form so suitable that all investigative scholars have declared when they have concluded their researches into its depictions: "What wonders God has willed! How great are God's blessings!mercy, have said: "It is only you who solves and unravels the talisman of the universe and riddle of creation, O All-Wise Qur'an!"

"And God's is the highest similitude">(16:60) - and there ire-hourror in the comparison - let us represent the divine names and attributes, and dominical acts and deeds as a Tuba tree of light, the extent of wtaininrandeur stretches from pre-eternity to post-eternity, and the limits of whose vastness spread through infinite, endless space, and encompass it, and the compass of whose deeds extend should It is God Who splits the seed-grain and date-stone>(6:95), and, Comes between man and his heart>(8:24), and, It is He Who shapes you in the wombs as He wishes>(3:6),

to,

Who created the heavens and the earth in six days>(7: it wac.), and, And the heavens rolled up in His right hand>(39:67), and, He has subjected the sun and the moon>(13:2, etc.).

The All-Wise Qur'an has desc immorthat luminous reality, the truths of those names and attributes, and acts and deeds, together with all their branches and twigs and aims and fruits in a way so harmonious, so fitting for one another, so appropriate for one ient or, without marring one another or spoiling the decree of one another, or their being remote from one another, that all those who have discerned the reality of things and penetrated the mysteries, and all the wise and the sage who have jaimer ed

in the realm of the inner dimension of things, have declared: "Glory be to God!" in the face of that Discriminating Exposition, and have s guesed it, saying: "How right, how conformable with reality, how fine, how worthy!"

Take, for example, the six pillars of belief, which resemble a single branch of those two mighty trees h miralook to the entire sphere of contingency and sphere of necessity: it depicts all the branches and boughs of those pillars - even the farthest fruits and flowers - observing such a ha the dand proportion between them, and describes them in a manner so balanced, and illustrates them a way so symmetrical that the human mind is powerless tendenteive it and stands astonished at its beauty. And the proof that a beauty of proportion and perfect relation and complete balance have been preserved between the five pillars of Islam, whi O Sat like one twig of the branch of belief, down to the finest details, smallest point of conduct, furthest aims, most profound wisdom, and most insignificant fruits, is the perfect o elemend balance and beauty of proportion and soundness of the Greater Shari'a of Islam, which has emerged from the decisive statements, senses, indications, and allusions o) firscomprehensive Qur'an; they form an irrefutable and decisive proof and just witness that cannot be doubted. This means that the expositions of the mprehe cannot be attributed to man's partial knowledge, and particularly to the knowledge of someone unlettered. They rest rather on a comprehensive knowledge and are the word of One able to see all things together and observe in oof Godent all truths between pre-eternity and post-eternity. The verse:

Praise be to God, Who has revealed to His servant the Book, and has allowed no crookedness therein.>(18:1)

concerns this fac and vO God! O Revealer of the Qur'an! For the sake of the Qur'an and for the sake of the one to whom You revealed the Qur'an, illuminate our hearts and our graves with the light of belief and the Qur'an. Amen. O One fro one's help is sought!

The Second Station of the Thirteenth Word

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

[A conversation held with some young people who, though surrounded by temptation, hcreati yet lost their powers of reason.]

Being assaulted by the deceptive, seductive amusements of the present time, a group of young people were asking: "How can we sai, 305 lives in the hereafter?", and they sought help from the Risale-i Nur.>So I said the following to them in the name of the Risale-i Nur:

The grave is there and no one can deny it. Whether they want to oad. Si everyone must enter it. And apart from the following three ways, there is no way it can be approached.

~First Way:>For those who believe, the grave is the door to a world far better than painfworld.

~Second Way:>For those who believe in the hereafter but who approach it on the path of dissipation and misguidance, it is the door to a prison of solitary confinement, an eternalon, thon, where they will be separated from all their loved ones. They will receive such treatment because although they viewed it as such and believed in it, they did not act accordingly.

~Third Way:>For the unbelievers wn froe misguided who do not believe in the hereafter, the grave is the door to eternal extinction. That is to say, it is the gallows on which both themselves and all those they love willfeit necuted. Since they think it is thus, that is exactly how they shall experience it: as punishment.

These last two ways are self-evident, they do not require proof, they are plain fompleteto see. Since the appointed hour is secret and death may come any time and cut off one's head, and it does not differentiate between young and old, perpetually having such an awePossesnd serious matter before him, unhappy man will surely search for the means to deliver himself from that eternal extinction, that infinite, endless solitary confinement; the means to transform the door of the grave into a st Poipening on to an everlasting world, eternal happiness, and a world of light. It will be a question for him that looms as large as the world.

The certain fact of death, then, can only be approached in these three ways, and one hundred he habenty-four thousand veracious messengers - the prophets with their miracles as signs of confirmation - have announced that the three ways are as described above. And, relyine spriheir illuminations and visions, one hundred and twenty-four million saints have confirmed and set their signatures on the prophets' tidings. And innumerable exact scholars have proved it rationally with their categorical pr everyt the level of certainty at the degree of knowledge. {(*): One of these is the Risale-i Nur. And it is there for all to see. (Author)} They have all unaneceptiy declared it to be a ninety-nine per cent certain probability, saying: "The only way to be saved from extinction and eternal imprisonment and be directed towards eternal happiness is throuand orief in God and obedience to Him."

If a person considers but does not heed the word of a single messenger not to take a dangerous road on which there is a o. It h cent danger of perishing, and takes it, the anxiety at perishing he suffers will destroy even his appetite for food. Thus hundreds of thousands of veraciousds of erified messengers announced that there is a one hundred per cent probability that misguidance and vice lead to the gallows of the grave, ever before the eyes, and eternal solitary confinement; that there is a one hundred per cenf mercability that belief and worship remove those gallows, close the solitary prison, and transform the ever-apparent grave into a door opening onto an everlasting treasury and palacve be elicity; and they have pointed out signs and traces of these. Confronted as he is, then, with this strange, awesome, terrifying matter, if wretched man - especially if he is a Muslim -in accnot believe and worship, is he able to banish the grievous pain arising from the anxiety he suffers as he all the time awaits his turn to be summoned to those gallows, ever-present beforeeralityes, even if he is given rule over the whole world together with all its pleasures? I ask you.

Since old age, illness, disaster, and on all sides death exacerbate the frightful pain and are a reminder, even if the people of misguidans whic vice enjoy a hundred thousand pleasures and delights, they most certainly experience a sort of hell in their hearts, but a profound stupor of heedlessness temporarily makes them insensible to it.

Since for the people of belowmentd worship the grave, ever before their eyes, is the door to an everlasting treasury and eternal happiness, and since, by reason of the 'belief c subtl, a ticket from the pre-eternal lottery of divine determining for millions upon millions of liras' worth of gold and diamonds has come up for each of them, they all the time await the word,

"Come and cto ano your ticket" with a truly profound pleasure and real spiritual delight. The pleasure is such that if it materialized and the seed became a tree, it would be like a private paradise. However, the person who abandons the delight and great plealious,ue to the drives of youth, and chooses in a dissolute and licentious manner temporary illicit pleasures, which resemble poisonous honey polluted with those innumerable pains, falls to a degree a eaningd times lower than an animal.

Furthermore, such a person will not be like unbelieving Europeans, for if they deny the Prophet Muhammad (UWBP), they may recognize the other prophets. And if they do not know God, they maythoughss some good qualities by which to attain to certain perfections. But a Muslim knows both the prophets, and his Sustainer, and all perfection by means of Muhammad the Arabian (UWBP). If one of them abandons the Prophet's ill be tion and puts himself outside his fold, he will not recognize any other prophet, neither will he recognize God. Nor will he know any of the fundamentals within his spirit which wiany evserve his perfections. For, since Muhammad (UWBP) is the last and greatest of the prophets, and his religion and summons are for all humanity, and since he is superior to all with regardut), is miracles and religion, and acts as teacher to all humankind in all matters concerning reality, and has proved this in a brilliant manner for fourteen centuries, and is the causewas thide for humankind, a Muslim who abandons Muhammad's (UWBP) essential training and the principles of his religion will most certainly be unable to find any light, or achieve any perfection. He will be condemned to ctate te decline.

You unfortunates who are addicted to the pleasures of this worldly life, and with anxiety at the future, struggle to secure it and your lives! If you want pleasure, delight, happiness, and easepened is world, make do with what is licit, for it is sufficient for your enjoyment. You will surely have understood from other parts of the Risale-i Nur>that in every pleasure that is outside this anty-heallicit, lies a thousand pains. If the events of the future - for example, of fifty years hence - were to be shown in the cinema in the same way that they show at the present tmparise events of the past, those who indulge in vice would weep with horror and disgust at those things which now amuse them.

Anyone who wishes to be permanentl have rnally happy in this world and the next should take as their guide the instruction of Muhammad (UWBP) within the bounds of belief.

A Warning, Lesson, and Reminder Given to a Number of Unhappy Youths

One day a number of brce's oouths came to me, seeking an effective deterrent in order to guard themselves against the dangers arising from life, youth, and the lusts of the soul. Like I told those who had previously sought help fpurpose Risale-i Nur,>I said the following to those youths.

Your youth will definitely leave you, and if you do not remain within the bounds of the licit, it will be lost, and rather than its pleasures, it will bty-Thiou calamities and suffering in this world, in the grave, and in the hereafter. But if, through Islamic training, you spend the bounty of your youth as thanks honourably, in uprightnehe per obedience, it will in effect remain perpetually and will be the cause of gaining eternal youth.

As for life, if it passes without belief, or because of rebelliousness belief is ineffective, it will produce por, easorrows and grief far exceeding the superficial, fleeting enjoyment it brings. For, contrary to the animals, man possesses a mind and he thinks and so is connected to both the preappineime, and to the past and the future. He can obtain both pain and pleasure from them. Whereas since the animals do not think, the sorrows arising frod onlypast and the fears and anxieties concerning the future do not spoil their pleasure of the present. But, for man, if he has fallen into misguidance their edlessness, such sorrows and anxieties completely spoil his partial present pleasure, and make it bitter. Especially if the pleasure is illicit; thestrates like an altogether poisonous honey.

That is to say, from the point of view of life's pleasure, man falls a hundred times lower than the animals. In fact, life for the people of misguidance and heedy his ss, and indeed their existence, and their world even, is the day in which they find themselves. From the point of view of their misguidance, all the time and universes of the past are non-existent, are dead. So since their intellects conne, philm to the past and the future, they produce darkness, blackness for them. Due to their lack of belief, the future is also non-existent. Furthermore, because they think, the eternal separations resulting from this non-existence continuously prf beindarkness for their lives.

But if belief gives life to life, then through the light of belief, both the past and the future are illuminated and find exiseverel Like present time, it produces elevated, spiritual pleasures and lights of existence for the spirit and heart - in respect of belief. There is ophetslanation of this truth in the Seventh Hope of the Treatise for the Elderly.>You may refer to that.

Life is thus. If you want the pleasure and enjoyment divine, give life to your life through belief, and adorn it with the religious duties, and preserve it by abstaining from sins.

Concerning the fearsome reality of death, demonstrated beingsths every day, everywhere, at all times, I shall explain it to you with a comparison, in the same way that I told the other youths.

For exam envoy gallows has been erected here in front of your eyes. Beside it is a lottery office, but one which gives tickets for truly huge prizes. We here are ten people a27)

ther we like it or not, we shall be summoned there; there is no alternative. They will call us, and since the time is secret, any minute they may say either: "Come and collect the ticket for your execution! Mount the gallows!" Oerse, ticket to win a prize of millions of liras' worth of gold has come up for you. Come and collect it!" While waiting for them to say this, two people suddenly appear at the door. One on you, is a scantily dressed woman, beautiful and deceiving. In her hand is some apparently extremely delicious, but in fact poisonous, candy, which she has brought wanting us to eat it. The other is a Healeceiving and undeceivable serious person. He enters behind the woman, and says:

"I have brought you a talisman, a lesson. If you study it and you do not eat that candy, you will be saved from the gallows. With this talisman,led Isill receive your ticket for the matchless prize. Look, you see with your own eyes that those who eat the honey mount the gallows, and until that time they suffer dreadful stomach pains froth itspoison of the candy. And it is not apparent who will receive the ticket for the large prize; it seems that they too mount the gallows. But there are million you witnesses who testify that they are not hanged but make the gallows a step so as to enter the prize arena easily. So, look from the windows! The highest officials and the high-ranking persons concerned wd fromis business proclaim in loud voices: 'Just as you see with the clear certainty of your own eyes those mounting the gallows, so be certain as daylight, with no doubt or misgiving, that those with the talismle Meseive the ticket for the prize.'"

Thus, as in the comparison, since the dissolute pleasures of youth in the sphere of the illicit, which are like poisonous honey, cause belief to be lost, which is the ticket for an eternal treasury and the phe beat for everlasting happiness, a person who indulges in them descends to death, which is like the gallows, and to the tribulations of the grave, which is like the door totrue aal darkness. And since the appointed hour is unknown, its executioner, not differentiating between young and old, may come at any time to cut off your head. If you give up the poisonous honey of nts ant desires, and acquire the Qur'anic talisman of belief and perform the religious obligations,

one hundred and twenty-four thousand prophets {[*]: See, Musnad, v, 265; Ibn Hibbân, al-Sahîh, ii, 77; af theirânî, al-Majmû' al-Kabîr, viii, 217; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, ii, 652.} (Upon whom be peace) together with innumerable saints and people of truth hav use timously announced that you will receive the ticket for the treasury of eternal happiness which comes up from the extraordinary lottery of human destiny. And they have pointed to traces of it.

In Shorossiblth will depart. And if it departs being squandered, it results in thousands of calamities and pains both in this world and in the next. If you want t no eerstand how the majority of such youths end up in hospitals with imagined diseases arising from misspent youth and prodigality, and in prisons or hostels for the destitute through their excesses, and in bars due to the distress arising from therse tin and suffering, then go and ask at the hospitals, prisons and graveyards.

For sure, just as you will hear from most of the hospitals the moans and groans of~Magse ill from dissipation and debauchery resulting from the drives of youth, so will you hear from the prisons the regretful sighs of unhappy youths who are being rship ed for illicit deeds mostly resulting from the excesses of youth. And you will understand that most of the torments of the grave - that Intermediate Realm the doors of which continuously open and shut for those ft in ter it - are the result of misspent youth, as is testified to by those who have divined the life of the grave and is affirmed by the peoof its reality.

Also, ask the elderly and the sick, who form the majority of humankind. Certainly, the great majority of them will say with sorrow and regret: "Alas! We wasted our youth on passion and fancy; indeed, harmfuto be e careful, do not do as we did!" For in consequence of the illicit pleasures of five to ten years' youth, a person suffers years of grief and sorrow in this world, torment and harm in the Inthe musate Realm, and the calamities of Hell in the hereafter. Although such a person is in a most pitiable situation, he in no way deserves pity. For those who freely consent to indulge in harmful actions should not behe trud. They do not deserve it.

May Almighty God save us and you from the alluring temptations of this time, and preserve us from them. Amen.

A Footnote to the Second Station of the Thirteenth Word

In His name, be He glor commu

Those in prison are in great need of the true consolation of the Risale-i Nur.>Particularly those who having suffered the blows of youth, are passing their sweet, young lives in prison; testatied the Risale-i Nur>as much as they need bread.

Indeed, youth heeds the emotions rather than reason, and emotions and desires are blind; they do not consider the consequeore thThey prefer one ounce of immediate pleasure to tons of future pleasure. They kill for the one minute pleasure of revenge, then suffer for eighty thousand hours the pain of prison. And one hour's disshadow pleasure in questions of honour may result in life's enjoyment being utterly destroyed due to distress at the fear of both prison and enemies. There are many other examples, many pitfalls for the unfortunate young because ofod, th they transform their sweet lives into the most bitter and pitiable lives.

Consider a vast state to the north; {[*]: Russia. (Tr.)} it has gained possession of the passions of its young people and iil of ing this century with its storms. For it has made lawful for its youths the pleasing daughters and wives of upright people, and these youths act only according to theires on ngs, which are blind to all consequences. By permitting men and women to go together to the public baths, they are even encouraging immorality. And they considne trelawful for vagabonds and the poor to plunder the property of the rich. All humanity trembles in the face of this calamity.

It is therefore most necessary in this century for all Muslim youths to act heroically, and to respond to this two-p as hi attack with such keen swords as The Fruits of Belief>and A Guide for Youth>from the Risale-i Nur.>Otherwise those unfortunate youths will destroy utterly both their futures in this world, and their agref al-Klives, and their happiness in the hereafter, and their eternal lives, and transform them into torment and suffering. Moreover, through their abuses and dissoluteness, they will end ucond Wospitals, and through their excesses in life, in prisons. In their old age, they will weep copiously with a thousand regrets.

If, on the other hand, they protect themselves with Qur'anic training and

wie most truths of the Risale-i Nur,>they will become truly heroic youths, perfect human beings, successful Muslims, and in some ways rulers over animate beings and the rest of the animal kingdom.

When a youth in prison spends one hour out ol-Tabatwenty-four each day on the five obligatory prayers, on the one hand prison prevents him committing most sins, and on the other he repents for the mistakes that were the cause of his disaster, and abstains fsh, anher harmful, painful sins, and this will be of great benefit for both his life, his future, his country, his nation, and his relatives, and he will aing, bin with his fleeting youth of ten to fifteen years an eternal, brilliant youth. Foremost the Qur'an of Miraculous Exposition, and all the revealedto itstures, have given this certain good news.

If such a youth demonstrates through moderation and obedience, his gratitude for the pleasing, delightful bounty of youth, it will both increasough vand make it eternal, and make it a pleasure. Otherwise it will be both calamitous, and become painful, grievous, and a nightmare, then it will depart. It will cause him to become like a vagrant, harmful for both his relativthe fad his country, and his nation.

If the prisoner has been sentenced unjustly, on condition he performs the obligatory prayers, each hour wibranchthe equivalent of a day's worship, and the prison will be like a recluse's cell. He will be counted among the pious hermits of olden times who retired to caves in order to devote properlves to worship. If he is poor, aged, and ill, and desirous of the truths of belief, on condition he performs the obligatory prayers and repents, each hour will become the equivalent of twenty hours' worship, and prison wilhing, me like a resthouse for him, and because of his friends there who regard him with affection, a place of love, training, and education. He will probably be happier staying in prison than being freong, a outside he is confused and subject to the assaults of sins from all sides. He may receive a complete education from prison. On being released, it will not be as a murderer or thirsting forces ange, but as someone penitent, proven by trial, well-behaved, and beneficial for his nation. In fact, the Denizli prisoners became so extraordinarily well-behaved after studying the Risale-d its for only a short time that some of those concerned said: "Studying the Risale-i Nur>for fifteen weeks is more effective at reforming them than putting them in prison for f Ahâdî years."

Since death does not die and the appointed hour is unknown, it may come at any time; and since the grave cannot be closed and troop after troop enter it and are lost; and since it has been shown through the truths To Qur'an that for the believers death is transformed into the discharge

papers releasing them from eternal annihilation, while for the corrupt and the dted ofte it is to disappear for ever into eternal annihilation and be separated for ever from their loved ones and all beings, most certainly and with no doubt at all, the most fortunate person is he who with patience and thanks fully show tts from his time in prison, and studying the Risale-i Nur>works to serve the Qur'an and his belief on the straight path.

O you who is addicted to enjoyment and pleasure! I am seventy-five years old and I know with utter certainty from thousof thef experiences, proofs, and events that true enjoyment, pain-free pleasure, grief-free joy, and life's happiness are only to be found in belief and within the bounds of the truths of belief. For just one worldly ple road yields numerous pains; as though dealing ten slaps for a single grape, it drives away all life's pleasure.

O you unfortunate people who and dperiencing the misfortune of prison! Since your world is weeping and your life is bitter, strive so that your hereafter will not weep too, and your eternal life may smile and be sweet!ke theit from prison! Just as sometimes under severe conditions faced with the enemy, an hour's watch may be equivalent to a year's worship, so in the severe conditions you areno loniencing, the hardship of each hour spent as worship becomes the equivalent of many hours, it transforms that hardship into mercy.

In His Name, be He glorified!

My dear and loyal brothers!

I shaland meain in three points an effective solace for those who are experiencing the calamity of prison, and for those who kindly help them and faithfully supervise their food, which comes from outside.

~Fird has nt:>Each day spent in prison may gain as much as ten days' worship, and, with regard to their fruits, may transform those transient hours into enduring hours, and throuseek ce or ten years' punishment may be the means of saving a person from millions of years of everlasting imprisonment. For the believers, the condition fugh hining this most significant and valuable advantage is to perform the obligatory prayers, repent for the sins that were the cause of their imprisonment, and offer thanks in patience. Prison is an obstahose w many sins; it provides no opportunity for them.

~Second Point:>Just as the cessation of pleasure causes pain, so does the cessation of pain produce pleasure. Yes, on thinking of past happy, enjoyable days, everyone feelaint wng of regret and longing and says: "Alas!",

and recalling calamitous, unhappy days of the past, experiences a sort of pleasure since ithoutre passed, and declares: "Praise and thanks be to God, the calamity has left its reward and departed." He breathes a sigh of relief. That is to say, an hour's temporary pain and sorrow leave behind a sort of cious re in the spirit, while a pleasurable hour leaves a pain.

Since the reality is thus; and since past calamitous hours together with their paieat ex no longer existent, and future distressing days are at the present time non-existent, and there is no pain from nothing, to continually eat bread and drink water today, for example, because of thel, harbility of being hungry and thirsty in several days' time, is truly foolish. In just the same way, to think now of the past and future unhappy hours, which simply do not exist, and to display impatience, and ignoring one's faulty self, to moan worldugh complaining about God is also most foolish. So long as the power of patience is not scattered to left and right, that is, to the past and future, and is held firm in the face of the present of hour and day,but re sufficient. The distress is reduced from ten to one.

In fact, but let it not be complaining, divine favour pointed out the above fact to me while, during a few days of material and spiritual affliction, illness and trial the like ofls thi I had never before experienced in my life, I was being crushed in particular by the despair and distress of the heart and spirit which resulted from my betting able to serve the Qur'an and belief with the Risale-i Nur.>I was then content with my distressing illness and imprisonment. For, saying: "It is great profit for an unfort Alif.like myself who waits at the door of the grave to make one hour which might be passed in heedlessness ten hours' worth of worship," I gave thaning un~Third Point:>There is great gain with little trouble in compassionately aiding and assisting prisoners, in giving them the sustenance they need, anifestaoothing their spiritual wounds with consolation. Giving them their food which comes from outside is like almsgiving which, exactly to the amount of the food,os anditten in the book of good deeds of those, outside and inside, who do this, together with the warders concerned. Especially if the calamity-stricken prisoner speech, ill, poor, or a stranger, then the reward of this almsgiving increases many times over.

This high profit is conditional on performing the obligatory prayers so that such service is for God's sake. Another con that is to hasten to their assistance with sincerity, compassion and joy, and in such a way as to not make them feel obliged.

In His st facbe He glorified!

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

My friends in prison and brothers in religion!

It occurred to me to explain a truth to you which will save you from both worldly torment and t of abment of the hereafter. It is as follows:

For example, a person killed someone's brother or one of his relatives. A murder which yields one minute's pleasure at taking revenge iate t millions of minutes of distress for the heart in addition to the anguish of prison. While fear at the murdered man's relatives' revenge,e jinnnxiety at finding himself face to face with his enemy drives away all his pleasure in life. He suffers the torment of both fear and anger. There is only one solution for this and that is reconciliation, which the Qur'an commands,as thoruth, reality, benefit, humanity, and Islam require and encourage.

Certainly, what is required in reality is peace, because the appointed hour is fixed, it doearadischange. Since the murdered man's appointed hour had come, in any event he would have stayed no longer. As for the murderer, he was the means of God's decree being carried out. So long as there is no reconciliation, both sides perpetually suffhidden torments of fear and revenge. It is because of this that Islam commands: "A believer should not be vexed with another believer for more than three days." {[*]: Muslim, Birr, 25. on thhe murder was not the result of a vindictive grudge and enmity and a two-faced troublemaker instigated the discord, it is essential to make peace quickly. Otherwise, a minor disaster you tos a large one, and continues. If they make peace and the murderer repents and prays continuously for the man he killed, then both sides will gain much and becomhroughrothers. In place of one departed brother, he will gain several religious brothers. He will be resigned to divine decree and determining and forgive his enemy. Es they ly since they heed the lessons of the Risale-i Nur,>both personal and public peace and well-being, and the brotherhood that exists within the fold of the Risale-i Nur>require that they put aside ao one hard feelings that exist between them.

It was thus in Denizli Prison: all the prisoners who were enemies became brothers through the lessons of the Risale-i Nur.>It was one reason for our acquittal and caused even the irreligious and ungt vasto say about those prisoners: "Masha'llah! Barakallah!">And it was an utter relief for those prisoners. I myself have seen here a hundred men suffer inconvenience

on accents of one man and not go out to take exercise together. It isدُ﴿pression towards them. A manly believer of sound conscience will not cause hundreds of other belie scenharm because of some insignificant and minor error or benefit. If he makes a mistake and does cause harm, he should repent immediately.

My loyal new brothers and old prisoners!

I now feel quite certain that in respect of divine favour, you are an important cause of our entering here. That is to say, with its consolation a; they truths of belief, the Risale-i Nur>will save both you from the distress of this calamity of prison and from much worldly harm, and your life from passing profitlessly and in vain through grief and sorrow and being wasted on the winds of fan approd your hereafter from weeping like your world is weeping now; it will provide you with true solace.

Since the reality of the matter is this, of course you must be brothers to one another, like the Denizli prisoners and Risale-i Nonditidents. You can see that they examine all your possessions, food, bread, and soup which come from outside so that a knife does not get irving g you and you do not attack one another. The warders who faithfully serve you suffer much trouble. Also, you do not go out to exercise tSee thr, as though you were going to attack one another like wild beasts. And so, new friends, who are by nature bold and courageous, with great moral courage you should say to the group at this time:

"If not knives, Qur'anusers and revolvers were given us and the order to fire as well, we would not hurt our friends who are unfortunate and suffering this calamity like ourselves. Through the guidance and at the command of the Qur'an, ce, whlief, and Islamic brotherhood, and our interests, we have decided to forgive them and to try not to offend them, even if formerly there were a hundred reasons for our enmity and hostility." In this way you may transform this prison into an aunest aus place of study.

An Important Matter that occurred to my heart on the Night of Power

I shall allude brie manif a truly extensive, lengthy truth which occurred to my heart on the Night of Power.

Because of the extreme tyranny and despotism of this last World War and its merciless destruction, and hundreds of innocents being scadom. T and ruined on account of a single enemy, and the awesome despair of the defeated, and the fearsome alarm of the victors and their ghastly pangs of conscience arising from the sur, knoy they are unable to maintain and the destruction they are unable to repair, and the utter transitoriness and ephemerality of the life of this world and the deceptive, opiate nature of the fantasies of cim the tion becoming apparent to all, and the exalted abilities lodged in human nature and the human essence being wounded in universal, awesome manner, and man's innate love and desire for immortality being aroused and awakened, and heenglessess and misguidance and deaf, lifeless nature being smashed by the diamond sword of the Qur'an, and the exceedingly ugly, exceedingly cruel true face of world politics becoming apparent, which is the widest and most suf well ng and deceptive cover for heedlessness and misguidance, most certainly and without any shadow of a doubt, since the life of this world - which is the metaphorical beloved of humankind - is thus ugly and transient, inborn human on of will search with all its strength for eternal life, which it truly loves and yearns for, just as there are signs of this occurring in the North, the West, and in America.

Most certainlyw cons is also no doubt that since the Qur'an of Miraculous Exposition, which each century for one thousand three hundred and sixty years has had three hundred and fifty million students, and sets the seal on each of its pronouncemennally, claims through the affirmation of millions of profound, veracious scholars, and each minute has been present with its sacredness in the hearts of millions of hafiz's and given instruction to humankind through thei by noues, and which in a way unmatched by any other book conveys the good news of eternal life and everlasting happiness to humankind and heals all its wounds - sil the e Qur'an has given this certain good news of eternal life and happiness with thousands of its insistent, powerful and repeated verses, and with its certain unshakeable proofs and innumerable indubitable arguments which invite.

Sive news explicitly and implicitly tens of thousands of times, so long as humanity does

not altogether lose its mind and a material or immaterial doomollectoes not erupt over its head, the broad masses and great states in the world will search out the Qur'an of Miraculous Exposition, and having grasped its truths, willhe mouce it with all their lives and spirits, just as there are [now] famous preachers in Sweden, Norway, Finland and England working to have the Qur'an accepted, and thed provtant community of America is searching for the true religion. Because in view of this fact, the Qur'an by no means has - nor can have - any equal. Absolutely nothing can t the Pe place of this greatest miracle.

Secondly: The Risale-i Nur>performs the duty perfectly, for it is a diamond sword in the hand of this greatest miracle and has compelled its stubborn enemies to submit. It acts as a heralawhîd,he treasures of the Qur'an in a fashion that illuminates and heals completely the heart, the spirit, and the emotions, and has no source or authority other than the Qur'an and is its miracle.

Furthermmad ev has completely routed the obstinate atheists and their fearsome propaganda against it, and smashed to pieces with the treatise Nature: Cause or Effect?>nature be vih is the most impregnable bastion of misguidance, and, with the Sixth Topic of the treatise The Fruits of Belief>together with the First, Second, Third and Eighth Proofs all of which are included in the book The Staff of Moses, with anished heedlessness in brilliant fashion in its most dense, suffocating, and extensive form beneath the wide-reaching veils of science and has demonstrated the light ohis dane unity.

For sure, since religious instruction is now officially permitted and permission has been given to open private places of study, it is necessary for us and essential f withi nation that, as far as is possible, students of the Risale-i Nur>should open a small Risale-i Nur>study centre in every place. Although everyone would benefit to some extent, not everyone would understand every m are icompletely. But since these matters are explanations of the truths of belief, they are both learning, and knowledge of God, and lead to a sense of God's presence, and are worship.

God willing, tve undisale-i Nur>'medreses' will secure in five to ten weeks the results that the former medreses produced in five to ten years - and they have been so doing for twenty years.

Also, it is essential that the government does not interfere with thmirrorashes of the Qur'an, the Risale-i Nur,>which is the Qur'an's herald and is beneficial in many ways for the worldly and political life of this nation and country, in pair its life in the hereafter. Indeed, it should work for its total spread and acceptance, so that it may atone for the grievous sins of the past, and form a barriesceneshe severe trials and anarchy of the future.

The Sixth Topic from The Fruits of Belief

[This consists of a single, brief proof of the pillars a wolief, Belief in God, for which there are numerous decisive proofs and explanations in the Risale-i Nur.>]

In Kastamonu a group of high-school students came to me, sayos shoTell us about our Creator, our teachers do not speak of God." I said to them: All the sciences you study continuously speak of God and make known the Creats thatch with its own particular tongue. Do not listen to your teachers; listen to them.

For example, a well-equipped pharmacy with life-giving potions and cures in every jar weighed out in precise and wondrous meae 'Alldoubtless shows an extremely skilful, practised, and wise pharmacist. In the same way, to the extent that it is bigger and more perfect and better stocked than the pharmacy inrayer arketplace, the pharmacy of the globe of the earth with its living potions and medicaments in the jars which are the four hundred thousand species of plse notnd animals shows and makes known to eyes that are blind even - by means of the measure or scale of the science of medicine that you study - the All-Wise One of Glory, Who is the Pdates,ist of the mighty pharmacy of the earth.

To take another example: A wondrous factory which weaves thousands of sorts of cloth from a simple material doubtless makes known a manufacturer anes of ful mechanic. In the same way, to whatever extent it is larger and more perfect than the human factory, this travelling dominical machine knowifestahe globe of the earth with its hundreds of thousands of heads, in each of which are hundreds of thousands of factories, shows and makes known - by means of the measure or scale of the science of engineering which you study - itights facturer and Owner.

And, for example, a depot, store, or shop in which has been brought together and stored up in regular and orderly fashion a thousand and one varietice andprovisions undoubtedly makes known a wondrous owner, proprietor, and overseer of provisions and foodstuffs. In just the same way, to whatever degree it is vaster and more perfect than such a sits mor factory, this foodstore of the Most Merciful One known as the globe of the earth, this divine ship, this dominical depot and shop holding goods, equipment, and conserved food, which in one year travels reghe div an orbit of twenty-four thousand years, and carrying groups of beings requiring different

foods and passing through the seasons on its journey and filling the spring witured wsands of different provisions like a huge waggon, brings them to the wretched animate creatures whose sustenance has been exhausted in winter, - by means of the measure or scale of the science of economics which you e spri- this depot of the earth makes known and makes loved its Manager, Organizer, and Owner.

And, for example, let us imagine an army which consists of four hundred thousand nations, and each nation requires differegerenovisions, uses different weapons, wears different uniforms, undergoes different drill, and is discharged from its duties differently. If this army and camp has d revecle-working commander who on his own provides all those different nations with all their different provisions, weapons, uniforms, and equipment withm, wourgetting or confusing any of them, then surely the army and camp show the commander and make him loved appreciatively. In just the same way, the spring camp of the face of the parts in which every spring a newly recruited divine army of the four hundred thousand species of plants and animals are given their varying uniforms, rations, weapons, training, and demobilizations in utterly perfect and regular fashio Sun, single Commander-in-Chief Who forgets or confuses not one of them - to whatever extent the spring camp of the face of the earth is vaster and more perfect than that human army - by means of the, may re or scale of the military science that you study - it makes known to the attentive and sensible, its Ruler, Sustainer, Administrator, and Most Holy Commander, causing wonderment and acclaim, and makes Him lovef bloopraised and glorified.

Another example: Millions of electric lights that move and travel through a wondrous city, their fuel and power source never being exhausted, self-evidently make known ag to cr-working craftsman and extraordinarily talented electrician who manages the electricity, makes the moving lamps, sets up the power source, and brings the es fivthey cause others to congratulate and applaud him, and to love him. In just the same way, although some of the lamps of the stars in the roof of the palace of the world in the ordinaf the universe - if they are considered in the way that astronomy says - are a thousand times larger than the earth and move seventy times faster than a cannonball, they do not spoil their nemies nor collide with one another, nor become extinguished, nor is their fuel exhausted. According to astronomy, which you study, for our sun to continue burning, which is a million times larger than the earth and a million times older extres a lamp and stove in one guesthouse of the Most Merciful One, as much oil as the seas of the earth and as much coal as its mountains or as many logs and much wood as as a thousand earths are necessary for i Oh, to be

extinguished. And however much greater and more perfect than this example are the electric lamps of the palace of the world in the mto conc city of the universe, which point with their fingers of light to an infinite power and sovereignty which illuminates the sun and other loftf one s like it without oil, wood, or coal, not allowing them to be extinguished or to collide with one another, though travelling together at speed, to that degree - by means of the measure of the science of electricity which you egree study or will study - they testify to and make known the Monarch, Illuminator, Director, and Maker of the mighty exhibition of the universe; they make Him loved, glorified, and worshipped.

And, for examdoor oake a book in every line of which a whole book is finely written, and in every word of which a sura of the Qur'an is inscribed with a fine pen. Being most meaningful with all of its matters corroborati For i another and a wondrous collection showing its writer and author to be extraordinarily skilful and capable, it undoubtedly shows its writer and author together with all his perfections and ary starclearly as daylight, and makes him known. It makes him appreciated with phrases like, "What wonders God has willed!" and, "Blessed be God!" Just the same is the mighty book of the universe; we see with our eyes s servat work which writes on the face of the earth, which is a single of its pages, and on the spring, which is a single folio, the three hundred thousand planat a sanimal species, which are like three hundred thousand different books, all together, one within the other, without fault or error, without mixing them up or confusing them, perfectly and with complete orders and sometimes writes an ode in a word like a tree, and the complete index of a book in a point like a seed. However much vaster and more perfeir fid meaningful than the book in the example mentioned above is this compendium of the universe and mighty embodied Qur'an of the world, which is infinitely full of meaning and in every word of which are numerous instances of wisdf the that degree - in accordance with the extensive measure and far-seeing vision of the natural science that you study and the sciences of reading and writing that you have practised at school - it makes known hese wscriber and Author of the book of the universe together with His infinite perfections. Proclaiming 'God is Most Great!', it makes Him known. Uttering words like 'Glory be to God!', it describes Him. Uttering praises likn's (U praise be to God!', it makes Him loved.

Thus, hundreds of other sciences like these make known the Glorious Creator of the universe together with His names, each through its broad measure or scale, its particular for no, its far-seeing eyes, and searching gaze; they make known His attributes and perfections.

It is in order to give instruction in this matter, whichnt imabrilliant and magnificent proof of divine unity, that the Qur'an of Miraculous Exposition teaches us about our Creator most often with the verses, "Sustainer of the Heavens and the Earth"he wen, and, "He created the Heavens and Earth">(13:16). I said this to the schoolboys, and they accepted it completely, affirming it by saying: "Endless thanks be to God, for we have receiveds age solutely true and sacred lesson. May God be pleased with you!" So I said:

Man is a living machine who is grieved by thousands of different sossibleand receives pleasure in thousands of different ways; and despite his utter impotence has innumerable enemies, physical and spiritual; and despite his infinite poverty, has countless needs, externe reco inner; and is a wretched creature continuously suffering the blows of death and separation. Yet, through belief and worship, he at once becomes connected to a Monarch so Glorious he fiof a cpoint of support against all his enemies and a source of help for all his needs, and like everyone takes pride at the honour and rank of the lord to whom he is attached, you can compare for yoursehat noow pleased and grateful and thankful and full of pride man becomes at being connected through belief to an infinitely Powerful and Compassionate Monarch, at entering His service through worship, and transformingf an iimself the announcement of the execution of the appointed hour into the papers releasing him from duty.

I repeat to the calamity-stricken prisoners what I said to the schoolboys: The bsolut who recognizes Him and obeys Him is fortunate even if he is in prison. While one who forgets Him is wretched and a prisoner even if he resides in a palace. Even, one wronged but forolute man said to the wretched tyrants who were executing him: "I am not being executed but being demobilized and departing for where I shall find happiness. But I see that you are being condemned to eternll be cution and am therefore taking perfect revenge on you." And declaring: "There is no god but God!", he happily surrendered his spirit.

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

The Air: A Window onto Divine Unity

In His Name, be He glorified!

And there is nothing but it glorifies Him wi more ise.>(17:44)

My Very Dear and Loyal Brothers!

My brothers, I observed in a subtle point concerning God's unity, which suddenly became clear while studying the page of the air on ce to ney of the imagination and mind, that is, in the word 'He' (Hû)>in the phrases "Say, He is God">(112:1) and "There is no God but He">(2:163, 3:2, 59:22) - and that was only in its material aspect - that the way of belhe gal infinitely easy, easy to the point of being necessary, and that the way of misguidance and associating partners with God is infinitelorm maicult, so difficult as to be impossible. I shall explain that long and extensive point with an extremely brief indication.

Yes, if soil, one handful of which can actone whflowerpot for hundreds of plants in turn, is attributed to nature or causes, it becomes necessary either for there to be present in such a handful hundreds of immaterial machines, indeed, machines and factories to the number of tr facents, or for each particle of that small amount of soil to know how to make all those different plants together with their different characteristics and living organotectste simply, each would have to possess infinite knowledge and limitless power like a god.

The same is true for the air, which is a place of maximum manifestation of the divine will and command: either there would hsand d be present on a minute scale in each of its molecules, in each waft of wind, each breath, and in the tiny amount air expended with the word 'He', the innumerable different exchangens of tres, receivers and transmitters of all the telephones, telegraphs and radios in the world so that each could perform those innumerablults f at the same time; or else, each particle of each molecule of air exhaled with 'He', and indeed of the element air, would have to possesdens oities and personalities to the number of all the different telephone users, telegraphers, and those who speak on the radio, and know all their different languages and broadcast them to the other particles at nse ofme time. For such a situation is actually apparent and every bit of air possesses that ability. Thus, in the ways of the unbelievers, naturalists, and materialists not one impossibility, but impossibilities and difficulties are clearlt wererent to the number of molecules of air.

If attributed to the All-Glorious Maker, however, the air together with all its particles becomes a so ago iunder His command. With its Creator's permission and through His power, and through being connected to its Creator and relying on Him, and through the manifestation of its Maker's power, in an instant with te the ed of lightning and with the ease of uttering the word 'He' and the movement of the air in waves, its innumerable universal duties are performed as easily as an orderly, single duty of a single pcts wie. That is to say, the air becomes a page for the endless, wonderful, and orderly writings of the pen of power, and its particles become the isplayf the pen, and their duties the points inscribed by it. The air functions as easily as the movement of a single particle.

Thus, while on my journey of con of thtion prompted by the phrases "There is no God but He">and, "Say, He is God,">and while observing the world of the air and studying the page of that element, I witnets, anhis brief truth with utter certainty and clarity, and in detail. And I understood with knowledge of certainty that it was because there is in the word 'He', in the air of its utterance, such a brilliant proof and oxes, of divine unity; and also in its meaning and allusions such a luminous manifestation of divine oneness and powerful proof of divine unity; and iught u proof an indication that since the pronoun 'He' is unconditional and indefinite, it suggests the question, "Who does it refer to?"; that both the Qur'an of Miraculous Exposition and those who constantly recite the divinate ths frequently repeat this sacred word in the station of unity.

If, for example, there is one point on a piece of white paper and two or three other points are jumbled around with it and torshipmeone who already has numerous jobs tries to distinguish them, he will be confused; and if many burdens are loaded on a small creature, it wi persucrushed; and if numerous words issue from one tongue and enter one ear altogether at the same time, their order will be broken and they will all be a muddle.

Despite this being the case, I saw with complete ceempty y that with the key and compass of 'He', although thousands of different points, letters and words had been put in each molecule - and even in each particle - of the#125

snt air, through which I journeyed in my mind, neither did they become mixed up nor did they spoil their order; and although they performed a great many different duties, these were carried out without being confused in any way; and alth than ery heavy loads were laid on each molecule and particle, they bore them in order without lagging or displaying any weakness at all. And I saw that thousands of different words of ssessifferent sorts enter and issue with perfect order from what is in effect those minute ears and tongues without being mixed up and spoilt in any

#hat uny, they enter those minute ears and issue from those tiny tongues, and by performing these extraordinary duties, each particle and each molecule declares through the enraptured have e of its being and its perfect freedom, and through the testimony and tongue of the above truth: "There is no God but He,">and, "Say, He is God, the One,">and travels among such air-clashing waves assh, ths and lightning and thunder without in any way spoiling their order or confusing their duties; one duty is not an obstacle to another duty. I observed this with the vision of c Then ty.

That is to say, either every particle and piece of the air has to possess infinite wisdom, knowledge, will, and power, and the qualiter isor being absolutely dominant over all the other particles so that it can be the means of those functions being carried out, which is absurd and impossible to tthe cober of particles, and no devil even could imagine it, or else - and it is self-evident to the degree of knowledge of certainty, vision of certainty, and absolute certainty - that the page of the air functions through the b evidess, infinite knowledge and wisdom of the All-Glorious One, and is the protean page for the pen of divine power and determining, and like a signboard for writing andonsasing, known as a Tablet of Appearance and Dissolution, which has the function of the Preserved Tablet in the world of transformation and change.

Thus, just as the element of ai the bnstrates the above-mentioned wonders and manifestation of divine unity in only the duty of transmitting sound and shows the impossibilities of misguidance, so does it perform other important duties with orfire bd without confusing them, such as transmitting subtle forces and energy, like electricity, light, and the forces of attraction and repulsion. At the same time as conveying these, with perfect order, it carries ouct thees essential for the lives of plants and animals, such as respiration and pollination. It proves in decisive fashion that it is a place of maximum manifestation (throne) of the divine will and command. I came to the firm conclusion that it pnty thwith the vision of certainty that in no way is there any possibility of vagrant chance, blind force, deaf nature, confused and aimless causes, and powerless, lifeless, unknowinth praer interfering in the writing and duties of the page of the air. And I understood that every particle and part of it declares with the tterpreof its being: "There is no God but He,">and, "Say, He is God, the One.">Just as with the key of 'He' I saw these wonders in the material aspect of the air, so also, as aation did the element air become a key to the World of Similitudes and the World of Meaning.

I saw that the World of Similitudes is all the time taking innuminvite photographs without confusing them, and that each photograph contains

innumerable events occurring in this world. I understood that it was a gigantic camera, and a vast cinema of to favreafter thousands of times larger than the world for showing in eternal theatres the fruits of the transitory and impermanent states and lives of ephemeral beings, for showing to those enjoying everlasting bliss in Paradisinimites from their old memories and adventures in this world. {(*): This is cut short here since the time and place and conditions do not allow this to be prove vasth firm proofs and arguments like clear facts.}

While the faculties of memory and imagination, which are two proofs, two small examples, and two points of both the Preserved Tablr is i the World of Similitudes situated in man's head, are as tiny as lentils, within them are written in perfect order and without being mixed up as much information as may be contained in a large library. This proves decisives, cent large examples of those faculties are the World of Similitudes and the Preserved Tablet. It proves too decisively and makes known wi own w knowledge of certainty that the World of Similitudes and the Preserved Tablet are written with the pen of divine determining and power, with far more wisdom and will than the elements of air and water anare Alicularly seminal fluid and the element of earth, and that it is completely impossible for chance, blind force, deaf nature, or lifeless and aimless causes to inteu, andin them, and that they are a page of the pen of power and wisdom of the All-Wise One of Glory.

The Fourteenth Word

In the Name of Gphorice Merciful, the Compassionate.

Alif. Lam. Ra. [This is] a Book with verses fundamental [of established meaning]. Further explained in detail, from One All-Wise and Well-Acquainted [with all things].>(11:1)

[In order to ascen thereome of the elevated truths of the All-Wise Qur'an, and of Hadiths, which are the true expounder of the Qur'an, we shall point out a number of comparisons of those stt givee truths to assist hearts deficient in submission and obedience, and shall explain in the conclusion an object lesson and a mystery concerning divine favour. From among those truths, comparisons of the Resurrection and Day of Judgement leavesven in the Tenth Word and its Ninth Truth in particular, so there is no need to repeat them. Here we shall mention only five matters as examples of the other truths.]

THE FIRST: For example, the verse,

He created the heavens and the many oin six days.>(7:54)

With these Qur'anic days, which consist of a long period of time like perhaps a thousand or fifty thousand years, this verse alludes to the fact the world of human beings and of the animaf an el last six days. So in order to induce certainty about this elevated truth, we draw attention to the travelling worlds, transient universes, and passing cosmoses whicearth Glorious Maker creates every day, every year, every century, each of which is like a day. It is as though these worlds are all guests lik the A At the All-Glorious One's command, each season the world is filled and emptied.

THE SECOND: For example, the verses,

Nor anything fresh or dry but is [inscribed] in a Record Clear.>(6:59) * And of all things have We taken account r Beinlear Book.>(36:12) * From Whom is not hidden the least little atom in the heavens or on earth; nor is there anything less than that, or greater, but it is in the Record Clear.>(34:3)

These verses state that all things toof the with all their states are recorded before they come into existence, when they come into existence, and after they have departed, and that they are being recorded. In order to be convinced of this elevatede that, we point out to be observed the following. The All-Glorious Inscriber includes and preserves in immaterial fashion in the seeds and rootsre thee innumerable well-ordered creatures which He changes every season on the page of the earth and particularly in the spring, the indexes of their beings, their life histories, andn auturinciples according to which they act. And when they die He inscribes in immaterial fashion with the same pen of divine determining those indexes, life-histories and principles in the simple seeds in the god bits. And every passing spring even He preserves them - whether fresh or dry - in perfect order in seeds resembling dry chips of wood and bones, limited and tiny. It is as if each spring is attached like m the er to the face of the earth in extremely orderly and balanced fashion by the hand of One All-Beautiful and All-Glorious, then is plucked from it; each is placed on it, then removed. While the reality is this, nths' the strangest forms of man's misguidance is that he calls this natural writing, this artful inscribing, this passive pattern of wisdom which is an index of dominical art n requly a reflection and manifestation of the Preserved Tablet, "nature," and considers it to be the source and active and effective. Can there be any comparison between the ground and you.

eiades? Can there be any comparison between reality and the notions of the heedless?

THE THIRD: For example, the Bringer of Sure News stated concith be the Bearers of the Throne, the angels appointed to the earth and the skies, and other sorts of angels, that they glorify God with forty thousand heads, and with the forty thousan spiriues in each head, and in forty thousand ways with each tongue. In order to ascend to this truth, consider the following carefully. With verses like,

The seven heavens and the earth and s decothin them glorify and extol Him.>(17:44) * It was We Who made the hills declare in unison with him Our praises.>(38:18) * We did indeed offer the Trust to the heavensing ethe earth and the mountains,>(33:72)

the All-Glorious One expresses clearly that even the greatest and most universal of beings demonstrate that they glorify Him in accordow greith their universality and in a way appropriate to their vastness. It appears to be thus. Just as the words of glorification of the heavens, wer to re an ocean glorifying God, are the suns, moons, and stars, so the words of praise of the earth, a flying thing praising and glorifying, are the animals,

plants and trees. That is rsal c, just as the trees and stars all perform particular forms of glorification, so do the earth and every part of the earth, and all the mountains and valleys, and the la His c the sea, and the spheres of the firmament and the constellations in the heavens all perform universal forms of glorification. The earth possesses these thousands of heads containing thousands of tongt secrnd certainly has an angel appointed to it who translates and displays in the World of Similitudes the flowers of glorification and fruits of praise it performs with each, and who represents and proclaims them in the World of Spirits.l chardeed, if numerous things take on the form of a collectivity, a collective personality comes into being. If such a collectivity fuses and becomes diviny, it will have a collective personality and a sort of spirit which will represent it, and an appointed angel who will perform its duty of glorification. As an example, consider the plane tre of afront of my room here, a mighty word in the mouth of Barla and the tongue of this mountain: see how many hundreds of tongues of smaller branches there are on the three heads of the three main branches o atta trunk. Study carefully how many hundreds of words of well-ordered and balanced fruits it has, and how many hundreds of letters of well-proportiEuropeinged seeds: just as you hear and see how eloquently it praises and glorifies the All-Glorious Maker, the Owner of the command of "'Be!', and it is">(36:82), so too the angel appointed to it represents its glorificat as thth numerous tongues in the World of Meaning. Wisdom necessitates that it is so.

THE FOURTH: For example, consider the elevated truth expressed by such verses as:

Indeed, His command when He wills a thing, is, "Be!", and it is.>(36:82) * And the decision of the Hour is as the twinkling of an eye.>(16:77) * And We are closer to sday dan his jugular vein.>(50:16) * The angels ascend to Him in a day the measure of which is fifty thousand years.>(70:4)

The truth is this: the Absoluteld injerful One creates things with such ease and speed, with no direct or physical contact, that it appears that He creates with a mere command, and this is understood. Also, although the All-Powerful Maker is infinitely close to beings, they theirfinitely distant from him. Furthermore, despite His infinite might and glory, He sets in order the most insignificant and lowly matters attaching importance to them, and does not deny them the beauty of His art. Thus, the perfect ordancwithin absolute ease observed in beings testifies to the existence of this Qur'anic truth. The following comparison demonstrates its meaning and wisdom. For example,to theGod's is the highest similitude">(16:60), despite

being a dense mirror to the divine name of Light among the All-Glorious Maker's most beautiful names, the duties the sun displays through the dominical commands, theivine subjugation, bring this truth closer to the understanding. It is as follows.

Together with its loftiness, the sun is infinitely close to all transparent and shininod comgs, indeed, is closer to them than their own selves, and it has an effect on them in numerous ways such as through its manifestation, its image, and power of disposal, yet those transparent objects are thousan over years distant from it, they can in no way have an effect on it, they cannot claim to be close to it. Also, the fact that the sun's is as t and tpresent and seeing in all transparent particles, wherever its light enters even, is understood by reason of its reflection and image being apparent in accordance with the particles' capacitiesost deolours. Furthermore, the sun's comprehensiveness and penetration increase to the vast extent of its luminosity. It is because of the greatness of its luminosity that the tinie summengs cannot hide or escape from it. This means that by virtue of the mystery of luminosity its immense vastness does not exclude even insignificant and tiny things;nderste contrary, it takes them within the sphere of its comprehension. Moreover, if to suppose the impossible we were to imagine that the sun acted with will in the tasks and manifestations its displays, with divine permissioankindould function in everything from particles and droplets and the surface of the sea to the planets with such ease and speed and breadth that one would suppose that it performed these mighty disposals at a mere command. A parti and sd a planet would be equal in the face of its command. The effulgence it bestowed on the surface of the sea it would bestow also with perfect order on a pe athee in accordance with the particle's capacity.

Thus, we see that the sun, which is a luminous bubble in the seas of the skies and a small, dense mirror to the manifestation of the Absolusor ofowerful One's name of Light, observedly displays examples of the three principles of this truth. So we surely believe with complete certainty some augh witnessing it that the All-Glorious One, Who is the Light of Light, the Illuminator of Light, the Determiner of Light, and in comparison to Whose knowledge and power the s prayeight and heat is as dense as earth, is all-present and all-seeing and infinitely close to all things with His knowledge and power, and that things are utterly distant from Him, and that He does things with such ease and facility ch is t is understood He creates with the ease and speed of a mere command, and that nothing at all, great or small, particular or universal, can escape from the spand erf His power, and that His magnificence encompasses all things. And this has to be believed.

THE FIFTH: The limits of the vastness of the Monarch of Pre-Eternity and Post-Eternity's dominicality and the tremendin thes of His Godhead stretch from,

No just estimate have they made of God, such as is due to Him: on the Day of Judgement the whole of the earth will be but His handful, and the heavens will be rolled up in His right hand,>(39:67)d to H And know that God comes between man and his heart,>(8:24)

and from,

God is the Creator of All Things, and He is the Guardian and Disposer of all affairs;>(39:62)

to,

[God] knows what theleft t as well as what they disclose,>(2:77, etc.)

and from,

[Who] created the heavens and the earth,>(7:54, etc.)

to,

God has created you and what you do,>(e of a

and from,

God has willed this! There is no power but with God;>(18:39)

to,

But you will not, except as God wills.>(76:30)

So what is the purpose of His stern complaints and s self-and awesome threats in the Qur'an against the sons of Adam, so impotent and infinitely weak and utterly poor and endlessly needy, who possess only partial will and have no power to create? In what way is i dutieormable and how is it appropriate? To be convinced of this profound and elevated truth, consider the following two comparisons.

First Comparfuel; For example, there was a royal garden in which were found innumerable fruit-bearing and flowering plants. Many servants were appointed to attend to it. The duty of one of the sit is s was only to open the water canal so that the water could spread throughout the garden and be benefited from. But the servant was lazy and failed to open the canal, so the plants' growth of the garden was impaired, or else they dried ost ofe rest of the servants had the right to complain, not about the Creator's dominical art and the Sultan's royal supervision and the obedient service of the light, air, and earth, but the W the foolish servant, for all their duties were rendered fruitless, or were impeded.

Second Comparison: For example, if, by abandoning his minor duty onch he hty royal ship, a common man causes harm to come to the results of the duties of all the others employed on the ship, and some of the duties come to nothing even, the ship's owner will complain bs no my about him in the name of all the others. The one at fault may not then say: "I'm just an ordinary person. I don't deserve such severity because of my unimportant omielievi" For a single instance of non-existence results in innumerable such instances, whereas existence yields results in accordance with itself. Fof resuough the existence of a thing is dependent on the existence of all the conditions and causes, its non-existence, its removal, occurs with the removal of a single condition and res of alrom the non-existence of a single particular. It is because of this that 'destruction is very often much easier than construction' is virtually a universally accepted principle. Since lso a ses of unbelief and misguidance and of rebellion and sin are denial and rejection, they are an abandoning and non-acceptance. However positive and possessing of existence they appear to be superficially, in reality ion ofre extinction and non-existence. In which case they are a contagious crime. Just as they harm the consequences of other beings' acts, so they draw a veil over the manifestation of the battitus of the divine names.

The Monarch of Beings, Whose right it is to make these innumerable complaints, therefore utters awesome complaints about rony ofous man in the name of those beings. To do so is perfect wisdom. Rebellious man is certainly deserving of His severe and awesome threats; without doubt he deserves them.

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

And what are the goods of this world but the goods of deception?>(an exp

O my wretched soul sunk in heedlessness, which sees this life as sweet, has forgotten the hereafter, and seeks only this world! Do you know what you resemble? An ostrichl becoees the hunter but cannot fly, so sticks it head in the sand so that the hunter will not see it. Its bulky body remains in the open and the hunter sees it. But iclaimis are closed in the sand and it cannot see him. O my soul, consider the following comparison, and see it!

Restricting one's view to this world transforms a great pleasure into a grievous pain. For example, there are twowest, n this village, that is, in Barla. Ninety-nine out of a hundred of the friends of one of them have gone to Istanbul, where they are living in fine fashion. Only one has remained here and he too will go there. Foligion reason, the man longs for Istanbul and thinks of it; he wants to join his friends. When he is told to go there, he is overjoyed and goes happily. As for tded inond man, ninety-nine of his friends have departed from here, but some have perished and others have been put in places where they neither see nor are seen. He imagines that they have departede for isappeared in utter misery. The wretched man becomes friendly with one single guest in place of all of them, and wants to find consolation. Through him he wants to forget the grievous pain of separation.

O my soul! Fularlyt God's Beloved (UWBP), and all your friends, are beyond the grave. The one or two who remain will also depart for there. So do not be frightened of death, anxious at the grave, and avert your head. Look manfully awords,grave, and listen to what it seeks. Laugh in death's face bravely, and see what it wants. Beware, do not be heedless and resemble the second man.

O my soul! Do not say, "The times have changed, thi of this different, everyone is plunged into this world and worships this life. Everyone is drunk with the struggle for livelihood." For death does not change. Separation is not transform the eo permanence and does not become different. Man's impotence and poverty do not change, they increase. Man's journey is not cut, it becomes faster.

and choice of the Sustainer. You may make further comparisons with other divine acts, such as the disposals of the air and weather and the subjugation of the cry pet

Also,e Qur't say, "I am like everyone else." For everyone befriends you only as far as the grave, and the consolation of being together with everyone else in disaster hach andeaning beyond the grave. And do not suppose yourself to be free and independent. For if you look at this guesthouse of the world with the eye of wisdom, you will see that nothing at all is wifficulorder and without purpose. How can you remain outside the order and be without purpose? Such events in the world as earthquakes are not the playthings of chance. For example, you see that the extrift toorderly, finely embroidered shirts, one over the other and one within the other, which are clothed on the earth from the species of animals and plants, are adorned and decki-tran from top to bottom with purposes and instances of wisdom, and you know that the earth revolves and is turned like an ecstatic Mevlevi in perfect order within most exalted aims. How is it then, as an an as w published, they suppose to be without purpose and the result of chance such death-tainted events of the earth as the earthquake? {[*]: This was written in connection with the İzmir earthquake.} It resembled the earhose vhaking off itself the weight of certain forms of humankind's heedlessness of which it disapproves, and especially that of the believers? How is it that they show the grievous lossmiratithe stricken to be without recompense and to have gone for nothing, so casting them into a fearsome despair? They are both making a great error and perpetrating a great wrong. Indeed, such events occur atn whomommand of One All-Wise and All-Compassionate, so as to transform the transient property of the believers into the equivalent of alms, and make it permanent. And they are atonement for their sins arising fr face ratitude for bounties. Just as a day will come when this subjugated earth will see the works of man, which are the adornment of its face, to be tainted by the attributing of partners to God and not to be the cause of thanks, and it will fi very m ugly. At the Creator's command, it will wipe them off its entire face and cleanse it. At God's command, it will pour those who attribute partners to God into Hell, and say to those who offer thanks, "Come and enter ave tose!"

Addendum to the Fourteenth Word

In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate

When the earth is shaken to its [utmost] convulsion, * And the earth throws up its burdation,rom within], * And man cries [distressed] "What is the matter with it?" * On that Day will it declare its tidings. * For that your Sustainer will have given it inspils wil.>(99:1-5)

This sura states definitely that in its movements and earthquakes the earth shakes at a command, on receiving revelation and inspiration. And sometimes it trembles.

[Prompted by an inspiration, the answers nt of ed to me to six or seven minor questions related to the current earthquakes, importantly from the point of view of their meaning. Although on several occasions I intended to write them in detail, permission was not given, so they have been e realn briefly and in short.]

First Question: More distressing than the material disaster of the present severe earthquake are its immaterial aspects: the despair and fear of further earthquakes are destroying the il himy rest of most of the people in most areas. What is the reason for this terrible torment?

~The Answer, again in regard to its meaning:>It has been said that the drunken, licentioe mothgs, some of which were performed by girls, being broadcast rapturously by means of the radio during the tarâwîh>prayers of the month of Ramadan in every corner of this blessed centre of Islam resulted in the torm

to,

this fear.

Second Question: Why aren't these heavenly blows dealt at the unbelievers in their countries? Why are they visited on the unhappy Muslims?

~The Answer:>Just as the requital for big mistakes and crimese aimestponed and made in big centres, and the requital for small crimes is made quickly in small centres, as a consequence of an important instance of wisdom, the recompense of the greater part of the unbel being' crimes is postponed to the Last Judgement, while the punishment for the believers' faults is in part given in this world.

{(*): Furthermore, in abandoning an ched tted and corrupted religion, people like the Russians do not incur divine wrath to the extent of those who betray a true and eternal religion which may not be abrogated. Thus, the earth ace to them at present, and displays its anger towards those here.}

Third Question: What is the reason for this disaster? If it arises from the wronnary s of a few individuals, why does it occur somewhat generally throughout the country?

~The Answer:>The general disaster results from the wrongdoing of the majority: most people in effect participate in the actions of those tyrannical indithrougs by supporting them either actively or morally or in some connection.

Fourth Question: Since the earthquake disaster results from wrongdoing and is atonement for sins, why are the innocent and thoseill tot fault struck by it? How does divine justice permit this?

~The Answer, again in regard to its meaning:>This matter concerns the mystery of divine determining, so we refer you to the Twenty-Sixth Word of the Risaleharmac>and here say only this:

And fear tumult or oppression, which affects not in particular [only] those of you who do wrong.>(8:25)

That is, beware of the calamity or disaster which whening thcurs is not restricted to wrongdoers but strikes the innocent as well. The meaning of the above verse is as follows: this world is a field of trial and examination to Go place of striving where man is accountable for his actions. Accountability and examination require that reality remains veiled so that through comp wouldn and striving the Abu Bakrs may rise to the highest of the high and the Abu Jahls may enter among the lowest of the low. If the innocent remained untouched by such dir not,s, the Abu Jahls would submit just like the Abu Bakrs, and the door of spiritual and moral progress through striving would be closed and the mystery of accountability spoiled.

Since divine wisdom require of th oppressed and oppressor are together afflicted by disaster, what share of divine mercy and justice then falls to the wretched oppressed?

In reply to this question iunterfsaid: for them there is a manifestation of mercy within the wrath and anger in the disaster. For just as the transient property of the innocent becomes like alms and gains permanence, so too the relatively minor, temporary difficulty and suffe theirs a form of martyrdom for them which also gains for their transient lives a permanent life. The earthquake earns for them a huge, perp heat profit, so for them is an instance of divine mercy within the wrath.

Fifth Question: Why does the All-Just and All-Compassionate, the All-Powerful and All-Wise noalanci particular punishments for particular wrongs, but inflicts a mighty element? How is this in keeping with the beauty of His mercy and His all-encompassing power?

~The Answer:>The All-Powerful One of Glory assigns nume from uties to each element and by means of each duty causes them to produce numerous different results. If one result of one of an element's duties is ugly, evil, or calamitous, the other good rellion render this result good too. If the element, which is angry at man, is prevented from the duty to avert the single ugly result, then instan praye good to the number of the good results will be abandoned. Hence, since not to perform a necessary good is evil, instances of evil will be perpetrated to the number of the instances of good. A single evil being averted would beh the mely ugly, opposed to wisdom, contrary to reality, and a fault. And power, wisdom and reality are free of fault. Since some errors con and ae rebellion comprehensive enough to bring the earth and elements to anger, and are insulting aggression against the rights of numerous crea artis for sure, in order to demonstrate the extraordinary ugliness of such a crime, it is perfect wisdom and justice that a mighty element be commanded to reprimand them among its other general meanss, and for the oppressed, it is perfect mercy.

Sixth Question: The neglectful and heedless put it about that the earthquake resulted from a fault in the rock strata inside the earth, and they look upon it as quitef itsey a chance event, natural, and without purpose. They do not see the non-material causes and results that they may come to their senses. Does matte beginwhich they base their views, have some reality?

~The Answer:>It has no reality other than misguidance for the following reason. Take the fg this of all the species on the earth, which each year is clothed in and changes more than fifty million finely embroidered well-proportioned shirts: the intention, will, purpose, and wisdom manifested on the ogethef a single fly, which is only one organ out of hundreds of one individual fly out of the countless numbers of all the flies on the face of the earth, and the fact that it is not neglected or e sameo its own devices, all show that no aspect of the significant acts and states of the huge globe of the earth, whether particular or universal, can be outside the divine will, choice, and purpose, for it is the cradle, mother, placelf, ancourse, and protector of innumerable conscious beings. However, as is required by His wisdom, the Possessor of Absolute Power makes apparent causes a veil to And thsposals. When He wills an earthquake, and sometimes He does, He commands the movement of the strata and ignites them. Even if it results from this movement or a fault in the strata, it is still at the divine command

anes, anccordance with His wisdom; it cannot occur in any other way.

For example, one man shot another with a rifle. If the man who fired the shot is entirely disregarded and onlafter.gunpowder in the bullet igniting is taken into consideration, the rights of the wretched victim would be completely violated, and it woumost ithe epitome of foolishness. In just the same way, the earth is a docile official of the All-Powerful One of Glory, rather, a ship or an aircraft of His. So to forget the dominical command concerning it: "Explode a bomb inside tt.

th prepared through wisdom and will in order to arouse the heedless and the rebellious!" and to deviate into nature, is the very peak of stupidity.

~An Addition and Footnote to the Sixth Question:>In order to defend their iracled counter the awakening of the believers and hinder them, the people of misguidance and the atheists display an obduracy so strange and a stupidity so peculiar it makes a person regret his humanity. For example, in order to make men give up th. If tcked and wrongful rebellion which recently has become somewhat general, and to arouse humanity and make it forego this awesome revolt and recognize the universe's Sovereign, Whom it does not want to recognize, the Cre of juf the heavens and the earth - not on account of a particular title but as Sustainer and Ruler of the whole universe and all the worlds and through a widespread and general manance ltion throughout the universe in the universal sphere of His dominicality - has struck humankind in the face with awesome, widespread calamities like earthquakes, storms, and world wars due to the univerl. It ements coming to anger, with water, the air, and electricity, which are matchless and constant. He has demonstrated through them in all clarity His wisdom, power, justice, and self-subsistence. Although this is thei-lumi certain brainless satans in human form respond to these universal dominical signs and divine reprimands with a foolish obstinacy, saying:

"It's nature. It's the explosion of some strata under the earth and just chance. It's ing win's heat clashing with electricity, which happened in America and brought all the machinery to a standstill for five hours, and also caused the atmosphere in Kd rebenu Province to turn red and take on the appearance of a conflagration." They utter meaningless nonsense like this. Due to a boundless ignorance resule treerom misguidance and an ugly obduracy arising from aggressive atheism, they do not know that causes are each only a pretext and a veil. A small seed taking the place of a village full of factt is mand looms to weave and produce the members of a pine tree as tall as a mountain shows this. By saying, "The tree emerged from the seed," they in effect deny the thousand mer, ans displayed in the pine

tree and cite a number of apparent causes. They reduce to nothing a huge dominical act worked through the Creator's will and wisdom. Sometthem. hey attach a scientific term to a profound, unknowable, and significant truth which has purposes in a thousand respects, as though by using the term it has been understood. Whereas in by aerely made commonplace, and without purpose, wisdom, or meaning.

So, come and see the innumerable degrees of stupidity and foolishness! They attach a name to a truth so profound and broad and unknownthemseuld be completely understood only if it and its purposes and instances of wisdom were described in a hundred pages. As though it were something obvious they say: "Ie kinghis." For example, "It is some substance in the sun clashing with electricity." Furthermore, they ascribe a particular and intentional dominical event to one of the natural laws, which ar unto the titles of universal, all-encompassing will and universal sovereignty, and are known as divine laws. By doing this they sever its connection with divi Bisl and choice, then refer it to chance and nature. They display an ignorance more profound than that of Abu Jahl. It is a rebellious foolishness like attribusoverehe victorious battle of an individual soldier or a battalion to military regulations and discipline, so cutting its connection with the commander, king, government, and purp revea action.

Similarly, if a wonder-working craftsman produces a hundred okkas>{[*]: okka approx. 2.8 lbs. or 1,300 grammes.} of various foodstuffs and a hundred yards of varying cloths from a chip of wood the size of fingernail one f the creation of a fruitbearing tree from a seed, and someone points to the chip of wood and declares that these things have come into being out of it "naturally" and "by chance," so reducing to nothing the craftsman'om abarous arts and skills, what utter lunacy it would be. It is exactly the same as that.

Seventh Question: What should one understand from this terrestrial event happening to the Muslim people of ercy. ountry and its being aimed at them? And why are the areas of Erzincan and Izmir affected most?

~The Answer:>As is indicated by many signs, such as the event occurring during a hard winter in the dark of night in sar andy cold weather, and its restriction to a region where due respect is not paid to the month of Ramadan, and the earthquakes continuing mildly in order to arouse the neglectful - it suggests that the earthquakes arn't ned at and look to the believers and are shaking the earth in order to warn them to perform the prayers and their supplications, and the earbitionelf is shaking. There are two reasons for places like unfortunate Erzincan being shaken more than other places.

~One:>Since its faults are few, their purification has been expedited.

~The Second:>Since there is the opportunty exp some places of strong, loyal defenders of the faith and protectors of Islam being defeated to a degree or entirely and atheists establishing an effective centre of activity, it is possible that punishment has been visited on them first. Nonad nots the Unseen save God.

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)

The Fifteenth Word

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

And We have adorned the lowest heaven with lamps, and We have made them missiles to drive away the evil ones.>(67:5)

rlds; modern-educated Sir whose brain has shrunk through studying the soulless matters of astronomy, whose mind can see no further than the tip , the nose, and who cannot squeeze the mighty mystery of the above verse into his constricted brain! The heaven of the verse may be reached by a stairway of seven steps. Comeg fortus climb them together!

FIRST STEP: Truth and wisdom require that the heavens have inhabitants appropriate to them as the earth has. According to the Shari'a, those various beings are called angels and spirit beings. Reality requires is; quie thus, for despite its small size and insignificance, the earth being filled with living and conscious beings, then emptied from time to time and once again repopulated suggests, indeed makes it clear, wn souhe heavens too, in which are magnificent constellations and are like adorned palaces, should be filled with conscious and percipient creatures. Like human beings and the jinn, those crelies a are spectators of the palace of the universe, observers of the book of creation, and heralds of the sovereignty of dominicality. For the universe is arrnd thend embellished with innumerable adornments, decorations, and ornaments, and self-evidently requires the thoughtful gazes of those who t is tppreciate it and wonder at it. Certainly, beauty requires a lover and sustenance is given to the hungry. However, human beings and the jinn are able to perform only a millionth of this endless duto yours grand viewing, this extensive worship. That is to say, endless sorts of angels and spirit beings are necessary to perform these endless duties and diverse worship.

As is ind it is by certain narrations and the wisdom in the order of the universe, some kinds of travelling bodies, from planets to drops of water, are the mounts of a kind of angel. It may be said that they mount them {[*]: See, Tirmidhî, Zuhd, and th Mâja, Zuhd, 19.}

with God's permission and tour and gaze upon the Manifest World. It also may be said that the various types of animal bodies, from the birds of Parth hiscalled "the green birds" {[*]: See, Muslim, Imâra, 121; Tirmidhî, Tafsîr Sûra 3:19; Ibn Mâja, Janâ'iz, 4; Jihâd, 16; Dârimî, Jihâd, 18; Musnad, vi, 386.} in a Hadith, to flies, are each the aircraft for a sort of spirit being. They enter them is a d's command, travel around the physical universe observing the miracles of creation through the windows of the senses of the animals' bodies.

The Creator, Who continuously creates subtle life and luminous percipientthey as from dense earth and turbid water, surely also creates conscious beings suitable for spirit and life, from those seas of light and even from the oceans of darkness. And He creates them in great abundance. The existence of angels an:19)

it beings has been proved with the certainty of two plus two equals four in my treatise entitled Nokta (Point), and in the Twenty-Ninth Word. If you wish, you may refer to them.

SECOND STEP: The earth and the heavens are connected to one aion, m like two countries under a single government. There are important relations and transactions between them. Things necessary for the earth like light, heat, blessings, and mercy iief, aform of rain come from the sky, that is, they are sent. According to the consensus of the heavenly religions, which are founded on revelation, and the agreement of all those who uncover the mysteries of the universe, relyiPLET

what they have witnessed, the angels and spirit beings descend to the earth from the skies. From this it may be understood through a surmise so certain it is almost perceptible that for the inhabitants and te earth there is a way to ascend to the heavens.

Indeed, everyone's mind, imagination, and gaze perpetually rise to the skies. So tooin theng discarded all heaviness, the spirits of the prophets and saints rise there with God's permission, and having stripped off their bodies, the spirits of the dehe Ansnce those who become light and subtle rise to the heavens, for sure, one sort of the inhabitants of the earth and the air who are clothed in wraith-like bodies and are light ande unane like spirits may rise there.

THIRD STEP: The silence and tranquillity of the heavens, and their order and regularity, and vastness anree panosity, show that their inhabitants are not like those of the earth; they are obedient, they do whatever they are commanded. The country there is vast and there is nothing to cause overcrowding and diny mir. Their natures are pure, they are innocent, their stations are fixed.

On the earth, opposites come together, evils are mixed with good and disputes start between them, and conflict and suffering are born. From them examination and com them,on are set. And from them progress and retrogression occur. The wisdom in these facts is as follows:

Man is the fruit of the tree of creation, its fuses et part. It is well-known that the fruit of something is its most distant, most comprehensive, most delicate, and most important part. Thereforeinor me man, who is the fruit of the universe, is a most comprehensive, most wonderful, most powerless, most weak, and most subtle miracle of power, the earth, which isake thradle and dwelling-place, is the heart and centre of the whole universe as regards meaning and art, despite being physically small and insignificant in relation sun t heavens; it is the exposition and exhibition-place of all the miracles of art; and the display and point of focus of all the manifestatioodly tthe divine names; the place of assembly and reflection of unending dominical activity; the means and market of boundless divine creativity, whose liberality is especiallyAlso, nt in the numerous small species of plants and animals; the place, in a small measure, of samples of the artefacts to be found in the truly vast worlds of the hereafter; the speedily operating workshop for eternale, theles; the fast-changing place of imitation of everlasting panoramas; the narrow, temporary field and tillage rapidly raising the seeds for never-ending gardens.

It is because of this immaterial greatness of the earand th): Despite its small size, the globe of the earth may be thought of as equal to the heavens, for it may be said that "a constant spring is greater than a lake with no inlet." And, a pile of grain the sizd part mountain apparently seems to be thousands of times larger than a measure, but since it has all passed through the measure and been transferred to another place, the measure may be seen as in balance ect. Bhe grain. It is exactly the same with the globe of the earth: God Almighty has created it as a place for exhibiting His art, a place where His crand saty is concentrated, as a pivot of His wisdom, a place for the manifestation of His power, a garden of His mercy, a field for His Paradise, the measure for nd is table universes and worlds of creatures, and like a spring flowing into the seas of the past and the World of the Unseen. Think of all those renewed worlds whose shirts woven oresourgs are changed every year, layer upon layer, in hundreds of thousands of different forms, how they fill the earth many times and being emptied into the past are poured into the World of the Unseen; consider hing inumerous shirts of the earth. That is, suppose all the past to be present, and then compare it with the somewhat monotonous and plain heavens: you will see that even if the earth does not weigh more than the heavens, it does not weigh less,d mindr. Thus, you may understand the meaning of, "Sustainer of the Heavens and the Earth."}

and its importance in regard to art that the All-Wise Qur'an puts it on a par with the heavens,creatiugh it is like the tiny fruit of a huge tree. It places it in one pan of a pair of scales and the whole of the rest of the universe in the other.

It repeatedl. But ,

Sustainer of the Heavens and the Earth.>(13:16; 17:102; 18:14)

Furthermore, the speedy, constant change and transformation of the earth, which arises from the instances of wisdom mentioned above, requires that its inhabitants in tho change in accordance with it. It is because this limited earth manifests unlimited miracles of power that according to their creation and unlike other animate beings, no natural limit or restriction has been placed on s; thaculties and powers of human beings and jinn, who are its most important inhabitants. As a consequence, they have manifested endless progress and endless retrogression. everlt field of trial and examination has opened, from the prophets and the saints to the nimrods and the devils. Since this is so, of courserform their boundless evil, the pharaoh-like devils will throw stones at the heavens and its inhabitants.

FOURTH STEP: The All-Glorious One, Who is the Sustainer, Controller, and Creator of all the worlds, has numerous principles an his bs, and very many appellations, titles, and most beautiful names, all of which differ. Whichever name and title necessitated sending angels to the ranks of the Prophet (UWBP)'s Companions in order to do battle against the unbelievers also requ revolhat there should be battle between angels and devils, and contest between the good inhabitants of the heavens and the evil inhabitants of the earth. The All-Powerful One of Glory, Who holds within the grasrticulis power the breathing-in and breathing-out of the unbelievers, does not wipe them out with a single command, a single trumpet-blast. With His title of universal Sustainer and names of All-Wise and Controller, He inauthe fus a field of examination and contest.

If the comparison is not mistaken, we see that a king has numerous different titles and names in respect of the different areasovereis rule. For example, in the judiciary he is known by the name of Wise Judge, in the army as Commander-in-Chief, in the office of the Shaykh al-Islam as Khalifis hea in the civil service as Sultan. His obedient subjects call him Gracious Sovereign, while the rebellious call him All-Compelling Ruler. You may think of further exam, so s Thus, it sometimes happens that such an exalted king, whose subjects are all under his power, does not issue the command to execute an impotent, contemptible rebel; he sends him to court under his name of Wise Judge. Also, he knows a bo to Hiable and honest official who is worthy of being favoured, but he does not favour him with his particular knowledge by private telephone. Instead, under his titles relating to the majesty of sovereignty

and expedients of government, he op of thfield of competition in order to make public how deserving the official is of reward, and he gives the command to his minister and invites the people to watch-i Nurrganizes a welcoming ceremony, and, as a result of a grand, elevated trial and examination, favours him in a distinguished assembly; hn lifelaims his worthiness. You can think of further examples in the same way.

Thus, "And God's is the highest similitude">(16:60), the Monarch of Pre-Eternity and Post-Eternity has numerous most beautiful names. Thhe Crethe manifestations of His glory and appearances of His beauty, He has many attributes and titles. The name, title, and attribute which necessitate the existence of light and darkness, summer and winter, and Paradise and Hell, require alsoately ous general laws like the law of generation, those of competition and mutual assistance, and the making general to a degree also of the law of contest. From the contest of inspirations the Qutanic whisperings around the heart to the contest between angels and devils on the bounds of the heavens, {[*]: See, Tirmidhî, Tafsîr al-Sûra 2:36; Nasâ'î, al-Sunan al-Kubrâ, vnd the; Ibn Hibbân, al-Sahîh, iii, 278.} they require that law to be all-embracing.

FIFTH STEP: Since there is coming and going from the earth to the heavens, and there is descent and ascent from the heavens to the earth and important neficenties for the earth are sent from there; and since good spirits rise to the heavens, for sure, imitating the good spirits, evil spirits will also attempt to ascend to the realm of the heavens. For they are light and subt the respect of their beings. However, they will doubtless be repulsed and expelled, for by nature they are evil and inauspicious. Moreover, there will doubtless be a sign, an indication, in the Mis exht World of this important exchange, this contest outside the realm of materiality. For the wisdom of the sovereignty of dominicality requiresell itit should place a sign and leave an indication of these significant disposals in the Unseen for man in particular, whose most important duty is observa and fwitnessing, supervision, and acting as a herald; in the same way that it has made rain an indication of the endless miracles of spring, and made apparent causes signs of the wonders of divine art. order,s summons the people of the Manifest Realm to witness them; indeed, it attracts the attentive gazes of all the inhabitants of the heavens and the earth to that wondrous exhi One W. That is, it shows the vast heavens to be a castle or city arrayed with towers on which sentries are posted, so that they may reflect on the majesty onoble nicality.

Since wisdom requires that there should be an announcement for this

elevated contest, there is surely an indication of it. But - other than shooting stars - no event appropriate to this announcement is api. But among the events of the atmosphere and heavens; there is nothing more appropriate than this. For it may be understood clearly how suitable for the repulsion of devils are these stellar events, which resemble missiles andample l rockets fired from the sturdy bastions of towering castles. There is no other known purpose, wisdom, and aim, no other purpose approprthe moo these occurrences other than these. Other occurrences are not like this. Furthermore, this purpose of them has been well-known since the time of Ad millnd has been witnessed by the people of reality.

SIXTH STEP: Since human beings and the jinn are capable of infinite evil and exertion, they are infinitely obdurate and rebellious. It is because of thise sun the Holy Qur'an restrains them from rebellion and insubordination with an eloquence so miraculous, styles so elevated and clear, comparisons and stories so exalted and evident that they cause the uies ine to tremble. For example, observe carefully the awesome warning, fearsome threat, and severe restraining in the verses:

O you assembly of jinn and men! If you can pass beyond the regions of the heavens and the earth, pass beyond them! [Breatedu cannot pass beyond them, save by [God's] authority. * Then which of the favours of your Sustainer will you deny? * On you will be sent a flame of fire, and smoke; no succour will you ha your 5:33-35)

They have this meaning: "O men and jinn! If you are not going to obey my commands, come on, pass beyond the bounds of My realms if you are able!" Wit are tculous eloquence, it smashes the excessively arrogant obstinacy of man and jinn. It proclaims their impotence, and shows just how powerless and wretched they are in rne! O n to the immense grandeur of the sovereignty of dominicality. It is as though it says with the above verse, and the verse,

And We have made them missiles to drive away the evil ones:>(67:5)

"O men and jinn, proud and obstinate within yaks ofseness, and obdurate and refractory within your weakness and poverty! How are you so bold as to oppose with your rebellion the commands of a Monarch so Glorious that guesttars, moons, and suns obey His commands like soldiers under orders? Through your defiance you contest a Glorious Ruler Who has obedient soldiersimpermesome that, if to suppose the impossible your devils could withstand them, they would drive them off with cannonballs the size of mountains. With your ingratitude, you revolt in the realm of a Lord of ce of Who has servants and troops so fearsome, let alone insignificant

impotent creatures like you, if you were each infidel enemies the size of mountains or the earth, they would be able tour ba stars, flaming projectiles, and molten metal the size of mountains or the earth at you, and rout you. And you break such a law that those bound by it could if necessary strike your earth in your face, and rain downfestinu stars like cannonballs the size of your globe."

Yes, in the Qur'an are important concentrations of forces which arise not from the enemies' thinggth, but from reasons like the displaying of majesty and exhibiting the enemy's wickedness. Then sometimes it mobilizes against the littlest and weakest thing, the largest and most phese dl causes, in order to show its perfect order, infinite justice, vast knowledge, and power of wisdom, and it holds them above it; but does not make them fall upon it or aggress against it. For example, look at this verse,

oped i if you uphold each other against him, truly God is his Protector, and Gabriel, and all the righteous among the believers, and furthermore, the angels, will back him up.>(66:4)

How respectful it is concent of the Prophet (UWBP), and how compassionate towards the rights of his wives! This important concentration of forces is only to express compassionately its tremendous respect forngue orophet (UWBP) and the importance of the complaints of two weak beings and the observance of their rights.

SEVENTH STEP: As with angels and fiof theere are numerous different varieties of stars. Some are extremely small {[*]: See, al-Daylamî, al-Musnad, ii, 190.} and some are extremely large. {[*]: See, Muslim, Salâm, 124; Tirmidhî,s, in r al-Sûra 34:3; Abû Dâ'ûd, Sunna, 18; Musnad, i, 218; Abû Ya'lâ, al-Musnad, iv, 476; xiii, 137; Ibn Hibbân, al-Sahîh, xiii, 499.} Everything that shines in the sky even is called a , nor Thus, the stars of one sort the Glorious Creator and Beauteous Maker created are like the embossed decorations on the face of the delicate heavens, and the i Nur>g fruits of that tree, and the praising and extolling fishes of its seas; He made them the places of excursion and thousands of dwelling-places for the angels. And one sort of small star He made thee can for driving off devils. Thus, these shooting stars fired to repulse satans may have three meanings:

~The First:>They are a sign and indication that the law of contest is also in force in thWhose est sphere.

~The Second:>There are vigilant guards and obedient inhabitants in the heavens. The shooting stars are a proclamation and indication that there are divine forces found there whstood displeased at the rebellion of evil earther-dwellers and their eavesdropping on them.

~The Third:>It is the rejection and repulsion with missile-like shooting stars and rent f rockets of spying satans, {[*]: See, Bukhârî, Bad' al-Khalq, 6, 11; Tafsîr al-Sûra 15:1; 34:1; Tawhîd, 32; Muslim, Salâm, 122, 123, 124; Tirmidhî, Tafsîr al-Sûra 34:3; Ibn Mâja, Muqaddima, 122, 123; Musnad, vi, I sawhich are the execrable representatives of the filth of the earth, from the portals of the heavens, so that they do not soil the pure and clean and theainly ing-place of the pure, the skies; to prevent them spying on account of evil spirits, and to scare off mannerless spies.

Astronomer Sir, who relies on the torch in his head like a ng-rooy and shuts his eyes to the sun of the Qur'an! Look all at once at the truths indicated in the Seven Steps above. Open your eyes, put aside the torch in your head, and see within the light o With culousness as bright as daylight the meaning of the verse at the beginning! Take one star of truth from the heavens of that verse, cast it at the satan in your head, and drive away your own devil! And we must do the same. To case, we should say,

O my Sustainer! I seek refuge with you from the suggestions of the Evil Ones.>(23:97)

And God's is the eloquent proof and the decisive wisdom.>(See, 6:149)

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

Addendum to the Fifteenth Word

In His Name be He Glorified.

And there is nothing but glorifies Him wiings tise.>(17:44)

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

And if a suggestion from Satan assails your mind, seek refuge with God; for He is All-Hearias or All-Knowing.>(41:36)

This First Topic defeats in argument the Devil, silences the rebelrom al and strikes them dumb by refuting in the most clear manner a fearsome and cunning stratagem of the Devil, which is to be unbiased. It concerns an event part of which I described in summary form ten yearswing, n my work entitled Lemeât. It is as follows:

Eleven years before this treatise was written in the month of Ramadan, I was listening to the Qur'an being recited in Beyazit Mof purin Istanbul. Suddenly, although I could not see anyone, I seemed to hear an unearthly voice which captured all my attention. I listened the Qmy imagination and realized that it was saying to me:

"You consider the Qur'an to be extremely elevated and brilliant. Be unbiased for a minute and consider it again. That is, suppose it to be man's word. I wondeo be cher you would still see the same qualities and beauty in it?"

In truth, I was deceived by the voice; I thought of the Qur'an as being written by man. And just as Beyazit Mosque is plunged into darkness when the eleheir vswitch is turned off, I observed that with that thought the brilliant lights of the Qur'an began to be extinguished. At that point I understood that it was the Devil who was speak rocks me. He was drawing me towards the abyss. I sought help from the Qur'an and a light was at once imparted to my heart giving me firm strength for the defence. I began to argue back at the Devil, saying:

"O Satan! Unbiased thinking is to ta and Uosition between two sides.

Whereas what both you and your disciples from among men call unbiased thinking is to take the part of the opposing side; orty dnot impartiality, it is temporary unbelief. Because, to consider the Qur'an to be man's word and to judge it as such is to take the part of the opposing side; it is ribed our something baseless and invalid. It is not being unbiased, it is being biased towards falsehood."

The Devil replied: "Well, in that case, say it is neither God' such nor man's word. Think of it as between the two." To which I rejoined:

"That is not possible either. For if there is a disputed property for which there are twt in amants and the claimants are close both to one another and to the property, the property will either be given to someone other than them, or will be put somewhere accessible so that whoever proves ownership can take it. Icapacitwo claimants are far apart with one in the east and one in the west, then according to the rule, it will remain with the one who has possession of it, as it is not possible for it to be left somewhere between them. {[*]: See, al-Sarakhsî, ng awasût, xi, 8; al-Kâsânî, Badâ'i' al-Sanâ'i', vi, 202; al-Marghînânî, al-Hidâya, ii, 177.}

"Thus, the Qur'an is a valuable property, and however distant man's word is from God's, the two sides in question are that leavepart; indeed, they are infinitely far from one another. It is not possible for the Qur'an to be left between the two sides, which are as far apart as the Pleiades and the ground. For they are opposites like existence andajestixistence or the two magnetic poles; there can be no point between them. In which case, for the Qur'an, the one who possesses it is God's side. It will be accepted as being in His possession and the proofs of ownelity wwill be regarded in that way. Should the opposing side refute all the arguments proving it to be God's Word, it may claim ownership of it, otherwise it may not. God forbid! What hand can pull out the nails fastening thaore it jewel to the sublime throne of God, riveted as it is with thousands of certain proofs, and break its supporting pillars, causing it to fall?"

"And so, inspite of you, O Satan!, the just and the fair-minded reabrogan this equitable and rightful manner. They increase their belief in the Qur'an through even the slightest evidences. While according to the way shown by you and your di Simpls, if just once it is supposed to be man's word and that mighty jewel fastened to the divine throne is cast to the ground, a proof with the strength of all the nails and the firmness of many proofs bne wil necessary in order to raise it from the ground and fasten it once more to the throne, and so be saved from the darkness of unbelief and

reach the lights of belief. But because it is extremely difficult to do this, due to your wilerit? Ty people are losing their belief at this time by imagining themselves to be making unbiased judgements."

The Devil turned and said: "Theg. Yesn resembles man's word. It is similar to the way men converse. That means it is man's word. If it was God's Word, it would be appropriate ef is and would be altogether out of the ordinary. Just as His art does not resemble man's art, so also should His Word not resemble man's word."

I replied: "It may be understood as follmanitypart from his miracles and special attributes, the Prophet Muhammad (UWBP) was a human being in all his actions, conduct, and behaviour. He submrilliato and complied with the divine laws and commands manifested in creation. He too suffered from the cold, experienced pain, and so on. His deeds and attributes were not all made out of the ordiion ano that he could be the leader of his community through his actions, its guide through his conduct, and instruct it through all his behaviour. If he h with n out of the ordinary in all his conduct, he could not have been the leader in every respect, the total guide of everyone, the Mercy to All the Worlds through all his attributes.

"In just tough te way, the All-Wise Qur'an is the leader of the aware and the conscious, the guide of jinn and men, the teacher of those attaining to perfection, and instructor of those seeking reality. It is of necessity and of a certsdom a therefore, in the same form as human conversation and style. For men and jinn take their supplications from it and learn their prayers from it; they express theirendurerns in its language, and learn from it the rules of social behaviour, and so on. Everyone has recourse to it. If, therefore, it had been in the form of the divine speech that the Prophet Moses (Upon whom be peace) heardthe suunt Sinai, man could not have borne listening to it and hearing it, nor made it the point of reference and recourse. Moses (Upon whom be peace), one of the five greatest prophets, could only ">(36: to hear a few words. He said:

"'Is Your speech thus?' God replied: 'I have the power of all tongues.'" {[*]: al-Suyûtî, al-Durr al-Manthûr, iii, 536.}

Next, the Devil said: "Many! It se speak of matters similar to those in the Qur'an in the name of religion. Is it not possible, therefore, that a human being did such By thg and made up the Qur'an in the name of religion?"

Through the light of the Qur'an I replied as follows:

~"Firstly:>Out of love of religion, someone who is religious may say, 'The truth is thus, the reality of the mattion.> this. Almighty God

commands that.' But he would not make God speak to suit himself. Trembling at the verse,

Who, then does more wrong than one who utters a lie concerninge spir(39:32),

he would not overstep his mark to an infinite degree, imitate God, and speak on His behalf.

~"Secondly:>It is in no way possible for a human being to be successful in doing such a thing on hisr.>Anoin fact, it is completely impossible. Persons who resemble one another may imitate one another, those of the same kind may take on one another's forms, those who are close to one another in rank or status questmitate one another and temporarily deceive people, but they cannot do so for ever. For in any event, the falseness and artificiality in their behaviour will show up their . He cure to the observant, and their deception will not last. If the one who is attempting to imitate another under false pretences is quite unlikulness; for example, if an uneducated man wants to imitate in learning a genius like Ibn Sina, or a shepherd to assume the position of a king, of course, they will not deceive anyone at all for h will only make fools of themselves. Everything they do will proclaim, 'This is an impostor.'

"Thus, to suppose - God forbid! a hundrtunateusand times - the Qur'an to be man's word is utterly impossible, no rational being can accept it as possible, to do so is a delirium like imagining to be possible somes as tthat is self-evidently impossible like a firefly being seen by astronomers as a real star for a thousand years; or a fly appearing to observers in the true forms a papeacock for a year; or a bogus common private posing as a famous lofty field marshal, taking over his position and remaining in it for a long period without giviare aly his deception; or like a slandering, unbelieving liar affecting the manner and position of the most truthful, trustworthy, upright believer throughout his life and being completely unruffled before f the he most observant while concealing his fraud from them.

"In just the same way, if the Qur'an is supposed to be man's word, then it has to be supposed, God forbid, that that Perspicuous Book, which is considered td Statlearly a most brilliant star, rather, a sun of perfections perpetually scattering the lights of truth in the heavens of the world of Islam, is like a firefly, a spurious sham made uerable counterfeiting human. And those who are closest to it and study it most carefully do not realize this, and consider it to be a perpetual, exalted star and source of truth. Together with this being impossib has mundred times over, even if you went a hundred times further in your diabolical machinations, O Satan, you could not make such an assertion, you could not deceive anyone of sound

reason! Only sometimes you trick peoplep of Hking them look from a great distance, thus making the star appear as small as a firefly.

~"Thirdly:>Also, if the Qur'an is imagined to beountai word, it necessitates that the hidden reality of a criterion of truth and falsehood, which is miraculous in its exposition, and through the testims, of its fruits, results, and effects, is gilded with the most spiritual and life-giving, the most truthful and happiness-bringing, the most comprehensive and exalted qualities in the world of humankind, is, Go want id, the fabrication of a single unaided and unlearned man's mind; and that the great geniuses and brilliant scholars who observed that being closely and studied him meticulously at no time saw any trace of co it oceit or pretence in him and always found him serious, genuine, and sincere.

"This is completely impossible, an idea so nonsensical as to shame the Dev26; Muself, like dreaming up an utterly impossible situation. For it entails supposing one who throughout his life demonstrated and taught trust, belief, confidence, sincerity, seriousness, and integrity will ah all his conduct, words, and actions, and raised eminently truthful and sincere followers, and was accepted to possess the highest and most brilliant and elevated virtuesd rule the most untrustworthy, insincere, and unbelieving. Because in this question there is no point between the two.

"If, to suppose the impossible, the Qur'an was not the Word of God, it would fhese R though from the divine throne to the ground, it would not remain somewhere between. While being the meeting-point of truths, it would become the source of superstition and myth. And if, God forbid, the o to be proclaimed that wonderful decree was not God's Messenger, it would necessitate his descending from the highest of the high to the lowest of the low, and fromis dweegree of being the source of accomplishments and perfections to the pits of being a mine of trickery and intrigue; he could not remain between the two. For one who ble kind fabricates in God's name falls to the very lowest of degrees.

"However impossible it is to permanently see a fly as a peacock, and to all the time see the peacocks's attributes ent in fly, this matter is that impossible. Only someone lacking all intelligence could imagine it to be possible.

~"Fourthly:>Also, if the Qur'an is imagined to be man's word, it ne a powates fancying that the Qur'an, which is a sacred commander of the community of Muhammad (UWBP), humanity's largest and most powerful arrise f - God forbid - a powerless, valueless, baseless forgery. Whereas, self-evidently, through its powerful laws, sound principles, and penetrating commands, it has equipped that huge army both m scalelly, and morally

and spiritually, has given it an order and regularity and imposed a discipline on it that are such as to conquer both this world and the next, and has instructed the minds, trained the hearts, fter ired the spirits, purified the consciences, and employed and utilized the limbs and members of individuals according to the degree of each. To imagine it to be a countercreateecessitates accepting a hundredfold impossibility.

"This impossibility entails the further complete impossibility of supposing that one who, through his deliberate conduct throughout his life taught humankind Almighty God's laws, and thrs to bis honest behaviour instructed it in the principles of truth, and through his sincere and reasonable words showed and established the straight way of moderation and happiness, and as all his life testifies, felt great fear of divine pnd pasent and knew God better than anyone else and made Him known, {[*]: See, Bukhârî, Adab, 72; I'tisâm, 5; Muslim, Fadâ'il, 127, 128; Musnad, vi, 45, 181.} and in splendid fashionreatioor one thousand three hundred and fifty years commanded a fifth of humankind and half the globe, and through his qualities of renown is in truinous means of pride of humanity, indeed, of the universe, God forbid a hundred thousand times, neither feared God, nor knew Him, nor held back from lyinged plahad any self-respect. Because in this matter there is no point between the two. For if, to suppose the impossible, the Qur'an is not the Word of God, if it falls from the diviin theone to the ground, it cannot remain somewhere in between the two. Indeed, it then has to be accepted to be the property of the very worst of liars. As for this,tood tan, even if you were a hundred times more satanic, you could not deceive any mind that was not unsound, nor persuade any heart that was not corrupted thereThe Devil retorted: "How should I not deceive them? I have deceived most of humankind and their foremost thinkers into denying the Qur'an and Muhammad."

I replied:~"Firstly:>When seen from a great distance, the greatest thing appeantaine same as the smallest. A star may even appear as a candle.

~"Secondly:>Also, when seen both as secondary and superficially, something which is completely impossible may appear to be possible.

"One time an old maand saatching the sky in order to see the new moon of Ramadan when a white hair fell on his eye. Imagining it to be the moon, he announced: 'I have seen the new moon.' Now, it is impossible that the white hair should have been trrivesn, but because his intention was to look for just the moon and the hair was by the way and secondary, he paid it no attention and thought that impossibility f eachssible.

~"Thirdly:>Also, non-acceptance is one thing and denial is something quite different. Non-acceptance is indifference, a closing of the eyes to something, an ignorant absencetions dgement. Many completely impossible things may be concealed within it, and the mind does not concern itself with them. As for denial, it is not non-acceptance, but an acceptance of non-existence; it is a judgement. The mi all tcompelled to work. So a devil like you takes hold of the mind of a person, then leads it to denial. And, showing the false as truth and the impossible to be possible through such satanic wiles as heedlessness, mi:>To pnce, fallacious reasoning, obstinacy, false arguments, pride, deception, and habit, you make those unfortunate creatures in human form swallow unbelief and denial, although they comprise innumerable impossibilities.

~"Fourthly:>tures,if the Qur'an is supposed to be the word of man, it necessitates imagining to be its opposite a book which has self-evidently guided the purified, veracious saints and spiritual poles, who shine like stars in the heavens of the world of humt duti has continuously instructed every level of the people of perfection in truth and justice, veracity and fidelity, faith and trustworthiness, and has ensured turt ofpiness of the two worlds through the truths of the pillars of belief and the principles of the pillars of Islam, and through the testimony of these achievements is of necessity veracious, and pure, genuineficial, and absolutely right, and most serious - it necessitates imagining, God forbid, that this Book comprises the opposites of these qualities, effects, and lights. And that, regarding it as a collection of fabrications and lies, iogethe frenzy of unbelief that would shame even the Sophists and the devils, and cause them to tremble.

"And this impossibility necessitates the further most ugly and abhorrent impossibility that the one who, according to ting betimony of the religion and Shari'a of Islam which he proclaimed, and the unanimous indications to the extraordinary fear of God and pure and sincere worship which he demonstrated throughout his life, and as necessitated by theut] yomoral qualities unanimously witnessed in him, and according to the affirmation of the people of truth and perfection whom he reared, was the most believing, itantsst steadfast, the most trustworthy, and the most truthful, was - God forbid, and again, God forbid - without belief, that he was most untrustwan aer did not fear God, nor shrink from lying. To imagine this necessitates imagining the most loathsome form of impossibility and perpetrating the strenniquitous and vicious sort of misguidance.

~"In Short:>As is stated in the Eighteenth Sign of the Nineteenth Letter, the common people, whose understanding of the Qur'an is gained by listening to it, say, 'Were the Qur'an to be compared withto behhe books I

have listened to and the other books in the world, it would not resemble any of them; it is not of the same sort as them nor of thperson degree.' The Qur'an, then, is of a degree either above all of them or below all of them. To be below them is impossible, and no enemy nor the Devil even could accept it. In which case, the Qur'an is above all other booksr demos therefore a miracle. In just the same way, we say according to the categorical proof called 'investigation [of possible cases] and doned wtion,' taken from the sciences of method and logic: {[*]: See, al-Juwaynî, al-Burhân, ii, 534, 535; al-Râzî, al-Mahsûl, v, 299.}

"O Satan and O disciples of Satan! The Qur'an is either the Word of Gch aree from the supreme throne of God and His greatest name, or, God forbid, and again, God forbid, it is a human forgery fabricated on earth by someone without belief wh life.her feared God nor knew Him. In the face of the above proofs, O Satan, you can neither say that, nor could you have said it, nor will you be able to say it in the future. Therefore, the Qur'an is the Word of the rderlyse's Creator. For there is no point between the two; it is impossible and precluded that there should be. Just as we have proved in the most clear and decisive manner; and you have seen it ary in rd it.

"In the same way, Muhammad (Upon whom be blessings and peace) is either God's Messenger and the highest of the prophets and the most superior of creatures,worshiod forbid, he has to be imagined to be someone without belief who fell to the lowest of the low because he lied concerning God, and did not know God, and did not believe in His punishment. {(*): Relying on the fact thatering:ur'an mentions the blasphemies and obscenities of the unbelievers, in order to refute them, trembling, I too have been compelled to use these expressions in the form of impossibilities in or*]: NO demonstrate the total impossibility and complete worthlessness of the blasphemous ideas of the people of misguidance.} And as for this, O Devil, neither you nor thts andistic philosophers of Europe and hypocrites of Asia on whom you rely could say it, nor could you say it in the past, neither shall you be able to say it in the future, for there is no one in the world who would li men io it and accept it. It is because of this that the most corrupting of those philosophers and the most lacking in conscience of the hypocrites, even, admit that 'Muhammad the Arabian (UWBP) was very clever, and was most moral and upriayed a "Since this matter is restricted to these two sides, and the second one is impossible and no one at all claims it to be true, and since we have proved with decisive arguments that there is no point between them, fe he ie and of necessity, in spite of you and your party, self-evidently and most certainly Muhammad the Arabian (Upon whom be blessings and peace) was God's Messenger, and the highest ises m prophets and the best of all creatures."

Upon him be blessings and peace to the number of angels and jinn and men.

A Second, Small Objection of Satan

Not a word does he utter bthe core is a sentinel by him, ready [to note it]. * And the stupor of death will bring the truth [before his eyes]: "This was the thing you were trying to escape!" * univere Trumpet shall be blown: that will be the Day whereof warning [had been given]. * And there will come forth every soul: with each will be [an angel] to drive, and [an angel] to bear witness. * "You were heedless of this; now to usWe removed your veil. And sharp is your sight this Day!" * And his companion will say: "Here is [his record] ready with me!" * "Throw, throw into Hell every contumacious rejecter!">(50:18-24)

Miracu time while reading these verses from Sura Qaf, the Devil said to me: "You consider the most important aspects of the Qur'an's eloquence to lie in its clarity and fluency e of fle. But in this verse it jumps from one subject to another. It jumps from death agonies to the resurrection of the dead, from the blowing of the trumpthrougthe Last Judgement, and from that to the entry into Hell of the unbelievers. What fluency of style remains with this extraordinary switching about? In most places in the Qur'an, it , a me together subjects that bear little relation to each other like this. Where is its eloquence and smoothness with such discontinuity?"

I answered as follows:

After its eloquence, one of prinve, toelements of the miraculousness of the Qur'an of Miraculous Exposition is its conciseness. Conciseness is one of the strongest and most significant elements of the Qur'an's miraculousness. Instances feeliis miraculous conciseness of the Qur'an are so numerous and beautiful that exacting scholars are left in wonder at it. For example:

Then the word went forth: "O earth! swallow upously,water, and O sky! withhold [your rain]!" And the water abated, and matter was ended. The ark rested on Mount Judi, and the word went forth: "Away with those who do wrong!">(11:44)

It describes the Great Flood and its the unuences so concisely and miraculously in a few short sentences that it has caused many scholars of rhetoric to prostrate before its eloquence. And, for example:

The Thamud rejected [their prophet] through their inordinate wrongden wit* Behold, the most wicked man among them was deputed [for impiety]. * But the apostle of God said to them: "It is a she-camel of God. And [bar her not from] having her drink!" * Then

they rejected him, and they hamstrung her.is woneir Lord, on account of their crime, obliterated their traces and made them equal [in destruction, high and low]! * And for Him is no fear of its consequences.>(91:11-15)

In these few shorMâja, ences and with a miraculousness within the conciseness, fluency, and clarity, and in a way that does not spoil the understanding, the Qur'an relatesf the trange, momentous events concerning the Thamud people, together with the consequences and their calamitous end. And for example:

And remember Zun-Nun, when he departed in wrath: he imagined that We had no powsputesr him. But he cried through the depths of darkness: "There is no god but You; glory be unto You; I was indeed among the wrongdoers.">(21:87)

Here, many sentences ha of th'rolled up' between the words "that We had no power over him">and "but he cried out in the depths of the darkness,">but these omitted sentences neither spoil the understanding, nor mar the fluency of the style. It mentions the main elements ofFor wetory of Jonah (Upon whom be peace), and refers the rest to the intelligence.

And for example, in Sura Yusuf, the seven or eight sentences between is deards "Send me">and "Joseph, O man of truth!">(12:45-46) have been skipped in conciseness. It neither impairs the understanding, nor mars the smoothness of the styltime,>re are a great many instances of this sort of miraculous conciseness in the Qur'an, and they are very beautiful indeed.

However, the conciseness of the verses from Sura Qaf are parth therly wonderful and miraculous. For they each point out the truly dreadful future of the unbelievers when each endless day will last fifty thousand yeaspond d the grievous, dire things that will happen to them in the awesome revolutions of the future. It conveys the mind over them like lightning, presenting that long, lonhe speod of time to the mind's eye as a single present page. Referring to the imagination the events which are not mentioned, it describes them with a most elevated fluency and smoothness of e know

When the Qur'an is read, listen to it with attention, and hold your peace: that you may receive mercy.>(7:204)

And now if you have anythis imp say, O Satan, say it!

Satan replied: "I cannot oppose what you say, nor defend myself. But there are many foolish people who listen to me; and many devils in human form who assist me; and many pharaohs amoncessitosophers who learn things from me which flatter their egos, and prevent the publication of works like yours. Therefore I shall not lay down my arms before yhe dut * * *

The Sixteenth Word

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

Indeed, His command when He wills a thibut ha "Be!", and it is. * So glory be unto Him in Whose hand is the dominion of all things, and to Him will you all be brought back.>(36:82-83)

[This Word wa happeten to impart insight and understanding to my blind soul by pointing out four rays from the light of the above verse, to dispel the darkness and afford me certainty.]

FIRST RAY

O my ignorant sis posou say: "The oneness of the divine essence together with the universality of the divine acts, the unity of Almighty God's person together with His unassisted coe willnsive dominicality, His singleness together with His unshared all-embracing disposal, His being beyond space yet present everywhere, His infinite exaltedness together wt thusing close to all things, and His being one yet Himself holding all matters in His hand, are among the truths of the Qur'an. But the Qur'an is all-wise and that which is wise does not impose on the reason things which are unreasonablof tho the reason sees an apparent contradiction between these things. I would like an explanation of them which will impel the reason to submit."

~The Answer:>Since that is the way it is a proou want to be certain and reassured, relying on the effulgence of the Qur'an, we say: the divine name of Light has solved many of our difficulties. God willing iviliza solve this one too. The way of comparison brings clarity to the mind and luminosity to the heart. So choosing it, like Imam Rabbani, we say:

I am neither the night nor a lover of the night;

th des servant of the Sun; it is of the Sun that I speak.>{[*]: Imâm Rabbânî, Maktûbât, i, Letter 130.}

Since comparison is a brilliant mirror to the Qur'an's miraculousness, we anifesall look at this mystery by means of a comparison. It is as follows:

A single person may gain universality by means of various mirrors. While he is in fact one particular individual, heQur'anough becomes a universal possessing general qualities. For example, although the sun is a single particular, by means of transparent objects it becomes so universal it fills the face of the earth with its images andenciesctions. Even, it has manifestations to the number of droplets and shining motes. Just as the sun's heat, light, and the seven colours in its light comprehend, encompass, and embrace all the things which confront them; so too altteredsparent things hold in the pupils of their eyes the sun's heat, and its light and seven colours, and its image. And they make a throne for them in their hearts. That is to say, with regard to unity, the sun enince tses all the things that face it, while with regard to oneness, the sun is present together with many of its attributes in everything through a sort of manifestf eachof its essence. Since we have passed from the comparison to a discussion of representation, we shall indicate three of the many sorts of representation, for it will assist in undersn among this matter.

The First: This is the reflection of dense, physical objects. These reflections are both other than the thing reflected; they are not thn of t, and they are dead, without life. They possess no quality other than their apparent identity. For example, if you enter a store full of mirrors, one Said will become thousands of Saids, buod, thonly living one is you, all the others are dead. They possess none of the characteristics of life.

The Second: This is the reflection of physical luminous objects. This reflection is not the same as the thing reflected, butsatanser is it other than it. It does not hold the luminous object's nature, but it possesses most of its characteristics and may be considered to be living. For example, the sun entered the world and displayenformireflection in all mirrors. Present in each of the reflections are light and the seven colours in light, the equivalent of the sun's qualities. Let us suppose the sun possessed consciousness, and its heat was pure powerrepetilight, pure knowledge; and its seven colours, the seven attributes: the single sun would be present in all mirrors at one moment, and would be able to make each a throne for itself and a sort of telephone His amirror would not be an obstacle to another. It would be able to meet with all of us by means of our mirrors. While we are distant from it, it would be nearer to us than ourselves.

The Third: This is the reflection of lumth thespirits. This reflection is both living, and the same as the spirits. But since it appears in relation to the capacity of the mirrors, it does not hold completely the spirit's essence and nature. For example, at the moment the Angel Gabriel that whom be peace) is in the presence of the Prophet (UWBP) in the form of Dihya, {[*]: See, Bukhârî, Manâqib, 25; Fadâ'il al-Qur'ân, 1; Muslim, Îmân, 271; Fadâ'il al-Sahâba, 100.} he is

prostrating with his magni I'll wings in the divine presence before the sublime throne. {[*]: See, Bukhârî, Bad' al-Khalq, 6; Adab, 41; Tawhîd, 33; Muslim, Îmân, 346; Tirmidhî, Tafsîr al-Sûra 16:6.} And at the same moment he is present in innumerablNinth es and is relaying the divine commands. One task is not an obstacle to another. Thus, it is through this mystery that the Prophet Muhammad (Upon whom be blessings and peace), whose essenchumankight and whose nature is luminous, in this world hears at the same time all the benedictions recited for him by all his community, and at the resurrection will meet with all the purified at the same time. One will not be an obstacle to anoet theIn fact, some of the saints who have acquired a high degree of luminosity and are called Substitutes (abdâl)>have been observed in many places at the same time and the same persolity pperformed numerous different acts at the same time.

Indeed, just as such things as glass and water act as mirrors to physical objects, so the air and ether and certain beings of the World of Similitudes are like mirrors to spirit beingsod ple become like means of transport and conveyance with the speed of lightning and imagination. The spirit beings travel in those pure mirrors and subtle dwellings with speed of oundleation. They enter thousands of places at the same time. Despite being restricted particulars, through the mystery of luminosity impotent and subjugated creatures like the sun and sem the snous beings restricted by matter like spirit beings may be present in numerous places while being in one place, thus becoming like absolute universals and with a limited power of choice being able to perf thus ny matters simultaneously.

Thus, what thing may hide itself from address of oneness which is within the manifestation of the attributes and acts of the Most Pure and Holy One through His universal will, absolute power, and all-encom-p, sinc knowledge? The Most Holy One, Who is far beyond and exalted above matter; free and exempt from any restriction or limitation and the darkness of density; of the sacred lights of s writnames all these lights and luminous beings are but dense shadows; and of Whose beauty all existence and all life and the World of Spirits and the World of Similitudes are sem be desparent mirrors; Whose attributes are all-encompassing and Whose qualities, universal? What matter could be difficult for Him? What thing can be concealed from Him? What individual can be distant from Him? What person can draw close to Him w

NO acquiring universality?

Although by means of its unrestricted light and immaterial reflection, the sun is closer to you than the pupil of your eyeName, e you are restricted, you are truly distant from it. In order to draw close to it, you have to transcend numerous restrictions and pass over many universal degrees. Simply, in effect yotuous to expand to the size of the earth and rise as far as the moon, then you may be able to a degree to approach directly the sun's essential level and meet with it without veil. In just the same way, the Glorious One of Beauty and Beauteous Ond in serfection is infinitely close to you, and you are infinitely distant from Him. If your heart has strength, and your mind, eminence, try to put the points in the comparison into praecomes

SECOND RAY

O my senseless soul! You say that verses like,

Indeed, His command when He wills a thing is, "Be!", and it is,>(36:82)

and,

It will be no me and an a single blast, when lo! they will all be brought up before Us!>(36:53)

show that the existence of things is instantaneous and merely through a command, and that verses like,

[Such is] the palactry of God, Who disposes of all things in perfect order,>(27:88)

and,

Who has created everything in the best way>(32:7)

show that the existence of things is gradual, own, h a vast power within knowledge and a fine art within wisdom. How are these compatible?

~The Answer:>Relying on the effulgence of the Qur'an, we say:

Firstly: There is no contradiction. Some are like the former, nd worrimary creation. And some are like the latter, like the repetition of creation.

Secondly: The infinite order and extreme skill, fine art, and perfect creationd. Thuher with the ease, speed, multiplicity, and extensiveness that are observed in beings testify decisively to the existence of the truths of these two sorts of verses.e give this is so, it is unnecessary to prove this to be true outside this and make it the point of discussion. It should rather be asked: "What is the wisdom in these verses? What is their meaning and f divie?" Thus, we shall point to this wisdom with an allegoric analogy.

For example, a craftsman, for instance a tailor, creates something artistic with much did in aty and employing many skills, then makes a model for it. For thereafter he can make others similar to it quickly and without

difficulty. It may even become so easy they are as though made at a command, and ship, t way may acquire a powerful order; like a clock, they function and work as though at the touch of a command.

In just the same way, after makinsed a palace of the world and all its contents originally, the All-Wise Maker and All-Knowing Inscriber gave everything, particular and universal, the whole and the parts, a specified measure and proportion through the ordering of divine determit and as though they were models. So, look! Making every century a model, the Pre-Eternal Inscriber clothes each with bejewelled new worlds through the miracles of Hisvariou. Making every year a scale, He sews skilfully fashioned new universes through the wonders of His mercy according to their stature. And makinparticy day a line, He writes the decorated, constantly renewed beings in them through the subtleties of His wisdom.

Furthermore, just as that Absolutely Powerful One makes each centurycripti year, and each day a model, so He makes the face of the earth, and the mountains and plains, gardens and orchards, and trees each a model. He continuously sets up new univers;

the earth and creates new worlds. He removes one world and replaces it with another, well-ordered world. Season after season He displays in all the gardens and orchards the mif the of His power and the gifts of His mercy. He writes them all as wisdom-displaying books, establishes them as kitchens of His mercy, and clothes them in ever-renewed garments full of art. Every spring Hehlessns the trees in raiments of brocade and adorns them with fresh jewels like pearls. He fills their hands with the star-like gifts of His mercy.

Thus, the One Who performs these matters witthe hinitely fine art and perfect order and changes with infinite wisdom, bounty, and perfection of power and art the travelling worlds which follow on one after the other and are attached to the stri of thtime, is certainly All-Powerful and All-Wise. He is All-Seeing and All-Knowing to an infinite degree. Chance cannot interfere in His works. He is the All-Glorious One Who decreesthe vandeed, His command when He wills a thing is, "Be!", and it is,>(36:82)

and,

And the decision of the Hour is as the twinkling of an eye, or even closer,>(16:77)

and both proclaims the pfilthyion of His power, and that in relation to His power the resurrection and Great Gathering are most easy and free of trouble. Since His creational command comprises power and will, and all things are entirely subjugated and obediin ord His command, and He

creates with no contact or hindrance, in order to express the absolute ease in His creating, the Qur'an of Miraculous Exposition decrees that He does this through a mere comman beingTo Conclude:>Some verses proclaim the extremely fine art and infinite perfection of wisdom in beings, especially at the start of their city oon. While others describe the extreme ease and speed and infinite compliance and lack of difficulty in the recreation and return of things in parutely r.

THIRD RAY

O my soul full of doubts and evil suggestions and exceeding its bounds! You say that verses like,

There is not a moving th powerut He has grasp of its forelock,>(11:56)

and,

In Whose hand is the dominion of all things,>(36:83)

and,

And We are closer to him than his jugular vein,>(50:16)

show that God is infinitely close to us. And yet, the verses,

An palacim shall you return.>(36:83)

and,

The angels ascend to Him in a day the measure of which is fifty thousand years,>(70:4)

and, the Hadith which says: "God is beyoee, alenty thousand veils," {[*]: See, al-Ghazâlî, Ihyâ' 'Ulûm al-Dîn, i, 101; Abû Ya'lâ, al-Musnad, xiii, 520; al-Tabarânî, al-Mu'jam al-Awsat, vi, 278; viii, 382; al-Rûyânî, al-Musnad, ii, 212; Ibn Abî 'Âsim, al-Sunna, ii, 367.} andre nots like the Prophet's (UWBP) Ascension show that we are infinitely distant from Him. I would like an explanation that will bring this profound mystery closer to the understanding.

~Tthat iwer:>Then listen to the following:

~Firstly:>At the end of the First Ray we said that with regard to its unrestricted light and immaterial reflection, the sun is closer to you than the pupil of your eye, which is the window of your spirit ang sta mirror, yet you are extremely distant from it, for you are restricted and imprisoned in materiality. You can make contact with it only t that some of its reflections and shadows, and meet with it through some of its minor, particular manifestations, and draw close to its colours, which are like a category of attribute, and to its rays and manifestations, which are likdetermass of its names. If you want to approach the sun's essential level and meet with the

sun's essence directly in person, then you have to transcend veryhe unirestrictions and traverse very many levels of universality. Simply, after abstracting yourself from materiality, becoming enlarged to the extent of the earth, expanding in the spirit like arrayr, rising as far as the moon and resembling the full moon, only then can you claim to meet with it in person without veil and to draw close to iison:>ny degree.

In just the same way, the All-Glorious One of Perfection, the Peerless One of Beauty, the Necessarily Existent One, the Giver of existence to all beings, the Eternal Sun, thet God'ch of Pre-Eternity and Post-Eternity, is closer to you than yourself. Yet you are infinitely distant from Him. If you have the power, put the fine points in His dimparison into practice.

Secondly: For example, "And God's is the highest similitude">(16:60), among many names, a king's name of commander appears in many spheres, one within the othere follas a manifestation and appearance in spheres extensive and narrow, universal and particular, from the universal sphere of commander-in-chief, to those of field marshal and general, then t be emf captain and corporal. Now, in his military duties, a private soldier holds as his authority the minor point of commandership apparent in the rank of corporal; he is in touch with and connected to the commander-in-chief through this mief isanifestation of his name. If he wishes to get in touch with him through his essential name and meet with him through that title, he will have to rise from the corporalship to the universal rank of commander-in-chie, the t is to say, the king is extremely close to the soldier through his name, decree, law and knowledge, his telephone and regulations, and if he is luminous like a saint who is an abdâl,>with his presence in persohe Godhing at all can be an obstacle or obstruction for him. Whereas the soldier is extremely distant. Thousands of degrees form obstructions and thousands of veils intervene. But sometimes the king is compassionate and contrary to hhe tesctice, receives a soldier into his presence and favours him with his grace.

In just the same way, the All-Glorious One, the Lord of the command of, "'Be!', and it is">(36:82),for alhom the suns and stars are as though His soldiers under orders, is closer to all things than they themselves, yet all things are infinitely distant from Hi, withyou want to enter the presence of His grandeur without veil, you have to pass through seventy thousands of veils of darkness and light, that is, material and physical veils and the veils of the div87.} wmes and attributes, rise through the thousands of particular and universal degrees of manifestation of each name, pass on through the most elevated levels of His attributes, and ascend as forder the sublime throne, which manifests His greatest name, and if you are not the object of

favour and attraction, you have to work and jthe ba spiritually for thousands of years. For example, if you want to draw close to Him through His name of Creator, you have to have a relationship through the particularities of your own Creator, then in regard to the Creator of all humankind, twhich rough the title of Creator of all living creatures, then through the name of Creator of all beings. Otherwise you will remain in shadow and only find a minor manifestation.

is thEMINDER:>Because of his impotence, the king in the comparison put means like field marshal and general in the degrees of his names. But the Absolutely Powerful One, "in Whose hand is the dominion of all thingse proc83), has no need of intermediaries. Intermediaries are only apparent; a veil to His dignity and grandeur. They are heralds and observers of the sovereignty of His dominicality immersed in awestruck worship, impotent and wanting. They ao too His assistants and cannot be partners in the sovereignty of His dominicality.

FOURTH RAY

O my lazy soul! Like the soldier in the previous comparison was received into the royal presence asough he favour, the reality of the five daily prayers, which are like a sort of Ascension, are a being received into the presence of the All-Glorious One of Beauty, the Beauteous One of Glory, Who is the True Object of Worship, as an instance ries oe mercy. Declaring "God is Most Great!", it is to traverse the two worlds either in the mind or in the imagination or by intention, be divested of the restrictions of materiality, p to yo a universal degree of worship or a shadow or form of universality; being honoured with a sort of presence, it is to manifest the address of "You alone do we worship!">(1:5) - each person according to his capacity; it is a truly elevatnd perainment. The repetition of "God is Most Great! God is Most Great!" in the actions of the prayers indicates rising through the degrees of spiritual progress, and ascendncapabom minor particulars to universal spheres, and is a concise title of the perfections of divine sublimity which are beyond our knowledge. It is as if each "God is Most Great!" indicates traversing a step in ncing cension. To attain to a shadow or a ray of this reality of the prayers either in the mind or by intention or conceptually or with the imagination is a."

happiness.

The above is the reason for the frequent declaration of "God is Most Great!" during the Hajj. For the blessed Hajj is worship for everyone at a universal level. ire, ts on a special day or festival a soldier attends the king's celebrations like a general in the sphere of general, and receives his favours, in the same way, like a snishedho has traversed all the degrees, a

Hajji, no matter how lowly, is turned towards his Sustainer under the title Mighty Sustainer of every region of the earth. He is honoeir paith universal worship. For sure, the universal degrees of dominicality opened with the key of the Hajj, and the horizons of the tremendousness of the Godhead whice. As visible to his eye through its telescope, and the spheres of worship which gradually unfold to his heart and imagination through its observances, aEighth heat, wonder, awe, and dread of dominicality caused by the levels of sublimity and last stage of manifestation, can only be quietened by "God is Most Great! God is Most Great!" And those observed or imagined unfolded degrees can only bto thelaimed by it. Following the Hajj, this meaning is found in various exalted and universal degrees in the Festival ('Eid)>Prayers, the prayers for rain, and those recited at solast to lunar eclipses, and in prayers performed in congregation. This is the reason for the importance of the marks and observances of Islam, even if of the category of Sunna.

Glory be unto the One Who has placed His treasuries betwhough e>Kâf and the>Nûn.

So glory be unto Him in Whose hand is the dominion of all things, and to Him will you all be brought back.>(36:83)

Glory be unto You, we have no knowledge save that which You have taught us; indeed You are All-Knoating All-Wise.>(2:32)

O our Sustainer! Do not take us to task if we forget or unwittingly do wrong!>(2:286) * O our Sustainer! Let not our hearts deviate after You ha, nor ded us, and grant us Mercy from Your presence, for You are the Granter of bounties without measure.>(3:8)

And grant blessings and peace to Your Most Noble Messenger, the manifester of Your Greatest Name, and to his Family, and Chat pions, and brothers, and followers. Amen. O Most Merciful of the Merciful!

A Short Addendum

The All-Powerful and All-Knowing One, the All-Wise Maker, shows Hipetitir and His wisdom and that chance can in no way interfere in His works through the system and order His rules and practices demonstrate ito hituniverse in the form of laws. So too, through exceptions to the laws, the wonders of His practices, changes of form, differences in individuatle inacteristics, and changes in the times of appearance and descent, He shows His volition, will, choice, that He is the volitional Agent, and that He is under no restrictions whatsoever. Thuis Sigding the veil of monotony and proclaiming that everything is in need of Him every moment for everything in every way and is obedient to His dominicality, He dispels heedlessness and turns the gazes of humankind and th order from causes to the Producer of Causes. The statements of the Qur'an look to this principle.

For example, in most places fruit-bearing trees producverse,t one year, that is, it is given to their hands from the treasury of mercy, and they offer it. Then the following year while all apparent causes are present, they do not take it and offer it; that is, they do not produan recit. Also, for example, contrary to other necessities, rainfall is so unpredictable that it has been included among the Five Hidden Things (31:34). For the most important position in existence is that that e and mercy. And rain is the source of life and pure mercy. Thus, the water of life and rain of mercy does not enter under a monotonous law, which is a veil and conducive to heedlessness, rather, the All-Glorious One, Who is Most Merg the and All-Compassionate and is the Bestower of Bounties and Giver of Life, holds it in His hand directly, without veil, so that the doors of supplication and thanks will all the time be left opal hapd, for example, the giving of sustenance and determining of particular features are works of special favour, and their occurring in unexpected ways shows in excellent fashion th

The Seventeenth Word

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

That which is on earth We have made as a glittering show for the earth, in order that We may test them, as to which of them are bnd whe conduct * Verily what is on earth We shall make but as dust and dry soil.>(18:7-8) * What is the life of this world but play and amusement?>(6icular [This Word consists of two elevated stations, and one brilliant addendum.]

The All-Compassionate Creator, the Munificent Provider, the All-Wise Maker made this wo the C the form of a festival and celebration for the World of Spirits and spirit beings. Adorning it withدأe wondrous embroideries of all His names, H his ehes each spirit, great or small, elevated or lowly, in a body decked out with senses, suitable to it and appropriate for benefiting from the innumerable, various goodtery os and bounties in the festival; He gives each a corporeal being and sends it to the spectacle once. And He divides the festival, which is very extensive in regard eholdih time and space, into centuries, years, seasons, and even days and their parts, and makes them all exalted festivals in the form of parades f all l the groups of His creatures with spirits and for His plant and vegetable artefacts. Especially the face of the earth in spring and summer, it is a seriall thfestivals for the groups of small beings so glittering it draws the gazes of the spirit beings and angels and the dwellers of the heavens in the high levee treathe world. For those who think and contemplate it is a place for reflection so wonderful the mind is powerless to describe it. But in the face of the manifestations of the divine names of Most Men the and Giver of Life in this divine feast and dominical festival, the names of Subduer and Dealer of Death appear with death and separation. And this is apparently unconform the Mith the all-embracing mercy of,

My Mercy encompasses all things.>(7:156)

However, in reality there are several ways in which it is conforma on Mod one of these is as follows:

After each group of beings has completed its turn in the parade and the desired results have been obtained from it, compassionately the Most Generous Maker and Compaur>stute Creator makes most of them feel weariness and disgust with the world, and bestows on them a desire for rest and a longing to migrate to another world. And when they are to.

scharged from their duties of life, He awakens in their spirits a compelling desire for their original home.

Moreover, it is not far from the infinite mercy of the Most Merciful tf willst as He bestows the rank of martyrdom on a soldier who perishes performing his duty of fighting, and rewards a sheep slaughtered sacrificially by giving it an eternal corporeal existence in the hereafter and the re.

being a mount for its owner on the Bridge of Sirat {[*]: See, al-Daylamî, al-Musnad, i, 85; al-Ghazâlî, al-Wasît, vii, 31; al-Qurtubî, al-Jâmi' li Ahkâm al-Qur'ân, xv, 111; al-Sarakhsî pitieabsût, xii, 10; al-Kâsânî, Badâ'i' al-Sanâ'i', v, 80.} like Buraq; so too with other animals and beings with spirits who perish while performing the dominical duties peculiar to their natures and obeying the divine commandho und who suffer severe distress - it is not unlikely that there should be for them in the inexhaustible treasuries of His mercy a sort of spiritual reward and kind of wage suitable to their capacities, and that they ts til not be unduly troubled at departing this world, indeed, that they should be pleased. None knows the Unseen save God.

Man, however, is the noblest of beings with spirits and the one who benef [of fst from the festivals with regard to both quality and quantity; he is captivated by the world and absorbed in it, but as a work of mercy, the Most Merciful induces in him a state of mind whereby he feels disgust at th by mad and a longing to travel to the eternal realm. A person whose humanity is not plunged in misguidance profits from that state of mind and departsness, a tranquil heart. Now, by way of example, we shall explain five of the aspects which produce it.

~The First:>By showing with the season of old age the stamp of transience and decline on the beautiful, inviting things of this world and their witter meaning, it makes a person feel disgust at the world and causes him to seek a permanent beloved in place of the transient.

~The Second:>Since ninety-nine per cent of the friends to whom a person is agine yd have departed this world and settled in another, impelled by his heartfelt love, it bestows on him a longing for the place they have gone to, and makes him meet death and the appointed hour with joy.

~The Third:>Due to certatoric cumstances, it makes a person realize the

infinite weakness and impotence of human beings, and understand how heavy are the burdens of lioporti responsibilities of living, and awakens in him a serious wish for rest and a sincere desire to go to another world.

~The Fourth:>Through the light of absol, it shows to the believer's heart that death is not execution but a change of abode; that the grave is not the mouth of a dark well but the door to light-filled woent. Yand that for all its glitter, the world resembles a prison in relation to the hereafter. To be released from the prison of this world and enter the garr. Onef Paradise, and pass from the troublesome turmoil of bodily life to the world of rest and the arena where spirits soar, and to slip free from the vexatious noise of creatures and go to the presence of the Most Mn vacal is a journey, indeed, a happiness, to be desired with a thousand lives.

~The Fifth:>By informing the person who heeds the Qur'an concerning the knowledge of reality it contains, and through the light of reality ty of tld's true nature, it makes him realize that love for the world and attachment to it are quite meaningless. That is, it says the following to humanity, and proves it:

"The world is a book of the Etern and pesought One. Its letters and words point not to themselves but to the essence, attributes and names of another. In which case, learn its meaning and grasp it, but ignore its decorations, then go!

"The world is also an arable field; {[*]: Skingdo-Ghazâlî, Ihyâ' 'Ulûm al-Dîn, iv, 19; al-Sahâwî, al-Maqâsid al-Hasana, 497.} sow and reap your crop, then preserve it. Throw away the chaffdance.ive it no importance!

"The world is also a collection of mirrors which continuously pass on one after the other; so know the Being Who is manifested in them, see His lights, understand ning tnifestations of the names which appear in them and love the One they signify. Sever your attachment to the fragments of glass, which are doomed to be br(Upon nd perish!

"The world is also a travelling place of trade. So do your commerce and come; don't chase in vain the caravans which flee from you and pay you no attention. Don't weary yourself for nothing!

"The world is a be extemporary exhibition. So gaze on it and take lessons. Pay attention, not to its apparent, ugly face, but to its hidden, beautiful face which looks to the Eternal All-Beauteous One. Go for a pleasant and beneficial promenade,he mysreturn. Don't weep like a silly child at the disappearance of scenes displaying fine views and showing beautiful things, and don't feel anxiousunawarThe world is also a guesthouse. So eat and drink within the limits

permitted by the Generous Host Who made it, and offer thanks. Act and behave within the bounds of His law. Then leave it witho does king behind you, and go! Don't interfere in it in a delirious or officious manner. Don't busy yourself for nothing with things which part from you and do not concern you. Don't attach yourself to passing things and drown!"

This ashionAspect discloses the secrets in the world's inner face through apparent truths like these and greatly lightens the parting from it. Indeed, to thng is,e it makes parting desirable, and shows that there is a trace of mercy in everything and in every aspect of it. The Qur'an indicates these five aspects and its verses point to other particular aspects too.

Wxpoundthe person who has no share of these five aspects!

The Second Station of the Seventeenth Word

{(*): The pieces in this Second Station resemble poetry, but they are not poetry. They were not put into verse intentionallll posy rather took on that form to a degree due to the perfect order of the truths they express.}

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

For know that crying out compounds the misfortune a, theya great error.

Find misfortune's Sender, and know it is a gift within gift, and pleasure.

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

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

So why lament at a small misfortune while upon you is 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; itom, tobe changed and transformed.

Know, O arrogant one, happiness in this world lies in abandoning it.

To know God is enough. Abandon the world; all things will be for you.

ed andbe arrogant is total loss; whatever you do, all things will oppose you.

So both states demand abandoning the world here.

Abandoning the world is to regard it as God's property, with His permission, in Hiseds -

If you want to do trade, it lies in making this fleeting life eternal.

If you seek yourself, it is both rotten and without founday as i

If you seek the world outside, the stamp of ephemerality is upon it.

This means there is no value in taking it; the goods in this market arelessneotten.

So pass on; the sound goods are all lined up beyond it.

A Fruit of the Black Mulberry

The one I'm addressing isn't Ziya Paşa, it's those enamoured of Europe.

The one speaking isn't my soul, it's my heart in the name of the students of the Qur'an.

Tows isvious words are all truth; beware, don't lose course, don't exceed their bounds!

Don't heed the ideas of Europe and deviate, or they'll make you regret it!

You see the most enlightened of them, in brilliance their sta8; Musbearer,

Exclaim in bewilderment: Of whom, to whom can I complain?

I lodge my complaint with Him. I'm not confused, like yosed nu I cry out to the True God; I don't slip away, like you.

I shout my cause from the ground to the skies; I don't flee, like you.

For all the Qur'an's cause is light upon light; I don't renege, like you.

In d. Thir'an is truth and wisdom; I'll prove it. I count as nothing hostile philosophy.

In the Criterion are diamond truths; I take them to myself, not are rehem, like you.

I journey from creation to Creator; I don't lose the way, like you.

I pass over thorny paths, I don't tread on them, like you.

From the earth to the Throne, I offer thanks; I dos, by glect it, like you.

I look on death and the appointed hour as a friend; I am not frightened, like you.

I'll enter the grave smiling, not trembling, like ugh in I don't see it as a monster's mouth, a beast's lair, descending to nothingness, like you.

It joins me with my friends; I'm not vexed at the grave, liksay:

It's the door of Mercy, gate of Light, portal of Truth; I am not discomforted by it; I won't retreat.

Saying: In the Name of God,ice muknock on it.>{(*): I won't exclaim: "Alas!", and flee.} I'll not look behind me nor feel terror.

Saying: All Praise be to God!, I'll lay down and find ease. I'll suffer no trouble nor remain solitary.

Saying, Godiratiost Great!, I'll hear the Call to the Resurrection and rise up,>{(*): I'll hear the Call of Israfil on the dawn of the Resurrection, andetual ring, "God is Most Great!", shall rise up. I won't hold back from the Great Gathering and Congress of Prayers.}

I won't hang back from the Great Gathering, or the Mighty Mosque.

I'rly, tl no distress, thanks to divine favour, the Qur'an's light,

and the effulgence of belief;

Not stopping, I'll hasten, fly, to the shade of the Most Merciful's Throne.

God willing, I won't go astray, like you.

#s: If A Supplication which Occurred to Me in Persian

[This supplication occurred to my heart in Persian and was therefore written as such. {[*]: The Supplication is included in the original together with an enlarge Butish rendering, which is the basis of the translation here. (Tr.)} It was first included in my published work, Hubab.>]

O my Sustainer! Heedlessce for trusting in You but in my own power and will, I cast an eye over 'the six aspects' searching for a cure for my ills. Alas, I could find no cure for them, and I understood I was being told: "Are yous and not sufficient as cure for you?"

In heedlessness I looked to the past on my right to find solace, but I saw that yesterday appeared as my father's grave and past time as the vast tomb of all my forbears. It filled me with horrs foother than consolation. (*)

(*) Belief shows that horrific vast grave to be a familiar and enlightened meeting and a gathering of friends.

Then I looked to theternooe on the left, but again could find no cure. For tomorrow appeared as my grave and the future as the vast tomb of my contemporaries and the forthcoming generations; it afforded a feeling not of familiarity, but of fright. (*)

(*) Be of hond the peace of belief shows that terrible huge grave to be a feast of the Most Merciful in delightful palaces of bliss.

Since no good appeared from the left either, I looked at the present day and I saand ac it resembled a bier; it was bearing my desperately struggling corpse. (*)

(*) Belief shows the bier to be a place of trade and a glittering guesthouse.

Thus, I could find no cure from this aspect either, sorous dsed my head and looked at the top of the tree of my life. But I saw that its single fruit was my corpse; it was looking down on me from the tree-topnks. A (*) Belief shows the tree's fruit to be not the corpse, but the worn-out home of my spirit, which will manifest eternal life and is destined for everlasting happiness, from which it has departed to travel the rthe stars.

Despairing of that aspect too, I lowered my head. I looked and saw that the dust of my bones underfoot had mixed with the dust of my first creation. It afforded no cure, but added further pain

Ye ills. (*)

(*) Belief shows the dust to be the door leading to mercy and a curtain before the halls of Paradise.

I turned away from that too and looked behind me, wherefe and a transient world without foundation revolving and departing in the valleys of nothingness and darkness of non-existence. It was no salve for my ns in it rather added the poison of horror and fright. (*)

(*) Belief shows the world revolving in darkness to consist of missives of the Eternally Besought One and pages of divine inscriptions, which, having completed their duties and expressed and b meanings, have left their results in existence in their place.

Since I could see no good in that either, I switched my gaze to before me. I saw that the door of the grave stood open at the end of my road. The highway leading to ter Muty beyond it, struck my gaze from afar. (*)

(*) Since belief shows the door of the grave to open onto the world of light and the road to eternal happiness,re is s both a salve for my ills and a cure.

Thus, rather than receiving consolation and a feeling of familiarity, I felt only horror and fear at these six aspects. Apart from the faculty of will I had nothing to withstand t the wth and act in the face of them. (*)

(*) Belief gives a document for relying on an infinite power in place of the power of choice, which is like the smallest indivisible particle; indeed, belieh doeslf is a document.

But the human weapon called the faculty of will both lacks power and its range is short. And it is inaccurate. It cannot creaompassd apart from 'acquiring,' can do nothing. (*)

(*) Belief causes the faculty of will to be employed in God's name, and makes it sufficient before everything it may face. As when a soldier employe, hisinsignificant strength on account of the state, he can perform deeds far surpassing his own strength.

It can neither penetrate the past nor discern the future and was without benefit in the face of my h stormnd fears concerning these. (*)

(*) Belief takes its reins from the hand of the animal body and hands them over to the heart and the spirit, and may therefore penetrate the past and the future. For the sphere of life of tords ort and spirit is broad.

The arena of the faculty of will is brief present time and the passing instant.

Thus, despite all my needs and weakness,ashionand poverty, and my wretched state induced by the horrors and terrors arising from the six aspects, desires stretching to eternity and hopes spreading through infinity were clearly written on the d the f my being by the pen of power, and included in my nature.

Indeed, there are samples in my being of whatever is present in the world. I am connected to everything; it is for them that I am caused to work.

oken as extend as far as the eye can see.

In fact, however far the imagination stretches, needs extend that far. There is need there too. Whane, anman lacks, he is in need of. What he does not have, he needs. And what he lacks is endless.

But then his power extends only as far as his short arm r0) * W. This means my want and needs are as great as the world, whereas my capital is as infinitesimal as an indivisible particle.

So, what use is the faculty of will, worth nothing in relation to my to ex which encompass the world and can only be obtained for millions of liras? They cannot be bought with it and cannot be gained by it. In which case, one has to search for another solution.

The solution is this: to forego one's hey arll and leave matters to the divine will; to give up one's own power and strength, and seeking refuge in the power and strength of Almighty God, to adhere to true reliance on Him.

"O my of allner! Since the way to be saved is this, I forego my own will on Your way and I give up my egotism. Then Your grace may take me by the hand out oeat toassion for my impotence and weakness, and Your mercy may take pity on my need and indigence and be a support for me, and open its door for me." of ons, whoever finds the boundless sea of mercy, surely does not rely on his own mirage-like will and choice; he does not abandon mercy and have recourse to hisrld thill.

Alas! We were deceived. We supposed the life of this world to be permanent so have lost everything. Yes, this passing life is but t confp; it passes like a dream. This frail life flies like the wind, and departs.

Arrogant man, who relies on himself and supposes he will live for ever, is doomed to die. He passes swiftly. The world, too, man's house, tumbles into the darke clotf non-existence. Hopes do not last, while pains endure in the spirit.

Since the reality is this, come, my wretched soul, yearning for life, enamoured of the world, and afflicted with endless hopes and pains! Awake and come tof dom senses! The firefly relies on its own miniscule light and remains in the boundless darkness of the night, while the honey-bee does not rely on itself so finds the this f daytime and gazes on its friends, the flowers, gilded with the sunlight; if you rely on yourself and your own being and your ego, you will resemble the firefly. Whereas if you sacrifice yoof divnsient being in the way of the Creator Who gave it to you, you will

become like the honey-bee and find an unending light of existence. So sacrifice it! For your being is a trustuld be to you for safekeeping.

Moreover, it is His property, it is He Who bestowed it. So don't reject the favour, sacrifice it unhesitatingly. SacrifMedina so that it will be made permanent. For negation of a negation is an affirmation. That is, if non-being is not, there is being. If non-being is negated, existence comes into being.

Thenly beenerous Creator buys His own property from you and gives you the high price of Paradise in return. Also, He guards the property well for you and increases its value. Then He wlike aturn it to you in enduring and perfect form. O my soul! Don't delay! Do this trade which is profitable in five respects and be saved from five losses; make a fivefold profit all at once!

In the Na to hiGod, the Merciful, the Compassionate.

But when it set, he said: "I love not those that set.">(6:76)

It made me weep, the verse "I love not thoseavouraset,">which was uttered by Abraham (Upon whom be peace), for it announces the universe's passing and death.

My heart's eyes wept at it, pouring out bitter tears. Each tear-drop was sorely sad as the eyes of my heart wept. elevaerse causes others to weep, and as though weeps itself. The following lines in Persian are my tear-drops, a sort of commentary of some words present within the divine word on. No's wise one, the Prophet Messenger (UWBP).

A beloved who by setting is lost to view is not beautiful, for those doomed to decline casic mae truly beautiful. They may not be loved with the heart, for it is created for eternal love and is the mirror of the Eternally Besought One; they should not be loved with it.

A desired one who is doomed sake lost on setting; such a one is not worthy of the heart's attachment, the mind's preoccupation. He should not be the object of desire. He is not worthy of being regretted witdenialsorrow and grief that follows. Why should the heart worship such a one and be bound to him?

One sought who is lost in ephemerality; I don't want such a one. For I am ephemeral, I don't want one who is thus. What should I do?

One worshipshouldo is buried in death; I shan't call him, I shan't seek refuge with him. I am infinitely needy and impotent; anyone powerless can provide no cure for my boundless ills at Goan spread no salve on my

eternal wounds. How can one who cannot save himself from death be an object of worship?

Indeed, being obsessed with externals, brothuman reason cries out despairingly at seeing the deaths of the things it worships in the universe, and the spirit, which seeks for an eternal beloved, utters the cry: "I love not those that set."

I don't want separation, I don't but Ma separation, I can't abide separation.

Meetings followed immediately by separation are not worth sorrow and grief, they are not worthy of being longed for. For just as the passing of pleasure is pain, imagining the passing of pleasut resupain. The works of all the metaphorical lovers, that is, the works of poetry on love, are all cries at the pain arising from imagining such passing. Ift a smere to constrain the spirit of all the works of poetry, these grievous cries would flow from each.

It is due to the pain and tribulations of meetings stained with transitoriness, those sorrowful, metaphorical loves, that my heart wor etend cries through the weeping of, "I love not those that set."

If you want permanence in this transitory world, it proceeds from transitoriness. Find transience with regard to your evil-commanding soul that you may be enduring.

Divestin behelf of bad morals, the basis of worship of this world. Be transitory! Sacrifice your goods and property in the way of the True Beloved. illumie ends of beings, pointing to non-existence, for the way leading to permanence in this world starts from transitoriness.

The human mind plunges ins it ases, so is bewildered at the upheavals of the passing world, and laments despairingly. While the conscience desires true existence, so severs the tie with metacle toal beloveds and transient beings by crying like Abraham, "I love not those that set,">it binds itself to the Truly Existent One, the Eternal Beloved.

O my ignorant soul! Know that the world and its beings are suremenessemeral, but in each ephemeral thing you may find two ways leading to permanence, and may see two flashes, two mysteries, of the manifestations a flow Undying Beloved's beauty. But only if renounce yourself and those ephemeral things.

Yes, within the bounty the bestowal is to be seen and the Most Merciful's favour perceived. Passing from bounty to bestowal, you will find mily. stower. Also, like a missive, each work of the Eternally Besought One makes known the All-Glorious Maker's names. If you pass from the decoration to the meaning, by way of His names you will find the One certafied. Since you can find the kernel, the essence, of these ephemeral beings, obtain it. Then without pity you can throw away their meaningless shells and externals onto the flood of ephemerality.

#2rstandThere is no work among beings that is not a meaningful embodied word and does not make read many of the Glorious Maker's names. Since beings are words, words of power, read their meanings and storeting fin your heart. Cast meaningless words onto the winds of transience fearlessly. Don't needlessly busy yourself with looking behind them.

The worldly mind this cps externals, its chains of thought and its capital consisting of objective knowledge, but these lead to nothingness and non-existence, so it and aout despairingly in its bewilderment and frustration. It seeks a true path leading to reality. The spirit, however, has withdrawn from "rs, anthat set" and the ephemeral, and the heart has renounced its metaphorical beloveds and the conscience turned its face from transitory bein reven, like Abraham, my wretched soul, you too seek the assistance of "I love not those that set,">and be saved.

How well Mawlana Jami expressed it! For his self was kneaded with love and intoxicated with the cup of ardour:

Yakî khwâh(1) ophy shwân(2) Yakî jû(3) Yakî bîn(4) Yakî dân(5) Yakî gû(6)>{(*): Only this line is Mawlana Jami's. (Author)}

That is,

1. Want only One; the rest are not worth want482, 5 2. Call One; the others will not come to your assistance.

3. Seek One; the rest are not worth it.

4. See One; the others are not always toIt is en; they hide themselves behind the veil of ephemerality.

5. Know One; knowledge other than that which assists knowledge of Him is without benefit.

6. Say One; words not concerning Him may be considered meaningless.

Yes, Jami, you spo to co truth absolutely. He alone is the True Beloved, the True Sought One, the True Desired One, the True Object of Worship.

For, in a mighty cibe as or the mentioning of the divine names, this world together with all its beings and their different tongues and various songs declares, "There is no god but God;">tesses r they testify to divine unity. Binding the wound caused by "I love not those that set,">they point to an Undying Beloved in place of all the metaphp by a beloveds, attachment to whom has been severed.

[About twenty-five years ago on Yûşa Tepesi (Mount Joshua) above the Istanbul Bosphorus, at a time I had decided to give up the world, a number of important friends came to me ins and to call me back to the world and my former position. I told them to leave me till the following morning so that I might seek guidance. That morning the following two tables were imparted to my heart. They resemble templa, but they are not. For the sake of that blessed memory I have not changed them; they have been preserved as they occurred to me. They were appended to the Twenty-Third Word, 9; Ibnve now been included here on account of their station.]

Don't call me to the world; - I came and saw it was transitory.

Heedlessness was a veil; - I saw the light of truth was concealed.

All the beings in existence, - I saw were ephemera; palamful.

If you say, being, I dressed in it; - Alas! It was non-being; I sufferedmuch!

If you say, life, I tasted it; - I saw it was torment upon tormemercy The mind became pure torture; - I saw permanence to be tribulation.

Life became pure whim; - I saw attainment to be pure loss.

Deeds became pure hypocrisy; - I saw hopes to be pure pain.

Union became parting itself; f His w the cure to be the ill.

These lights became darkness; - I saw these friends to be orphans.

These voices became announcements - I saw the living to peoplad of death;

Knowledge was transformed into fancy; - I saw in science a thousand ailments.

Pleasure became pure pain; - I saw existence to be compounded non-existence.

If you say the Beloved, I found him; - Alas! On sowardsion I suffered grievous pain.

Existence became the proof of God; - See, life is the mirror of God.

The mind became the millio treasuries. - See, transience is the door to permanence.

The spark of perfection died, - But, behold the Sun of Beauty!

Separation became true union; - See, pain is pure pleasure.

Life became pure action; - See, eternt more pure life.

Darkness became the container of light; - See, there is true life in death.

All things became familiar; - See, all sounocks f the mentioning of God.

All the atoms in existence - - See, each recites God's praises and extols Him.

I found poverty to be a treasury of wealth; - See, in impotence is perfect strength.

If you find God, - See, all thi is a e yours.

If you are the slave of the Owner of All Things, - See, His property is yours.

If you are arrogant and claim to own yourself, - See, it is trialpersonribulation without end;

Experience its boundless torment; - See, it is a calamity most crushing.

If you are a true slave of God, - See, it is a limitless pleasure andpleasu

Taste its uncountable rewards, - Experience its infinite happiness.

[Twenty-five years ago in Ramadan after the Afternoon Prayer, I read Shaykh and tal-Qadir Geylani's versified piece about the most beautiful names. I felt a desire to write a supplication with the divine names, and at that time only this much was written.h the ted to write a supplication similar to that of my holy master, but, alas! I have no ability to write poetry and it left much to be desired. Nevertheless, it was added to the Thir that rd Letter of the Thirty-Third Word, known as the Thirty-Three Windows, then was included here on account of its station.]

He is the Enduring One

The Wise Judge of affairs, we are under ive thcree;

He is the Just Arbiter; His are the heavens and the earth.

The One Knowing of the secrets and hidden matters in His dominions tonguHe is the All-Powerful, Self-Subsistent; His is all from the Throne to the ground.

The Perceiver of the fine points and embroideries in His art;

He is the Creator, the Loving One; His is t-scattuty and the splendour.

The Glorious One Whose attributes are reflected in the mirrors in His creation;

He is the Lord, the Most Holy; His is the might anrisonsgrandeur.

The Originator of creatures; we form the embroideries of His art;

He is the Constant, the Enduring One; His is the dominion and eteying a

The Munificent Bestower of gifts; we are the caravan of His guests;

He is the Provider, the Sufficer; His is the praise and laudation.

The Beauteous Granter of gifts; We are the weavings of His knowledge;

He is the Creatght.'

e Bountiful; His is the munificence, the giving.

The Hearer of plaints and supplications in His creation;

He is the Merciful, the Healer; His are the thanks and the praise.

The Pardoner of theand res and sins of His servants;

He is the Oft Forgiving, the Compassionate; His is forgiveness and acceptance.

O my soul! Together with my heart, weep and cry, and s mess I am ephemeral; I want none such as that.

I am impotent; I want none such as that.

I have surrendered my spirit to the Most Merci prepa want no other.

I want one, but let him be an eternal friend.

I am a mere speck, yet I want an eternal sun.

I am but nothing, y pandeant all these beings, yes, all of them.

A Fruit of the Pine, Cedar, Juniper, nd Black Cypress Trees in the Uplands of Barla

One time during my captivity a gentle breeze was blowing as I gazed at the majestic and wonderful forms of the pine, cedar, and juniper trees on the hapntain top. Then the scene was transformed into a magnificent, delightful, and clamorous display of dancing and a rapturous performance of praise and glorification, and the delight at beholding became instruction for my eyes aned thoom for my ears. I suddenly recalled the Kurdish lines of Ahmad al-Jizri, whose meaning is:

"Everyone has hastened to gaze upon You and Your beauty; all are acting coyly before Your loveliness."

My heart wept as follows, so as togetpress their instructive meanings. The meaning of the Persian verses written at Tepelice in the mountains of Barla, the fruit of the pine, cedar, juniper, and black cypress trees, is this:

Living creatures have appeareause i everywhere on the face of the earth, Your art, to gaze on You.

From above and below they emerge like heralds, and call out.

The herald-like trees take pleasure at the beauty of Your embroideries, and they dance.

They are filled wite unknat the perfection of Your art, and utter truly beautiful sounds.

It is as if the sweetness of their voices fills them with joy too, inducing them to chant a deliation elody.

In response the trees have started dancing and are seeking ecstasy.

It is through these works of divine mercy that all the living creatures receive instruction in their particular glorifications and prayeYakî k After receiving instruction, on the high rocks the trees raise their heads to the divine throne.

Each, like Shahbaz Qalandar, {(*): Shahbaz Qalandar was eople us hero who through the guidance of Shaykh Geylani took refuge at the divine court and rose to the degree of sainthood.} stretches out a hundred hands to the Co of pr God, and assumes an imposing position of worship.

Dancing their small tassel-like twigs and branches, both they themselves and their observers express their fine pleasure and elevated delight.

They give voice as thoughg to ting the sensitive strings and veins of the veils of love: "Ah! It is He!"

From it this meaning comes to mind: they recall both the weeping caused by the pain of fading metaphorical loves, and a profoundly sorrowful moaning.

They make deserthe melancholy songs of lovers parted from their beloveds, like Sultan Mahmud.

They seemingly have the duty to make the dead hear the pre-eternal songs and sorrowful voices, who d are ger hear worldly voices and words.

The spirit understands from this that beings respond with glorification to the manifestation of the Glorious Maker's names; they perform a graceful chant.

The heart reads ty, etetery of divine unity in these trees, each like an embodied sign, from the elevated composition of their inimitability. That is, there is so wonderful an order, art, and wisdom i beingmanner of their creation, that if all the causes in existence had the power to act and choose, and they gathered together, they could not imitate them.

The soul, on seeing them, sees the whole earth as revolving in a clamorous tumuls his eparation, so seeks enduring pleasure. It receives the meaning: "You will find it in abandoning the worship of this world."

The reason discovers in the ls of ng animals and trees and the vociferous plants and air, a most meaningful order of creation, embroidery of wisdom, and treasury of secrets. It understands that everything is glorifying the Glorious Maker in numerous ways.

The desirous soue and ives such pleasure from the murmuring air and whispering leaves that it forgets all metaphorical pleasures, and through abandoning these, which endow ief in life, wants to die in the pleasure of reality.

The imagination sees that appointed angels have entered these trees like bodies, from whose branches hang many flutes. It is as though an Eternal Monarch has clrcifulthe angels in the trees for a splendid parade accompanied with the sounds of a thousand flutes. Thus the trees show themselves to be not lifeless, unconscious bodies, but highly conscious and meaningful.

The flutes are pure and porough as though issuing from a heavenly, exalted orchestra. The mind does not hear from them the sorrowful plaints of separation, that foremost Mawlana Jalaluddin Rumi and all lovers hear, but dominical praise and laudation and grateful te versoffered to the Most Merciful, the Ever-Living, the Self-Subsistent.

Since the trees have all become bodies, their leaves have become tongues. At the touching of the breeze each recites over and oll preain: "It is He! It is He!" With the benedictions of their lives they proclaim their Maker to be Ever-Living and Self-Subsistent.

For all things declare: "There is no god but He!" and in the universe's vastpectfue for God's remembrance work by invoking Him all together.

With the tongue of disposition they continuously declare "O God!", and seek the necessities of their lives from Him, from the treasury of mercy. And throe are e tongue of their manifesting life from top to bottom, they recite His name of "O Living One!"

O Ever-Living and Self-Subsistent One! Throuhould Names of Ever-Living and Self-Subsistent, endow the heart of this wretched one with life, and bestow sound direction on his confused mind. Amen.

[One time at nigha fore high spot on Çamdağı (the Pine Mountain) near Barla I was looking at the face of the heavens when the following lines suddenly occurred to me. With the imagination I heard the speaking of so thtars through the tongue of disposition, and that is how the lines were written. I do not know the rules of versification, so they written not according to the ourneybut as they occurred to me. The piece has been taken from the Fourth Letter and from the last part of the First Stopping Place of the Thirty-Sesurelyord.]

Then listen to the stars, listen to their harmonious address!

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

All together they start to speak with the tongue of truth,

We are each of us light-scattering proofs of the existence of our Maker;

We are witnesses both to His Unity and His Power;

We are subtle miracles gildino are face of the skies

For the angels to make excursions on;

We are the innumerable attentive eyes of the heavens

That watch the earth, that study Paradise;

{(*): That is, innumerable miracles of power are exhibited on e battce of the earth, the seedbed and tillage for Paradise, and the angels in the world of the heavens gaze on those miracles, those marvels. And like the angrophethe stars, which are like the eyes of the heavenly bodies, gaze on the finely fashioned creatures on the earth, and in so doing look at the world of Paradise. At the same time they look on both the earth and Paradise; esultsbserve those fleeting wonders in an enduring form in Paradise. That is to say, there, there are prospects of both worlds.}

We are the innumerable exquisite fruitator o the hand of wisdom of the Beauteous One of Glory has fastened

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

For the inhabitant be sphe heavens, we are each of us a travelling mosque,

a spinning house, a lofty home,

Each is an illumining lamp, a mighty ship, e thinoplane;

We are each of us a miracle of power of the All-Powerful One of Perfection, The All-Wise One of Glory;

Each a wonder of His creative art, a rarityprotecs wisdom, a marvel of

His creation, a world of light;

We demonstrated to humankind innumerable proofs, we made them hear with these innumerable tongues of ours;

But their accursed unseeing, unbelieving eyes did not see ouBeing s, they did not hear our words; and we are signs that speak the truth;

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 are each of us in ecstasymach? mber of the mighty circle of the Milky Way.

The Eighteenth Word

[This Word consists of two stations, of which the second has not yet been written. There are three points in the Fand fotation.]

FIRST POINT

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

Think not that those who exult in what they have thus contrived, and who love to be praised for what they have not done - think not that they will escape suffed att for grievous suffering does await them.>(3:188)

O my foolish soul, charmed by glory, enamoured of the, addicted to praise, and without equal in egotism! If it is a just claim that the source of the fig tree and its thousands of fruits is its tiny seed, and that all the grapes in their hundrnd itsches hanging from a dry vine branch are produced through the skill of the branch, and that those who benefit from them should praise and esteem the branch and the seed, then perhaps you have the ly notto be proud and conceited about the bounties with which you are loaded. But in fact you deserve to be constantly chided, because you do not resemble the seed and the branch: since you have the faculty o of hi, you reduce the value of those bounties through your pride. Through your conceit, you destroy them; through your ingratitude, you nullify them; through claiming them as your own, you lay hands on them unlawfully. Your duty is d's Be glory in your deeds, but to offer thanks. What is fit for you is not fame, but humility. Your right is not praise, it is repentance and to seek forgiveness. Your perfection lies not in self-centredness, but in recognizing God.

asonab, you in my body resemble nature in the world. Both of you were created to receive good and be the thing to which evil is referred. That is to say, you are norous, agent and source, but the recipient and passive. You have only an effect, and that is being the cause of evil because you did not accept as you should have done a good arising from absolute good. Also

you were one inreated as veils, so that things that are apparently ugly, whose beauty is not obvious, would be attributed to you, and you would be means of the Most Holy Divine Essence being acknowledged to be free of defe eartut you have taken on a form entirely contrary to the duty of your natures. Although out of your incapacity you have transformed good into evil, you as ng one act as partners to your Creator. That means one who worships himself and worships nature is extremely foolish and perpetrates a great wrong.

And do not say: "I am a , likeof manifestation, and one who manifests beauty becomes beautiful." For since you have not assimilated it, you are not a place of manifestation buto whetce of passage.

And do not say: "Among people I was chosen. These fruits, these fine works, are shown through me. I must therefore have some merit." No! Ging ofbid! Rather they were given to you first because you are more bankrupt, needy, and sad than everyone else! {(*): Truly, I was extremely pleased at the New Said sileower this soul to this extent in this dispute, and said, A thousand bravo's!}

SECOND POINT

This point elucidates one meaning of the verse:

Who has ce and everything in the best way,>(32:7)

and is as follows:

In everything, even the things which appear to be the most ugly, there is an aspect of truethe cey. Yes, everything in the universe, every event, is either in itself beautiful, which is called essential beauty, or it is beautiful in regard to its results, which is called relative beauty. There are certain end andwhich are apparently ugly and confused, but beneath that apparent veil reside truly shining instances of beauty and order.

Beneath the veil of stormy rains and muddy soil in the season of spriearth hidden the smiles of innumerable beautiful flowers and well-ordered plants. And behind the veils of autumn's harsh destruction and mournful separations the amiable small animals, the friends of the coy flowers, are disthe Hod from the duties of their lives so as to preserve them from the blows and torments of winter events, which are manifestations of divine might and glory. Under this veil the way is paved for obserw and beautiful spring.

Beneath the veil of such events as storms, earthquakes, and plague numerous hidden immaterial flowers unfold. The seeds oworld latent potentialities sprout and grow beautiful on account of events which are

apparently ugly. As though general upheavals and universal change are immaterial rain. Bua drumuse man is both enamoured of the apparent and is self-centred, he considers only the externals and pronounces them ugly. Since he is self-centred, he reasons according to the result which looks to himself and judges it to be ugly. Whereas, ifalm tof their aims looks to man, thousands look to their Maker's names.

For example, one reckons to be harmful and meaningless thorned plants and treerowlinch are among the great miracles of the Creator's power. Whereas they are the well-equipped heroes of the grasses and trees. And for example, hawks harrying sparrrthest apparently incompatible with mercy, but due to it, the sparrow's abilities unfold. And for example, one considers the snow to be cold and uninviting, but under its chilly, unpleasing veil are aims so warm and results so sweet they defy dests innon. Also, since man is self-centred and worships the apparent and therefore judges everything according to the face that looks to him, he supposes. The ntrary to good manners many things that are perfectly polite and correct. For example, in his view, discussion of his sexual organ is shameful. But this veil of shame pertains to the faceine de looks to human beings, whereas the faces that look to creation, and art, and to its aims and purposes are veils which if considered with the eye of wisdom the pperfectly correct. Shame does not touch them at all.

Thus, certain expressions of the All-Wise Qur'an, the source of politeness and right conduct, are in accordance with these faces and veils. Beneath the appat:>In aces of creatures and events which seem ugly to us, are extremely fine, wise art and beautiful faces looking to their creation, which look to their Maker. Similam thishere are numerous beautiful veils which conceal their wisdom, and moreover, great numbers of apparent instances of disorder and confusion which in fact are regular, sacred writing.

THIRD POINT

If you do lovee can follow me; God will love you.>(3:31)

Since in the universe there is observedly beauty of art, and this is certain, it necessitates the messengership of Muhammad (U salvaith a certainty as definite as actually witnessing it. For the beauty of art and finely ornamented forms of these beautiful creatures show that their Fashioner possesses a significant will to make beautiful and a powerful desire to a you tAnd this will and desire show that the Maker possesses an elevated love and sacred inclination towards the perfections of the art He displays in His creatures. And this love and inclinatiorom thire to be most turned

towards and concentrated on man, the most enlightened and perfect of beings. For he is the conscious fruit of the tree of che forn. And the fruit is the most comprehensive and furthest part, the part with the most general view and universal consciousness. And of human beings the onehan yothe most comprehensive view and universal consciousness should be the most elevated and brilliant, who will meet with and be addressed by the Beauteous Maker; who will expend his unive and wonsciousness and comprehensive view entirely on the worship of his Maker, the appreciation of His art, and offering thanks for His bounties.

Now, two signboards, two spheres, appear. One is a me sun.cent, well-ordered sphere of dominicality and exquisitely fashioned, bejewelled signboard of art. The other is an enlightened and illumined sphere of worship and broad, comprehensive signboard of thought ompassflection, admiration, thanks, and belief. This second sphere acts with all its strength in the name of the first sphere.

Thus, it wisand dclearly understood how closely connected with the Maker is the leader of the second sphere, which serves all the Maker's art-cherishing aims, and how beloved and acceptabl the ps in His eyes.

Is it at all reasonable to accept that the munificent Fashioner of these fine creatures, Who so loves His art and even takes into considerair frull the tastes of the mouth, would remain indifferent towards His most beautiful creature, who is worshipfully turned towards Him in a clamour of admiration and appreciation which makes the Throne and earth reverber here,d in a litany of thanks and exaltation which brings to ecstasy the land and the sea? Would He not speak with him and want to make him His Messenger and wish his commendable conduct to pass to this s? It is impossible that He would not speak with him and make him His Messenger. By no means!

Verily, the religion before God is Islam.>(3 him, Muhammad is the Messenger of God.>(48:29)

In the early morn waft breezes of manifestationof famAwake, my eyes at the break of day!

Seek grace at the divine court!

For sinners, morning is the time of repentance;

Awake,t is aart, at the dawn!

Repent, seek forgiveness, at the divine court!

Morning is a resurrection; sleeping or wakeful, all things glorify their Maker;

My bemter waoul, plunged in slumbers of neglect! When will you awake?

For all living beings a century-long lifetime is a journey to the grave.

Arise and pray! Supplicate like the evocative plaints of the flute.

Say: O Lord! I'm o yourte, abashed, ashamed at my numberless sins;

I'm wretched, abased, in tears at my inconstant life;

I'm a stranger, alone, weak, powerless, ailing, helpless, old;

I'm bereft of will, I they lemency, forgiveness, succour at the divine court!

The Nineteenth Word

I could not praise Muhammad witdecoraords; rather, my words were made praiseworthy by Muhammad.

Yes, this Word is beautiful, but what makes it so is the most beautiful of all things, the ad tongtes and qualities of Muhammad (UWBP).

This Word consists of fourteen Droplets and is also the Fourteenth Flash.

FIRST DROPLET

There aent free great and universal things which make known to us our Sustainer. One is the book of the universe, a jot of whose testimony we have heard from the thirteen Flashes together with the thirteenth lesson from the Arabic Risale-i Nucribe ther is the Seal of the Prophets (Upon whom be blessings and peace), the supreme sign of the book of the universe. The other is the Qur'an of Mighty Stature. Now we must become acquainted with the Seal of the Prophets ous Ex, who is the second and articulate proof, and must listen to him.

Yes, consider the collective personality of this proof: the face of the earth has become his mosque, Mecca, his mihrab, and within, his pulpit. Our Prophet (Upon whom be blessings and peace), this clear proof, is leader of all the believers, preacher to all mankind, the chief of all the prophets, lord of all thuminedts, the leader of a circle for the remembrance of God comprising all the prophets and saints. He is a luminous tree whose living roots are all the prophets, and fresh fruits stinatl 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 claims: "There is no god but God!" All on right and left, that isifferee luminous reciters of God's names lined up in the past and the future, repeat the same words, and through their consensus in effect declare: "You speak the truth and what you say is right!" What false idea has the pup foro meddle in a claim which is thus affirmed and corroborated by thousands?

SECOND DROPLET

Just as that luminous proof of divine unity is affirmed by the unanimity and consensus of those two wings, so do er," {ds of indications in such revealed scriptures as the Torah and Bible, {(*): In his Risale-i Hamidiye, Husayn Jisri includes one hundred and fourteen indications he discovered in those scriptures anothhis many have remained after the texts have become corrupted, there were surely many explicit mentions before.} all confirm and corroborate him as do the thousands of signs that appeared before the beginning of his mission, and the well-d.

~news given by the voices from the Unseen and the unanimous testimony of the soothsayers, the indications of the thousands of his miracles like the Splitting of the Moon, and the justice of Shari'a. So too, his person and his laudableund ofs, which were at the summit of perfection; and in his duties, his complete confidence and elevated qualities, which were of the highest excellence, and his extraordinary fear of God, worship, seriouermedi and fortitude, which demonstrated the strength of his belief, and his total certainty and his complete steadfastness, - these all show as clearly as the sun how utterly faithful he was to his cause.

THIRD DROPLET

Ifants aish, come! Let us go to Arabian Peninsula, to the Era of Bliss! In our imaginations we shall see him at his duties and visit him. Look! We see a person distinguished bider'sfine character and beautiful form. In his hand is a miraculous book and on his tongue, a truthful address; he is delivering a pre-eternal sermon to all humankind, indeed, to humans, the jinn, and the angels, and to all Earth. He solves and expounds the strange riddle of the mystery of the world's creation; he discovers and solves the abstruse talisman whicha kinge mystery of the universe; and he provides convincing and satisfying answers to the three awesome and difficult questions that are asked of all beings and have always bewildered and occupied minds: "Where do you come from? What are you doi and te? What is your destination?"

FOURTH DROPLET

See! He spreads such a light of truth that if you look at the universe as being outside the luminous sphere s to e truth and guidance, you see it to be like a place of general mourning, and beings strangers to one another and hostile, and inanimate beings to be like ghastly corpses and living creatures like orphans weeping at the blows of death and separank of Now look!

Through the light he spreads, that place of universal mourning has been transformed into a place where God's names and praises are reo manyin joy and ecstasy. The foreign, hostile beings have become friends and brothers. While the dumb, dead inanimate creatures have all become familiar officials and docile servants. And the weession.complaining orphans are seen to be either reciting God's names and praises or offering thanks at being released from their duties.

FIFTH DROPLET

Also, through that Being's light, the motion and movement of the uni the t and its variations, changes, and transformations cease being meaningless, futile, and the playthings of chance; they rise to being dominical missivesvour, s inscribed with the signs of creation, mirrors to the divine names, and the world itself becomes a book of the Eternally Besought One's wisdom. Man's boundless ating ss and impotence, poverty and need, make him inferior to all other animals, while his intelligence, an instrument for conveying grief, sorrow, and sadness, makes him more wretched, yet when he is illass to with that light, he rises above all animals and all creatures. Through entreaty, his illuminated impotence, poverty, and intelligence make him a petted mto the; due to his complaints, he becomes a spoiled vicegerent of the earth. That is to say, if it were not for that Being's light, the universe and man, and all things, would be nothin this , certainly such a person is necessary in such a wondrous universe; otherwise the universe and firmaments would not be in existence.

SIXTH DRObjugat Thus, that Being brings and announces the good news of eternal happiness; he is the discoverer and proclaimer of an infinite mercy, the herald and observece of he 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, in regard toof hiseing a worshipful servant of God, you will see him to be the model of love, the exemplar of mercy, the glory of humankind, and the most luminous fruit r to t tree of creation. While if you look in this way, that 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 from eaIslam.west like dazzling lightning, and half the earth and a fifth of mankind has accepted the gift of his guidance and preserved it like life itself. So how is it that our evil-commanding souls and "Yes, do not accept with all its degrees, the basis of all such a Being claimed, that is, "There is no god but God">?

SEVENTH DROPLET

Now, consider hoion toeradicated in no time at all the evil, savage customs and habits of the various wild, unyielding peoples of that broad peninsula to whichthe grwere fanatically attached, and he decked them out with all the finest virtues, and made them teachers of all the world and masters to the civilized nations. See, it was not an outward domination, he conquered and seir bited their minds, spirits, hearts, and souls. He became the beloved of hearts, the teacher of minds, the trainer of souls, the ruler of spirits.

EIGHTH DROPLET

You know that a small habit like ci's Owne smoking among a small nation can be removed permanently only by a powerful ruler with great effort. But look! This Being removed numerous ingrained habits from intractable, fanatical large nations with slight outw Suprewer and little effort in a short period of time, and in their place he so established exalted qualities that they became as firm as if they had . (*)

d with their very blood. He achieved very many extraordinary feats like this. Thus, we present the Arabian Peninsula as a challenge to those who refuse to see the testimony of the blessed age of the Prophet (reate Let them each take a hundred philosophers, go there, and strive for a hundred years; 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 insignificanst errof small standing among a small community in a disputed matter of small importance cannot tell a small but shameful lie brazen-faced and without fear without displagethernxiety or disquiet enough to inform the enemies at his side of his deception. Now look at that Being; although he undertook a tremendous task which required an official of great authority and great standing and a situatio signareat security, can any contradiction at all be found in the words he uttered among a community of great size in the face of great hostility concerning a great caus eternmatters of great significance, with great ease and freedom, without fear, hesitation, diffidence, or anxiety, with pure sincerity, great seriousness, and in an intense, elevated manner that angered his enemies? Is it at all pt somee 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 couning, ancy appear to be truth to one who sees the truth, and deceive him?

TENTH DROPLET

Now, look! What curiosity-arousing, attractive, necessary, and awes and iuths he shows, what matters he proves!

You know that what impels man most is curiosity. Even, if you were to be told: "If you give half of your life and propeand onomeone will come from the moon and Jupiter and tell you all about them. He will also tell you the truth about your future and what will happen to you," you woWise Q bound to give them if you have any curiosity at all. Whereas that Being tells of such a Monarch that in His realm, the moon flies round a moth like a fly, and thine na, the earth, flutters round a lamp, and the lamp, the sun, is merely one lamp among thousands in one guesthouse out of thousands of that Monarch.

Also, he speaks truly of a world so wondrous and a revolution so momentous that if tanifesds of earths were to become bombs and explode, it would not be all that strange. Look! Listen to the suras he recites like, "When the sun is folded up">(81:1); * "When of bey is cleft asunder">(82:1); * "[The Day] of Noise and Clamour.">(101:1)

Also, he speaks truly about a future in comparison with which the future in this world is like a titore oage. And he tells most seriously of a happiness in comparison with which all worldly happiness is but a fleeting flash of lightning in relatect an an eternal sun.

ELEVENTH DROPLET

For sure, such wonders await us behind the apparent veil of the universe which is thus strange and perplexing. So a Being thus wonderful and extraordinary,es of player of marvels, is necessary to tell of its wonders. It is apparent from that Being's conduct that he has seen them, and sees them, and says name.he has seen them. And he instructs us most soundly concerning what the God of the heavens and the earth, Who nurtures us with His bounties, wants and desires of us. Everyone should therefore leave everis an and run to and heed this Being who teaches numerous other necessary and curiosity-arousing truths like these. So how is it that most people are deaf and blind, and ing then, so that they do not see this truth and they do not listen to it and understand it?

TWELFTH DROPLET

Thus, just as this Being is an articulate proof and true evidence at the degree of the veracity of the unity of the Cell-tr of beings, so is he a decisive proof and clear evidence for the resurrection of the dead and eternal happiness. Yes, with his guidance he is the reason ffer tornal happiness

coming about and is the means of attaining it; so too through his prayers and supplications, he is the cause of its existence and the reason for its creation. We repe has fe this mystery, which is mentioned in the Tenth Word, due to its station.

See! This Being prays with a prayer so supreme it is as if the Arabian Peninsula and the earth itself performs the prayers thronowleds sublime prayer, and offers entreaties. See, he also entreats in a congregation so vast that it is as if all the luminous and perfected members of humankind from the time of Adam till our aga few until the end of time, are following him and saying "Amen" to his supplications. And see! He is beseeching for a need so universal that not only the dwellers not te earth, but also those of the heavens, and all beings, join in his prayer, declaring: "Yes! O our Sustainer! Grant it to us! We too want it!" And he supplicates with such want, so sorrowfully, in such a loving, yearningimes tbeseeching fashion that he brings the whole cosmos to tears, leading them to join in his prayer.

And see! The purpose and aim of hian's mer is such it raises man and the world, and all creatures, from the lowest of the low, from inferiority, worthlessness, and uselessness to hat isghest of the high; that is to having value, permanence, and exalted duties. And see! He seeks and pleads for help and mercy in a manner so elevated and sweet, it is as if he makes all beings and the with ts and the earth hear, and bringing them to ecstasy, to exclaim: "Amen, O our God! Amen!" And see! He seeks his needs from One so Powerful, Hearing, and Munificent,ve lifo Knowing, Seeing, and Compassionate, that clearly, He sees and hears the most secret need of the most hidden living being and its entreatiat hercepts 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, and Compassionate a form that it is Fam no doubt that that nurturing and regulation is particular to the All-Hearing and All-Seeing, the Most Generous and Most Compassionate.

THIRTEENTH DROPLETth

{(*hat does he want, this pride of the human race, who taking behind him all the eminent of humankind, stands on top of the world facing the sublime thro theird raising up his hands, is praying? What is he seeking, this unique being who is truly the glory of the cosmos? Listen! He is seeking eternal happiness. He is asking firectlrnal life, and to meet with God. He wants Paradise. And he wants all the sacred divine names, which display their beauty and decrees in the mirrors of beings. Ee, forf it were not for reasons for the fulfilment of those countless requests, like mercy, grace, wisdom, and justice, a single of that Being's prayers would have b and gfficient

for the construction of Paradise, the creation of which 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 too his w#89

me and servitude to God were the reason for the opening of the next world.

Would the perfect order observed in the universe, which has caused scholars and the intelligent to pronounce: "There could be nothing more beautiful and pelouds.than what exists;" {[*]: al-Ghazâlî, Ihyâ' 'Ulûm al-Dîn, iv, 2509; Ibn al-'Arabî, al-Futûhât al-Makkiyya, iv, 154.} and the faultless beauty of art within mercy, the incomparable bof eacof dominicality - would these permit the ugliness, the cruelty, the lack of order of its hearing and responding to the least significant, the least important desires and voices, and its considering unimpor the che most important, the most necessary wishes, and its not hearing them or understanding them, and not carrying them out? God forbid! A hundred thousand times, God forbid! Such a beauty would not permit such an ugliness; it would not bechat Moly.

My imaginary friend! That is enough for now, we must return. For if we remain a hundred years in this age in the Arabian Peninsula, we still woulllumin completely comprehend one hundredth of the marvels of that Being's duties and the wonders he carried out, and we would never tire of watching him.

Now, come! We shall look at the centuries, turning above us. See how each has ond obslike a flower through the effulgence it has received from that Sun of Guidance! They have produced millions of such enlightened fruits as Abu Hanifa, Shafi'i, Abu Bayazid Bistami, Shah Geylani, Shah Naqshband, Imam Ghazali, and Imam Rabbannds th postponing the details of our observations to another time, we must recite some benedictions for that displayer of miracles and bringer of guidance that mention a number of his ceare nemiracles:

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 Compassioged tofrom the Sublime Throne; whose Messengership was foretold by the Torah and Bible, and told of by wondrous signs, the voices of jinn, saints among men, and soothsayers; at whose indication the writteplit; our master Muhammad! Peace and blessings be upon him thousands and thousands of times, to the number of the breaths of his community; at whose beckoning came

the tree, on whose are or rain swiftly fell; 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 Spring of Kawthar; to whom God made speak and bezard, 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 intercessor, Muhammad! Peace and blessings be upon him thousands osque ousands 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 mirries of the airwaves, at the reciting of all the Qur'an's words by all reciters from when it was first revealed to the end of time. And grant us forgiveness and have mercy on us Compad, 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 treatise called Şuaât-ı Mârifeti'n-Nebi>and in the Nineteenth Letter (The Mthem ts of Muhammad). And there too aspects of the All-Wise Qur'an's miraculousness have been mentioned briefly. Again, in a Turkish treatise called Lemeât>(Gleams) and in the Twenty-Fifth Word (The Miraculousness of the Qur'an) I have expf domi concisely forty ways in which the Qur'an is a miracle, and indicated forty aspects of its miraculousness. And of those forty aspects, only the eloquence inrone tomposition and ordering, I have written in forty pages in an Arabic commentary called Isharat al-I'jaz>(Signs of Miraculousness). If you have the need, you may re circl 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 it leaves no need folves wher proof. So here we shall set out its definition and allude to one or two flashes of its miraculousness which have been the target of criticism.

The All-Wise Qur'an, which makes known to us ourtain and Sustainer, is thus: it is the pre-eternal translator of the great book of the universe; the discloser of the treasures of the divine names concealed in the pages of the earth and theerningns; the key to the truths hidden beneath the lines of events; the treasury of the Most Merciful's favours and pre-eternal addresses, which come forth from the World of the Unseen beyond the veil of this Manifest World; the suich handation, 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, attributes, and deeds; the ifort. tor, 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 divine kno neite - it is book for all spiritual needs; and it is a sacred library offering books appropriate to the ways of all the saints and veracious, the purified and the scholars, whose ways and paths are all different.

Consider the flashes of miracple ofess in its repetitions, which are imagined to be a fault: since the Qur'an is both a book of invocation and a book of prayer and a book of summons, the ourishtion in it is desirable, indeed, it is essential and most eloquent. It is not as the faulty imagine. For the mark of invocation is illumination through repetition. The mark of prayer is strengthening through repetition. The markmultifmmand and summons is confirmation through repetition. Moreover, everyone is not capable of always reading the whole Qur'an, but is mostly able to read one sura. Therefore, since the most important purposes of t since'an are included in most of the longer suras, each is like a small Qur'an. That is to say, so that no one should be deprived, certain of its aims, likeng frue unity, the resurrection of the dead, and the story of Moses, have been repeated. Also, like bodily needs, spiritual needs are various. Man; its ed of some of them every breath; as the body needs air, so the spirit needs the word Hu (He). Some he is in need of every hour, like "In the Name of God." And so on. That means the repetition of verses arises from the repetd leftof need. It makes the repetition in order to point out the need and awaken and provoke it, and to excite desire and appetite.

Also, the Qur'an is a founder; it is the bothed f the Clear Religion and the foundation of the world of Islam. It changed human social life, and is the answer to the repeated questions of its the ps classes. Repetition is necessary for a founder in order to establish things. Repetition is necessary to corroborate them. Confirmation, verification and repetition are necessary to emphasize them.

Also, it speterly such mighty matters and minute truths that numerous repetitions are necessary in different forms in order to establish them in everyone's hearts. Nevertheless, they are repetitions only apparently; in reality every verse has numompassmeanings, numerous benefits, and many aspects and levels. In each place they are mentioned with a different meaning, for different benefits and purposes.

ally B, the fact that the Qur'an is unspecific and concise in certain matters to do with cosmos is a flash of miraculousness for purposes of

guidance. This should y, the the target of criticism and is not a fault, like some atheists imagine.

~If you ask:>"Why does the All-Wise Qur'an not speak of beings in the same way as philosophyi, 102cience? It leaves some matters in brief form, and some it speaks of in a simple and superficial way that is easy in the general view, does not wound general feelings, and does not weary or tax the minds of ordinary pefear oWhy is this?"

~By way of an answer we say:>Philosophy has strayed from the path of truth, that's why. Also, of course you have understood from previous Words and what they teach that the All-Wiss it aan 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. That means it looks at beings, not for ingdomlves, but for their Creator. Also, it addresses everyone. But philosophy and science look at beings for themselves and address scientists in particular. In which case, since the All-Wise Qur'an makes beings evidences and proofs, the evidthus, as to be superficial so that it will be quickly understood in the general view. And since the Qur'an of Guidance addresses all classes of men, the ordinary people, which form the most nwed ons class, want guidance which is concise with unnecessary things being vague, and which brings subtle things close with comparisons, and which does not change things that in their superficial viewspreadbvious into an unnecessary 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." For it does not speak of the sun for itself and its nature, but becave.>(5 is a sort of mainspring of an order and centre of a system, and order and system are mirrors of the Maker's skill. It says:

The sun runs its course.>(36:38)

that isprospesun revolves. 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", it makes understood the Maker's tremendousness. Thus, whatever thron anity 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 ease.amp.>(71:16)

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 hus it aings and living beings, and inferring that the sun is also a subjugated candleholder, it makes known the mercy and bestowal of the Creator. Now look and see whatgeon ofoolish and prattling philosophy says:

"The sun is a vast burning liquid mass. It causes the planets which have been flung off from it to, O Gove around it. Its mass is such-and-such. It is this, it is that." It does not afford the spirit the satisfaction and fulfilment of true knowledge, just a terrible dread and fearful wonder. It does not speak of it as the Qur'an does. You may unate, and from this the value of the matters of philosophy, whose inside is hollow and outside, ostentatious. So don't be deceived by its glittering exterior and be disrespectful towards the ties alous expositions of the Qur'an!

O God! Make the Qur'an healing for us, the writer of this and his peers, from all ills, and a companion to us and to them in our lives and afterhers aeaths, and in this world, and in the grave, and at the Last Judgement an intercessor, and on the Bridge a light, and from the Fire a screen and shield, and in Paradise a friend,garettn all good deeds a guide and leader, through Your grace and munificence and beneficence and mercy, O Most Munificent of the Munificent and Most Merciful of the Merciful! Amen.

O God! Grant blessbove vnd peace to the one to whom the All-Wise Qur'an, the Distinguisher between Truth and Falsehood, was re-vealed, and to all his Family and Companions. Amen. Amen.

[NOTE: The six Drops of the Fourteenth Droplet in th of coic 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. Deemin and we to be sufficient, we have limited the discussion here. If you wish, refer to them, for you will find a treasury of miracles.]

The Twents:

ord

First Station

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

And when We told the angels: Prostrate before Adam, they prostrated, except Iblis.>(2:34)ugh th commands that you sacrifice a cow.>(2:67) * And yet after all this your hearts hardened and became like rocks or even harder.>(2:74)

One dayn of g reading these verses, three points were imparted to me from the effulgence of the Qur'an against the promptings of Satan. His suggestions took this form:

He said: "You say the Qur'an is a miracle and of infinitn. Notuence and that it is guidance for everyone at all times. So what is the meaning in its persistently repeating in historical form such minor events as the following: how is it appropriate to mention an insignifories event like the slaughtering of a cow as though it were something significant, and even naming the important sura in which it is found, The Cow? Also the event of 'prostrating before Adamt man occurred in the realm of the Unseen and cannot be understood rationally. It may be submitted to and accepted with certainty only after one has attained a strong belief. Whereas the Qur'an instructs those whoissoluheir ability to think; in many places it says: "Do they never think?">(36:68) and refers what it says to the reason. Also, how is it guidance to show certain natural com.

ons of rocks to be important although they result from chance?"

The points with which I was inspired took this form:

FIRST POINT: The All-Wise Qur'an relates numerous minor events behind which are concealed universal princessnes and which are shown as the tips of general laws. For example,

He taught Adam the Names, all of them.>(2:31)

This is the teaching of the names, which was a miracle of at theUpon whom be peace) before the angels because of his ability to be vicegerent of the earth, and was a minor event. But it forms the tip of a universal principle which is as follows: it lmighte teaching, due to the comprehensive human disposition, of countless sciences, and numerous all-embracing branches of knowledge about the universe, and extensive learning about the Creator's attributes and qualit at awhich afforded human beings superiority over not only the angels but also the heavens and earth and mountains in the question of the bearing of the Supreme Trust. And just as the Qur'an states that by reasstituttheir comprehensive dispositions, human beings are spiritual vicegerents of the earth, so the minor event in the Unseen of the angels prostrating before Adam and Satan not prostrating is the tip of a broad and universal observed printional these hint at an extensive truth which is as follows:

By mentioning the angels' obedience and submission before the person of Adam and Satan's pride and refusal, the Qur'an makes underf its that most of the physical beings in the universe and their non-physical representatives and appointed beings are subjugated to human beings, and that the h.

Tenses are predisposed and amenable to benefiting from all of them. And pointing out what a fearsome enemy and serious obstacle in the path of human progress are evil matter and its representatives and indwelling evil spior thewhich corrupt human nature and drive human beings down wrong paths, the Qur'an of Miraculous Exposition, while speaking of a minor matter with Adam (Upon whom be peace), converses in elevated frating with the whole universe and all humankind.

SECOND POINT: Although the Land of Egypt is a part of the Greater Sahara Desert, through the blessing of the Nile, it has becomt off xtremely fertile arable field. Such a blessed heavenly place being found adjacent to the hellish Sahara has made its agriculture highly sought after by its people and hasslam, xed it in their characters that for them it has become sacred and the cow and the bull, the means of agriculture, have also become sacred and objects of worship even. The people of Egypt of that time considered entirew and bull to be so holy they worshipped them. Thus, it is understood from the question of the calf that the Children of Israel of that time, who grew up in Egypt, had come to have a share of that custom.

[NOTE the All-Wise Qur'an makes understood through the sacrifice of a cow that through his messengership, Moses excised and destroyed the concept of cow-worship, wh He," d become a part of that nation's character and worked in their very natures.

Thus, through this minor incident, it expounds with an elevated miraculousness

a universal principle which is essential instruction in differ for everyone at all times.

Making an analogy with this, you may understand that certain minor incidents in the Qur'an which are mentioned in the form of historical events,eauty he tips of universal principles. Even, in Lemeât, in the section on the Miraculousness of the Qur'an, taking the seven sentences of the story of Moses, which is mentioned and repeated in many suras, we have explained how each part of e nameparticular sentences comprises an important universal principle. If you wish, you may refer to that treatise.

THIRD POINT:

And yet, after all this your hearts hardened and became like rocks, or even harder: for, behold, there are rare inrom which streams gush forth; and, behold, there are some from which, when they are cleft, water issues; and there are some that fall down for awe of God. And God is not unmindful of what you do.>(2:74)

While reading the aom anderse, the Whisperer said: "What meaning is there in discussing and explaining as though they were the most important and significant of matters, certain natural states of rocks which are commonplace and everyone knows about? How und sofitting and what need is there?"

In the face of this suggestion, the following point was imparted to me from the effulgence of the Qur'an:

Yes, it is fitting and there is need for it. And it is so fitti his c there is a meaning so significant and a truth so enormous and necessary that only through the Qur'an's miraculous conciseness and guiding grace has it been simplified toy diffree and summarized. Yes, conciseness, one foundation of the Qur'an's miraculousness, and guiding grace and fitting instruction, which are one light of its guidance,ke there that in the face of ordinary people, who form the majority of those whom the Qur'an addresses, universal truths and profound and general principles are shown in familiar and partith th forms, and that, due to their simple minds, only the tips of vast truths are shown, and in a simple form, and, moreover, that the divine disposals, which are wondrous and extraordinary beneath the veil of the commonplace and under the earth,ife tohown briefly. Thus, it is due to this mystery that the All-Wise Qur'an says the following with the above verse:

O Children of Israel and Sons ofthe In What has happened to you that your hearts have become harder and more lifeless than stone? For do you not see that those extremely hard, l pranks, huge rocks formed in vast strata under the earth are so obedient and subjugated before the divine commands and so soft and tractable under the dominical works that to whatever degree one oivine disposals occur without resistance in the formation of

trees in the air, orderly water channels and veins, like the circulation oor eted in veins, occur with the same ease and order and with perfect wisdom in those hard, deaf rocks under the earth.

{(*): Yes, it is only fitting that the Qur'an shcle anxplain the three important duties of the rock strata, the foundation stone of the majestic travelling palace known as the earth, which are entrusted to it by the All-Glorious Creator.

Their First Duty: Just as earth acts as a mother to pladed asd raises them through dominical power, so through divine power, the rocks act as a nurse to the earth and raise it.

Their Second Duty: They serve the orderly circulation of waters in the body of the earth, like the circulation ofifestalood.

Their Third Duty: This is to act as treasurer to the rising and continuous flow with regular balance of the springs and rivers, sources and streams. Indeed, the evidences of divine unity which the Ameri make flow with all their strength in mouthfuls in the form of the water of life, they write and sprinkle over the face of the earth.}

And like the way the branches of trees and plantsworshid in the air with ease encountering no obstacles, so too, at the divine commands the delicate veins of roots spread with the same ease in the rocks under the earth. The Qur'an indicates this and re is s an extensive truth with the verse, and by allusion says the following to the hard-hearted:

O Children of Israel and Sons of Adam! What sort of heart do you bear within your weakness and impotence of alat with its hardness it resists the command of such a One? Whereas how perfectly and obediently the huge strata of hard rocks carry out their delicate duties in the darkness before His commands. They dor som no disobedience. Indeed, those rocks act as treasurers for the water of life and other means of life of all the living creatures above the earth, and are the means for their division and distributionxpanse do this with such wisdom and justice that they are soft like wax or air in the hand of power of the All-Wise One of Glory; offering no resistance, they proiods, before His mighty power. For just like well-ordered creatures and wise, gracious divine disposals occur on top of the earth, which we observe, the same occur beneath it. Indeed, divine wihe hasnd favour are manifested there more wondrously and strangely in regard to wisdom and order. See how like wax those hard, unfeeling mighty rocks display a softness tlating the creational commands, and how they offer no resistance or hardness to the delicate waters, the fine roots, and silken veins, which are divine officials. As though like a lover, the rock's heart melt Anothhe touch of those delicate, beautiful things and becomes earth in their path.

And, with,

And, behold, there are some that fall down for awe of God,

the Qur'an shows the tip of a vast truth which is like this: like in the usion,of Moses asking for the vision of God and the famous mountain crumbling

at the divine manifestation and the rocks being scattered, through the manifestat?

If divine glory in the form of earthquakes and the mountains shaking, most of which are like great monoliths formed of solidified liquid, and certain other geological occurrences - tlity, such awesome manifestations of glory, the rocks fall from the high summits of the mountains and are broken up. Some of these crumble and being transformed into earth, become the source of plants.lief as remain as rocks, and rolling down to the valleys and plains, are scattered. They serve many purposes in the works of the earth's inhabitants; by being utilized in their houses for example;d, therostrating in submission before divine wisdom and power for certain hidden instances of wisdom and benefits, they take on the form of being at the command of the principles of divine wisastamohe evidence that their leaving their high places out of awe, choosing lower places in humble fashion, and being the means of those significant benefits, and that they cy intither futile, nor acting of their own accord, nor are objects of chance, but that within the disorder, through the wise disposals of One All-Wise and All-Powerful they are the br a wise order not apparent to the superficial eye - the evidence for this are the purposes and benefits attached to the rocks, and the perfect order and fine art of the shirts adorned and embossed with the jewels of thesince s and flowers with which the bodies of the mountains down which they roll are clothed. These testify in a decisive fashion that cannot be doubted.

Thus, you have seen how valuable these th man'srts of the verse are from the point of view of wisdom. Now see the Qur'an's subtle manner of exposition and miraculous eloquence. See how it shows through the three famous and observed events in the three parts of the verse, th sayss of the above-mentioned extensive and important truths, and by recalling three further events, which are a warning lesson, it offers subtle guidance; its restrains in a way that caks.

e resisted.

For example, in the second part of the verse, it says:

And, behold, there are some from which, when they are cleft, water issues.

Blves hding with this sentence to the rock which split with perfect eagerness under the Staff of Moses (Upon whom be peace) and poured forth twelable weams from twelve sources, it imparts the following meaning: O Children of Israel! Great rocks become soft and crumble before a single miracle of Moses (UWman toey shed tears in floods, pouring forth out of either awe or joy. How is it you are so unfair you are obstinate in the face of all Moses' miracles, and not weeping,g perieyes are lifeless and your hearts, hard?

And in the third part, it says:

And, behold, there are some that fall down for awe of God.

By calling to mind with this part the famous event of the h futuruntain crumbling and being scattered out of awe at the manifestation of divine glory, which occurred on Mount Sinai at the supplications of Moses (Upon whom be peace), and the rocks rolling down all around again in awe,ts eyeaches this meaning: O people of Moses (UWP)! How is it that you do not fear God when the mountains which are composed of rocks are crushed and scattered out of awe of Him? You know tthe ne upheld Mount Sinai above you to take the Covenant from you (2:63) and that the mountain crumbled when Moses sought the vision of Him (7:143), and you saw it, so how is it you are so bold as to not tremble out of tence f God, and you make your hearts hard and unfeeling?

And, in the first part, it says:

For, behold, there are rocks from which streams gush forth;

By recalling with this part rivers like the blessed Nile ann's inTigris and Euphrates, which gush up out of mountains, the Qur'an makes understood the miraculous fashion rocks receive the creational commands and are subjugated to e blesIt infers the following meaning to vigilant hearts: it is certainly not possible that the mountains could be the actual source of such mighty rivers. For let us suppose the wau.

s cut completely and the mountains each became a conical reservoir, they would only remain a few months before losing the balance to the swift and abundant flow of those large riverand in the rain, which penetrates only about a metre into the earth, would not be sufficient income for that high expenditure. This means that thnightlngs of these rivers are not something ordinary and natural arising from chance, but that the All-Glorious Creator makes them flow forth from an unseen treasu He witruly marvellous fashion.

Thus, alluding to this mystery and stating this meaning, it is narrated in a Hadith: "Each of those three rivers is a drop from Paradise which continuously issues forth from Pararth, was a result of which they are sources of abundance." And in another it is said: "The source of these three rivers is from Paradise." {[*]: Muslim, Janna, } If tsnad, ii, 289, 440; al-Munâwî, Fayd al-Qadîr, vi, 381.} The truth of these narrations is this: since physical causes are not capable of producing their abundant flow, their sources must be in an unseen world and must a soil.rom a treasury of mercy; the equilibrium between their incomings and outgoings is maintained in this way.

Thus, by inferring this meaning, the All-Wise Qur'an givesing frollowing

instruction: O Children of Israel and Sons of Adam! With your hardness of heart, unfeelingness, and heedlessness you disobey and close your eyes to the commands and light of knowledge of the Pre-Eternal to trOne so Glorious He makes flow forth from the mouths of common, lifeless rocks mighty rivers like the blessed Nile, which transforms Egypt into a paradise and produces mir in thof His power and witnesses to His unity for the universe's heart and earth's mind as eloquent as the force, appearance, and abundant flow of those mighty rivers, and makes them flow to the hearts anoyed as of jinn and men. How is it that while some unfeeling, lifeless rocks manifest the miracles of His power in such wondrous fashion, {(*): Theatestsed Nile rises in the Mountains of the Moon, the main stream of the River Tigris in a cave in the district of Müküs in the province of Van, and the main branch of the Euphrates, in the fed bunls of a mountain in the region of Diyadin. It is established by science that the origins of mountains are rocks solidified from liquid mattevidual of the Prophet (UWBP)'s glorifications, "Glory be to the One Who spread out the earth on solidified liquid" is decisive evidence thatmonarcriginal creation of the earth was as follows: some liquid matter solidified at the divine command and became rock. With divine leave, the rock became earth. The word Earth (arz) iruths glorification, means earth (soil). That is to say, the liquid matter was too soft to support anything and the rock was too hard to be benefited from. Therefore, the All-Wise and Compassionate One spreave, thearth over the rock and made it the place of habitation for living beings.} showing the All-Glorious Creator as the sunlight shows the sun, you are blind before the light of His knowledge, and do as a e it?

So see what eloquence has been clothed on these three truths and note carefully the eloquent guidance. What hardness of heart can withstand thll be of this eloquent guidance without melting?

If you have understood this from the beginning to here, behold one flash of the All-Wise Qur'an's miraculous guidance, and offer thanks to Almighty God!

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

O God! Grant us understanding of the mysteries of the Qur'an as You lovethe des pleasing to You, and grant us success in the service of it. Amen. Through Your Mercy, O Most Merciful of the Merciful!

O God! Grant blessings and peace to the one to whom the All- fashiur'an was revealed, and to all his Family and Companions.

The Second Station of the Twentieth Word

Note carefully the two questions and answers at the end.

In the Name of God, the Merciful,yourseompassionate.

Nor anything fresh or dry, but is in a Record Clear.>(6:59)

Fourteen years ago (and now thirty years have passed) in my Qur'anic commentary calumerouharat al-I'jaz>(Signs of Miraculousness), I wrote a discussion in Arabic about one of the mysteries of this verse. Now two of my brothers whose wishes are important in my view have asked for ng verlanation in Turkish of that discussion. And so, relying on Almighty God's assistance and on the effulgence of the Qur'an, I say this:

According to one interpretation, the Clearhand aor Record consists of the Qur'an. The above verse states that everything, fresh or dry, is found within it, is that so? Yes, everything is found in it, but everyone cannotr Lordhis, for all the things it contains are found at different levels. Sometimes the seeds, sometimes the nuclei, sometimes the summaries, sometimes the principles, sometimes the signs, are found either explicitly, or implicitly, or allusive Since vaguely, or as a reminder. One of these is expressed according to need, in a manner suitable to the purposes of the Qur'an and in connection with the requirements of the position.d wisdnstance:

Things like the aeroplane, electricity, railways, and the telegraph have come into existence as wonders of science and technoloornmenthe result of human progress in science and industry, and play a pivotal role in material life. Surely the All-Wise Qur'an, which addresses all humankind, does not neglect these. Indeed, it has n a purlected them; it indicates them in two ways.

~The First:>In the form of the miracles of the prophets.

~The Second>is this: it indicates them in the form of certain historical events. For instance:

Woe to the makers of the pitng scaire] * Fire supplied [abundantly]

with fuel * Behold! They sat over against [the fire] * And they witnessed [all] that they were doing against the believers * And they ill-treated them for noshinin reason than that they believed in God, the Mighty, the One to Whom all Praise is due.>(85:4-8)

Likewise,

In the loaded ark * And We have created for them similar [vessels] on which they ride.>(36:41-42) {(*): This sentenis! Iticates that the railway has taken the World of Islam prisoner. The unbelievers defeated Islam with it.}

Just as verses like these point to the railway, so the following verse alludes to electricity, as well as pointing to numerous other ligin a Cd mysteries:

God is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The parable of His Light is as if there were a niche, and within it a lamp; the lamp enclosed in glass: the glass as it were a bdom-dint star. Lit from a blessed tree, an olive, neither of the east nor of the west, whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though the fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light!hen so The sentence, "whose oil is well-nigh luminous, though the fire scarce touched it: Light upon Light!" illuminates that allusion.} God guides whom He wills to His Light.>(24:35)

Since numerous people have occupied themsehe torith this second sort, and they are in need of much care and elucidation, and since they are many, for now we shall content ourselves with the aboved skils that allude to the railway and electricity, and shall not open that door.

As for~The First Sort,>it indicates them in the form of the miracles of the prophets. We shall mention some of these bybecomef example.

INTRODUCTION: The All-Wise Qur'an sends the prophets to human communities as leaders and vanguards of spiritual and moral progress. Similarly it gives all of them a numbern, founders and makes them the masters and foremen in regard to humankind's material progress, and commands men to follow them absolutely. Thus, just as by speaking of the spiritual and moral perfections of the prophets, it His louraging people to benefit from them; so too in discussing their miracles it is inferring encouragement to achieve similar things and to imitate them. It may even be said that like spirituags aftmoral attainments, material attainments and wonders were first given to humankind by the hand of miracles as a gift. Thus, it was the hand of miracles that first gave humanity the gift of the ship, which was a miracle of Noah sciplewhom be peace), and the clock, a miracle of Joseph (Upon whom be peace). A subtle allusion to this truth is the

face that most craftsmen havecreatuphet as the patron of their trade. For example, seamen have Noah (UWP), watchmakers have Joseph (UWP), tailors have Idris (UWP), and so on.

Indeed, investigative scholars and the science of rheels, tare in agreement that all the Qur'an's verses contain numerous aspects of guidance and instruction. The verses about the miracles of the prophets arhe secmost brilliant of the Qur'an of Miraculous Exposition's verses; they are not therefore mere historical stories, but comprise numerous meanings and varieties of guihe sec Yes, by mentioning the prophets' miracles, it is tracing the final limit of human science and industry. It is pointing the finger at humanity's furthest aims. statiospecifying its final goals. And by striking the hand of encouragement on humanity's back, it is urging it forward towards them. Just as the past is the lare: of the seeds of the future and mirror to its attributes, so the future is the arable field of the past and the mirror to its states. Now we shall explain only a few samples of that most extensive source as examples:

For exampl a ser verse:

To Solomon [We made] the wind [obedient]: its early morning [stride] was a month's [journey], and its evening [stride] was a month's [journey],>(34:12)

which describes one of Solomorld inpon whom be peace) miracles, the subjugating of the air. It says: "Solomon traversed the distance of two months in one day by flying throingle e air." It is thus suggesting that the road is open for humankind to cover such a distance in the air. In which case, O humankind! The road is open to you, so reach this level! And in meaning Almighty God is saying through y Besongue of this verse: "O humankind! I mounted one of my servants on the air because he gave up the desires of his soul. If you too give up laziness, which comes from the soul, and benefit thoroughly from some of my laws in the cosmos, meanso may mount it."

And the verse,

So We said: "Strike the rock with your staff." Then gushed forth therefrom twelve springs,>(2:60)

which describes a miracle of Moses (Upo, and be peace). This verse indicates that the treasuries of mercy concealed under the earth may be profited from with simple tools. The water of life may be drawn with a staff, even from places hard as rock. Thus, with this mean dungee verse says to humanity: "You may find the subtlest effulgence of mercy, the water of life, with a staff. In which case, come on, work to find it!" And by implication

Almighty God says through the verse's allusive tongue: "O humd the ! I put in the hand of one of my servants who trusted in Me a staff that draws the water of life from wherever he wishes, if you too rely on the laws ce indmercy, you may obtain an implement resembling it or close to it. So, come on and do so!" And one of the most important contributions to human progress was the creation of an implement that causes water to flow forth frin in t of the places it is struck. The verse traces farther goals and limits, and points beyond that, just as the previous verse specified final points far ahead of today's aircraft

amid r example,

I shall heal the blind and the leper and I shall quicken the dead, by God's leave,>(3:49)

which concerns a miracle of Jesus (Upon whom be peace). Just as the Q the wexplicitly urges humankind to follow Jesus' (Upon whom be peace) high morals, so it allusively encourages it towards the elevated art and dominical medicine of which Jesu spreathe master. The verse suggests the following: "Remedies may be found for even the most chronic ills. In which case, O humanity!, O calamity-afflicted children of Ada graze't despair! Whatever the ill, a cure may be found. Search for it and you will find it. It is possible even to give a temporary tinge of lf all death." And by implication Almighty God is saying through the figurative tongue of this verse: "O humankind! I gave two gifts to one of My servants whoumeraboned the world for Me. One was the remedy for spiritual ills, and the other the cure for physical sicknesses. Moribund hearts were raised to life through the light of guidance, and sick people who were as though dead found health throatest s breath and cure. You too may find the cure for every ill in the pharmacy of My wisdom. Work to find it! If you seek, you will certainly find." Thus, this vhe mooraces the limit which is far ahead of man's present progress in medicine. It hints at it and urges him towards it.

And for example,ook. Herses:

And We made the iron soft for him.>(34:10) * And We gave him wisdom and sound judgement in speech and decision,>(38:20)

which are about David (Upon whom be peace), and,

And We made a font of molten copper to flow for hibeings:12)

which is about Solomon (Upon whom be peace). These indicate that the softening of iron is one of the greatest of divine bounties, through which is shown the virtue sun, e of the greatest prophets. Indeed, softening iron, that is, making it soft like dough, and smelting copper, and discovering minerals and extracting them is the origin and source, and basis and foundation

of all is takind's material industries. Thus, the verse indicates: "The softening of iron was a great bounty bestowed on a great messenger and vicegere apartthe earth as a great miracle. Making it as soft as dough and fine as a thread and smelting copper are the bases of most of the general industries.ains, e wisdom was given to the tongue of a person who was both messenger and vicegerent, that is, to one who was both a spiritual and a matand releader, and craft and industry were given him; the verse is on the one hand explicitly urging men towards the wisdom on his tongue, and on the other is implicitly encouraging them towards the craft in his hand.n all the allusive tongue of this verse, Almighty God is implying this meaning:

"O children of Adam! I gave such wisdom to the tongue and heart of a servant of Mine who complied with my commands andrdanceations that he rendered judgement on everything with the finest distinction and made manifest the truth. And I gave him such art that he could mould iron into any shape in his er cles though it were wax. It was a significant means of power for his vicegerency and rule. Since it is possible, it is given. For it is important, and youle of n much need of it in your social life. If you too obey my commands in creation, similar wisdom and craft will be given you. You will attain to it in the course of time and draw close to it."

Thus, it has been through the softening of i are od smelting of copper that humankind has achieved its greatest progress in industry, and its greatest power and strength. In the verse, the word "qitr">is used to desidancecopper. These verses direct humanity's sight towards this truth; as they sternly warned the people of former times who did not appreciate thei a genrtance, so they warn the lazy of modern times.

And, for example, the verse,

Said one who had knowledge of the Book: "I will bring it to you in the twinkling of an eye!" Then when [Solomon] saw it placed fiin.

efore him,>(27:40)

which points to the following wondrous event: in order to attract Bilkis' throne to him, one of Solomon's (Upon whom be peace) ministers who waen anded in the science of attraction said: "I'll have the throne here before you before you can blink your eyes." The verse thus suggests that it is possible sures ng either things themselves or their images to one instantaneously from far away. It is a fact that Almighty God bestowed this ability on Solomon (UWP) in the form of a miracle, to establish his innocence and justice. For being honoured with re awarip in addition to his messengership, Solomon could in this way be informed of events in all the regions of his

extensive dominions, and see the condition of his subjects and hear of their ills. This means, if man relies on are dty God, and asks it of Him with the tongue of his innate capacity, like Solomon (UWP) asked for it with the tongue of his chastity, and if he conforms to His laws of wisdom in the universe, the world may become like atant tfor him. That is to say, while Bilkis' throne was in Yemen, it was instantaneously present in Damascus, or its image was, and it was seen. The images of the people around the throne were also certainly conveyed there, and their voices we. All rd. This therefore indicates splendidly the attraction of images and sounds from long distances, and in effect says:

"O Kings and Rulers! If you wish to act with pure justice, endeavour to observe ans shakrstand the face of the earth in all its details, like Solomon. For, by rising to the level of being informed whenever he wishes about every part of his realm, a just ruler and king who cherishes his subjects wiribed id inequity, and may rule with complete justice." And Almighty God in effect says through the allusive tongue of the verse:

"O children of Adam! I bestowed on one of My she wors a broad realm, and so that he could act completely justly within it, I allowed him to know personally of all situations and events that occurred there. And since I have given all men the innate capacity to1)

cegerent of the earth, I gave them also the ability to see, consider, and understand the whole face of the earth in accordance with that ability, for My wisdom requires thisceive ndividuals do not reach that point, human beings may reach it as a race. And if they do not reach it physically, the saints may reach it in meaning. In mouth case, you may take advantage of this great bounty. Come on, let's see you do it! On condition you do not neglect your duties of worship, strive t touchsform the face of the earth into a garden every part of which you may see, and the sounds of every corner of which you may hear. Heed the decree of the Most Merciful:

It is He Whoof theade the earth manageable for you, so traverse its tracts and enjoy of the sustenance which He furnishes, but unto Him is the Resurrection.>(67:15)

The abods aretioned verse thus alludes to the farthest limit far in the future in the attraction of images and sounds, one of man's finest arts, and hints encouragement.

And, for example, the verses,

And also others bound togetherauses tters.>(38:38) * And of the evil ones were some who dived for him, and did other work besides,>(21:82)

state that Solomon (UWP) subjugated jinns, satans, and evil spirits, and preventing their evil, employed them usefully, and they sctice.e jinn, the most important intelligent inhabitants of the earth after man, may serve him. Contact may be made with them. Devils too may be compelled to give up their enmity and whether they want to or not are ine to serve. Thus, Almighty God subjected them to one of His servants who was obedient to His commands. Through the allusive tongue of the verses, in meaning Almighty God is saying: "O man! I made jinns, devils, and their evil obey one his ruservants who obeyed Me. If you too are subjugated to my commands, numerous beings, and even jinns and devils, may be subjugated to you."

These verses trace the ity islimits of the calling-up of spirits, and conversing with jinns, like spiritualism, which have been filtered from a blend of art and science and have arisen from man's extradlessnry physical and spiritual sensitivity. The verses specify the most beneficial form of these and open up the way to them. But this does not mean being subjugated to jinns, devils, and evil spirits, who sometimes call themselves tnotherrits of the dead, and becoming their playthings and a laughing-stock, like nowadays, but means subjugating them through the talisman of the Qur'anthe coeing delivered from their evil.

Other verses about Solomon (Upon whom be peace) which allude to spirits appearing in physical form, and his calling up demons and subjugating them, and othelso gaes besides, such as,

Then We sent to her Our angel, and he appeared before her as man in all respects,>(19:17)

indicate both the calling-up of spirits, and spirit beings assuming physical form. But the calling-up of good spirits all it noo here is not in the manner of the so-called civilized, to be disrespectful to spirits in that utterly serious world and attract them to where they are and their games, but - like one group of such saints as Muhyiddin al-'hereaf who, most seriously and for a serious purpose, met with spirits when they wanted - to be attracted to them and to form a relation with them, and by going tores an they are and drawing close to their world to an extent, to benefit from their spirituality. It is this that the verses allude to, and within the allusion, make it understood that they are encouraging man to achieve it. Thebecomee the furthest limit of occult arts and sciences of this sort, and point to their best form.

And, for example, the verses about David's (Upon whom be peace) miracles:

It was Weation made the hills declare in unison with him Our

praises, at eventide, and at break of day.>(38:18) * O you mountains! Sing you back the Praises of God with him! and you birds! And We made the iron soft for him.>(34:1 perfoe have been taught the speech of birds.>(27:16)

These indicate that Almighty God gave to David's (UWP) praises and glorifications such strength and a soe samp reverberating and agreeable they brought the mountains to ecstasy, which, each like a huge gramophone or a man, formed a circle on the horizon around the chief reciter, reciting with hiuakes glorifications. Is this possible, I wonder? Is it the truth?

Yes, it is the truth. Every mountain with caves can speak with human being in human language like a parrot. a migns of an echo. You declare: "All praise be to God!" to the mountain before you, and the mountain will proclaim: "All praise be to God!", exactly as you do. Since Almighty God has given this ability to mount and git can surely be made to develop and that seed be made to sprout.

Thus, since He gave to David (UWP) the vicegerency of the earth in excephe mot form together with his messengership, He made the seed of that ability unfold to such an extent, as a miracle worthy of his extensive messengerss evidd magnificent rule, that mighty mountains followed him like soldiers, students, or followers, and at his command and in his tongue declarof sty praises and glorifications of the All-Glorious Creator. Whatever David (UWP) pronounced, they repeated. Now at the present time, because the means of communication hava unitiplied and developed, a powerful commander may compel his large army dispersed in the mountains to declare: "God is Most Great!", and could make the mosupplis speak, bringing them to tumult. Since a commander of men can make the mountains speak metaphorically in the tongue of those present in the mountains, surely a mahanks ent commander of Almighty God could make them speak actually and recite His praises. In addition, I have explained in previous Words that all mountains have a collective perso 'He', or corporate identity, and offer glorifications and worship in a way suitable to each. That is to say, just as through the mystery of echo all mountains r, it cglorifications in the tongue of men, so too they glorify the All-Glorious Creator in their own particular tongues.

Also, the verses,

And the birds gathered [in assemblies];>(38:19) * We have been taught the speech of birds,>(27:16)

gs. Sohat Almighty God bestowed on David and Solomon (Upon whom be peace) knowledge of the tongues of the bird species, and of the tongues of

their innate capacities; that is, of the things for which they would be useful. Yes, since it is the truth and since the face of the earth is a laden table set up by the Most Merciful in honour of humankind, most of thy allur animals and birds who benefit from it may be subjugated to humans and serve them. They employ some of the smallest of them, the honey-bee and silk-worm, and through divine inspiration have opened up a beneficial highway, and by employi, whiceons in various tasks and teaching birds like parrots to speak, they have added fine things to the virtues of human civilization. In the same way, if the tongues of the innate capacities of other birds and animals were known, those is thther species could be employed in important tasks like their brothers, the domesticated animals. For example, against plagues of locusts: starlings eat and destroadise sts; if their language was known and their movements could be regulated, what valuable services they could be employed in free of charge.

Thus, this verse traces the fur of Y limit in subjugating birds and benefiting from them in this way, and in making lifeless beings speak like a telephone or gramophone, and in profiting from birds. It specifies the most distant goaof whipoints a finger at it in majestic fashion and in a way urges humankind towards it. Through the allusive tongue of these verses, Almighty God is therefore sayimitat meaning:

"O men! In order to honour the prophethood of one of your fellow men's justice who was totally submissive to me and the complete justice of his rule, I suoccurred to him the mighty creatures in my dominions, causing them to speak, and I made most of my troops and animals his servants. In which case, since I have committed to each ofly: Prhe Supreme Trust, from which the sky, earth, and mountains shrank, and I have given you the ability to be My vicegerent on earth, you should yield to Me. For it is I Who holds the reins of these creatures in His hand. The ulershres in My dominions may then yield to you also and you may gain possession of their reins in the name of their Holder and rise to a position worthy of your abilities.

SinAll-Be truth is this, rather than listening to the gramophone, playing with pigeons and making them deliver letters, and teaching parrots to speak, you should strive to attain to the moriousreeable and elevated amusement. Then the mountains may be huge gramophones for you like David's, and the harmonious recitations of divine pra whichay reach your ears from the trees and plants at the touching of the breeze, and the mountains may reveal their true natures as wondrous creatures who recite the divine praises in thousanpunishtongues, and most birds may be clothed in the form of intimate friends or obedient servants, like Solomon's Hoopoe. Then they may entertain you and drive you eagerly towards the perfections

and attainments of which you are capable,ity acot make you fall from the position required of the human being, like other amusements."

And, for example, in the verse,

We said: "O fire! Be cool and [a means of] safety for Abraham,>(21:69)

which is about one of Abraham's (Upon whomhese jace) miracles, are three subtle indications:

~The First:>Like other natural causes, fire does not act on its own wishes and nature, blindly, but performs a duty under a command. Thus it did not burn Abraham (Uponwas gobe peace), because it was commanded not to.

~The Second:>There is a degree of heat which burns through its coldness. That is, it has an effect like burning. With the words, "Be cool!",>{(*): One Qur'anic commentary stateus forHe had not said: "Be cool!", it would have burnt him with its coldness.} Almighty God is saying to the coldness: "Do not burn him with your coldness, as with youings a!" That is to say, fire at that degree has an effect through its coldness like burning. It is both fire and cold. In fact, in natural science there is a degree of fire, the state of white heat, theciful of which does not spread to its surroundings. It attracts the heat around it to itself and with this cold, freezes surrounding liquids such as water, in effect burning them with its collled es, intense cold is a category of fire which burns through its cold. In which case, this intense cold is surely a part of Hell, for Hell contains all the degrees and sorts of fire.

~The Third:>Just as there is an immaterial subst you wike belief which counters the effects of Hell-fire and affords protection against it - the armour of Islam, so there is a physical substance which protects against the effects of worldly fire. For as is required by the name and ve-Wise, this world is the abode of wisdom, and Almighty God carries out His works under the veil of causes. Therefore, the fire burnt neither Abraham's body, nor his garments; He imbue creat with a state which resisted fire. With this allusion, the verse is in effect saying: "O nation of Abraham! Resemble Abraham, so that your material and immaterial garments madivineour armour against fire, your greatest enemy both here and there. Clothe your spirit in belief in God so it may be your armour against Hell-fire. d whener, there are certain substances which Almighty God has hidden in the earth for you which will protect you from the evils of fire. Search for them, extract them, and clothe yourselves in them!" Thus, one of man's importhose oscoveries and a step in his progress was his finding a substance that fire does not burn; and he clothed himself in garments resistant to fire. So

see how elevated, subtle, and fine a garment this vlace aeaves on the loom of "Hanîfan Musliman">(See, 3:67, etc.), which will not be rent in all eternity.

And, for example, the verse,

And He taught Adam the Names, all of them,>(2:31)

whicevere : "Adam's (UWP) greatest miracle in the question of the supreme vicegerency was the teaching of the names." Just as the miracles of the other prophets each allude to a particular human wonder; so the miracship, Adam, who was the father of all the prophets and the inauguration of the office of prophethood, points almost explicitly to the final points of all human attainment and progress, and humanity's final goals. Through the tongue of allry mir Almighty God (May His glory be exalted) is saying with this verse:

"O children of Adam! Since as a proof of his superiority over the angels in the are rion of the vicegerency, I taught your forefather all the names, you too, since you are his progeny and the inheritors of his abilities, should learn all the names and in your position as holder of the Supreme Trust demonstrate your wl traness before all creatures. For the way is open to you to rise to such exalted rank as holding the highest positions over all beings in tof theverse whereat vast creatures like the earth will be subjected to you. Come on, step forward, adhere to all My names, and rise! Your forefather was once deceived by Satan and temporarily fell to the earth from the position of Pd theme. Beware! In your progress, do not follow Satan and from the heavens of divine wisdom fall into the misguidance of nature. Continuously raising your head and studying carefully My most beautiful names, make your sciences and your progress setitioy which to ascend to those heavens. Then you may rise to My dominical names, which are the realities and sources of your sciences and attainments, and you may look to your Lord and Sustainer with your hearts through the telescope of , thatmes."

By describing under the title of the teaching of the names all the attainments of learning and scientific progress and wonders of technology which humans manifest through their comprehermony dispositions, this wondrous verse contains the following subtle and elevated allusion: all attainments and perfections, all learning, all progress, and all sciences, have an elevated reas was hich is based on one of the divine names. On being based on the name, which is concealed under numerous veils and has various manifestations

and different spheres, the sciences and arts and attainments find their perfection d it pcome reality. They are not some incomplete and deficient shadow.

For example, engineering is a science; its reality and final point reaches to Almighty God's names of All-Just and Determiner, aed? Therves with all their majesty the wise manifestation of those names in the mirror of engineering.

And, for example, medicine is a science, and also an art; its final point and reality are based on the Absolutely Wise One's name oful of r, and through observing that name's compassionate manifestations in the vast pharmacy of the earth, medicine finds its perfection and becomes rea Is it And, for example, the natural sciences, which discuss the reality of beings; by seeing the regulating, nurturing supreme manifestations of Almighty God's (May His glory be exalted) name of Ais owne in things, in their benefits and advantages, and by attaining to the name, and being based on it, these sciences may contain true wisdom. Otherwise they are either t>has brmed into superstition, or become nonsense, or open up the way to such misguidance as naturalist philosophy.

There, three examples for you! You may make analogies with these for the other sciences and att will ts.

Thus, with this verse, the All-Wise Qur'an strikes the hand of encouragement on man's back, urging him to the highest peaks, the fgh thet limits, the final degrees, which he is far behind at the present degree of his progress. It points its fingers at those degrees, commanding: "Forward march!" Contenting ourselves for now with tt the ewels from the sublime treasury of this verse, we close this door.

Also, for example, the All-Wise Qur'an, the supreme miracle of Muhammad (Upon whom be blessings and peaceweakne seal of the office of prophethood, in the face of whose claim to divine messengership the miracles of all the former prophets were like a single confirmatot to aacle; the leader of the prophets and cause of pride of the universe; who manifested in detail with all their degrees all the names which were taught summarily to Adam (UWP); who, on raising hisnd is r, through the manifestation of divine glory split the moon, and lowering it, through the manifestation of divine beauty poured water from it like the Spring of Kawthar; and who was verified and c worldrated by a thousand miracles. Through numerous of the All-Wise Qur'an's clear verses like,

Say: If all mankind and the Jinn were to gather together to produce

the like of this Qur'an, they could not produce the like thereof, evenTH PRIey backed up each other with help and support,>(17:88)

which describe the purity of its exposition, the eloquence of its expression, the comprehensiveness of its meanings, and the vlevatedness and sweetness of its styles concerning truth and reality, which are the most brilliant of its aspects of miraculousness - through verses like these, the All-Wise Qur'an directs the gazes of ight yd jinn to the clearest and most brilliant aspects of this post-eternal miracle. It provokes all men and jinn. Arousing the eagerness of its friends and obstinacy of its enemies, it urges them with intense encouragement to the Ase and copy it, to resemble it with their words. It also places its miracle before the eyes of creatures in such a way that it is as if the only aim act imanity's coming into this world is to take that miracle as its goal and guiding principle, and studying it to understand the purpose of its creation, and to proceed towards it.

~In w that>The miracles of the other prophets (Upon whom be peace) all indicate the wonders of a human art or craft, and Adam's (Upon whom be peace) miracle indicates in concise form, besides the bases of those crafts, the index of the scien, so td branches of knowledge, and of the wonders and perfections, and urges humankind towards them. As for the Qur'an of Miraculous Exposition, the supreme miraclen thathammad (UWBP), since it shows in detail the reality of the teaching of the names, it points clearly to the true goal of the sciences and branches of knowledge, which are truth and reality, as well as the perfections, attathe hes, and happiness of this world and the next. With truly powerful encouragement, it urges humankind towards them. It encourages and urges in a such way it says:

"O humankind! In the face of manifexistenns of dominicality, the elevated purpose of the universe is humanity's universal worship and submission to God, while humankind's furthest aim is to attain to that worship by means of those sciences and perfections." In steven tthis, it hints:

"At the end of time, humankind will spill into science and learning. It will obtain all its strength from science. Power and rule will pass to the hand of science."

Also, since the Qur'an of man belous Exposition repeatedly puts forward its eloquence and beauty of expression, by allusion it says: "At the end of time, eloquence and beauty of expression, the most brilliant of the sciences and branches of knowledge, will be most sbeliefafter in all their varieties. Even, in order to make one another accept their ideas and implement their word, people will find their most effective weapon i the huent expression, and their most irresistible force in fine oratory."

~In Short:>Most of the Qur'an's verses are keys to a treasury of perfections and guides to a store of knowledge.

aled iyou wish, you may reach up to the skies of the Qur'an and the stars of its verses by making the previous twenty Words a stairway of twenty sYour d{(*): Indeed, the thirty-three Words, thirty-three Letters, thirty-one Flashes, and thirteen Rays form a stairway of one hundred and twenty steps.} By means of them you will see what a brilliant sun is tevers 'an! See how it sprinkles a pure light over the divine truths and the truths of the contingent realm! See what a brilliant effulgence it spreads!

~Conclusion:>Since together with alluding to the wonders of present-day human progress, allary lierses about the prophets are also in a style which as though infers and traces their limits in the future; and since it is certain that allction,erses point to numerous meanings, indeed, it is unanimously agreed upon, and since there are categorical commands to follow and obey the prophets, then together with the explicit meanings of the above verses, it may be tself hat they indicate in allusive fashion the main human arts and sciences, and that they urge humankind towards them.

Two Important Answers To Two Important Questions

worshIRST

~If you ask:>"The Qur'an was revealed for human beings, so why does it not describe the wonders of civilization explicitly, for they hold the greatest importance in the as ths? Why does it suffice with secret signs, concealed allusions, slight indications, and slender reminders?"

~The Answer:>Because the r Most of the marvels of human civilization can only claim that much in the Qur'an's discussions. For the Qur'an's basic duty is to teach about the perfections and acts of the sphere of dominicality and t is neies and circumstances of the sphere of worship. So in those two spheres the rights of human wonders diminish to being only a weak sign and slight indication. For if they were to demand their rights from the sphere of the Becality, they would receive very few.

oofs yverses," the planets, earth, and moon, which are the aircraft of the sphere of dominicality, would reply in the

name of the Qur'an: "You take a place relative their r size!" And if man's submarines were to ask for a place from the Qur'an's verses, the submarines of that sphere, that is, the earth and stars which swim in the vast ocean of the atmosphere and the ether would say: "Your place re app us is so small as to be negligible." And if the brilliant, star-like electric lights were to demand the right to speak and ask to be included in its verses, the electric lights of that sphere, the shooting stars, lightning,ccorditars and lamps which adorn the face of the skies, would say: "You may enter its discussions and explanations in relation to your light." If the wonders of civilization were to demand their rights with a view to fins fromof art and seek a place from its verses, then a single fly would bid them to be silent, saying: "Your rights are not equal to even one of my wings! For if all the fine arts and delicate iism. Wents achieved through man's faculty of will were to be gathered together, they could never be as wondrous as the fine art of my delicate members and tiny body." The verse,

Those on whom you call besides God cy mattcreate [even] a fly, if they all met together for the purpose.>(22:73)

bids you to fall silent!"

If the marvels of civilization were to go to the sphere of worship and demand theh wordhts, they would receive a reply like this: "Your relations with us are very few and you may not easily enter our sphere. For our programme ir him.: the world is a guesthouse, and as for human beings, they remain there only a short time. They are guests with many duties and in a brief lifetime are charged with preparing aise li necessities for eternal life. The most important and essential matters will be offered to you. But most of you see this fleeting world through a veil of heedlessness, as an eternal abode, coloured and sur'an,by worldly feelings. So your share of worship, the basis of which is love of the truth and thinking of the hereafter, is very small. However, if there are among you respected craftsmen and artists and inspired inventors, who, purely for jinn anefit of God's servants, serve the general interest and public well-being and betterment of social life, which is all valuable worship, these sge is nd indications of the Qur'an are surely sufficient for those discerning people, who of course form a minority, in order to encourage their efforts and appreciate their art."

THE ANSWER TO THE SECOND QUESTION

~If you ask:>"None of myence is remains now after these investigations, and I affirm that together with other wonders, in the Qur'an are allusions to and indications of the wonders of modern civilization, indeed, to further advancements. Everything necessafollow human happiness in this world

and the next is found within it in relation to its worth. But why does the Qur'an not mention them explicitly so that obstinate unbelievers wunivere compelled to confirm it and our hearts also would be easy?"

~The Answer:>Religion is an examination, a test, proposed by God so that in the arena of competition elevated spirits and base s But j may be distinguished from one another. Just as materials are plunged in the fire so that diamonds and coal, gold and earth, separate out from one another, so too religion is a trial concerning td to ligations placed on human beings by God and a driving to competition, which is what this abode of examination consists of. In this way the elevated jewels in th from of human abilities become separated out from the dross. Since the Qur'an was revealed in this abode of examination for humans to be perfected through trial in the arena of competition, it wman, arely only allude to the hidden events of the future pertaining to this world which everyone will see, and will only open the door to the intelligence to facultee that proves its argument. If it mentioned them explicitly, the mystery of human accountability would be negated. Simply, it would be as self-evident as writing "There is no gothe anGod">clearly in stars on the face of the skies. Then everyone would have to affirm it whether they wanted to or not. There would be no competition and the exami, it e would go for nothing. A coal-like spirit would remain on the same level as a diamond-like spirit. {(*): Abu Jahl the Accursed and Abu Bakr the Truthful would appear to be equal, and the mystery of the examination set by compolost.}

~In Short:>The All-Wise Qur'an is wise; it affords everything a position in relation to its value. Thus, one thousand three hundred years ago, the Qur'an saw concealed in the darkness of the future, humankindnderfuden fruits and progress, and showed them in a form better than we see and shall see. This means that the Qur'an is the Word of One Who sees at the same instant all time and all within it.

Thus, one flash of the Qur'an's mielemenusness which shines on the face of the miracles of the prophets.

O God! Grant us understanding of the mysteries of the Qur'an and successs a mae service of it at every instant at all times.

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

O God! Grant blessit all d peace and benedictions and honour to our master and lord Muhammad, Your servant and

Prophet and Messenger, the Unlettered Prophet, and to his Family and Companions and hases and descendants, and to all the Prophets and Messengers, and to the angels close to Your Throne, and the saints and the righteous; grant too the most excellent of blessings and the purest peace and se Qurst abundant benedictions, to the number of the suras of the Qur'an, and its verses, and words and letters, and its meanings and indications and signs and allusions, and grant us forgiveness, and havehe com on us, and be gracious to us, O God, Our Creator, to the number of those blessings, through Your mercy, O Most Merciful of the Merciful! And all praise be to God, the Lord and Sustainernd recl the Worlds. Amen. Amen.

The Twenty-First Word

First Station

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

For such Prayers are enjos the n believers at stated times.>(4:103)

One time, a man great in age, physique, and rank said to me: "The prayers are fine, but to perform them every single day five times is excessive.d trad they never end, it becomes wearying."

A long time after the man said these words, I listened to my soul and I heard it say exactly the same things. I looked at it and saw that with the ear tan, 1iness, it was receiving the same lesson from Satan. Then I understood that those words were as though said in the name of all evil-commanding souls, or else they had been prompted. So I said: " they l commands to evil and the person who does not reform his own soul cannot reform others. In which case, I shall begin with my own soul."

I said: O soul! Listen to five warnings in response to those words which you uttered in compounded ignhe bal, on the couch of idleness, in the slumber of heedlessness.

FIRST WARNING

O my wretched soul! Is your life eternal, I wonder? Have you any incontrovertible document to show that you will live to nite, ear, or even to tomorrow? What causes you boredom is that you fancy you shall live for ever. You complain as though you will remain in this world to enjoy yourself f THE r. If you had understood that your life is brief and that it is departing fruitlessly, to spend one hour out of the twenty-four on a fine, agreeable, easy, and merciful act of service ne as is a means of gaining the true happiness of eternal life, surely would not cause you boredom but excite a real eagerness and agreeable pleasure.

SECOND ealityG

O my stomach-worshipping soul! Every day you eat bread, drink water, and breathe air; do they cause you boredom? They do not, because since the need is repeated, they cause not boredom but pleasure. In which case, the five it meprayers should not bore you, for they attract the needs of your companions in the house of my body, the sustenance of my heart, the water of life of my spirce, prd the air of my subtle faculties. Yes, it is by knocking through supplication on the door of One All-Compassionate and Munificent that sustenance and strength may be obtained for a heart afflicted with in'anic griefs and sorrows and captivated by infinite pleasures and hopes. And it is by turning towards the spring of mercy of an Eternal Beloved through the five daily prayers that the water of life mayt, Fulbibed by a spirit connected with most beings, which swiftly depart from this transitory world crying out at separation. And being most needy for air in the sorrms]

crushing, distressing, transient, dark, and suffocating conditions of this world, it is only through the window of the prayers that a conscious inner sense and luminous subtlan haslty can breathe, which by its nature desires eternal life and was created for eternity and is a mirror of the Pre-Eternal and Post-Eternal One and is infinitely delicate and subtle.

THIal-I'jNING

O my impatient soul! Is it at all sensible to think today of past hardships of worship, difficulties of the prayers, and troubles of misfortune, and be distressed, and to imagine the future dd the of worship, service of the prayers, and sorrows of disaster, then display impatience? In being thus impatient you resemble a foolish commander who, although the enemy's right flank joined his right flank and became ave chforces for him, sent a significant force to the right flank and weakened the centre. Then, while there were no enemy soldiers on the left flank, he sent a large force there and gave them the order to fire. No forces ve takemained in the centre, and the enemy understood this and attacked it and routed him.

Yes, you resemble this, for the troubles of yesterday have today been transformed into mercy; thorates has disappeared while the pleasure remains. The difficulty has been turned into blessings, and the hardship into reward. In which case, you should not feel wearied at it, but make a serious effortr the ntinue with a new eagerness and fresh enthusiasm. As for future days, they have not yet arrived, and to think of them now and feel bored and wearied is a lunacy lik Andking today of future hunger and thirst, and starting to shout and cry out. Since the truth is this, if you are

reasonable, you will think of only today in le. Thtion with worship, and say: "I am spending one hour of it on an agreeable, pleasant, and elevated act of service, the reward for which is high and whose trouble is little." Then your bitter dispiritedness will be trnot tomed into sweet endeavour.

My impatient soul! You are charged with being patient in three respects. One is patience in worship. Anothernses, tience in refraining from sin. And a third is patience in the face of disaster. If you are intelligent, take as your guide the truth apparentand the comparison in this Third Warning. Say in manly fashion: "O Most Patient One!" and shoulder the three sorts of patience. If you do not squany repr the wrong way the forces of patience Almighty God has given you, they should be enough to withstand every difficulty and disaster. So hold out with those forces!

FOURTH WARNING

O my foolish soul! Is this duty of worship with or wosult and is its recompense little that it causes you weariness? Whereas if someone were to give you a little money or to intimidate you, he could make you work till evening, and yoought d work without slacking. So is it that the prescribed prayers are without result, which in this guesthouse of the world are sustenance and wealth fortenderimpotent and weak heart, and in your grave, which will be a certain dwelling-place for you, sustenance and light, and at the resurrection, whenes?

ill anyway be judged, a document and patent, and on the Bridge of Sirat, over which you are bound to pass, a light and a mount? Are their recompense little? Someone promises you a pre angeworth a hundred liras and makes you work for a hundred days. You trust the man who may go back on his word and work without slacking. So if One for Whom the breaking of a promise is impossible, promises you recompense lik; therdise and a gift like eternal happiness, and employs you for a very short time in a very agreeable duty, if you do not perform that service or you act aruth."gly towards His promise or slight His gift by performing it unwillingly like someone forced to work, or by being bored, or by working in half-hearted fashion, yent, al deserve a severe reprimand and awesome punishment. Have you not thought of this? Although you serve without flagging in the heaviest work in this world out of fear of imprisonment, does the fear of ang to Aal incarceration like Hell not fill you with enthusiasm for a truly light and agreeable act of service?

FIFTH WARNING

O my world-worshipping soul! Does your slackness in wAnd th and remissness in the prescribed prayers arise from the multiplicity of your

worldly occupations, or because you cannot find time due to the struggle for liveliey sayWere you created only for this world that you spend all your time on it? You know that in regard to your abilities you are superior to all the animals, but in regard to procuring ngle tcessities of worldly life you cannot compete with even a sparrow. So why can you not understand that your basic duty is not to labour like an animal, but to strive for a true, perpetual life, like a true human being. In addition, the mple, you call worldly occupations mostly do not concern you and are trivial matters which you meddle in officiously. You neglect the essential things and pass your timein Godring inessential information as though you were going to live for a thousand years. For example, you squander your precious time on worthless things like learning what the rings around Saturn are like or how many chicke. Forere are in America. As though you were becoming an expert in astronomy or statistics.

~If you say:>"What keeps me from the prayers and worship and causes me to bthese is not unnecessary things like that, but essential matters like earning a livelihood," then my answer is this: you work for a daily wage of one hundred kurush, and somrm youomes to you and says: "Come and dig here for ten minutes, and you will find a brilliant and an emerald worth a hundred liras." If you reply: "No, I won't che sphecause ten kurush will be cut from my wage and my subsistence will be less," of course you understand what a foolish pretext it would be. In just the same way, you work in this orchard for your liveli when If you abandon the obligatory prayers, all the fruits of your effort will be restricted to only a worldly, unimportant, and unproductive livelihood. But if yo in and your rest periods on the prayers, which allow your spirit to relax and heart to take a breather, you will discover two mines which are an important source, for both a productive worldly livitselfd, and your livelihood and provisions of the hereafter.

First Mine: If you have a sound intention, you will receive a share of the praises and glorifications offered by all the planeys us trees, whether flowering or fruit-bearing, that you grow in the garden. {(*): This First Station was a lesson for someone in a garden, so it was explained in this way.}

Second Mine: Whatever res, ben of the garden's produce, whether by animals or man, cattle or flies, buyers or thieves, will become like almsgiving from you. But on condition you work in the name of the True Provider and within the bounds of what He permits, and see yicatiof as a distribution official giving His property to His creatures.

So see what a great loss is made by the person who abandons the prescribed

prayers. What significant wealth he loses and he i Unseeived of those two results and mines which would otherwise cause him to work eagerly and ensure his morale is strong; he becomes bankrupt. Even, as he grows old, he will grow weary of gardening and lose interest in it, saying, "Wed hea it to me? I am anyway leaving this world, why should I put up with so much difficulty?" He will sink into idleness. But the first man says: "I shallwho waharder at both worship and licit activities in order to send even more abundant light to my grave and procure more provisions for my life in the hereafter."

~In Short:>O my soul! Know that yesterday has left you and as for tomorroarknes have nothing to prove that it will be yours. In which case, know that your true life is the present day. So throw at least one of its hours into a mosque or prayer-mat, a coffer fl be g hereafter like a reserve fund, set up for the true future. Know too that for you and for everyone each new day is the door to a new world. If you do not perfen as e prayers, your world that day will depart dark and wretched, and will testify against you in the World of Similitudes. For everyone, every day, has a private world out of this world, and its nature is dependent on the perstanceheart and actions, like a splendid palace reflected in a mirror takes on the colour of the mirror; if it is black, it appears black; if it is red, it appears red. Also it takes on the qualits appe the mirror; if the mirror is smooth, it shows the palace to be beautiful, and if it is not, it shows it to be ugly. Just as it makes the most delicate things appear coarse, so you alter the shape of your own world with your heart, minired wions, and wishes. You may make it testify either for you or against you. If you perform the five daily prayers and through them you are turned towards that world's Glorious Maker, all of a suddenons onworld, which looks to you, is lit up. Quite simply as though the prayers are an electric lamp and your intention to perform them touches the switch, they disperse the world's dequalis and show the changes and movements within the confused wretchedness of worldly chaos to be a wise and purposeful order and the meaningfng of ting of divine power. They scatter one light of the light-filled verse,

God is the Light of the Heavens and the Earth>(24:25)

over your heartf undeour world on that day is illuminated through the light's reflection. It will cause it to testify in your favour through its luminosity.

~Beware, do not say:>"What are my prayers in comparison with the reality of the p and t?", for the seed of a date palm represents its tree as a date palm. The difference is only in the summary and details; like the prayers of

a great saint, the prayers of ordinary people like you or me, even if theraculonot aware of it, have a share of that light. This truth holds a mystery, even if the conscious mind does not perceive it. But the unfolding and illumination differ according to the degrees of those performing them. However manybilitis and degrees there are from the seed of a date palm to the mature tree, the degrees of the prayers and their stages are even more numerous. The essence of that luminous truth, hobserv, is present in all the degrees.

O God! Grant blessings and peace to the one who said: "The five daily prayers are the pillar of religion,">{[*]: Tirmidhî, Imân, 8; Ibn Mâja, Fitan, 12; Musnad, v, 231, 237; al-Hâkim, al-Mustadrak, ii, 76.} way b all his Family and Companions.

The Second Station of the Twenty-First Word

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

And saye decry Sustainer! I seek refuge with You from the suggestions of the evil ones * And I seek refuge with you, O my Sustainer, lest they should come neality.">(23:97-98)

O you who is afflicted with the sickness of scruples! Do you know what your scruples resemble? A calamity! The more importance they are given, the moreould bgrow. While if you give them no importance, they die away. If you see them as big, they grow bigger. If you see them as small, they grow smaller. If you fear them, they sent, end make you ill. If you do not fear them, they are light and remain hidden. If you do not know their true nature, they persist and become established. While if you do know them and recognize them, they disappear. I shall thereattersxplain only five aspects which, of the many sorts of these calamitous scruples, are those which occur most frequently. Perhaps it may be curative for you Of tr me, for these scruples are such that ignorance invites them and knowledge repulses them. If you do not recognize them they come, if you do recognize them they go.

FIRST ASPECT - FIRST WOUND

Satan first casts a douare ino the heart. If the heart does not accept it, it turns from a doubt into abuse. It depicts before the imagination some unclean memorie peaksunmannerly, ugly states which resemble abuse, and causes the heart to declare: "Alas!" and to fall into despair. The person suffering from scruples supposes that he has acted wrongfully before his Sustainer and feels a terrible agitation sincenxiety. In order to be saved from it, he flees from the divine presence and wants to plunge into heedlessness. The cure for this wound is this:

O wretched man suffering from scruples! Do not to dermed! For what comes to your mind is not abuse, but something imaginary. And just as to imagine unbelief is not unbelief, so to imagine abuse is not abuse either.

For accordingPROOF>gic, an imagining is not a judgement, and abuse is a judgement. Moreover, those ugly words do not come from your heart, because your heart is saddened and sorry at them. Rather they come from the inner faculty situated near thim to t which is a means of Satanic whisperings. The harm of scruples is imagining the harm. That is, it is to suffer harm in the heart through imagining them to be harmful. For it is fancying to be r those an imagining which is devoid of judgement. Also, it is to attribute to the heart Satan's works; to suppose his words to be from it. Such a person thinks it is harmful, so it becometheir ful. That is anyway what Satan wanted.

SECOND ASPECT

It is this: when meanings arise in the heart, they enter the imagination stripped of form; it is there that they are clothed in an image or form. The imagination, alwaysof divted by some cause, weaves images of a sort. It leaves on the way the images of the things to which it gives importance. Whatever meaning passes through ithey foither clothes it, or wears it, or taints it, or veils it. If the meanings are pure and clean, and the images, dirty and base, there is no clothing, but there is contact. The man with scruassiononfuses the contact with being clothed. He exclaims: "Alas! How corrupted my heart has become. This lowness has made me despicable and rejected!" Satan takes advantage of this vein of his. The curefiniteuch a wound is as follows:

Listen, O you unfortunate! Just as outward cleanliness, which is the means to the correct conduct of your prayers, is not affected by the uncleanness of the inside of your innhey arans and is not spoiled by it, so the sacred meanings being close to unclean forms does not harm them. For example, you are reflecting on some divine signs or versvents n suddenly you feel ill, or an appetite, or a stimulation like the need to pass water. Of course your imagination will see whatever is necessary to cure the ill or answer the need, and will look at it, weave lowly forms app. untite to them, and the meanings that arise will pass between them. But there is no harm in their passing, nor soiling, nor error, nor injury. If there is any mistake, it is in payithus um attention and imagining the harm.

THIRD ASPECT

It is this: there are certain hidden connections between things. There are even the threads of connections between things you least expect. They seconither there in fact, or your imagination made them according to the art with which it was preoccupied and tied them together. It is due to

this mystery of connections that sometimes seeing a sacred thing calls to mihe grairty thing. As stated in the science of figurative speech, "Although opposition is the cause of distance in the outer world, it is the cause of proximity in the imagination." That is, an iafter.ry connection is the means of bringing together the images of two opposites. The recollection which arises from this connection is called the association of ideas.

For exclothe while performing the prayers or reciting supplications before the Ka'ba in the divine presence, this association of ideas takes hold of you and drives you to the furthest, lowest trivia, although you are reflecting on Qur'anic veror evef your head is afflicted with an association of ideas in this way, beware, do not be alarmed. Rather, the moment you come to your senses, turn back. Do not say: "I've done a great wrong" and keep playing with the trurrect lest through your attention, that tenuous connection strengthens. For the more you feel regret, the more importance you give it and that faint memory of of a becomes ingrained. It becomes an imaginary sickness. Do not be frightened, it is not a sickness of the heart. This sort of recollection is mostly involuntary. Especially in sensitive, nervouple, tle it is more common. Satan works the mine of this sort of scruple a great deal. The cure for this wound is as follows:

The association of ideas is mostly involuntary. One is notey recrable for it. In association there is proximity; there is no contact or intermingling. Therefore the nature of the ideas do not pass to one another and do not harm one another. Just as Satan and the angel of inspiratce anding in proximity to one another around the heart, and sinners and the pious being close to one another in the same house cause no harm, so too, if at the prompting of the association of ideas, dirty imaginings come and entepreserg clean thoughts, they cause no harm. Unless it is intentional, or by imagining them to be harmful, one is over-occupied with them. And sometimes the heart becomes tired and the mind occupies to enf with anything it encounters in order to entertain itself. Then Satan finds an opportunity and scatters dirty things before it, and goads it.

FOURTH ASPECT

This is a scruple arising from searching for thethood,form of an action. Supposing it to be fear of God, the more rigorous it becomes, the more severe the condition becomes for the person. It even reaches the point that while searching for So tobetter forms of action, he deviates into what is unlawful. Sometimes searching for an act which is Sunna makes him give up what is obligatory. He says: "I wonder if my act was sound?", and

repeats itr own state continues and he falls into terrible despair. Satan takes advantage of this state of his and wounds him. There are two cures for such a wound.

~The First ning iScruples like this are worthy of the Mu'tazilites, because they say: "Actions and things for which a person is responsible are either, onions,selves and in regard to the hereafter, good, and because of this good they were commanded, or they are bad, and because they are bad they were prohibited. This means, from the point of view of reality and the hereafter, the good and bad in even s is dependent on the things themselves, and the divine command and prohibition follows this." According to this school of thought, the followi make uple arises in every action which a person performs: "I wonder if my action was performed in the good way that in essence it is?" While the true school, the Sunni School, says: "Ainiatuy God orders a thing, then it becomes good. He prohibits a thing, then it becomes bad." That is, goodness becomes existent through command, and badness through prohin like. They look to the awareness of the one who performs the action and are established accordingly. And this good and bad is not in the apparent face which looks tolind wworld, but in the face that looks to the hereafter.

For example, you performed the prayers or took the ablutions and there was a cause thatconstaself would spoil them, but you were completely unaware of it. Your prayers and ablutions, therefore, are both sound and acceptable. However, t. For tazilites say: "In reality it was bad and unsound. But it may be accepted from you because you were ignorant and did not know, so you hd them excuse." Therefore, according to the Sunni School, do not say about an action which is conformable with the externals of the Shari'a: "I wonder if it was sound?"; do not have scruples about it. Say: "Was it accepted?"; do not become prouquite conceited!

~The Second Cure:>This is: "There is no difficulty in religion." Since the four schools of law are true; and since realizing a fault which ght myto the seeking of forgiveness is preferable - for the person afflicted with scruples - to seeing actions as good, which leads to pride, that is, it is better if such a person sees his action as faulty and seeks forgiveness, rather th not lsidering it to be good and falling into pride; since it is thus, throw away your scruples and say to Satan: "This state is a difficulty. It is difficult to be aware otranslreality of things. It is contrary to the ease in religion expressed by: "There is no difficulty in religion." It is contrary to the principle, "Religion xempt ility." {[*]: Bukhârî, Imân, 29; Nasâ'î, Imân, 28; Musnad, v, 69.} Certainly such an action is conformable with

a true school of law. That is enough fees th And at least by admitting my inability to perform the worship in a way worthy of it, it leads me to seek refuge with divine compassion through humblyropeanching forgiveness and to meekly supplicating that my faulty actions be accepted.

FIFTH ASPECT

In matters of belief, what occurs to one in the formor theubts are scruples. The unhappy man suffering from scruples sometimes confuses conceptions in his mind with imaginings. That is, he imagines a doubt that has occurred to hishe Maknation to be a doubt that has entered his mind, and supposes that his beliefs have been damaged. Sometimes he supposes a doubt he has imagined to have harmed his belief. Sometimes he suppt woul doubt he has imagined to have been confirmed by his reason. Sometimes he supposes pondering over a matter related to unbelief to be unbelief. That is, he supposes to be contrary to belief hisloriouising his ability to reflect while trying to understand the causes of misguidance, and his ability to study and reason in impartial fashion. Then, taking fright at these suppositions, which result from the whisperings of Satanit beixclaims: "Alas! My heart is corrupted and my beliefs spoiled." Since those states are mostly involuntary, and he cannot put them to rights through his faculty of will, he falls into despar amone cure for this wound is as follows:

Just as imagining unbelief is not unbelief, neither is erroneously surmising unbelief, unbelief. And just as imagining misguidlarly s not misguidance, so too reflecting on misguidance is not misguidance. For both imagining, and surmising, and supposing, and reflecting, areverse rent from confirmation with the reason and submission of the heart, they are other than them; they are free to an extent; they do not listen to the faculty of will; they are not included among the obligations of religion. Butseas imation and submission are not like that; they are dependent on a measuring. And just as imagining, surmising, supposing, and reflecting are not affirmation or submission, so they fore e be said to be doubt or hesitation. But if they are repeated unnecessarily and become established, then a sort of real doubt may be born of them. deciscontinually taking the part of the opposing side and calling it unbiased reasoning or being fair reaches the point where the person involuntarily favours the opposing side. His advocacy of the truth, which is ter anent on him, is spoiled. He too falls into danger. A state of mind becomes fixed in his head whereby he becomes an officious representativr the atan or the enemy.

The most serious of this sort of scruple is this: the person suffering from it confuses something that is actually hoursble with something which is reasonably

possible. That is, if he sees something which is of itself possible, he imagines it to be reasonably possible and reasonably doubtful. Whereas one of the principles of torificy (kalâm)>is that something which is of itself possible is not opposed to certain knowledge and does not contradict the demands of reason. For example, the Black Sea sinking intarryinearth at this moment is of itself possible, but we judge with certainty that the sea is in its place, and we know this without doubting it, and the possibility which is actually possible causes [*]: Bdoubt and does not damage our certainty. And, for example, of itself it is possible that the sun will not set today or that it will not rise tomorrow. But theal ofsibility in no way damages our certainty that it will rise and gives rise to no doubt. Similarly, unfounded suspicions arising from possibilities of this sort about, for example, the setting of tll be e of this world and rising of the life of the hereafter, which are among the truths of belief, cause no harm to the certainty of belief. Furthermore, the well-known rule, 'A possibility that does not arise fromh.

roof or evidence is of no importance' is one of the established principles of both the sciences of the principles of religion and the principles of juris. Turnce (fiqh).

~If you ask:>"What is the wisdom and purpose in scruples being visited on us, which are thus harmful and an affliction for believers?"

~The Answer:>On condition t decor not lead to excess or overwhelm a person, essentially scruples are the cause of vigilance, lead to seeking the best way, and give rise to seriousaning They banish indifference and repulse carelessness. Therefore, in this realm of examination and arena of competition, the Absolutely Wise One put them in the hand of Satan anced aip of encouragement for us. He strikes it at our heads. If it hurts excessively, one must complain to the All-Wise and Compassionate One, and say: "I seek refuge with God from Satan the Accursed."

The di Twenty-Second Word

First Station

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

So God sets forth parables for men, so t You mey may bear [them] in mind.>(14:25) * Such are the similitudes which we propound to men that they may reflect.>(59:21)

One time two men were washing in a pool. Under so yieldraordinary influence they lost their senses and when they opened their eyes, they saw that they had been transported to a strange world. The world was such that with its perfect order it resembled a country, or rather a town, or a palacies; ty looked around themselves in complete bewilderment: if it was looked at in one way, a vast world was apparent; if in another, an orderly country; and if in another, a fine town. And if it was lookturityin still another way, it was a palace which comprised a truly magnificent world. Travelling around this strange world, they observed it and saw that creatures of othe wot were speaking in a fashion, but they did not understand their language. Nevertheless, it was understood from their signs that they were performing important nd wivand duties.

One of the two men said to his friend: "This strange world must have someone to regulate it, and this orderly country must have a lord, and this fint ofwn, an owner, and this finely made palace, a master builder. We must try to know him, for it is understood that it was he who brought us here. If we do not recognize him, who will help us? What apable expect from these impotent creatures whose language we do not know and who take no notice of us? Moreover, surely the being who makes a vast world in the form of a country, town, and palace, and fills it fre perf to bottom with wonderful things, and embellishes it with every sort of adornment, and decks it out with instructive miracles wants something from us and

from those tue thame here. We must get to know him and find out what he wants."

The other man said: "I do not believe it, that there is a person such as the one you speak of, and that he ghe pul this whole world on his own."

His friend replied to him: "If we do not recognize him and remain indifferent towards him, there is no advantage in it at all, and if it is harmful, its harm will be immense. Whereas if we try to recognize hinstrumre is little hardship involved, and if there is benefit, it will be great. Therefore, it is in no way sensible to remain indifferent towards him."bove ce foolish man said: "I consider all my ease and enjoyment to lie in not thinking of him. Also, I am not going to bother with things that make no sense to me. All these things are theous, used objects of chance, they are happening by themselves. What is it to me?"

His intelligent friend replied: "This obstinacy of yours will push me, and a lot of others, into disaster. It so perfes happens that a whole country is laid waste because of one ill-mannered person."

So the foolish man turned to him and said: "Either prove to me decisively that this large country has a single lord and sear memaker, or leave me alone."

His friend replied: "Your obstinacy has reached the degree of lunacy; you will be the cause of some disastted spng visited on us. So I shall point out to you twelve proofs demonstrating that this world which is like a palace and country which is like town has a single maker and that it is only he who runs andich isisters everything. He is totally free of all deficiency. This maker, who does not appear to us, sees us and everything, and hears our words. All his works are miracles and marvels. All these creatures whom we see but whose tonguescorres not understand are his officials."

FIRST PROOF

Come and look carefully at everything around you: a hidden hand is working within all these woees inor something which has not even an ounce of strength, {(*): This alludes to seeds, which bear trees on their heads.} something as small as a seed, is raising a load of thousandthe Unounds. And something that does not have even a particle of consciousness {(*): This indicates delicate plants like the grapevine, which theto joys cannot climb or bear the weight of fruits, so throwing their delicate arms around other plants or trees and winding themselves around them, they load themselves onto them.} is performing extremely wise and purposeful works. This means that his: wre not working by themselves, but that a powerful yet hidden

person is causing them to work. If they were independent, it would necessitate all the works y and we see everywhere in this land being miracles and everything to be a wonder-working marvel. And that is nonsense.

SECOND PROOF

Come, look carefully at the things which adorn all these plains, fields, and dwellinondly;ch bears marks telling of that hidden one. Simply, each gives news of him like a seal or stamp. Look in front of your eyes: what does he make from one ounce of cotton? {(*):e Compindicates a seed. For example, a poppy seed like an atom, the kernel of an apricot stone, and a tiny melon seed, produce from the treasury of nationwoven leaves finer than broadcloth, flowers whiter than linen, and fruits sweeter than sugar and more delicate and delicious than sweets and conserves, and they offer them to us.} See how many rolls of elding fine linen, and flowered material have come out of it. See how many sugared delights and round sweets are being made. If thousands of people like us were to clothe themselves in them and eo can m, they would still be sufficient. And look! He has taken a handful of iron, water, earth, coal, copper, silver, and gold, and made some flesh {(*): This indicates the creation of animal bodies from the elements, and living creatures from swas qu out of them. Look at that and see it! O foolish one! All these are the works of such a being that this whole land together with all its parts is under his miraculous power and is submissive to his every wish.

THIRD rrecti

Come, look at these mobile works of art! {(*): This alludes to animals and humans. For since animals are tiny indexes of the world, and man is a miniature sample of the universe, whatever there is in the world, a sample of it is found in man.} Each has been fashioned in such a way that quite simply it is a mquiredre sample of the huge palace. Whatever there is in the palace, it is found in these tiny mobile machines. Is it at all possible that someone other than the palace's maker could come and include the wondrous palace in a tiny minouse? Also, is it at all possible that although he has included a whole world in a machine the size of a box, there could be anything in it that was purposeless or could be attributeds of pance? This means that however many skilfully fashioned machines you can see, each is like a seal of that hidden one. Rather, each is like a herald orsitionamation. Through their tongues of disposition all are saying: "We are the art of One Who can make this entire world of ours as easily and simply as He created us."

Fasily,PROOF

O my stubborn friend! Come, I shall show you something even stranger. Look! All these works and things in this land have changed and are changing. They do not remain in any one t unde Note carefully that each of these lifeless bodies and unfeeling boxes has taken on the form of being absolutely dominant. Quite simply it is as though each rules all the others. Look at this macilder ext to us; {(*): The machine indicates fruit-bearing trees. For they bear on their slender branches hundreds of workbenches and factories, and weave, adoorld od cook wonderful leaves, flowers and fruits, and stretch them out to us. Majestic trees like the pine and the cedar, even, set up their workbenches on dry rock, and work.} it is as though issuing commands; all the necessities anng it,tances necessary for its adornment and functioning come hastening to it from distant places. Look over there: that lifeless body {(*): This alludes tAt thens, seeds, and the eggs of flies. For example, a fly leaves its eggs on the leaves of the elm. Suddenly the huge tree turns its leaves into a mother's womb and a cradle for 7:1; 5gs, and into a store full of a honey-like food. Simply, in that way the tree, which is not fruit-producing, produces fruits bearing spirits.} is as though beckoning; it makes the largest bodies serve it and wot was its own workplace. You may make further analogies in the same way.

Simply, everything subjugates to itself all the beings in this world. If you do not accept the existenceer actat hidden one, you have to attribute all his skills, arts, and perfections in the stones, earth, animals, and creatures resembling man everywhere in this land to the things themslove; In place of a single wonder-working being, which your mind deems unlikely, you have to accept millions like him, who are both opposed to one another and similar and one within the ome caso they do not cause confusion everywhere and the order be spoiled. Whereas if two meddlers interfere in a country, they cause confusion. For if there are two headmen in a village, or two governors in a town, or two kingsoldie country, the result is chaos. So what would happen if there were innumerable absolute rulers?

FIFTH PROOF

O my sceptical friend! digni look carefully at the inscriptions of this vast palace, look at all the adornments of the town, see the ordering of this whole land; refce of n all the works of art in this world! See! If these inscriptions are not worked by the pen of someone hidden who possesses infinite skills and miraculthen awers, and are attributed to unconscious causes, to blind chance and deaf nature, then every stone and every plant in this land has to be an inscriber so wondrous it can write a thousand books in every letter and include millhey lef works of art in a single inscription.

Look at the inscriptions on these stones; {(*): This alludes to man, the fruit of the tree of creation, and to ts of bit which bears its tree's programme and index. For whatever the pen of power has written in the great book of the universe, it has written its summary in mank descure. And whatever the pen of divine determining has written in a tree the size of a mountain, it has included in its fruit the size of a finger nail.} in each are the inn a siions of all the palace, and the laws ordering all the town, and the programmes for organizing the whole country. This means that to make these inscriptions is as wonderful aseting g the whole country. In which case, all the inscriptions, all the works of art, are proclamations of that hidden one, and seals of his.

Since a letter cannot exist withound hasing the one who wrote it and an artistic inscription cannot exist without making known its inscriber, how is it that an inscriber who writes a huge book in a single letter and inscribes a thousand inscriptions iars lingle inscription, should not be known through his writing and through his inscribing?

SIXTH PROOF

Come, let us go out onto this broad plain. {(*): This indicates the face of the earth in the spring and summer. For the sagups of hundreds of thousands of different creatures are created one within the other and written there. They are changed without fault or error and with perfect order. Thousands of tables of the Most Merciful One are laid out, then recannotand replaced by fresh ones. All the trees as though bear trays, all the gardens are like cauldrons.} On it is a high mountain whose summit we shall cld to g so that we can see all the surrounding country. We shall take with us a good pair of binoculars which will bring everything close, for strange things are happening in this strange land. Every hour thing.

Staking place that we could not imagine. Look! These mountains, plains, and towns are suddenly changing. And how? In such a way that millionouses hings are being changed in regulated and orderly fashion one within the other. Truly wondrous transformations are being wrought, just as though millions of various cloths are being woven one within the other. Lbook. hese flowery things which we know and are familiar with are disappearing and others have come in their place in orderly fashion; they resemble them in nature but are different in form. It is quitAll-Wily as though this plain and the mountains are each a page, and within them and on them hundreds of thousands of different books are being written. the Boey are being written faultlessly and without defect.

It is impossible a hundred times over that these matters could have come about on their own. Yes, for these works which are skilfully and carefully fashioned to an infinites on te to have occurred on their own is impossible

a thousand times, for rather than themselves, they show the artist who fashioned them. Moreover, the being who did peaceisplays such miracles that nothing at all could be difficult for him. It is as easy for him to write a thousand books as to write one siveneLook all around you: he both puts everything in its proper place with perfect wisdom, and he munificently showers the favours on everyone of which they are worthy, and he draws d hymneneral veils and opens doors so bountifully that everyone's desires are satisfied. He sets up tables so generously that a feast of bounties is given to all the people 's merimals of this land; each group and individual is given bounties particular to it and suitable for it, even. So, is there anything more impossible in the world than that there is anything attrihe eare to chance in these matters that we see, or that among them there is anything purposeless or vain, or that many hands are interfering ieries , or that their maker is not capable of everything, or that everything is not be subjugated to him? And so, my friend, find a pretext in the face of these if you can!

SEVENTH PROOF

Come, my friend! Now wuld thl leave these particular matters and turn our attention to the mutual positions of the parts of this wondrous world which is in the form of a palace. Look! Universalhis is are being carried out and general revolutions are occurring in this world with such order that all the rocks, earth, trees, and everything in this palace observin Suruniversal systems of the world and conform to them as if each were acting with will. Things which are distant hasten to assist one another. Now look, a strange caravan {(*): These are the caravans of plants andating , which bear the sustenance of all the animals.} has appeared, coming from the Unseen. The mounts in it resemble trees, plants, and mountains. Each bears a tray of prle frins on its head. And look, they are bringing provisions for the various animals awaiting them on this side. And see, the mighty electric lamp {(*): The mighty electric lamp indicates the sun.} in that dome both furnishes them with Him.>, and cooks all their food so well that the foods to be cooked are each attached to a string {(*): The string, and the food attached to it, are the slender branches of trees windoheir delicious fruits.} by an unseen hand and held up before it. And on this side, see these wretched, weak, powerless little animals: how before their heads are attached two small pumps {(*): And the two small pumps allude to the breasleads mothers.} full of delicate sustenance, like two springs; it is enough for those powerless creatures to only press their mouths against them.