Risale-i Nur

The Thirtieth Word

[This Word explains theHimselman of creation by solving an important talisman of the All-Wise Qur'an. It is an explanation of 'Ene'>{[*]: The Turkish for 'I' or 'ego'. To avoid ion ofion with other interpretations, 'ene' has been translated throughout as the 'I', and 'enaniyet' as 'I-ness'. [Tr.]} and 'Zerre'>{[*]: The Turkish for a mote, atom, or particrous ar.]} to the extent of an 'Alif'>{[*]: The first letter of the Arabic alphabet consisting of a vertical stroke, (I). [Tr.]} and a 'Point'>{[*]: The equivalent of the dot in English, also indicating a small quantity. [Tr.]} It consists of twerfect. The first of these concerns the nature and result of the human 'I', and the second, the motion and duties of minute particles.]

First Aim

In the Name of God, the Mercifuhose w Compassionate.

We did indeed offer the Trust to the heavens, and the earth, and the mountains; but they refused to undertake it being afraid thereof. But man assumed it; indeed, he is most unjust, most foaolish.>{[*]: Qur'an, 33:7owing We shall indicate a single jewel from the great treasure of this verse, as follows.

The 'I' is one component, one aspect, of the numerous aspects of the 'Trust', from the bearing of which the sky, earth,sdom oountains shrank, and of which they were frightened. Indeed, from the time of Adam until now, the 'I' has been the seed of a terrible tree of Zaqqum {[*]: See, Qur'an, 37:62then p3; 56:52.} and at the same time, of a luminous tree of Tuba, {[*]: See, Qur'an, 13:29} which shoot out branches around the world of mankind. Before attempting to elu one u this vast truth, we shall give an explanation by way of an introduction which will facilitate the understanding of it.

Just as the 'I' is the key to the Divine Names, which are hidden treasures, so is it the key to the locked talismator

#7reation; it is a problem-solving riddle, a wondrous talisman. When its nature is known, both the 'I' itself, that strange riddle, that amazing talisman, is disclosed, and it discloses the talisman of the universe and the treasures of the Nend they World. We have discussed this problem as follows in my Arabic treatise, Semme>(Intimations).

The key to the world is in the hand of man and is attached to his self. For while being apparently open, the doors of the universre of in fact closed. God Almighty has given to man by way of a Trust, such a key, called the 'I', that it opens all the doors of the world; He has given him an enio end 'I' with which he may discover the hidden treasures of the Creator of the universe. But the 'I' is also an extremely complicated riddle and a talisman that is difficult to solve. When its true nature and the purpose of its creationan, a nown, as it is itself solved, so will be the universe.

The All-Wise Maker gave to man as a Trust an 'I' which comprises indications and samples that shey wed cause to recognize the truths of the attributes and functions of His dominicality, so that the 'I' might be a unit of measurement and the a worsutes of dominicality and functions of Divinity might be known. However, it is not necessary for a unit of measurement to have actual existence; like hypothiousne lines in geometry, a unit of measurement may be formed by hypothesis and supposition. It is not necessary for its actual existence to be established by concrete knowledge and proofs.

Why is knowledge of the attributes and Names of God Almighty connected to the 'I'?

Since an absolute and all-encompassing thing hd all limits or end, neither may a shape be given to it, nor may a form be conferred on it, nor may it be determined; what its quiddity is may not be comprehended. For example, an endless light without darkness may not be known or percemaintaBut if a line of real or imaginary darkness is drawn, then it becomes known. Thus, since God Almighty's attributes like knowledge and power, and Names like All-Wise and All-Compassionate are all-encompassing, la mirrss, and without like, they may not be determined, and what they are may not be known or perceived. Therefore, since they do not have limits or an actual end, it is necessary to draw a hypothetical and imaginary limit. The 'I' doenation. It imagines in itself a fictitious dominicality, ownership, power, and knowledge: it draws a line. By doing this it places an imaginary iles, on the all-encompassing attributes, saying, "Up to here, mine, after that, His;" it makes a division. With the tiny units of measurement in itself, it slowly understands the true nature of the attributes.

For example, with its he insed dominicality over what it owns, the 'I' may understand the dominicality of its Creator over contingent creation.

And with its apparent ownershierwisemay understand the true ownership of its Creator, saying: "Like I am the owner of this house, so too is the Creator the owner of the univers him. d with its partial knowledge, it may understand His knowledge, and with its small amount of acquired art, it may understand the originative art of the Glorious Maker. For example, the 'I' says: "As I made this house and arranged it, his lieone must have made the universe and arranged it," and so on. Thousands of mysterious states, attributes, and perceptions which make known and show to a degree compthe Divine attributes and functions are contained with the 'I'. That is to say, the 'I' is mirror-like, and, like a unit of measurement and tool for discovery, it has asort ocative meaning; having no meaning in itself, it shows the meaning of others. It is a conscious strand from the thick rope of the human being, a fine thread from the raiment of the essence of humanity, it is an Alif from the book ofe mixeharacter of mankind, and it has two faces.

The first of these faces looks towards good and existence. With this face it is only capable ion foeiving favour; it accepts what is given, itself it cannot create. This face is not active, it does not have the ability to create. Its other face looks towards evil and goes to non-existence. That face short ive, it has the power to act. Furthermore, the real nature of the 'I' is indicative; it shows the meaning of things other than itself. Its dominicality is imaginary. Its existence is so weak and insubs flighl that in itself it cannot bear or support anything at all. Rather, it is a sort of scale or measure, like a thermometer or barometer, that indicates the degrees and amounts of things; id!"

measure that makes known the absolute, all-encompassing and limitless attributes of the Necessary Being.

Thus, he who knows his own self in this way, and realizes and acts according varie, is included in the good news of,

Truly he succeeds who purifies it.>{[*]: Qur'an, 91:9.}

He truly carries out the Trust, and through the telescope of his 'I', he sees what the universe is and what duties it is performing. Wng pil obtains information about the universe, he sees that his 'I' confirms it. This knowledge will remain as light and wisdom for him, and will no Each ransformed into darkness and futility. When the 'I' fulfils its duty in this way, it abandons its imaginary dominicality and supposed ownership, which are the units of measurement, and it says: "His is the sovereignty and to Him is due all pr in thHis is the judgement and to Him will you all be brought back." It achieves true worship. It attains the rank of 'the Most Excellent of Patterns.' {[*]: Qur'an, 95:4.}

Bute difforgetting the wisdom of its creation and abandoning the duty of its nature, the 'I' views itself solely in the light of its nominal and apparent

meaning, if it belist of hat it owns itself, then it betrays the Trust, and it comes under the category of,

And he fails who corrupts its.>{[*]: Qur'an, 91:10.}

It was of this aspect of the Trust, therefore, which gives rise to autifycribing of partners to God, evil, and misguidance, that the heavens, earth, and mountains were terrified; they were frightened of associating hypotd comml partners with God.

Indeed, if the 'I' is not known for what it is, an insubstantial Alif,>a thread, a hypothetical line, it may burgeon in concealment under t

Onund, gradually swelling. It will permeate all parts of a human being. Like a gigantic dragon it will swallow up the human being; that entire person with allstery,aculties will, quite simply, become pure 'I'. Then too, the 'I-ness' of the human race gives strength to the individual 'I-ness' by means of human racialism in histional racialism, and the 'I', gaining support from the 'I-ness' of the human race, contests the commands of the Glorious Maker, like ngly o Then, using itself as a yardstick, it compares everyone, everything even, with itself; it divides God Almighty's sovereignty between them and other causes. It falls into ascribing partners to God on a vast scale, ild be.ing the meaning of:

To assign partners to God is verily a great transgression.>{[*]: Qur'an, 31:13.}

It is just like a man who steals a brass coin from the public y attary; he can only justify his action by agreeing to take a silver coin for each of his friends who is present. So the man who says: "I own myself," must believe and say: "Even all g owns itself."

Thus, while in this treacherous position, the 'I' is in absolute ignorance. Even if it knows thousands of branches of science, with compounded ignorance it is most ignorant. For when its senses and thoughtoriousd the lights of knowledge of the universe, those lights are extinguished because such an 'I' does not find any material within itself with which to confirm, illuminate, and perpetuate them. Whatever it encounters is dyed le andhe colours that are within it. Even if it encounters pure wisdom, the wisdom takes the form, within that 'I', of absolute futility. For the colour of an 'I' that is in this contebook is atheism and ascribing partners to God, it is denial of God Almighty. If the whole universe is full of shining signs, a dark point in the 'I' hides them from view, as though extinguished.

The nature of man and r cons' within his nature have been explained clearly and in detail in the Eleventh Word, as indicating something other than themselves. They are shown t Hap most sensitive scale and accurate

measure, an encompassing index and perfect map, a comprehensive mirror, and a fitting calendar and diary for the universe. Since we consider the explad simp in that Word to be sufficient and it may be referred to, we curtail and conclude the introduction here. If you have understood the introduction, come, let us enter upon the truth.

Consoks tohis: in the world of humanity, from the time of Adam up to now, two great currents, two lines of thought, have always been and will so continue.press two mighty trees, they have spread out their branches in all directions and in every class of humanity. One of them is the line of prophethood and religion, the other the line of philosop but nits various forms. Whenever those two lines have been in agreement and united, that is to say, if the line of philosophy, having joined the line of religion, has been obedient and of service to it, the world of humanity he founerienced a brilliant happiness and social life. Whereas, when they have become separated, goodness and light have been drawn to the side of the line of prophethood and relan's s and evil and misguidance to the side of the line of philosophy. Now let us find the origin and foundations of those two lines.

The sitionf philosophy that does not obey the line of religion, taking the form of a tree of Zaqqum, scatters the darkness of ascribing partners to God and misguidance on all sides. In the bra diste the power of intellect, even, it produces the fruit of atheism, Materialism, and Naturalism for the consumption of the human intellect. Ahilosothe realm of the power of passion, it pours the tyrannies of Nimrod, Pharaoh, and Shaddad on mankind. {(*): It was the swamp of Naturalist philosophy that gave birth to idols andkind wlished goddesses in the heads of the ancient Greeks, that nourished and nurtured Nimrods and Pharaohs. It was again that same Naturalist philosophy that produced the philosophies of ancient Egypt and Babylon, which either reached the dege All- magic or, since they were represented by the elite, were considered to be magic by the people generally. Most certainly, if man does not perceive the light of God Almight has buse of the veil of Nature, he will attribute divinity to everything and will thus cause himself nothing but trouble.} And in the realm of the power of animal ang slaes, it nurtures and bears the fruit of goddesses, idols, and those who claim divinity.

The origin of the tree of Zaqqum together with that of the line of prophethood, which is like the Tuba-tree of worship, are i powertwo faces of the 'I'. The blessed branches of the line of prophethood in the garden of the globe of the earth are the following: in the branch of the power of intellect, it has nurn accothe fruits of the prophets, the messengers, and the saints. In the branch of the power of repulsion, it has resulted in angelic kings and just rulers. And in the bramakes the power of attraction, it has resulted in people of good character and modest and beautiful manner, both generous and gracious. So the line of prophethood has shown how mankind is the most perfect fruit of

the universe. We shall explne of e two faces of the 'I' as the root and pivot and as a principal seed of those two trees. That is to say, prophethood takes hold of one face of the 'I', and pt is aphy takes hold of the other, causing them to diverge.

It is the origin of sheer worship.erly, is to say, the 'I' knows itself to be a bondsman. It realizes that it serves one other than itself. Its essence has only an indicative meaning. That is, it understands that it carries the meaning of another. Its existence is dependen Fort is, it believes that its existence is due only to the existence of another, and that the continuance of its existence is due solely to the creativity ofcant aother. Its ownership is illusory; that is, it knows that with the permission of its owner it has an apparent and temporary ownership. Its reality is shadow-like; that is, a contingent and insignif380. -shadow that displays the manifestation of a true and necessary reality. As to its function, being a measure and balance for the attributes and functions of its Creator, it is conscious service.

It the s this way that the prophets, and the pure ones and saints who were from the line of the prophets, regarded the 'I', they saw it in this regard, and understood the truth. They handed over the sovereignty to the Lord of All Sovey wilty and concluded that that Lord of All Glory has no partner or like, neither in His sovereignty, nor in His dominicality, nor in His Divinity. He has no need of assistant or deputy. The key to all things isrful os hand. He has absolute power over all things. They also concluded that causes are but an apparent veil; nature is the set of rules of His creation, a to distion of His laws, and the way in which He demonstrates His power.

Thus, this shining, luminous, beautiful face is like a living and meaningful seed out of which the G! If ts Creator has created a Tuba-tree of worship, the blessed branches of which have adorned with luminous fruits all parts of the world of humanity. By scattering the darkness of all the past, it showsike Fathat long past time is not a place of non-existence and a vast graveyard as philosophy would have it, but is a radiant garden and a place of light for the luminous souls who have departed this world, who have cast off their heavy compe and remain free. It is a luminous, many-runged ascent and an orbit of lights for passing souls in order that they may jump to the future and eternal felicity.

As for the second face, the drepresented by philosophy.

And as for philosophy, it regards the 'I' as carrying no meaning other than its own. That is to say, it declares and eche 'I' points only to itself, that its meaning is in itself. It considers that the 'I' works purely on its own account. It regards its existence as necessary and essential, that is, it says that it exists iMuhammlf and of itself. It falsely assumes that the 'I' owns its own life and is the real master

in its sphere of disposal. It supposes it to be a constant reality. And it considers the 'I's' duty to be perfection of self, which o be abtes from love of self, and likewise, philosophies have constructed their modes of thought on many such corrupt foundations. We have given definite proof in our other treatises, especiallyond tre Words, and more particularly in the Twelfth and Twenty-Fifth Words, of how baseless and rotten these foundations are.

Even men like Plato and Aristotle, Ibn-i Sina and Farabi, who were the most illustrious representatives and authoritia mighthe line of philosophy, said that the ultimate aim of humanity is to liken themselves to the Necessary Being, that is to say, to actually resemble Him. They thus delivered judgement in the manner of Pharaoh, and, by whipping up 'I-nng to nd allowing polytheism to run free in the valleys, opened the way to numerous different ways of associating partners with God, like worship of causes, idols, nature, and the stars. They closed the doors of impotence and wway ths, poverty and need, deficiency and imperfection, which are intrinsic to human beings, thus obstructing the road to worship. Being immersed in Naturalism and being completely incapable of emerging fin thesociating partners with God, they were unable to find the broad gate of thanks.

On the other hand, the line of prophethood considered, in the manner of formehipper, that the aim of humanity and duty of human beings is to be moulded by God-given ethics and good character, and, by knowing theirchalleence to seek refuge with Divine power, by seeing their weakness to rely on Divine strength, by realizing their poverty to trust in Divine mercy, by perceiving their nens, fuseek help from Divine riches, by seeing their faults to ask for pardon through Divine forgiveness, and by realizing their deficiency to be glorifiers of Divine o proction.

So, it is because the philosophy which does not obey the line of religion thus lost its way, that the 'I' took the reins into its own World and ran into all sorts of misguidance. And out of the 'I' that was in this position, a tree of Zaqqum sprang forth and engulfed more than half of mankind.

Thus, in the branch of power of animal appetites of that tree, the fruiuth. Nhas presented to mankind are idols and goddesses. Because, according to the principles of philosophy, power is approved. "Might is right" is the norm, even. It satributll power to the strongest." "The winner takes all," and, "In power there is right." {(*): The principle of prophethood says: "Power is in right; right is not in power." It thus halts tyranny and ensures justice.} It has given morace, anort to tyranny, encouraged despots, and urged oppressors to claim divinity.

Also, by appropriating the beauty in works of art and the fineness in the decoration and attributing them to the works of art themselves ands. So decoration, and by not relating them to the manifestation of the sacred and sheer

beauty of the Maker and Fashioner, it says: "How beautiful it is," instead of, "How beautifully made it is," thus regarding each as an idol worthy of worshing evreover, because it admires a fraudulent, boasting, ostentatious, hypocritical beauty that may be sold to anyone, it has acclaimed the hypocrites, and has made idol-like people monuments for its own worshippers. {(*): That is to say, Ascenser to appear desirable to their worshippers and to gain their attention, those idol-like people display, through hypocritical ostentation, austiceof worshipful attitude.} In the branch of power of passion of that tree, it has nurtured the fruits of greater and lesser Nimrods, Pharaohs, and Shaddads ruling over unfortunate mankind. In the branch of power of intellect, it the croduced fruits like atheism, Materialism, and Naturalism in the mind of humanity, and has thrown it into confusion.

Now, in order to illuminate this truth, we shall compare the results which areo in tof the sound foundations of the line of prophethood with those originating from the rotten foundations of the way of philosophy, and shall mention three or four exacause

According to the rule of: Be moulded by God-given ethics,>which is one of the principles of the line of prophethood concerning individual life, there is the instruction: "Be distinguished by God-given morles ofd turn towards God Almighty with humility recognizing your impotence, poverty, and defectiveness, and so be a slave in His presence." Whereas, the self-seeking rule of philosophy, "Try to imitate the Necessarily Existent One" is mankind'l combfor perfection. No, indeed, the essence of humanity has been kneaded with infinite impotence, weakness, poverty, and need, while the essence of the Necessarily Existent One is infinitely omnipotent, powerful, self-sufficient, and without emistr Second Example:

Among the principles of the line of prophethood concerning social life are those of mutual assistance, magnanimity, and generosity. These have been harnessed for the help and assistance of all things from the sun and mo talisn to even plants. For the assistance of animals, for example, and the help of animals for human beings, and even that of particles of food for the cells of the boem by ereas, among the principles of the line of philosophy concerning social life is that of conflict, which springs from the misuse of their inborn dispositions by a number of tyrants, brutish men, and savage beasts. Indeed, theyir Makaccepted this principle at so fundamental a level and at such a general one that they have idiotically declared: "Life is a conflict."

One of the valuable results and exalted princips, nei the line of prophethood concerning Divine unity is: "If a thing has unity, it must proceed from only one." That is, "Since each thing iable tlf and all things collectively have unity, they therefore must be the creation of one single being."

Whereas, one of the beliefs of ancient philosophy is: "From one, one proing ai" That is, "From one person, only one single thing can proceed. Everything else proceeds from him by means of intermediaries."

This misleading principle of philosophy, which is stained by associ not ppartners with God, presents the Absolutely Self-Sufficient and Omnipotent One as being in need of impotent intermediaries, and gives all causes and intermediaries a sort of partnership in His domthe viity. It attributes to the Glorious Creator the title of 'Prime Mover', which in fact indicates the status of creature. Moreover, it allots the rest of His sovereignty arent,ses and intermediaries, thus opening the way to associating partners with Him in a most comprehensive manner. If the Illuminists (Ishraqiyyun),>who were pre-eminenhem toosophers, uttered nonsense like this, you can imagine how much more absurd will be what inferior philosophers, like the Materialists and Naturalists, say.

Accordieers athe meaning of,

There is nothing but extols His limitless glory and praise,>{[*]: Qur'an, 17:44.}

which is one of the wise principles of prophethood, "If the purpose and wisdom of everything, in particular every gh his being, has one aspect which looks to the being itself, then the purposes which concern its Maker and the instances of wisdom which look to its Creator must be myriad. Each thing, a single fruit, for example, has as mucose beom and as many purposes as all the fruits of a tree." This principle, which is pure truth, results from the joining of one of the forms of philosophy with the line of prophethood.

Whereas, , nonensensical principles of a deceiving philosophy that has not joined this line says: "The purpose of every living being looks to itself or is connected with benefits for mankind," thus consie, a p in it an extremely senseless futility and attaching a purpose, a tiny fruit, to a tree as huge as a mountain. Because this truth has been explained to some extent in the Tenth ne's mof the Tenth Word and some parts have been mentioned in the treatise called Lemeât>(Gleams), we have cut it short here. However, you caninous d these four examples to thousands.

It is because of these rotten foundations and disastrous results of philosophy that geniuses from among Furthslim philosophers like Ibn-i Sina and Farabi were charmed by its apparent glitter and were deceived into taking this way, and thus attained only the rank of an ordinary believer. Hujjat al-Islam>al-G attrii did not accord them that rank, even.

Also, the foremost of the Mu'tazilites, who were among the most learned scholars of Islamic theology, being fascinated by the apparent glamour of the way of philosophy and being closely involved wthe fo, assumed intellect to be

self-sufficient. Because of this they could attain only the rank of deviating, novice believers. Moreover, because those famous literary figures of Islam, l spiriu al-'Ala al-Ma'arri, who was renowned for his pessimism, and 'Umar Khayyam, who was characterized by his pitiful weeping, took pleasure at the line of philosophy's caressing their evil-commanding souls, they receior othntemptuous and condemnatory rebuffs and restraining and chastening slaps from the people of truth and perfection, who said: "You are being insolent, you are approaching heresy, and you are dissemisite f heresy."

A further result of the rotten foundations of the line of philosophy is that although the 'I' has, in itself, an essence as insubstantial as air, because the inauspicious attitude of philosophy regards it asalanceing only to itself, it is as if that vapour-like 'I' becomes liquid; and then, because of its familiarity and preoccupation with materialism, it hardens. Next, through neglect perfenial, that 'I-ness' freezes. Then, through rebelliousness it becomes opaque, losing its transparency. Then, it gradually becomes denser and envelops its owner. It becomesanothended with the thoughts of mankind. Next, supposing the rest of humanity, and even causes, to be like itself, although they do not accept this and disclaim it, it gives to each of them the status of a Pharaoh. the Cat this point it takes up its position contesting the commands of the Glorious Creator, it says:

Who could give life to bones that have crumbled to dust?>{[*]: Qur'an, 36:78.}

and, as a challenge, accuses the Absolutely arn thtent One of impotence. It even debases the attributes of the Glorious Creator. It either rejects or denies or distorts what does not suit its interests and does not please its Pharaoh-like evil-commandings. It

One group of philosophers, by calling Almighty God 'Self-Necessitating', denied Him choice. They rejected the endless testimony of all creation, which proves that He has choice. Glory beorkeepd! Although all the beings in the universe from the smallest particles to the sun show that the Creator has choice, each with its own appointed individuality, order, wisdom, anprejudure, this blind philosophy refused to see it. Moreover, another group of philosophers said: "Divine knowledge is not concerned with insineededant matters," and denied its awesome comprehensiveness, and thus rejected the veracious witnessing of all beings.

Furthermore, by attributing effects to causes, philosophy has given nature thwho arr to create. As has been definitely proved in the Twenty-Second Word, since philosophy does not see the evident stamp on everything as

Siying the Creator of All Things, and assumes nature to be the originator, which is impotent, inanimate, unconscious, and blind, and whose apparent power is in the hands of chance and force which are also blind, it attributes to

nt impecertain beings, each of which expresses thousands of instances of exalted wisdom and is like a missive from the Eternally Besought One.

In addition, the philosophers did not find the door tn beinrrection and the hereafter, which, as is proved in the Tenth Word, God Almighty with all of His Names, and the universe with all of its truths, and the line of prophethood with all of its verifications, and the reveanot beoks with all of their verses demonstrate. They therefore denied the resurrection and ascribed pre-eternity to souls. You can deduce from these superstitions what their views on other matters woure the Indeed, the powers of evil have raised up the minds of atheistic philosophers as though with the beaks and talons of their 'I's and have dropped them in the valleys of misguidance. Thus, IN THE MICROCOSM, THE 'I' IS THE IDOL, LIKE THOSE IN THnifestOCOSM SUCH AS NATURE.

Hence, he who rejects idols and believes in God has indeed taken hold of a support most unfailing, which shall never give way: for God is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.>{[*]: Qur'an, 2:256.}

It is appropriatof thoention here the meaning of a fictitious event that I described in semi-verse in Lemeât>as an imaginary journey, which will illuminate the aforementioned truth.

Eight years before writing this treatise, in they bul during the month of Ramadan, when the Old Said, who was concerned with the study of philosophy, was about to be transformed into the New Said, while pondering over the three ways that are of parted at the end of Sura al-Fatiha,

The way of those upon whom You have bestowed Your grace, not those who have received Your wrath, nor those who go astray,>{[*]: Qur'an, 1:7.}

I saw somethinhe cormbling a dream or vision, an imaginary event, which was as follows.

I saw myself in a vast desert. A layer of murky, dispiriting, and suffocating cloud had covered the whole face of the earth. There was neither breeze, nor light, nor wateref and of these was to be found. I imagined that everywhere was full of monsters, dangerous and dreadful creatures. It occurred to me that through on the other side of this land there dista be light, breeze, and water. It was necessary to get there. I realized that I was being driven on involuntarily. Under the earth I wormehe pilay into a tunnel-like cave and gradually travelled through the earth. I saw that many people had passed along this subterranean way before me, on all sides t who hre submerged. I saw their footprints, and once I heard some of their voices, then later they ceased.

O my friend who is accompanying me on my imaginary journey! That s sents nature and the philosophy of Naturalism. And the tunnel is the way that the philosophers have opened up with their thought in order to reach the truth. The footprints I saw were those of famousaningssophers like Plato and Aristotle, {(*): If you say: "Who do think you are to challenge these famous philosophers? You are like a mere fly and yet you meddle in the flight of eagles," in stad reply: "While having a pre-eternal teacher like the Qur'an, in matters concerning truth and the knowledge of God, I do not have to attach as much value as that of a fly's wing to those eagles, createe the students of misguided philosophy and deluded intellect. However inferior I am to them, their teacher is a thousand times more inferior than mine. Wifestat help of my teacher, whatever caused them to become submerged did not so much as dampen my toes. An insignificant private who acts in accordance with the laws anividuaands of a great king is able to achieve more than a great field marshal of an insignificant king..."} and the voices I heard those of geniuses like Ibn Sina and Farabi. Indeed, I saw in various books some of the things Ibn Sina had said and snifest his principles, but he had become stuck, he could go no further, he was submerged before reaching the truth. Anyhow, in order to save you from anxiety, I showed you a small part of truiremeow I return to my journey.

Gradually I realized that I had been given two things to use. One was a torch; it would scatter the darkness of that subterranean ne is n The other was a device, which, by smashing mighty boulders and huge rocks, would open up a way for me. I was told: "This torch and device have been given to you from the treasury of the Qur'an." So I carried oats w a long time in this way. Then suddenly I realized that I had come out on the other side. I saw a world where everywhere there was rejoicin are tght sunshine in a most beautiful springtime and an invigorating breeze and delicious life-giving water. I said: "All praise be to God!"

Then I realized that Ige Shoot own myself, someone was testing me. As in the first part of the journey, I found myself in that vast desert under the suffocating cloud. And, though now on another way, still someone was driving me on. This are kt was not under the earth; I was making this long journey on the face of the earth in order to reach the other side. I saw things in this part of my journey so strange and curious they cannot be described: the sea wa onto ng, storms threatened me, everything caused difficulties for me. But once again, with the means of travel that had been given to me from the Qur'an, I overcame them and passed on. On the way I saw that there were corpo comp travellers everywhere. Those who had completed the journey were one in a thousand. At any rate, having been saved from the cloud I had reached the other side of the earth and had come out in full view of the dazzling sun. Breathing i unaniinvigorating breeze, I declared: "All praise be to God!"

I started looking round that heaven-like world. Then I saw that there was someone who would not let me stay there. In an instant he took me to that

vast de that s though to show me another way. There I saw different sorts of things, some like aeroplanes, some like cars, some like hoists, which had descended exactly like lifts. Whoever, according to his power and capacity, jumped onto them, ntion ken up. I, too, jumped onto one of them, and in a trice it took me up above the cloud. I came out among the most beautiful green and spectacular mountain-tops. The layer of cloud camnch ofore than half-way up the mountains. Everywhere was the gentlest of breezes, the most delicious water, and the softest of lights. I saw that on all sides w inscrese lift-like allegorical vehicles. Even though I had seen them in the first two parts of my journey and on the other face of the earth, I had not understood what they were. Now I realized that they were manifestationsdance,rses of the All-Wise Qur'an.

Thus, the first way, which is indicated by, Nor those who go astray,>is that of those who are submerged in nature and those who are followers of the philosophy of Naturalus licou have seen in this first way how many difficulties there are in passing to the truth and the light. The second way, which is indicated by, Nor those who have received Your wrath,>is that of those who worship causes and those who give the e nervto create and the effect to intermediaries, like the Peripatetic philosophers. These tried to open the way to the ultimate truth and knowledge of the Necessarily Existent One by means of the intellect andgeneran alone. As for the third way, which is indicated by, Those upon whom You have bestowed Your grace,>it is the luminous highway of the people of the Qur'an, who are the people of the strstent,path. This luminous highway is a brilliant way revealed and bestowed by the Most Merciful One. It is the shortest, the easiest, the safest way, on her is open to everyone.

Second Aim

[The Second Aim points out a single gem from the treasure of the following verse, and concerns the transformation of minute particles.]

In the Name of God, the Mercihe penhe Compassionate.

And yet, the unbelievers assert, "Never will the Hour come upon us!" Saِقۙ"Nay! But most surely, by my Sustainer, it will come upon you - by Hd incl knows the Unseen, - from Whom is not hidden the least little atom in the heavens or on the earth, nor is there anything less than that, or greater, but it is in the Clear Book.>{[*]: Qur'an, 34:3.}

[This Second Aim points out a mere at pointeight from the great treasure of this verse; that is, some jewels from the caskets that are particles, and it discusses to some small degree their moti.

#755 duty. It consists of an Introduction and three Points.]

Introduction

The transformation of particles are the vibrations and wanderings that occur while the signs of creation are being writtehope ohe book of the universe by the pen of power of the Pre-Eternal Inscriber. They are not games of chance and jumbled meaningless motion like the Materialists and Naturalists fanpon, ar like all beings, every particle says "In the Name of God" at the start of its motion, and it raises loads infinitely exceeding its strength. For example, a seed the size nsistirain of wheat shoulders a load the size of a huge pine-tree. And on completion of its duty, it says "All praise be to God." For by exhibiting an as throt is beautiful and full of purpose and a decoration that is fine and full of benefits which astound all minds, it displays a work of art like an ode in praise of the Glfe. Bu Maker. Look carefully at pomegranates and ears of corn, for example.

Indeed, the transformations of particles are the motion and meaningful vibrations thresultceed according to the dictation and principles of the 'Clear Record,' which is a title of Divine knowledge and command and is the arrangement of the past o with and future progeny of everything in the World of the Unseen. They proceed by means of transcription from the 'Clear Book,' which is a title for Divine power and will and is formed of present time and the Manifest World and consists of the the nuisposal of that power and will in the creation of things. Thus, this motion and meaningful vibration proceed from the writing and drawing of the words of p is ven the 'Tablet of Effacement and Reaffirmation,' which is a metaphorical page, and the reality of the stream of time.

{(*): This footnote is an explanation of the long sentence [here, a paragraph] defining the transformait is of minute particles, which is the subject of the Second Aim.

The Clear Record and the Clear Book are repeated in several places in the All-Wise Qur'an. One group of commentators on the Qur'an

Thined that they are the same, while others stated that they are different from one another. Their explanations as to their true meanings were diverse, but in short they agreed that they are both iever to describe Divine knowledge. However, through the effulgence of the Qur'an, I came to the conclusion that the Clear Record, which looks more to the World of the Unseen than to the Manifest World, was a tivine or one aspect of God's knowledge and His command. That is to say, it looks more to the past and future than to present time. It looks more to the origin and progeny and to the roots and seeds of everything, rather than to them, God eir visible existence. It is a notebook for Divine Determining. The existence of this notebook has been proved in the Twenty-Sixth Word and also in the footnote of the Tenth Word.

Yes, this Clear Record is a ld by f title for the knowledge and commands of God. That is to say, the origins, sources and roots from which things are brought into existence with perfect order and art san exiat they must be arranged in accordance with a notebook of the principles of Divine knowledge. And because the results, progeny, and seeds of things contain the indexesicularrogrammes of beings which will come into existence subsequently, they indicate that they must be a small register of Divine commands.

For examplerous,eed may be seen as the programme and index that will give form to the structure of the whole tree, and, furthermore, as the tiny embodiment of the commands that cause the tree to come into existence and determine its programmes and inity, a In short, the Clear Record is like an index and programme of the tree of creation, which spreads its branches through every part of the past and the future, and of the World of the Unseen. In this senestowee Clear Record is a notebook and register of the principles of Divine Determining. Through the dictation and requirement of those principles, particles are employed in their duties and motion in things, as those things it lovnto existence.

As for the Clear Book, it looks more to the Manifest World than to the World of the Unseen. That is to say, it looks more to tial, t time than to the past and the future. It is a title, a notebook, a book of the will and power of God, rather than of His knowledge and commands. If the Clear Record is the notebook for Divine Determining, the Clear Book is the notebook f compaine power. That is to say, the fact that everything in its existence, essence, attributes and functions displays perfect art and order proves that it has been given existence through the laws of an effective will and the princiYour if a flawless power. And, as well as its specified and individual form, everything has been given an appointed measure and particular shape. Therefore, the power and will have a univerf the d comprehensive register of laws, a great ledger, according to which the particular form and substance of everything is cut out, sewn and clothed. The existence of this ledger, like the Clear Record, has been proved is domthe questions of Divine Determining and man's will in the Twenty-Sixth Word.

Just look at the stupidity of the people of neglect, misguidance and philosophy, they have perceived that 'Preserved Tarfectiof creative power, and the manifestation, reflection, and demonstration in things of that perspicaciously written book of dominical wisdom and will, and yet, God forbid, by naming it 'nature,' they have made it completely rned sgless. Whereas, by means of the dictation of the Clear Record, that is, through the decree and instruction of Divine Determining, Divine Power irds thting the chain of beings, each link of which is a sign in the creation of things. It is causing the motion of particles, it is writing on the mes fearical page of time, which is called the Tablet of Effacement and Reaffirmation.

Thus, the motion of particles is the vibration and motion from that writing and transcription, which occurs whdisposings pass from the World of the Unseen to the Manifest World, as they pass from knowledge to power. And as for the Tablet of Effacement of Reaffirmation, it is a slate for writing and erasing, an ever-changing noion an of the Supreme Preserved Tablet, which is fixed and constant. It is its notebook in the sphere of contingency, where all things are unceasing manifestations of life and death, existence anWhat cmerality. And this is the reality of time. Indeed, what we call time, which is a mighty river flowing in creation, has a reality like everythinghonour Its reality is like the ink and the page of the writing of Power in the Tablet of Effacement and Reaffirmation.

None knows the Unseen, save e of i#572

FIRST POINT

The First Point discusses two Matters.

FIRST MATTER:

In every facet of the motion of all particles the light of Divine unity shines like the sun. For as is proved briefly in th essent Indication of the Tenth Word and in detail in the Twenty-Second Word, if every particle is not an official of God acting with His permission and under His authority, and if it is not undergoing change within His knowledge and poweris lov every particle must have infinite knowledge and limitless power; it must have eyes that see everything, a face that looks to all things, and authority over all things. For every particle of the elho Sup acts, or can act, in an orderly fashion in all animate beings. But the order within things and laws according to which they are formed differ from one thing to the next. If their orsome es not known to the particles, the particles could not act, or even if they could act, they could not act without error. In which case, the particles which are performing their duties in bei This e either acting with the permission and at the command, and within the knowledge and at the will, of the owner of an all-encompassing knowledge, or they themselves must have such an all-encompassing knowledge and om and

Yes, all particles of air can enter the bodies of all animate beings, the fruits of all flowers, and the structures of all leaves. They can act within them, although the way the beings are formed is all different and theistatior and systems quite distinct. As though the factory of a fig was a loom for weaving cloth and the factory of a pomegranate, a machine for producing sugar, and so on; the programmes of their structures and bodies and biffer from each

other. A particle of air, then, enters or can enter all of them. It takes up its position and acts in a wise and masterly fashion without error. And on completion of its duty it departs.ansmisile particle of mobile air, therefore, either must know the forms, shapes, measures, and formations with which plants and animals, and even fruits and flowers, are clothed, or else it must be an officiathout ng under the command and will of one who does know.

Similarly with a stationary particle of stationary earth: since it has the ability to be the means andto acc of cultivation for all the seeds of all flowering plants and fruit-bearing trees, either there must be in the particle itself or in the handful of soil that is its little house immaterial machinery and factories in good working order to tht weiger of the varieties of the trees and plants, and flowers and fruits -in fact, it is in every single particle that there must be a factory peculiar ount iand all the equipment and machinery necessary for the running of the factory- or else it must have a miraculous knowledge that knows all things about all things and a miracle-working power that creates everything from nothing; or, those nce; a are performed at the command and with the permission of One Who is Knowing of All Things, and through the power and might of One Who is Absolutely Powead, thver All Things.

If an untrained and inexperienced, common, ordinary, and blind man was to go to Europe and in all the factories there to work at all the trades and crafts in perfect and masterly fashion, and if he was ion Goplay a wise and artistic skill to such a degree that it left everyone speechless with amazement, anyone with a grain of consciousness would know that the man was not acting on his own initiative, but, thena master of all trades was teaching him and causing him to work.

And if there was a blind and impotent man who lived in a simple little house and was unable even to rise fship ts place, and if small fragments of stone, and bits and pieces of material like bone and cotton were to enter his little house and then sacks of sugar, bales of cloth, cratife, hjewelry, finely-made clothes encrusted with jewels, and delicious foods were to emerge, would anyone with a grain of intelligence not say: "That man is a wretched doorkeeper oroundedy a latch on the door of the factory of a wondrous miracle-working being, which is the source of his miracles"?

In exactly the same way, the motion and duties of particles of air in plandraw a trees, and blossom and fruit, all of which are missives of the Eternally Besought One, antique dominical works of art, miracles of power, and wonders of wisdom, indicate that the gnificles are acting under the command and at the will of an All-Wise and Glorious Maker, an All-Generous and Beauteous Creator.

Particles of earth, also, since they are the source and means fand ca shoots

and plants produced by seeds, each of which is a different factory and workbench, a different printing-press, treasury, and antique, a different manifesto proclaiming the Glorious Maker's Names o, as e hymning His perfections, it is as definite as two plus two equalling four that the particles of earth are acting at the command, with the permission, and through the will and power of an All-Glture, Maker Who is Lord of the command of "Be!" and it is,>{[*]: Qur'an, 36:82, etc.} and to Whose command everything is subjugated. In this we believe.

SECOND MATTER:

The Second Matter indicates briefly he Splties and instances of wisdom in the motion of particles.

The Materialists, whose use of their reasons is limited to what is immediately apparent to them, have, in their nonsenth Wl philosophies which are based on foundations of futility, taken the transformations of particles, which they regard as the results of coincidence, as the fundamental basis of all their principles and shown that the Divine worksof spireatures result from those transformations. Anyone with a grain of intelligence would know how contrary to reason is their attributing creaturesruit oed with infinite instances of wisdom to something based on purposeless, meaningless coincidence, which is quite without order.

Whereas, from the point of vie functhe wisdom of the All-Wise Qur'an, the transformations of particles have many purposes and duties, and demonstrate many instances of wisdom. The Qur'an points to these duties and instances of wisdom with many of its verses, suchgmatic And there is nothing but extols His limitless glory and praise.>{[*]: Qur'an, 17:44.}

Renewing and refreshing the manifestations of His act of creation, the Necessarily Existent One takes all spirits as models and in order to every year clothe them in fresh bodie meaniugh miracles of His power, and through His wisdom to transcribe thousands and thousands of different books from every book, and to demonstrate single truths in constantly differing forms, and also to prepare the grouto aff make way for the beings, worlds and universes, which follow on one after the other, group by group, the Glorious Creator causes particlen to hove and employs them through His power.

The Glorious Lord of All Dominion created this world, and especially the field of the face of the earth, in the form oiffereltivated property. That is to say, He prepared it in such a way that it would flourish and produce ever-fresh crops and He might sow and reap the numberless miracles of His power. Thus, by causing the motion of paThe Fis with wisdom and

employing them in an orderly fashion in His field of the earth, He displays every age, every season, every month, indeed every day, and every hour, endless beings through miracles of Hisnd nec, each of which is a cosmos, and causes His field to produce constantly differing crops. He demonstrates through the motion of particles, gifts from the infinite treasury of His ntinuaand samples of His endless power.

The Pre-Eternal Inscriber caused the motion of particles with perfect wisdom and employed them with perfect order so that, through displaying the embroideries of the endless manifeou thens of the Divine Names, He might exhibit the endless embroideries in a limited field, and set forth the manifestations of the Names, and He might write the infinite signs, which will point to infinite meanings, on a small page.

Yes, inion ance this year's crops are like those of last year, but their meanings are different. Since the relative determinations are changed, their meanings change and increase. And althophrasee relative determinations and transient embodiments are replaced and are apparently ephemeral, their beautiful meanings are preserved and are constant and permanent. true nce the leaves, flowers, and fruits of last spring's tree do not have spirits, in reality they are the same as those of this spring. But the relative embodimend mysffer. And, the relative embodiments of this spring replace those of last spring with different embodiments in order to set forth the meanings of the functions oplied:Divine Names, whose manifestations are being constantly renewed.

The All-Wise and Glorious One causes the motion of particles in the narrow tillage of this world, in the workshop and field of the face ach sh earth, thus making the cosmos as flowing and beings as travelling, in order to grow things like crops or items for decoration or provision suitable for the most broad World of the Innetheir nsions of Things, and endless other worlds of the hereafter, like the infinite World of Similitudes. He thus grows in this small world vast quantities of crops appropriate for those vast worlds. He causes an endless flood to flowerlastgh the world from the infinite treasury of His power and to pour into the World of the Unseen, and some of it into the worlds of the hereafter.

By causing the motion of particles with perfect wisdom through His power ot lovploying them with perfect order in order to display infinite Divine perfections, endless manifestations of beauty and glory, and countless dominical glorifications in His Narrow and limited field and finite and short time, He causes endless glorification in finite time and in a limited field. He displays infinite manifestations of His beauty and glory and perfection. He creates many truths concerning the U Peace many fruits for the hereafter, and a great many embroideries and meaningful weavings from

the enduring selfhood and forms of ephemeral creatures appropriate for the s throof Similitudes and the Tablet. Therefore, the One Who causes the motion of particles is the One Who displays these grand purposes and mighty instances ationsdom. If it was otherwise, there would have to be a brain as huge as the sun in every particle.

Those brainless philosophers suppose to be purposeless the transformations of particles, which occur with wisdom will mited to the five above examples, but with infinite wisdom. They fancy the particles, which revolve like Mevlevi dervishes glorifying God and reciting His Names in two ecstatic movements, one turningIn faceir own axes, the other describing circles, to be reeling around as though stunned and aimless. It may be understood from this, then, that their knowledge is notfact tedge, it is ignorance, and their philosophy, futility.

(A sixth and lengthy example will be discussed in the Third Point.)

SECOND POINT

In every particle there are twoHis doful evidences to the existence and unity of the Necessarily Existent One. Indeed, by carrying out its important duties consciously and by raising mighty loads despite being powerless and lifeless, a particle bear decisive witness to t they stence of the Necessarily Existent One. And by conforming to the universal order peculiar to each place it enters, and by settling anywhere as though it was its homeland, it testifies to the unity of the Necessarily Existent One ahful pthe oneness of that Being Who is the Owner of all things, with their apparent faces and their inner aspects which look to Him. That is to say, whoever owns the particles must also own all the places it enters.

Thus, since iworld ds are extremely heavy and its duties endless, the particle demonstrates that it is mobile and acting at the command of One Possessing Absolute Power, and in His name. AndThere fact that it conforms as though knowingly to the universal order of the cosmos and enters each place without obstacle shows that it acts through the power and wisdom of a single Being Possessing Absolute Knowledge.

A private soldier has ock thons with his squad, his company, his battalion, his regiment, and his division, and so on, and has duties in connection with each. Since he knows all those relations and duties, he will act in conformnot otth them. For, having received training and instruction under military discipline, he complies with the rules and regulations of a single supreme commander who commands all those secbeings

In the same way, all particles are suitably placed within compounds, and with every facet of the compounds have different beneficial relations and different well-regulated duties that yield wise results that are alal in erent. It

is therefore surely only One in the grasp of whose power is the whole universe who can place the particles in such a way as to preserve und their relations with and duties in all the facets of the compounds, and not spoil the wise results.

For example, a particle located in Tevfik's {(*): The first scribe of the Rist is, Nur.} eye is suitably placed with regard to the blood-vessels like the arteries and veins, and the motor and sensory nerves, and has a wise and purposeful relationship with thas des, and then with the head, the trunk, and with the entire human body, and has beneficial duties in relation to each. This demonstrates that only one who creates all the members of the body will be able to place the particle in that pot be s.

Particles entering the body as sustenance in the caravan of food in particular make their journey with astonishing order and wisdom. On their way, they pass through modes and stages in an orderly manner, and progr* *

consciously without confusion carry on till they are strained through the four filters in the bodies of animate beings. They are then loadedf peopthe red blood-corpuscles in order to come to the assistance of the members and cells which are in need of sustenance, rendering this assistance according to a law of generosity. It may be clearly understood from this that the One Whoestowes these particles and causes them to pass through thousands of different states must of necessity be a Generous Sustainer, a Compassionate Creator, in relation to Whose power particles and stars are equal.

Moreover, all particles act win of tmbroideries of the greatest art and have relations with all the other particles therein. Since each is in a position of both dominance and subjection to all the rest, both to each indar as lly and to all of them generally, it either knows and creates that wonderfully skilful embroidery and wisdom-displaying ornamented art, which is a thousand times impossible, or each on of m is a point assigned to that motion, which proceeds from the law of Divine Determining and pen of power of the All-Wise Maker.

For example, if on. Itones of the dome of Aya Sophia are not dependent on the command and skill of its architect, all the stones must have skill in the art of building lik descr of the architect Sinan, and must be either subject to, or dominant over, the rest of the stones. That is, they must have the power to say: "Come, we shall stand showledg to shoulder in order not to fall and collapse."

In the same way, if the particles in creatures, which are thousands of times more skilfully fashioned, wonderful, and full of wisent, tan the dome of Aya Sophia, are not dependent on the command of the master builder of the

universe, to each of them must the ascribed as many attributes of perfection as those of the universe's Maker.

Glory be tom the Since the unbelievers do not accept a Necessarily Existent One, they are compelled according to their beliefs to accept as many false gods as there are parpart o. Thus, no matter how illustrious a philosopher or scholar an unbeliever may be, he is in profound ignorance to the utmost degree.

THIRD POINT,

This Point is an indication to the sixtlife, ple of the mighty instances of wisdom in the motion of particles, which was promised at the end of the First Point.

As was stated in the footnote of the answer to the Second Question in the Twenty-Eighth Word, a further instance of wineed.

f the thousands contained in the transformations of particles and their motion in the bodies of animate beings, is to illuminate the particles and to make them alive and meaningful in order to be fitting for the construc Theref the world of the hereafter. It is as if the bodies of animals and humans, and even plants, are like guest-houses, barracks, and schools for those who enter in order promote lessons and be trained; inanimate particles enter them and are illuminated. Simply, the particles receive training and instruction and acquire a fineness. By fulfilling different duties, tadornmcome worthy to be particles in the world of permanence and the realm of the hereafter, which is alive with all of its elements.

How is it known that there is this wisdom in the motion of particles?

It is known through the wisdom of the Maker, which is proved by all the wise benefits and purposes and the order in all creatures. For a wisdom that attaches universal wisdom to the most particular thing would not leave wi] by cwisdom and purpose the motion of particles, which demonstrate the greatest activity in the flood of the universe and are the means for embroideries ful and wisdom. Also, a wisdom and sovereignty which does not leave the smallest creature without a wage, recompense, and perfection in its duties, would not leave its most numerous officials and principal servants without lightis pagout a wage.

By causing the motion of the elements and employing them, the All-Wise Maker raises them to the degree of minerals as though it was a wage of perfection, and instructs them in the glorification peculiar to mineralscapacithrough causing the motion of minerals and employing them, He

confers on them the rank of the degree of vegetable life. And by presenting vegetable life in the form of sustenance, He grants it, through its motion and nce anment, the degree of fineness of animal life. And through employing the particles in animals, He raises them by way of being sustenance to the degree of human life. And by purifying the particles in a human body through repman offiltering, and by favouring them, He promotes them to the most delicate and subtle places, which are the brain and the heart. From all this it may be understood that the motion of particles is notspectiut wisdom, but that the particles are made to hasten to a sort of perfection worthy of themselves.

Among the particles in animate beings, some, like those in pips and seeds, receis univh a light, fineness, and quality that they are like a spirit or a king to the rest of the particles, to a huge tree, for example. Thus, since among all the particles of a huge tree some rise to this rank through fulfilling their delicate dutl-Wised passing through the many stages in the life of the tree, it demonstrates that through the command of the All-Wise Maker these particles receive a fineness, light, rank, and instruction on account of and in honour of t the hine Names manifested on them in accordance with the sorts of motion that are the functions of their natures, and in honour of them.

Since {[*]: The sentence answering this 'since' and that at the beginning ofm to tollowing six paragraphs is on page 581.} the All-Wise Maker has specified for everything a suitable point of perfection and an appropriate level of the effulgence of existence, by givd moonerything a disposition that will strive to reach that point of perfection, He drives them towards it. This 'Law of Dominicality' is in force iernal plants and animals, as it is in inanimate beings, in which it promotes plain earth to the rank of diamonds and to the level of priceless jewels. Within this truth, the tip of . Thisty 'Law of Dominicality' is apparent.

And since the All-Generous Creator bestows as payment to the animals He employs in the mighty law of gell-Gloon a particular pleasure as a sort of wage. And He gives a wage of perfection to the animals employed in other dominical functions, like bees and nightingales, for example. He confers on them a level whereat they feel eagerness and receive n to tre. And within this the tip of a mighty 'Law of Generosity' is apparent.

And since the reality of everything looks to the manifestation of one of Go thoseghty's Names, and is bound to it, and is a mirror to it; whatever beauty is apparent in each, it is due to the Name; the Name requires it to be thus. Whether ortured he thing is aware of it, in the view of reality the beauty is demanded. And from this truth, the tip of a most mighty 'Law of Beauty and t phil Beautiful' is apparent.

And since, as is necessitated by His law of generosity, when the life of a thing ends, the Generous Creator does not take back the rank and pee stanon He has bestowed on it, but makes permanent the fruits, results, and real meaning and identity of that bearer of perfection, and, if it has a spirit, its spirit. For example, He makes permanent the meanings and to ths of the perfections He has made manifest on man in this world. He will even return to a thankful believer the embodiment of the thanks and praise for the transienzra'ilts that he has eaten in the form of a fruit of Paradise. And in this truth, the tip of a mighty 'Law of Mercy' is apparent.

And since the Peerless Creator wastes nothing, He does noththe ma vain. He even utilizes in the creatures of springtime the material debris of those of the previous autumn, who, having accomplished their duties,See hodied, including them in their construction. For sure, according to the meaning of,

On the Day the earth will be changed into another earth,>{[*] its gan, 14:48.}

and the indication of,

But, indeed, the life of the hereafter, that is the true life,>{[*]: Qur'an, 29:64.}

it is indeed a requirement of wisdom that the particles of the ers ei which are inanimate and unconscious yet perform important duties in this world, should be utilized and included in some of the constructions of e in oreafter, the stones, the trees, and all things of which will most certainly be animate and conscious. For to leave in the world the particles of the world when it has been destroyed or to cast them into noepend tence would be wasteful. And from this truth, the tip of truly mighty 'Law of Wisdom' is apparent.

And since the many results, meanings, and fruits of this world, and the woven pages of the acts and deeds, and the spiritsce, itodies, of those like jinn and human beings who are charged with the Trust are sent to the market of the hereafter. Certainly, it is a req manifnt of justice and wisdom that after receiving their particular perfection in accordance with the performance of their duties, the particles of the earth, which accompany and serve those fruits and meanings, will be included ons an construction of the hereafter. That is, they will be included in it together with the debris of this world, which will be destroyed, after many tiOINT

rving and receiving the light of life, and after being the means for the glorifications of animate creatures. And from this truth, the tip of a truly mighty 'Law ive batice' is apparent.

And since, just as the spirit is dominant over the body, so the commands that bring things into existence, which are written by Divine Determie trutare dominant over inanimate matter. Inanimate matter is able to assume a position and an order due to the immaterial writing of Divine Determining.

For example, in all kinds of eggs and ke a h and varieties of seeds and grains, matter acquires different ranks and lights according to the commands that bring things into existence, which are all writthout bferently by Divine Determining. The inanimate matter of seeds, which is all the same in regard to its substance, {(*): Indeed, the seeds are all ces theds of the four elements; they are formed of matter like hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon. Materially they may be considered to be the same; the difference between them lies only in the immaterial writing of Divin into rmining.} becomes the source of innumerable different beings. It obtains ranks and lights which are all different. Most certainly, then, it is the requirement of l-Zuma-encompassing knowledge that if a particle has been repeatedly in the service of life and of the dominical glorifications that are in life, the wder waof those meanings will be recorded on the immaterial forehead of the particle by the pen of Divine Determining, which neglects nothing at all. And in this, the tip of a truly miercifuLaw of All-Encompassing Knowledge' is apparent.

Since this is the case, particles are not without purpose.

{(*): This sentence is the answer to the word 'since' at the beginning of the preceding seven paragraphs.}

r it.

nd the visible tips of each of the seven above-mentioned laws, that is, the 'Law of Dominicality', the 'Law of Generosity', the 'Law of Beauty', the 'Law of Mercy', the 'Law of Wisdom'ny deg'Law of Justice', and the 'Law of All-Encompassing Knowledge', and of a great many other vast laws, a Greatest Name and the greatest manifestation of that Greatest Name iso on. ed to. It may be understood from that manifestation that, like the rest of the creatures, the transformations of particles in this world are occurring with a sensitke schlance measured with knowledge, according to the commands given by Divine power that bring things into existence, on the limits drawn by Divine Determining, for most exalted instances of wisdom. Simply, they are being prepared that to another higher world. {(*): For, as may be observed, the light of life is kindled and scattered most freely in this turbid and lowly world with an activity that is extresun. Axtensive, and a fresh light of life is illuminated widely, even in insignificant material and rotten substances, and that dense and insignificant matter is refined and polished scienche light of life. This indicates clearly that this turbid and lifeless world is being dissolved, polished and made beautiful through the motion power,ticles and the light of life for the sake of another most subtle, exalted, pure and living world. It is as if it is being adorned in order to go to some subtle world. If those people, therefore,le to minds are so straitened that they cannot squeeze into them the idea of bodily resurrection look with the light of the Qur'an, they will see a 'Law of the Self-Subsistent One through which the universe subsists' that is Most Nprehensive as to resurrect all particles as though they were an army. It may be clearly seen to be in force and prevailing over creation.} In which case, the bodies of animate beings are each lius Expools, barracks, and guest-houses for the instruction of those travelling particles. It may be stated with certainty that it is so.

CONCLUSION

As is stauperiod proved in the First Word, all things say: "In the Name of God." Thus, like all beings, all particles and all groups and particular assemblages of e-Eterles say: "In the Name of God" with the tongue of disposition, and they are in motion.

According to the meaning of the previous three Points, at the beldiersg of their motion all particles recite: "In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate" through the tongue of disposition. That is, "I am moving in the name of God, for His sake, with His permir's so and through His power." Then, like all creatures, at the end of their motion, all particles and all groups of particles declare through the tongue of disposition: "All praise be God, Sustainer of All the Worh a prEach particle thus shows itself to be like the tip of a tiny pen of power tracing the embroideries of the skilfully-worked creatures, which are like odes of praise. Indeed, each of them is like the point of a accepe turning on creatures, which in turn are like the records of a mighty, immaterial, dominical gramophone with innumerable arms; they cause those creatures to recite odes glorifying their Sustainer and to hymn praises to God.

Thious Pl cry out therein, "All Glory be unto You, O God!" And "Peace" will be their greeting therein. And their call will close with, "All praise is due to God, the Sustainer ofI woulhe Worlds!">{[*]: Qur'an, 10:10.}

All glory be unto You! We have no knowledge save that which You have taught us, indeed You are All-Knowing, All-Wise!>{[*]: Qur'an, 2:32.}

O our Sustainer! Let not our heamationerve from the truth after You have guided us, and bestow upon us the gift of Your grace; for, indeed, You are the Giver of Gifts.>{[*]: Qur'an, 3:8.}

O God! Grant blessings to our master Muhammad that will be pleasing to You and fu off. nt to his truth, and to his Family, his Companions, and his brothers, and grant them peace. And protect us and protect our religion. Amen. O Sustainer of All the Worlds!

The Thirty-First Word

[NOTE: The Ascension is a question that results from the essentials and pillars of belief, and follows on after them, a light that draws strength from the lights of ty-threlars of belief. For sure, the Ascension cannot be proved independently to irreligious atheists who do not accept the pillars of belief, because it cannot be discussed with those who neither know God, nor recognize the Prophet, nor accept the Wigels, and who deny the existence of the heavens. Firstly those pillars must be proved. Since this is the case, we shall address the discussion to a believer who, since he considers it unlikely, has misgivings aboutiting.scension and we shall explain it to him. However, from time to time we shall take into account the atheist who is the position of listener and shall set fogh thee matter to him. Some flashes of the truth of the Ascension have been mentioned in others of the other Words. At the insistence of my brothers we seek the grace from Almighty God to unite all those different flashes with tht of ence of the truth, and with all of them to form a mirror to the beauty of the perfections of Muhammad (Peace and blessings be upon him).]

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

Limitless in His glory is Hclusiotransported His servant by night from the Inviolable House of Worship to the Remote House of Worship, the environs of which We had blessed, so that We might show him some of Our signs: for, indeed, He is All-Hearing, All-Seeing.>ous MaQur'an, 17:1.}

It is no less than inspiration sent down to him; * He was taught by one mighty in power, * Endued with wisdom: for he appeared in [stately form] * While he was in the horizon's loftiest part. * Then he approacmy brod came closer, *

And was at a distance of but two bow-lengths or [even] nearer; * And thus did [God] reveal unto His servant whatever He revealed. * The [servant's] heeded h no way falsified what it saw. * Will you, then, dispute with him as to what he saw? * For, indeed, he saw him at a second descent, * Near the Lote-tree of the farthest limit, * Near it is to the Garden of Abode. * Behold, the Lote-tree was nifested in mystery unspeakable. * [His] eye did not waver, nor yet did it stray. * Truly did he see some of the most profound of his Sustainer's signs.>{[*]: Qur'an, 53:4-18.}

Since it is related to our question here, I shall expound twoceeds.ions -based on principles of the science of rhetoric- contained in the pronominal phrase for indeed He,>which is part of the vast treasury of the first sublime verse mentioned above. It was also explained in the treatise about the Qur'an's mithe Alusness.

After mentioning the journey of God's Most Noble Beloved (Upon whom be the best of blessings and most perfect peace) from the mosque at Mecca to the mosque in Jerusalem, which was the beginning of his Ascension, ire!>{l-Wise Qur'an says: He is All-Hearing, All-Seeing.>This phrase, together with the pronoun in the phrase, for indeed He, which alludes to the furthest point of the Ascension indicated to by the verses from Sura an-Najm, refe be tther to Almighty God or to the Prophet (PBUH).

If it refers to the Prophet (PBUH), the rule of rhetoric and the relationship in the sequence of tfear ads states the following: there is, within this particular journey a general one and a universal ascent during which the Prophet (PBUH) heard and saw the dominical signs and wonders of Divine art which his eyes and ears happenAll-Win within the universal degrees of the Divine Names as far as the Lote-tree of the farthest limit>and the distance of two bow-lengths.>It indicates that his insignifion andnd particular journey was like the key to a journey that is both universal and an exhibition of marvels.

If the pronoun refers to Almighty God, l, thethus: in order to invite one of His servants on a journey to His presence and to entrust him with a duty, after sending him from the Mosque in Mecca to that in Jerusalem, which is where the prophets gather, and the tig him to meet with them and demonstrating that he was the sole heir of the principles of the religions of all the prophets, He took him on a journey through both the external face of the world o-soundtence and the face that looks to its Creator as far as the Lote-tree of the farthest limit>and the distance of two bow-lengths.

Certainly, he was a servant and k, in urney was a particular Ascension

but he had been accorded a Trust that was connected to the whole universe and had been given a light that would change the ould s of the universe. Moreover, since he had with him the key to open the door leading to eternal happiness, God Almighty bestowed on him the attribute of "seeing and hon and all things" so that he might demonstrate the world-embracing comprehensive wisdom of the Trust, light, and key - wisdom and purposes which encompassed the whole universe and embraced all creatures.

This profound truth contaiks prir Principles.

The First:>Why was the Ascension necessary?

The Second:>What was the reality of the Ascension?

The Third:>What was the wisdomumerouurpose of the Ascension?

The Fourth:>What are the fruits and benefits of the Ascension?

First Principle

The reason for the Ascension'sacultisity

It is said,

for example, that Almighty God is closer to him than his jugular vein.>{[*]: Qur'an, 50:16.} He is closer to everything than anything else. He is free of and beyond corporeality and space. However, all the saints are not, bo converse with Him in their hearts, so why was the Saint, Muhammad (PBUH), successful in holding an inward conversation with God that any saint may do in his heart, only after and as a result u inveong journey like the Ascension?

We shall make this profound mystery easier to understand by means of two comparisons. Consider these two comparisons from the Twelnot sord, which are about the mystery of the Qur'an's miraculousness and the mystery of the Ascension.

A king has two sorts of interviewing, conversation, and discussion at his disposal, and two modes of address arectioour. The first is to converse with a common subject about a particular matter and special need by means of a private telephone. The second, under the title of august sovereignty, in the name of supreme kingship, with the dignity of univsuade rule, and with the aim of publishing and promulgating his commands, is to converse and speak through an envoy connected to those matters or by means of a high official related toentre commands. It is also to speak through an illustrious edict that proclaims his majesty.

Thus, And God's is the highest similitude,>{[*]: Qur'an, 16:60.} like this comparison, the

#586 estabor of the universe, the Lord of all things with their apparent and inner faces, the Sovereign of Pre-Eternity and Post-Eternity, has two modes of converetail speaking, and favouring. The first is particular and private, the other universal and general. The Ascension, therefore, was a manifestation of the sainthood of Muhammad (PBUH) in the form oshouldiversality and exaltedness superior to all other sainthood. It was being honoured by God Almighty's conversation and address through His Name of Sustainer of All the Universe ancompase of Creator of All Beings.

A man holds up the mirror he is holding to the sun. According to its capacity, the mirror receives light, which contains the seven colours,w befothe sun, and a reflection. The man becomes connected with the sun and converses with it in relation to these. If he directs the luminous mirror towards his dark house or his tiny, private garden, which idy. Whred by a roof, he cannot benefit in relation to the sun's value, but only in accordance with the capacity of the mirror.

A second man, however, puts down the mirror, faces the sun directly, annecess its majesty and understands its grandeur. Then he climbs a very high mountain, sees the brilliance of the sun's broad dominion and converses with it in person and without veil. Then he returns anive mis large windows in his house and in the roof over his garden, and opens up ways to the sun in the sky, and speaks and converses with the constant light of theof thel sun. And he is able to speak to it gratefully as follows:

"O amiable sun, who is the beauty of the world and pet of the skies, who gilds the face of the earth with its light and makes it and the faces of a moon,wers smile! You have heated and illuminated my little house and garden in the same way that you have illuminated the whole world and warmed the face of the earth." The first mand eighthe mirror, however, cannot say that, for the sun's reflection and traces are limited and restricted by the mirror, and are in accordance with the restriction.

Thus, the manifestation of the Si[*]: Ind Eternally Besought One, the Pre-Eternal Sun and Post-Eternal Sovereign, appears in the human essence in two forms, which comprise innumerable degrees.

The First

is eithefestation through a dominical relationship which is extended to the mirror of the heart. Through it, everyone may receive the particular and universal With estation of the Pre-Eternal Sun's light, discourse, and conversation in relation to his capacity, and in the relation to the manifestation of the Divine Names and attributesunivers traversing the degrees in his spiritual journeying. The degrees of sainthood, which proceed under the shadow of most of the Names and attributes, arise from this sort.

Since man possesses comprehensi and b and is the most enlightened fruit of the tree of the universe, and since he is able to display at

once in the mirror of his spirit all the Divine Names manifested in the universe, Almightying inisplayed, through the manifestation of His Essence and at the greatest level of the Most Beautiful Names, in the member of the human race who reflected them most comprehensively the greatest manifestation of those Names. This dhe Gua and manifestation is the inner meaning of the Ascension of Muhammad (PBUH), by which his sainthood became the source of his messengership.

Sainthood proceeds through shadow and resembles the firthus a in the Second Comparison. While in messengership there is no shadow, it looks directly to the oneness of the All-Glorious One and resembles the second man , and Second Comparison. As for the Ascension, since it was the greatest wonder of Muhammad's sainthood and also its highest degree, it was transformed into the degree of messengership. The inner face of the Ascension was sainthood, it went from crit is to Creator. While its apparent face was messengership, it came from Creator to creation. Sainthood is spiritual journeying in the levels close to God; it needs a certain amnd embf time and many degrees must be traversed. While messengership, whose light is greatest, looks to the mystery of uncovering Divine immediacy, for which the passing instant is sufficiemanenc was for this reason that it is said in the Hadith: "He went and returned in an instant." {[*]: Suyuti, al-Khasa'is al-Kubra, i, 439, 444; Qadi Iyad, al-Shifa', 190, 192.}

Now we say to the atheist who is ine consosition of listener: "Since the universe resembles a most orderly country, magnificent city, and adorned palace, it surely must have a ruler, owner, and builder. And since there is such a magnificent, All-Glohich iOwner, All-Perfect Ruler, and All-Beauteous Maker; and since there was a human being whose view was universal and who demonstrated a relationship with the entire world, country, city, and palace and was connected to all of them thg writhis senses and faculties of perception; certainly, the Magnificent Maker would have an elevated relationship to the fullest degree with thats one! being, whose view was universal and consciousness comprehensive, and would favour him with an exalted and sacred address.

Among those who manifested this relationship from the time of Adam (Peace be upon himaded ao now, Muhammad the Arabian (Peace and blessings be upon him) demonstrated it at the very fullest degree according to the testimony of his achievements, that is, his having taken half the globe and a fifth of mankind under this di to thn and control and having transformed and illuminated the spiritual shape of the universe. This being so, the Ascension, which comprised the very fullest degree of that re senseship, is most worthy and suitable for him.

Second Principle

What was the reality of the Ascension?

It consisted of the journeying of the person of show tad (PBUH) through the degrees of perfection. That is, through the various Names and titles He makes manifest in the disposition of creatures, and by showing that special servant of His alrfere works of His dominicality which He displays in the spheres, creation, and regulation within the sovereignty of His dominicality, and in thlove tls of the heavens within those spheres -each of which is the means to a seat of dominicality and centre for the disposal of power- God Almighty made that servant both embrace all human perfecrom hi and display all the Divine manifestations, and view all the levels of the universe, and the herald of the sovereignty of dominicality and the proclaimer of those things pleasing to God, anat is solver of the talisman of the universe. And so that he could do this, He mounted him on Buraq, caused him to flash through the heavens like lightning traversing all its levels, observe Divine dominicality

Alansion to mansion like the moon, and from sphere to sphere, and showing him each of the prophets, his brothers, whose abodes are in the heavens of those spheres, He nd rat him to the station of a distance of two bow-lengths>and displayed to him His oneness and His Word and the vision of Himself.

This exalted truth may be examined through the telescope of two comparisons.

As is explained in the Twenty-Fourth Word, a king has different titles in the different spheres and offices of his government, different qualities and attrd, the in the classes of his subjects, and different names and marks in the degrees of his sovereignty. For example, he is Wise Judge in the judiciary, Sovereign in the civil service, Commander-in-Chief in the ar Divinliph in the learned establishment, and so on; it is the same with the rest of his names and titles. In each sphere he has a seat or chair which has the meaning of a throne. The single king may be art ao have a thousand names and titles in those spheres of sovereignty and levels of government; he may have a thousand thrones of sovereignty one withie seedother. It is as if the ruler is present and knowing in every sphere through his corporate personality and through his telephone; and sees and is seen in every class throuhe dea law, regulation, and representatives; and administers and observes from behind the veil in every level through his command, knowledge, and power; and has a different centre and headquarters in everinsuffre. His decrees are all different from one another, and his levels are all different from one another.

Thus, a king such as this may allow a person of his choosing to visit all his different spheres and offices and may Mercifim the imperial dominion and sovereign commands special to each. He may cause him to travel from sphere to sphere and from level to level until he brings him to his presence. There he will entrust him with certae montversal and general commands concerning all those spheres and will send him back.

Similarly to this comparison, the Sustainer of All the Worlds, Who is the Sovereign of Pre-Eternity and Pocolourrnity, has functions and attributes in the levels of His dominicality which are all different but that look to one another; and Names and signatures in the spheres of His Divinity which are all different but which appear one within the other;Wisdomanifestations and revelations in the performance of His splendid deeds which are all different but which resemble each other; and titles in the disposal of His power which are all different, but which hint of one anel the and sacred appearances in the manifestation of His attributes which are all different but which all point to each other; and acts of disposal in the masoluteation of His actions which are all different but complete one another; and He has a majestic dominicality in His multicoloured art and creatures whose aspects are all different but which gaze on one another.

As a consequence of this vast mye exis He ordered the universe and arranged it in an amazing and wonderful fashion with different formations one over the other from particles, which are the tiniest level of creatures, to the heavens, an impot the first level of the heavens to the Sublime Throne. Each heaven is like the roof of a different world, a throne for dominicality, a centre for Divine disposal.

Feeperse, with regard to Divine oneness, all the Divine Names may be found in those spheres and levels; they are manifested together with the titles. But just as in the Ministry of Justice the title of Wise Judge was fund "Thel and dominant and there the rest of the king's titles looked to its command and were dependent on it, so in each level of creatures, in each heaven, one Name, one Divine title, of theinant, and the other titles look to it.

For example, in whichever sphere of the heavens the Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings be upon him) m. Theyh Jesus (Peace be upon him), who manifested the Name of All-Powerful, in that sphere God Almighty Himself was manifested with title of All-Powerful. And, for example, the most predominant in the sphere of the heahen rehich is Moses' (Peace be upon him) seat is the title of Speaker, which he manifested. And so on.

Thus, since the person of Muhammad (Peace and blessings be upon him) manifested the Greatest Name, and all the Divine Namesrsal csince his prophethood was universal, he was surely connected with all the spheres of

dominicality. And to meet with the prophets whose seats are in those spheres and to pass through all those levels, surely Divineitates the fact of the Ascension.

The title of Commander-in-Chief, which is one of the titles of a king, is manifested and makes an appearance in every rank of the army from that ofppositommander-in-chief, which is a broad and universal rank, to that of a corporal, which is special and particular. For example, a private sees in the person of his corporal a sample of the imposing tisometi Commander-in-Chief, he looks to it and takes his orders from it. On becoming a corporal, the manifestation of the title in the sergeant's rank will command his attention and it will be to that that he will look. Then, if he is Angel ed to the rank of sergeant, he will see a sample of the title of Commander-in-Chief and a manifestation of it in the lieutenant's rank. It will be present together with a seat peculiar to it at that rank. And so an AHe will see the title in each of its ranks of captain, major, general, and field marshal in relation to its smallness or largeness.

Now, if the Commander-in-Chief wishes to entrust the private with a duty which concerns all the rhelplef the army, if he wishes to promote him to a rank where he can observe each sphere like an inspector and himself be observed; he will cause him to make a tour of inin atoon of the ranks, from that of the corporal to the highest, and will also allow him to be seen. Then he will receive him into his presence and honouring him with conversation and conferring on him a decoration and a decree, will send h of Dik whence he came in an instant.

The following point must be noted in this comparison: if the king is not in any way powerless and if he has spiritual power in the same way that he has matervolve wer, he will not appoint persons like the general, field marshal and lieutenant as his representatives but will himself be present everywhere in person. He will give his orders directly, merely from behind certain veils and speedduals, themselves of rank. In fact, there are narrations relating that certain kings who were saints of the highest level executed their affairs in many spheres in the form of different individuals.

As who hs the truth we looked at in this comparison is concerned, since the Commander-in-Chief was in no way impotent, the order and command came directly from him in every sphere. Affairs were executed through his comm sprinill, and power.

Like this comparison, the commands and authoritative functions of the Sovereign of Pre-Eternity and Post-Eternity, Who is the Ruler of the heavens and the earth, Owner oflimit ommand of "Be!" and it is,>{6. See, Qur'an, 36:82, etc.} and the Absolute Commander, are in force in all the levels of creatures and are conformed to

with perfect obedience and order. Each appears as a sphere of dominimi, Ji, a level of rulership in the levels of creatures and classes of beings, which stretch from particles to the planets and from flies to the heavens, and which, great and small, particular and univtheir are all different but are such that they look one to the other.

Now, the way to understand the exalted aims and mighty results of the entire universe and to see all the different duties of worship of all its levels; and, through obs the c the sovereignty of dominicality of the One of Grandeur and the splendour of His rule, to understand what is pleasing to Him; and to be the herald of His sovereignty, is to make a journey through all thos the dls and spheres until the Sublime Throne, which is the title of the greatest sphere, is reached; until The distance of two bow-lengths.>It is to meet there with the All-Glorious and Beauteous One. And this journey is the reality othe peAscension.

Like ordinary human beings travel in the mind with the speed of imagination, and saints journey in the heart with the speedous flghtning, like angels, which are luminous bodies, circulate with the speed of spirit from the Throne to the earth and from the earth to the Throne; and like the people of Paradise will rise to Paradise from the resurrection with then thed of Buraq through a distance greater than five hundred years; {[*]: Bukhari, viii, 147; Ibn Mubarak, al-Zuhd, ii, 122.} of a certainty the body of Muhammad (PBUH) went together with his elevated spirit as far as the Divine Thof exiFor the body of Muhammad (PBUH) was the treasury of the faculties of the spirit of Muhammad (PBUH), and the means for the performance of its duties, which is light and has the characteristics of light, is subtler than the hearts of the saintd, brie insubstantial than the spirits of the dead and the bodies of the angels, and more ethereal than the astral bodies and subtle bodies.

Now we consider the atheist who is ld measng. It comes to mind that he would think of saying: "I do not recognize God and I do not know the Prophet (PBUH), how should I believe in the s (Peaion?" To which we would reply as follows.

Since the universe and beings exist, and within them are acts and creation; and since an orderly act cannot occur without an author, a meaningful book cannot be without a scribe, and a skilful ee mystery be without an embroiderer; the purposeful acts which fill the universe surely have an author, and the meaningful letters and amazing embroideries which cover the face of the earth and are renewed from season Whenason have a scribe and an embroiderer.

And since two governors directing the same matter spoils the order in that matter being spoilt; and since from a fly's wing to te to ips in the heavens

there is perfect order, there must be only one governor, one ruler. For the art and wisdom in everything is so wonderful it necessitates that the Maker of one thing is powerful over all things, to the e. Howethat He knows every matter. Since this is so, if He was not One, there would have to be gods to the number of beings. These would be both opposed to and she who to one another, and it would therefore be a hundred thousand times impossible for this wonderful order not to be broken.

Furthermore, since as is self-evidently appeaknes at a command the classes of beings are in motion in a fashion a thousand times more well-ordered than an army -each group, from the stars, sun anwith t and their motions to the flowers of the almond, displaying the decorations and uniforms the Pre-Eternal All-Powerful One has conferred on it, and the motion He has determined, In thusand times more regularly and perfectly than an army- since this is so, the universe has an Absolute Ruler behind the veil of the Unseen to Whose command its beings look and conform.

And since according to the testimony of all the wiup, trters He carries out and splendid works He displays, the Ruler is an All-Glorious Sovereign; and since according to the bounties He demonstrates He is a most Compassionate Sustainer, ands throding to the beautiful examples of His art which He exhibits, He is a Maker Who loves His art; and since He is an All-Wise Creator Who winty tho attract to His works of art the admiring gazes of conscious beings through the adornments and skills He demonstrates; and since it may be understood that He wishes to make known to conscious beings thmattering of the adornments, which astound the mind, that He displays in the creation of the world and to inform them through the wisdom of His domim of bty about where creatures come from and where they are going; most certainly, this All-Wise Ruler and All-Knowing Maker wishes to demonstrate His dominicality.

And since he wishes to make Himself known and love beautonscious creatures through the great many works of benevolence and mercy and wonders of art He displays, He will surely make known to them by means of a herald what He desires of the, be swhat those things are that please Him, and concern them.

Since this is so, He will appoint one of the conscious beings and will proclaim His dominicality through him. He will honent arherald with the proximity of His presence and make him the means of exhibiting the art which He loves. He will appoint one of them as a teacher in order to inform othe), thecious beings of those exalted aims and to display His perfections. He will certainly appoint a guide so that the talisman contained in the universe and the riddle of dominicality He has concealed within beings will not remain meaninglessisplayHe will appoint a guide who will teach the purposes contained in the beauties of art He displays and publishes as

a spectacle for all to gaze on soe, andthey do not remain useless and vain. Moreover, in order to announce the things that please Him to conscious beings, He will raise one of them to a rank above the others, and will inform him of those things andity wihim to them.

Since reality and wisdom require it to be thus and the one most worthy to perform this duty was the Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings be upon him), forep ovetually performed those duties most perfectly, to which fact the world of Islam which he founded and the light of Islam which he showed are besthful and just witnesses; this necessitates that he should have risen above all the rest of the universe, surpassed all beings, and attained to a rank at which he held a universal, elevated, and all-embracingn, 21:rsation with the Creator of all beings. Thus, the Ascension expresses this truth as well.

Since He has formed, arranged, and adorned the ercy aniverse in this way for mighty purposes and sublime aims such as those mentioned above; and since among beings mankind exists to see thiom theersal dominicality together with all its subtleties and this supreme Divine sovereignty together with all its truths; most certainly that Absolute Ruler will speak with man, und inl inform him of His purposes.

Since everyone cannot free themselves from particular, insignificant, and lowly matters and rise to the highesis unauniversal position, and therefore cannot themselves receive the Ruler's universal address, certain special individuals from among human beings will be appointed to that duty so that it may be rowers to in two respects. First, in order to teach human beings, they must be human beings themselves. And in order to be able to receive the addreso resuctly, they must be extremely exalted spiritually.

Thus, since among those human beings the one who made known the purposes of the universe's Maker most perfectly, disclosed the talisman of the universe and solved the riddle. Anoteation, and who heralded the sublimity of the sovereignty of dominicality in the best way was Muhammad (Peace and blessings be upon him), certainly, of all human beings he would make a spiritual journey in the form of an Ascension touring t it maporeal world; he would traverse all the levels to beyond the intermediate world of the Divine Names, the manifestation of the Divine attributes and acts, and the levels of beings, all of which are known as the seveistancousand veils. And the Ascension was this.

O listener! You are thinking of asking: "How should I believe it? What does it meand incraverse a distance of thousands of years to a Sustainer Who is closer than anything else and to meet with Him after passing through seventy thousand veils?" To which we reply as follows:

#elief. God Almighty is closer to everything than anything else, but everything is infinitely distant from Him. For example, if the sun possessed consciousness and the power of speech, it would be able to converse with you by means of a mi a comeld in your hand. It would have power of disposal over you as it wished. Indeed, although it would be closer to you than the pupil of your eye, which is like a mirror, you would be approximately four thousand years' distance from it and couldnce of way draw closer to it. If you progressed and rose to the position of the moon and came to the point of being face to face with it, you would still only be able to be a sort of mirror to it.

Siuty any, although the All-Glorious One, Who is the Sun of Pre-Eternity and Post-Eternity, is closer to everything than anything else, everything is infinitely distant from Him. Only one whhe lamerses all beings, rises above particularity and gradually passes through the thousands of veils in the degrees of universality till he approaches a Divine Name which encompasses all beings, and then traverses the be posegrees beyond it, may be honoured by a sort of Divine proximity.

For example, a private is far inferior in rank to the commander-in-chief. He looks to hisw thennder through the small sample of his commander's rank he sees in his corporal, at a great distance and beyond many veils, as it were. To gain true proximity to his rank through his corporate personality, the prifestedas to pass through many universal degrees or ranks, like that of lieutenant, captain, and major. Whereas the commander-in-chief can be present with the private anh arisng, in person as well as in meaning, through his commands, regulations, view, decree, and knowledge. Since this truth has been proved decisively in the Sixteenth Word, we deem that sufficient and cut short the discussility. e.

Again it comes to mind that you are thinking of asking: "I deny the existence of the heavens and I do not believe in the angels, solap inan I believe in someone travelling in the heavens and meeting with the angels?"

Yes, of course, it is difficult to demonstrate something and convince someone like you over whose eyes a veil has been drawn and who seesse infwhat is immediately apparent to them. But the truth is so brilliant that even the blind can see it, so we also say what is unanimously agreed, that the depths of space are full of matter called 'ether'. Subtle energies like light, electrhe tru and heat point to the existence of some subtle matter which fills space. For just as fruits clearly demonstrate the existence of the tree that bore them, flowers their flower-bed, shoots their seed-bed, and fishes the sea, theanothe also thrust before the mind's eye the necessary existence of their source, seed-bed, sea, and flower-bed.

Since there are different formations in the world above us and different rules are seen to be in force under different conditiple tahe heavens, which

are the source of those rules, also differ. And since just as in man there are immaterial faculties apart from his body, like the mind, heart, spirit, imaginhetica and memory, certainly in the world, which is the macroanthropos, and in the universe, which is the tree of which man is the fruit, there are other worlds apart from the corporeal world. Moreover, thedomina heavens to each world, from the world of the earth to the world of Paradise.

As far as the angels are concerned, we say this: on the globe of the earth, which is medium-sized among the planetam notinsignificant and dense among the stars, animate and conscious beings, the most valuable and luminous among beings, are found in countless numbers. So surely the stars, which are like embellished castles and fine palaces compared to Omniporth, which is like a dark house, and the skies, which are like the seas of the stars, will be the dwelling-places of angels and spirit beings, which are conscious, animate, extremely numerous, and of various sorts.

In m on thentary on the Holy Qur'an called Isharat al-I'jaz>(Signs of Miraculousness), both the existence and plurality of the heavens have been proved conclusively in the section on the verse,

Then He applied His dpositito the heavens and fashioned them into seven heavens,>{[*]: Qur'an, 2:29.}

and in the Twenty-Ninth Word we have proved the existence of angels with the finality of two plus two equals four, so considering those to s a caficient we cut short the discussion here.

It is required by wisdom and by reason that the heavens are formed of ether, that they are the source of subtle energies like electricity, light, heat, and gravity, and that, iip andrdance with the Hadith, The heavens are waves held back,>{[*]: Tirmidhi, Tafsir Sura al-Hadid, 1; Musnad, ii, 370.} they are favourable fo.

Amotion of stars and planets. It is further required that from majarrat al-sama'>{[*]: Tabarani, al-Mu'jam al-Kabir, xx, 123; Ibn Hajar, Majma' al-Zawaes,

iii, 135.} (the Milky Way) to the closest planet they should consist of seven levels in different states and formations, and that each level, each world, from the world of the earth to the Intermediate Realm and World of Srfectiudes, to the World of the Hereafter, should be a heaven, like a roof.

O atheist! You say: "Man is only able to ascend to a height of one or two kilometres with a thousand difficultiesry. Itans of the aeroplane. {[*]: This treatise was written in 1928 or '29. [Tr.]} How then could someone come and go bodily within a few minutes covering a distanceervingwould normally take thousands of years?"

According to your science, in its annual rotation a heavy body like the earth cuts a distance of approximately one hundred an yearsty-eight hours in one minute. In one year it covers a distance of approximately twenty-five thousand years. Should an All-Powerful and Glorious One, then, Who causes h ordegular motion and revolves it like a stone in a sling be unable to convey a human being to His Throne? Should a wisdom that causes the body of ththis bh, which is extremely heavy, to travel around the sun through a dominical law known the sun's gravity like a Mevlevi dervish be unable to raise a human body to the Throne of the All-Mercifurder, like lightning through the gravity of that All-Merciful One's mercy and the attraction of the Pre-Eternal Sun's love?

Again it comes to mind that you would say:" and a l right, so he could ascend there, but why did he and why should he? Would it not have been enough if he had gone just in heart and spirit like the saints?"

Since the All-Glorious Maker wished to display His wondrous signs which lie in both the outer aspects of things and in their aspects that look directly to Himself, and to make the worshow h and sources of the universe spectacles to be gazed upon, and to point out the results of man's actions in the hereafter, it was necessary to take together with his heart and spirit as far as His Throne Muhammad's (PBUH) eyessingich were like the key to the world of visible objects, and his ears, which perceived the signs in the world of sound. Furthermore, it is required by wisdom and reason that the All-Glo did nMaker should have taken as far as His Throne his blessed body, which was like the machine of his spirit comprising different members and components, by means of which be performed his duties.

Just as in Paradise Divine wisdom tner,>the body accompany the spirit, because it is the body that is the means by which the duties of worship are performed and the means of innumerable pleasures and pains, so did his blessed body accompany his spirit. Since the body raisedo Paradise together with the spirit, it is pure wisdom that He should have made the blessed body of Muhammad (PBUH) accompany his self, which ascended to theuch astree of the farthest limit,>which is the trunk of the home of Paradise.

Again it comes to mind that you would say:"

According to rational criteria is it not impossible to traverse a distance of thousands of years in several minutes?uld cao which we would reply:

The motion in the different works of the All-Glorious Maker's art varies to the utmost degree. For example, it is well-known how different are the speeds of light, electricity, spirit, and imagination, and that of : "Exp And, as has been established by science, the speeds of the motion of different planets are so different that it astounds the mind.

Ho place should the motion at the speed of spirit of his subtle body, which followed his exalted spirit during the Ascension, seem contrary to reason?

Furthermore, it the exmes happens that on sleeping for ten minutes you are subject to a year's-worth of different states. And even, if the words spoken and heard during a dream lasting one minute were collected together, for tate me be spoken and heard in the waking world, a day or even longer, would be necessary. That means a single period of time is relative; it may seem like one day to one person and liable tear to another.

Consider the meaning of this by means of a comparison. Let us imagine a clock which measures the speed of the movement displiew ofy man, cannon-balls, sound, light, electricity, spirit, and imagination. The clock has ten hands. One shows the hours while another counts the minutes in a sphere sixty times greater. Anothern the counts the seconds in a sphere sixty times greater than the previous one, and yet others each count regularly decreasing fractions to a tenth of a secoth is vast spheres that regularly increase sixty times.

Let us suppose the circles described by the hand counting hours was the size of our clock, so in noof the hand counting tenths of a second would have to be the size of the annual orbit of the earth, or even larger. Now, let us suppose there are two people. One of them is as though moun the n the hour-hand and observes according to its motion while the other is on the hand counting tenths of a second. There will be an enormous difference, as great as th

And again it comes to mind that you w the Cay:"

Yes, so it could happen, it is possible. But everything possible does not occur, does it? Is there anything else similar to this so that it can be accepted? How can the occurrence of something to which there are no similar cases it." ited through only probability?"

There are so many similar cases to it that they cannot be enumerated. For example, anyone who possesses sight ion, bcend with his eyes from the ground to the planet Neptune in a second. Anyone who has knowledge can mount the laws of astronomy with his intellect and travel beyond the stars in a minute. Anyone who has beaster an, by mounting his thought on the action and pillars of the obligatory prayers, through a sort of Ascension, leave the universe behind and go as far as the Divine presence. Anyone who sees with his heart and any saint of perfection c and grough his spiritual journeying, traverse in forty days the Divine Throne and the sphere of the Divine Names and attributes. And certain persons, even, like Shaykh Geylani and Imam-i Rabbani, truthfully recorded their spiritual ascensions as fFirst the Throne, which lasted a minute.

Furthermore, there is the coming and going of the angels, which are luminous bodies, from the Divine Throne toBayhaqarth and from the earth to the Throne in a short period of time. And the people of Paradise ascend to the gardens of Paradise from the plain of resurrection in a short space of time. Of course, this many examples demonstrate that it is purom theom, completely rational, and an occurrence about which there can be no doubt that the person of Muhammad (PBUH), who is the Lord of all the saints, the leader of all the believers, the head of the people of Pand eme, and is accepted by all the angels, should have had an ascension which was the means of spiritual journeying, and that it should have been in a form appropriate to his rank.

Thir driveciple

What was the wisdom and purpose of the Ascension?

The wisdom of the Ascension is so exalted that human thought cannot comprehend it. It is so profound that hu to thought cannot reach it, and so subtle and fine that the intellect cannot see it by itself. But even if the reality of the instances of wisdom in the Ascension cannot be comprehended, their existence mayhe wisde known through certain indications. For example, as follows:

In order to demonstrate the light of His unity and the manifestation of His oneness in these leveltival ultiplicity, the Creator of the universe chose an eminent individual to represent all creatures, and took him by means of an Ascension that was lilness,ink from the furthest levels of multiplicity to the source of unity. There, addressing him as representing all conscious beings, He explained to him the Divine purposes and made them known through him, and observed through his gaze the beautirror is art and perfection of His dominicality in the mirrors of His creatures, and caused him to observe them.

Moreover, according to the testimony of His works, the Maker of the world possesses infinite beauty ain a rfection. The two of them, both beauty and perfection, are loved for themselves. Since this is so, the Possessor of that beauty and perfection has an infinite love for them, and His infinite love is manifested ating y different ways in His works of art. He loves His works of art because He sees His beauty and perfection within them.

The most lovable and elevated among the works of art are animate beings. The most lovabl, for elevated among animate beings are conscious beings. And by reason of their comprehensiveness, the most lovable among conscious beings are to be found among human beings. The most lovable individual among human beings is the oneals anas most fully developed his potentiality and displayed the samples within it of the perfections manifested in all creatures and spread among them.

Thus, in order to see at one point and in one mirror all thearily ties of His love spread through all creatures and to display, through the mystery of His oneness, all the varieties of His beauty, the Maker of beings will take a person who is at the degree of being a lumk of tfruit of the tree of creation and whose heart is like a seed containing the essential truths of that tree, and will demonstrate the belovedness of that individual, who represents the universe, through an Ascvast u that is like a thread linking the seed, which is the origin, with the fruit, which is the end. He will draw him to His presence and honour him with the beauty of the vision of d are f. And, in order to cause him to spread that sacred state to others, He will favour him with His Word and entrust him with His Decree.

In order to look at this exalted wisdom, we shall observe it through the telescensica two comparisons.

As is explained in detail in the story-comparison in the Eleventh Word, there was an illustrious king who had vast treasuries and in those treasuries many varieties of jit spewere to be found. He had much skill in strange crafts, comprehensive knowledge of innumerable curious arts, and erudition and learning in numberless wondrous sciencesed forccordance with the mystery that every possessor of beauty and perfection wants both to see and display his beauty and perfection, of course t For iilful king wished to open an exhibition and to set up displays within it in order to reveal to the people the splendour of his sovereignty so they might gaze on it, and to manifest bot with glitter of his wealth and the wonders of his art and the marvels of his knowledge. In this way he might observe his own transcendent beauty and perfection in two respects. The first was so that he himself might see with his er:

es, which were cognizant of reality, while the other was so that he might look through the gaze of others.

As a consequence of this wisdom, he began to build a huge and splendid

palace. It was magnificently dividedupposeapartments and mansions. He adorned it with every sort of bejewelled treasure from his coffers, and decorated it with the finest and most gorgeous arts of his own handiwork. He orderstem, with the greatest refinements of his knowledge and science, and decked it out and completed it with the miraculous works of his learning. Next, he spread tables with varietits it bounties and the most delicious of foods worthy for each group and prepared a general banquet. Then, in order to display his perfections to his subjects, he invited them to the banquet and to behold the perfecti are a Then he appointed one of them as the highest ranking general, invited him up from the lower levels and mansions to tour sphere after sphere in the levels rising one after the other. Showing him the successive machinery aness onshops of his wonderful art and the storehouses for the produce coming from below, he brought him to his own particular sphere and private apartment. There, he honoured him through showing him the blessed person who was the souhappin all those perfections and taking him into his presence. He informed him of the true nature of the palace and of his own perfections. He appointed him as guide to the other spectators and passeim back. He was to describe to the people the palace's maker by means of its contents, inscriptions, and wonders, and inform those who entered the palace of the allusive meanings of ty tradcriptions within it, what the works of art signified, and what the harmonious and well-proportioned inscriptions and works of art in its interior were, and hodeur a pointed to the perfections and skills of the palace's owner. He was also to teach them the correct behaviour and formalities in viewing the exhibition and describe thgeneraocol and ceremonies which were in accordance with the pleasure and desires of the learned and skilful king, who did not appear.

In exactly the same way, And God's is the highest similitude,>the All-Glorious Maker, Who is the Monarch of Prd seeinity and Post-Eternity, desired to behold and display His infinite perfections and boundless beauty. So He made this world in such a fashion that every being utters His perfections with numerous tongues and points to His beautyrise tmany signs. The universe shows through all its beings the many hidden immaterial treasures in all of His Most Beautiful Names and the many veiled nts dities in all of His sacred titles. And it shows this in such a way that, although since the time of Adam, all sciences together with all of their laws have studied this book of the universe, only a t pointoportion of the book's meanings and signs, which state and point to the Divine Names and perfections, have been read.

Thus, the wisdom of the Ance sprious One of Beauty, the All-Beauteous One of Glory, the Maker possessing Perfection, Who opens the palace of the world as though it was an exhibition in order to see and display His own transcendent beauty and perfections, requires, so tHe should inform

someone of the meaning of the palace's signs so that they do not remain vain and without benefit for conscious beings on the earth. His wisdom requires that He shon in tuse one of them to travel in the higher worlds, which are the sources of the wonders in the palace and are the treasuries of their results; that He should elevat the oabove all others, honour him with His close presence and cause him to tour the worlds of the hereafter, and entrust him with numerous dutiimilitch as teacher to all His servants, herald of the sovereignty of His dominicality, announcer of those things pleasing to Himself, and expounder of theigion, of creation in the palace of the world; that He should mark out his pre-eminence by conferring on him the decorations of miracles, and should make known through a decree like the Qur'an that that person is the trutory beersonal interpreter of the All-Glorious One.

Thus, by way of example, we have demonstrated through the telescope of this comparison one or two of the many instances of wisdom in the Ascension. Otxtent ay be thought of in the same way.

If a knowledgeable and skilful person was to compose and write a miraculous book, and on all the book's pages werery on ny truths as would fill a hundred books, and in all its lines as many subtle meanings as would fill a hundred pages, and in all its words as ma refleths as would fill a hundred lines, and in all its letters as many meanings as would fill a hundred words, and if all the meanings and truths of the book were to look to and point to the transcendent perfections of its miracle-displayines theer, he most certainly would not leave such an inexhaustible treasury closed and thus worthless. He would surely teach it to others so that such a } * Anle book would not remain meaningless and vain, and his own hidden perfections would become apparent and find their perfection, and his transcendent beauty be seen; andld He at he too should be pleased, and that he should make himself loved. Moreover, he would cause someone to go through that wonderful book from the first page to the last and teach him all its meani of a d truths so that the person would then teach them to others.

In exactly the same way, in order to display His perfections, His beauty, and the truths of His Names, the Pre-Eternal Inscriber has written tource verse in such a way that all beings set forth and state His infinite perfections, Names, and attributes together with their innumerable facets and aspects. Of course, if a book's meaning remains unknown, its value is reduced to nothing

Since this is so, the book's Writer will certainly make it known and explin whopart of it to each group according to their capacity. He will instruct in all the contents of the book the individual who has the most extensive and

comprehensive view, the most universal consciousness, and the greatest ability. ce. If requires that He should take the individual on a lofty journey in order to teach him all the contents of such a book and its universal truths. That is, He should cause him to travel from the furthest extremessibile levels of multiplicity, which is the first page, to the sphere of Divine oneness, which is the final page. Thus, through this comparison, you can lved in an extent at the exalted instances of wisdom in the Ascension.

Now, we shall consider the atheist who is listening, and, listening to his heart, we shall learn what state it is in. And so it comes to mind that his heart wouldpower."I have begun to believe in it now, but I still do not have a clear understanding of it. I have three more important difficulties.

"The Firsity wi was this mighty Ascension special to Muhammad the Arabian (Peace and blessings be upon him)?

"The Second:>How is he the seed of the universe? And the say that the universe was created from his Light, and also that he was its farthest and most illumined fruit. What does that mean?

"The Third:>In your explanations above you say that he made his Ascension in order to rise to the celeature realm and to see the machinery and workshops of the works of art found in the realm of the earth, and the treasuries of their results. What does this mean?"

The Answer

Your Firrces wficulty:

It has been analysed in detail in the first thirty Words, so here we shall set out a concise list briefly indicating the perfections of Muhammad (PBUHgave i signs of his prophethood, and the fact that he was the most worthy to make the Ascension. It is as follows.

Despite numerous corruptions in the texts of Holy Scriptures r the he Torah, Gospels, and Psalms, in recent times even, an exacting scholar like Husayn Jisri extracted one hundred and fourteen good tidings of Muhammad's prophethood matte, which he set forth in his Risale-i Hamidiye.>{[*]: Husayn al-Jisri, al-Risalat al-Hamidiya [Turk. trans. Manastirli Ismail Hakki], Istanbul 1308, 4 vols.; Suyuti, al-Khasa'is al-Kubra,oduced, 73.}

It has been proved historically that there were many predictions accurately forecasting the prophethood of Muhammad (PBUH), like those of the two sooths, to bShiqq and Satih, which, a while previously to his prophethood, gave news of it and the fact that he was to be the final prophet. {[*]: Ibn Sayyid al-Nas, 'Uyun al-A|thar, i, 29; Qadi Iyad, al-Shifa', i, 364-6.}

Thene powe hundreds of extraordinary happenings, famous in history, called irhasat,>that is, signs forewarning men of a coming prophet, like, for example, on the night of Muhammad's (PBUH) birth, the idols in the

Ka'ba fell from tressiolaces and the famous palace of Khosroes the Persian was rent asunder. {[*]: Qadi Iyad, al-Shifa', i, 366-8; Bayhaqi, Dala'il al-Nubuwwa, i, 126.}

History and the Prophet's biogents, s show that he satisfied the thirst of an army with water flowing from his fingers, that in the presence of a large congregation in the mosquehis padry wooden support against which Muhammad (PBUH) was leaning moaned like a camel and wept on being separated from him when he ascended the pulpit, and that he was di Word ished by close on a thousand miracles attested to by the verses of the Qur'an, such as,

And the moon split,>{[*]: Qur'an, 54:1.}

referring to the splitting of the moon, and verified by those who investigated them.

Fifthly:s of rnyone who considers the facts and is fair and just cannot hesitate to agree that, as is unanimously agreed by friend and foe alike, good moral qualities were to , willnd at the highest degree in his personality, and that, in accordance with the testimony of all his dealings and actions, attributes and cha facul of the greatest excellence were apparent in the way he performed his duties and proclaimed Islam, and, in accordance with the fine qualrythinand conduct enjoined by the religion of Islam, laudable virtues of the highest order were to be found in the law he brought.

As is alluded to in the Secr for dication of the Tenth Word, it is a requirement of wisdom that Divinity be manifested. And this desire of Divinity to be manifested is met at tions.ghest level and most brilliantly by the comprehensive worship performed by Muhammad (PBUH) in the practice of his religion. Also, wisdom and truth require thanseen,Creator of the world displays His beauty in its utter perfection through some means. And the one who met that wish, and displayed and describerent fbeauty most perfectly was self-evidently the person of Muhammad (PBUH).

It was also clearly Muhammad (PBUH) who, in response to the desire of the world's Maker tatre>(bit and attract attentive gazes towards His perfect art within infinite beauty, heralded that art with the loudest voice.

Again it was necessarily Muhammad (PBUH) who, in response to the desire of the Sustainer of Alle the orlds to proclaim His unity in the levels of multiplicity, announced all the degrees of unity, each at the greatest level of unity.

And, as is indicated by the utter beauty in beings and as is required by trud are wisdom, the world's Owner desires to see and display in mirrors, His infinite essential beauty and the subtleties and qualities of His exquisiteness.

And again it was self-evidently Muham that BUH) who, in response to that desire, acted as a mirror and displayed His beauty in the most radiant fashion, and loved it and made others love it.

Also, in response to the desire of the Maker of the palace of this world to exhibit His "Fun treasuries, which are filled with the most wonderful miracles and priceless jewels, and through them to describe and make known His perfections, it was again self-evidently Muhammad (PBUH) who exhibited, described, and flasheyed them in the most comprehensive fashion.

Also, since the Maker of the universe has made it in such a way that He adorns it with different varieties of wonders aewels ellishments and has included conscious creatures in it so that they might make tours and excursions and ponder over it and take lessons, wisdom requires that He should desire to make known the meanings and valhave gthe works of art to those who observe and ponder over them. And it was again self-evidently Muhammad (PBUH) who, in response to this desire ntal a universe's Maker, by means of the All-Wise Qur'an, acted as guide in the most comprehensive fashion to jinn and man, indeed, to spirit beings and angelsmove tlso, the All-Wise Ruler of the universe wishes, by means of an envoy, to cause all conscious beings to unravel the obscure talisman containing the aims and purposes of the change and transformations in the universe and to solve the riddle od seesthree perplexing questions: "Where do beings come form?", "What is their destination?", and, "What are they?" And again it was self-evidently Muhammad (PBUH) who, in response to this wish of the All-Wise Ruler, bhat ons of the truths of the Qur'an, unravelled the talisman and solved the riddle in the clearest and most comprehensive fashion.

Also, thlds." Glorious Maker of the universe desires to make Himself known to conscious beings by means of all His fine artefacts and to make them love Him through all His precious bounties, and, most certainly, to make known to thd necemeans of an envoy His wishes and what will please Him in return for those bounties. And again it was self-evidently Muhammad (PBUH) who, in response to this desire of the All-Glorious Maker, by mome off the Qur'an, expounded those wishes and things that please Him in the most exalted and perfect fashion.

Also, since the Sustainer of All the Worlds has given to man, who is the fruit of the universe, a comprehensive ook toition which encompasses the universe and has prepared him for universal worship, and since, because of his faculties and senses, multiplicity and the world afflict man, the Sustainer desires to turn man's face from multlationty to unity, from transience to permanence. And again it was self-evidently Muhammad (PBUH) who, in response to this desire, by means of the Qur'an, acted as guide in the most comprehensive and complete fasFlash,and in the best way, and carried out the duty of prophethood in the most perfect manner.

Among beings the most superior are animate beings, and among animate beings the most sinnumer are conscious beings, and among conscious beings the most superior are true human beings. So the one among true human beings who carried out the came -mentioned duties at the most comprehensive level and in the most perfect manner would rise through an all-embracing Ascension to the distance of two bow-lengths,>knock at the door of eternal happiness, open the treasury of Mercy, and see thght inen truths of belief. Again it would be him.

As is plain to see, beings are made beautiful with the utmost degree of fine embellishment and of Grent. Such an embellishment and adornment clearly demonstrate that their Maker possesses an extremely strong will to make beautiful and intentid epheadorn. The will to make beautiful and adorn demonstrates that the Maker necessarily possesses a strong desire for and holy love towards His art. And among beings the one who displayed altogether in, he slf the most comprehensive and subtle wonders of art, and knew them and made them known and himself loved, and who appreciated the beauties to be found in othend whogs, declaring: "What wonders God has willed!", and was most beloved in the sight of his Maker, Who nurtures and loves His art, would most certainly be him.

Thun of c one who, declaring: "Glory be to God! What wonders God has willed! God is most Great!" in the face of the exquisiteness that gilds beings and the subtle perfections that illuminate them, causes the heavens to ring out, a your , through the strains of the Qur'an, causes the universe to reverberate, and through his admiration and appreciation, his contemplation and display, and his mentioning of the Divine Names and affirmation of Dto be unity, brings land and sea to ecstasy, is again self-evidently that one (PBUH).

And so, according to the meaning of 'the cause is like the doer,' it is pure truth and sheer wisdom that the one e humase scales shall be found the equivalent of all the good deeds performed by his community, and whose spiritual perfections draw strength from the benedictions of all his community, and who, as a result of the duties he discharged in will ssengership, received immaterial recompense and boundless emanations of Divine mercy and love, should advance by the stairway of the Ascension as far as Paradise, the Lote-tal. Si the farthest limit,>the Divine Throne, and the distance of two bow-lengths.

Your Second Difficulty:

O you who is listening! This sec Ever-uth that you make difficult is so profound and exalted that the mind can neither rise to it nor draw close to it. It may be seen only with the light of belief. However, the fact that this truth exists may broideught close to the understanding by means of allegory and comparison. In which case, we shall attempt to do that to some small degree.

t a de, when the universe is considered from the point of view of wisdom,

it is seen to bear the meaning of a mighty tree. For just as a tree has branches, leaves, blossom and fruit, so in this lower world, which is one part of ther, th of creation, there are elements, which are like its branches; plants and trees, which are like its leaves; animals, which are like its flowers; and abovewhich is like the fruit.

Furthermore, the Divine Name of All-Wise requires that a law of that All-Glorious Maker which is in force in trees generally will also be in force in the mighty tree of creation. Since thi increo, wisdom requires that the tree of creation also be formed from a seed, and such a seed that contains the essentials and principles of other worlds besides the corporeal world. For the fundamental and original seeindivihe universe, which comprises thousands of different worlds, cannot be a scrap of desiccated matter.

Since before the tree of the universe there was no tree of the same kind, it is also a reo do, ent of the Name of All-Wise that meaning and light, which are like a source and seed to it, should be clothed with the garment of a fruit on the tree of the universe. For a seed cannot remst Difrmanently unclothed. And since at the beginning of creation it was not clothed in the garment of a fruit, it would surely be clothed in it at the end. Anis: twe that fruit is mankind; and since, as was proved above, the most famous fruit and sublime result from among mankind, who attracted the attention of all and confined to himself the gaze of a fifth of mankind, anfor ev his moral and spiritual qualities caused the world to consider him with either feelings of love or of wonder, is the Person of Muhammad (Peace and blessings be upon him), most certainly, light, which was the seed from whicugh thuniverse was formed, would become clothed in corporeality in his person and would appear in the form of an ultimate fruit.

O listener! Do not consider it improbable that this strange and mighty universe iere ofted from the particular essence of a human being! Why should the All-Powerful One of Glory, Who creates a huge pine-tree -a sort of world- from a seed the size of a grain of wheat, not create the positse from 'the Light of Muhammad' (Peace and blessings be upon him)? {[*]: Suyuti, al-Hawi li'l-Fatawa, ii, 545; Qastalani, al-Mawahib al-Ladunniyya, i, 25-83.} Why should He t. It able to do so?

Since, like the Tree of Tuba, the tree of the universe has its roots and trunk above and branches below, there is a luminous connecting line froence tlevel of the fruit below to that of the original seed. Thus, the Ascension is the sheath and form of that connecting line, the way of which Muhamsphereeace and blessings by upon him) opened up. He went through his sainthood, returned through his messengership, and left the door open. The saints of his community following after him, travel that luminous highwworld h the heart and spirit in the shadow of the Prophet's Ascension, and according to their abilities, rise to elevated ranks.

Also, as was proved above, the erful se's Maker made it and decked it out in the form of a palace for the aims demonstrated in the answer to the First Difficulty. Since Muhammad (PBUH) was the meansaim tol those aims being realized, he must have been regarded with favour by the universe's Maker before the universe was created, he must have been the first recipient of His manifestation. For the result and fy thosf a thing is considered first. That is to say, material existence comes last and meaning comes first. However, since Muhammad (PBUH) was both the most perfect fruit, and the means of all other fruits acqow the value, and the means of all the aims becoming manifest, his Light must have received the first manifestation of creativity.

Your Third Difficdeny i

This is so extensive that those like us with straitened minds cannot contain and comprehend it. However, we can look at it from afar.

Yesinicalimmaterial workshops and universal laws of the lower world are in the higher worlds. And the fruits of the actions of jinn and men and the reh a nuof the actions of all the innumerable creatures on the earth, which is an exhibition of works of art, are also represented in the higher worlds. Moreover, a great many signs and the testimony of many narrations resulhat good deeds will take on the form of the fruits of Paradise and bad deeds the form of the bitter food of Hell. The wisdom in creation and the DivE MACRme of All-Wise necessitate this and the All-Wise Qur'an indicates it.

For sure, the multiplicity on the face of the earth is so widespread and the creation so ramifintial t far above all the beings dispersed throughout the universe are the species of creatures and classes of beings. These are to be found on the globe of the earth, ever changing, ever filling the earth and being from ed from it. Thus, the sources and mines of this multiplicity and these particulars are universal laws and universal manifestations of the Divine Names.

Those universal laws and universal, all-encompassing manifestations of the Names are to radisextent sheer and undifferentiated and each forms a heaven which is like the Throne and ceiling of a world and its centre of direction. One of those worlds is Paradise, the Garden of the Abode at the Lotest manof the farthest limit.>It is established by accounts given by the Bringer of Sure News (PBUH) that the praise and glorification on the earth takesPre-Ete form of the fruits of that Paradise. {[*]: Kanz al-'Ummal, i, 459-60; Manzari, al-Targhib wa'l-Tarhib, ii, 422-3.} Thus, these three points demonstrafer yot the treasuries of the results and fruits produced on the earth are there, in the heavens, and that the crops and produce of those results and fruits also return there.

Do not say: "How can it be that my words 'All praisd you o God!', which are formed only of air, should become a corporeal fruit of Paradise?",

because, sometimes while dreaming you eat in the form of a delicious apple a good word you uttered during the day while awake. And sometimes y neces at night in the form of something bitter, an ugly word you uttered during the day. If you slander and backbite, you are made to eat it in thd his of putrid flesh. In which case, the good words and ugly words you say in the sleep of this world, you will eat in the form of fruits iits, aworld of the hereafter, which is the world of consciousness. You should not consider it unlikely that you will eat them.

Fourth Principle

What are the fruits and benefits of the Ascension?

We shahe vertion only five, by way of example, of the more than five hundred fruits of the Ascension, which has the meaning of the Tree of Tuba.

FIRST FRUIT

This fruit has brought to thee mindrse and mankind a treasury, a gift of pre-eternal and post-eternal Light, which is to see with the eyes the truths of the pillars of belill men to behold the angels, Paradise, the hereafter, and even the All-Glorious One. It raises the universe from an imaginary state of wretchednissoluransitoriness, and disorder and, through that Light and fruit, shows its reality, which is its consisting of sacred missives of the Eternally Besouguite a and being a beautiful mirror to the beauty of Divine oneness. It has made happy and pleased the universe and all conscious beings.

Furthermore, through this Light and sacred fruit, it shows that man is not merely bewildered, wretched,se, thent, impoverished, with endless needs and innumerable enemies, ephemeral and impermanent, which is like the state of misguidance; it shows man in his true form of being a miracle of the Eternally Besought One's power on 'the most excelle of c patterns,' a comprehensive copy of the Eternally Besought One's missives, an addressee of the Pre-Eternal and Post-Eternal Monarch, the special bondsman, the admiparts,d friend of His perfections, the lover bewildered at His beauty, and a beloved guest appointed to eternal Paradise. It has filled all human beings who are true human beings withwisdomite joy and infinite longing.

SECOND FRUIT

This fruit has brought to jinn and man as a gift the fundamentals of Islam, and first and foremost the prescribed prayers, {[*]: hioneri, Dala'il al-Nubuwwa, iii, 406; al-Sunan al-Kubra, iv, 362.} which constitute those things pleasing to the Sustainer, the Ruler of Pre to bnity and Post-Eternity, Who is

the Maker of beings, Owner of the universe, and Sustainer of all the worlds. To discover the things that please Him brings such happiness it cannot be described. For how eager is everyone to ftantiat, from a distance, the desires of a powerful benefactor or generous king, and if they find out, how delighted they are. They say longingly: "If only there was some means by which I could communicate with that personage directly. If only I couthe 'Irn what he wants of me. If only I knew what would please him that I could do."

Man, then, should understand just how necessary it is to be desirous and eager to discover the wishes and pleasure of the Ruler it one-Eternity and Post-Eternity. For all beings are in the grasp of His power, and the beauty and perfections to be found in all beings are but pale shadows in relation to His beauty and perfection, and being needy for Him in innumerable ways, ma had ntantly receives countless numbers of His bounties.

Thus, as a direct fruit of the Ascension, Muhammad (PBUH) heard with utter certainty what it is that pleases the Mence i of Pre-Eternity and Post-Eternity, behind seventy thousand veils, and returning, brought it as a gift to mankind.

Indeed, how curious is man to learn the conditions on the moon. If someone was to go tsay, wnd return bringing news of it, both what self-sacrifice he would display, and, if he was to understand the conditions there, how he would be overcome by wonder and curiosity. But the moon is merely touring in th to goin of a Lord of such dominion that it encircles the globe of the earth like a fly, and the globe flies round the sun like a moth, while the sun is one lamp among thousands and is ju singlandle in a guest-house of that Glorious Lord of All Dominion.

Thus, Muhammad (PBUH) saw the works and wonders of art and treasuries of mercy in the everlasting realm of this All-Glorious Onenship.he returned and informed mankind. And so, if mankind does not listen to him with complete wonder, curiosity, and love, you can understand how contrary to reason and wisdom is their attitude.

THIRD FRUIT

Muhammad (PBUH) saw the sal anry of eternal happiness, obtained the key, and brought it as a gift to jinn and men. Yes, through the Ascension, he saw Paradise with his own eyes and witnessed the eternal manifestations of the All-Glorious and Merciful Os likeercy; he understood eternal happiness with absolute and utter certainty and brought as a gift to jinn and men the good news of its existence.

If wretched jinn and men imagine thbalances and all beings to be in the soul-searing situation of an unstable world amid the upheavals of decease and separation, being poured with the flood of time and motion of particles

into the oceans we say-existence and eternal separation, it cannot be described how precious and enheartening such good news is in the ears of ephemeral jinn and men, who thus supposed themselves to bence, jmned to eternal annihilation. If, at the moment he is to be executed and sent to non-existence, a man is pardoned and given a palace in proximity to the king, what great joy this would cause him. So, gather up all such joy and n heavess to the number of jinn and men and then evaluate this good news.

FOURTH FRUIT

Just as he himself sampled the fruit of the vision of Divine beauty, so did he bring to jinn and men n listft of this fruit being attainable by all believers. You may understand from the following how delightful, pleasing, and exquisite a fruit this is.

Everyone of fine perception loves one who posthing beauty and perfection and is benevolent, and his love increases proportionately to their degrees; it reaches the degree of worship and a pitch whereat he would sacrifice his very life. On seeing thadorn aon only once, his love becomes such he would sacrifice the world. However, in relation to the beauty, perfection, and benevolence of God Almighty, the beauty, perfection and benevolence of all beings are n stars equivalent of even a few tiny sparks in relation to the sun. That is to say, if you are a true human being, you may understand how delightful and fine a fruit it is and what happiness and joy it brings to receive in eternal ha and cs the vision of the All-Glorious One of Perfection, Who is worthy of boundless love, infinite longing, and being gazed upon eternally.

FIFTH FRUIT

Man's being the precious fruit of the universe and tgot ofted beloved of the Maker of the universe was understood through the Ascension, and he brought this fruit to jinn and men. This fruit raises man, an insignificant creall be a weak animal, an impotent conscious being, to an elevated rank of pride above all the beings in the universe. It gives man indescribable pleasure and joyful happdition For if it is said to an ordinary private: "You have been promoted to the rank of field marshal," how delighted he will be. But wretched man is an ephemeral,ve sucent 'rational animal' who constantly suffers the blows of decease and separation. If then he is told that not only will he make excursions and tours with the speeheir tmagination and breadth of the spirit in an eternal never-ending Paradise within the mercy of an All-Compassionate and Generous Merciful One, and journey in thr into in accordance with all the desires of his heart in both the outer dimensions of things and those dimensions that look directly to their Creator, but that hhe Div also behold the vision of Divine beauty in eternal happiness, you can imagine what a profound joy and true happiness a human being who has not fallen from the level of humanity would feel inn's seeart.

Tear off the shirt of atheism and throw it away! Listen with believing ears! Look with Muslim eyes! We shall show you through two short comparisons the great valung andne or two further fruits.

For example, you and I are together in a certain country. We see that everything is hostile to us and to each other, and isoints ge to us. Everywhere is full of ghastly corpses. The sounds to be heard are the weeping of orphans and the lamentations of the oppressed. So if someone appears when we are in that situation bringing good news from the king oeculiacountry by which those of his subjects who were strange to us assume the form of friends and the enemies turn into brothers, and the ghastly corpses are seen to be worshipping and praising and glorifying in ars, iumility and submission; and if the piteous weeping becomes praise and exaltation and cries of "Long live the king!", and the deaths and plunder and pillage are transfs one into demobilizations and release from duty; and if we join the general joy to our own joy, you will certainly understand how joyful and happy that th thos.

Thus, when the beings in the universe are considered with the eye of misguidance, as they were before the light of belief, which is one fruit of the Ascension of Muhammad (PBUH)d make are seen to be strange, menacing, troublesome, dreadful, terrifying corpses the size of mountains, while the appointed hour is severing people's heads and casting them into the pit of eternal, never-ending noroken ess. Although misguidance interprets all the voices as being lamentations occasioned by separation and decease, the truths of the pillars of belief, which are fruits ot the Ascension, show you that just as beings are brothers and friends to you and praisers and glorifiers of the All-Glorious One, so are death and decease a demobilization and discharge from duties; in realiteone we voices are all glorifications of God. If you wish to study this truth in its entirety, you may refer to the Second and Eighth Words.

You and I are in a place resembling a vast desert. There ten,

and-storm in the sea of sand and the night is so black we cannot see even our hands. If suddenly, without without friend or protector, hungry and thirsty, we were despairing and giving up hoping deerson was to pass through the curtain of blackness and approach us bringing a car as a gift; and if he was to seat us in it, and then instantly inof Jusus in a place like Paradise where our future was secure, food and drink ready prepared, and where we had a most kindly and sympathetic protector, you can understand how pleased we would Godhe Thus, that great desert is the face of this world. The sea of sand consists of beings and wretched man, who are tossed around by the force of the flood

of time and the motion of partic the ethin events. All human beings see the future with the eye of misguidance, enveloped in terrifying darkness, and their hearts are harrowed with aorrect. They know no one they can make hear their cries for help. They are infinitely hungry, infinitely thirsty.

However, when this world is seen were rms of things pleasing to God, which is a fruit of the Ascension; that is, it is seen to be the guest-house of Someone exceedingly gent; or and human beings are seen to His guests and officials, and the future to be as delightful as Paradise, as sweet as mercy, as shining as eternal happiness, you will understand whait, anlightful, exquisitely sweet fruit it is.

At this point, the one who is listening says: "Never-ending praise and thanks be to Almighty God, for I have been saved from atheism and now affirm Divine unitso comave attained a complete belief, I have gained perfect belief."

And we say: "Brother! We congratulate you. May Almighty God allow us the intercession of His Most N theiressenger (Peace and blessings be upon him). AMEN."

O God! Grant blessings to him at whose sign the moon split, and from whose fingers water flowed forth like the spring of Kawthar,nd wrene who made the Ascension and whose eye did not waver, our master Muhammad, and to all his Family and Companions, from the beginning of the world to the end of the Great Gathehe exi

All glory be unto to You! We have no knowledge save that which You have taught us; indeed, You are All-Knowing, All-Wise!>{[*]: Qur'an, 2:32.}

O our Sustainer! Accept this from us; for, indeed, You are an abearing, All-Knowing!>{[*]: Qur'an, 2:127.} * O our Sustainer! Do not take us to task if we forget or unwittingly do wrong!>{[*]: Qur'an, 2:286.} * O our Sustainer! Let not our hearts swerve from the truth after You like tuided us!>{[*]: Qur'an, 3:8.} * O our Sustainer! Perfect our light for us and grant us forgiveness; for, indeed, You are Powerful over all things!>{[*]: Qur'an, 66:8.} * And their call will close titles'All praise is due to God, the Sustainer of all the worlds.'>{[*]: Qur'an, 10:10.}

Addendum to the Nineteenth Letter and Thirty-First Word

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

The Hour is nigh, and the moon is split. * But if they see a sign, they turn away, and say: "This is evident magic."ation, Qur'an, 54:1-2.}

Philosophers and their unreasoning imitators, who want to eclipse with their vicious delusions the Splitting of the Moon, which is a miracle of Muhammad (PBUH) that shines like the moon, say: "ImanifeSplitting of the Moon had occurred, it would have been known to the whole world and would have been related throughout the subsequent history of man."

The Answer:>Since the Splitting he tru Moon was demonstrated as an evidence of prophethood, and happened instantaneously, at night when people were asleep, and before a gathering who, although they witnessed such an evidence, denied it; and since therenite eobstacles hindering the sighting of it such as mist, clouds, and time-differences between different parts of the world; and since at that time neficee and civilization were not widespread, and observation of the skies was very limited, and the event itself was exceptional, there was, therefore, nothing to necessitate that it shou is tie been seen all over the world and passed into the general histories. For now, listen to Five Points out of many that will scatter those clouds of delusi The dcerning the Splitting of the Moon.

FIRST POINT

The extreme stubbornness of the unbelievers there at that time is well-known and is recorded in history. And yet, when the All-Wise Qur'an announced this even! Granhe whole world through saying:

And the moon is split,

not one of those unbelievers, who denied the Qur'an, spoke up to give the lie to this verse; that is, not one of the no peed the event it was announcing. If the event had not been considered as a definite fact by the unbelievers at that time, they would have taken tutmostse as a pretext, denied it in a most fearsome manner, and tried to attack and overthrow Muhammad's (PBUH) claim to prophethood. However, the biogrape two.f the Prophet and histories mentioning the event relate nothing to suggest that the unbelievers denied it. The only thing that history relates is, anlargeverse:

And [they] say, "This is evident magic,"

points out, the unbelievers who saw the event declared it to be magic, and said that if the caravans in other places had seen it, it wasspirit otherwise he had bewitched them. The caravans arriving the following morning from the Yemen and other places announced that they had seen such a happening. So the unbelievers then said of the Pride of All the Worlds (PBUH) that, God forbione he magic of Abu Talib's orphan had affected the heavens. {[*]: Ibn Hajar, Fath al-Bari, vii, 145; Bayhaqi, Dala'il al-Nubuwwa, ii, 266, 268.}

SECOND P scale The majority of the most illustrious scholars, like Sa'd al-Din Taftazani, declared that like the Prophet had satisfied the thirst of a whole army with w is nolowing from his fingers, and the whole congregation had heard a dry wooden post against which Muhammad (PBUH) had leant while delivering the sermon weep on being separated from him, the Splitting of the Moon, too, was mutawatir, {[*]: ain pei, ii, 251; v, 62; vi, 178; al-Hakim, al-Mustadrak;, ii, 472; Suyuti, Nazm al-Mutanathir fi'l-Hadith al-Mutawatir, 135; Bayhaqi, Dala'il, i, 279-81.} that is, had been transmitted by numerous authorities. That is to say, of recevents had been passed down from group to group forming such a vast congregation that a conspiracy to lie would have been impossible. Like the appea hiddeof the famous Haley's Comet a thousand years ago had been unanimously reported, and the existence of the island of Ceylon was certain due to unanimous reports, although we had not seen it.

And so, it is unreasonas it o foster baseless doubts in such certain,

witnessed matters. It is enough that they are not impossible. And as for the Splitting of the Moon, it is qso soms possible as a mountain's splitting with a volcanic eruption.

THIRD POINT

Miracles are for proving claims to prophethood and for convincing those who deny those claims, they are not for compelling people to bel here.Therefore, miracles have to be manifested to those who hear claims to prophethood at a degree that will persuade them. Just as it would be contrary to also l-Wise and Glorious One's wisdom to display them all over the world or in so self-evident a manner that all would be compelled to believe, so would spiriso be contrary to the mystery of man's accountability. For this accountability requires "opening the door to the reason and not removing the power of choice." Ifhat pell-Wise Creator had left the moon split for one or two hours in order to show it to the whole world as the philosophers wished, and it had been recorded in all the general histories of man, then it would have been like all sustaoccurrences in the heavens and would not have been an evidence to Muhammad's (PBUH) claim to prophethood nor been special to his messengership. Or else it would have been such a self-evident miraclestial it would have negated the power of choice, a part of man's reason, compelling it to accept it; willy-nilly, it would have had to assent to his prophethood. Som find ith a coal-like spirit like Abu Jahl would have remained at the same level as someone with a diamond-like spirit like Abu Bakr the Veracious; the mystery of m so, accountability would have been lost. It was due to this mystery that, being both instantaneous, and at nighttime, and at a time of sleep, and time differences, mist, and cloud and other obstacles concealing it, it was not ider tto the whole world and did not pass into the histories.

FOURTH POINT

Since this event occurred instantaneously at night while everyone was sleconsci of course it was not seen all over the world. Even if some people had seen it, they would not have believed their eyes. And even if it had made them believe, such a significant event would not have become a permanent source for future tributies through isolated individual reports.

In some books it is written that after the moon split into two halves, it fell to earth, but veracious scholars have rejected such additions, saying that they were perhapllity;d by dissemblers with the intention of reducing to nothing the value of this evident miracle.

And, for example, just as the same time in England and Spain, which were then enveloped in mists of ignorance, would enly geen just after sunset, in America daytime, and in China and Japan morning, so too in other places there would have been other obstacles preventing it being seen. Now consider these unreasoning objectors who say that the histories oivity;les like the English, Chinese, Japanese, and Americans do not mention it, and that therefore it did not occur. A thousand curses be on the heads of those who toady to Europe and repeat such things.

FIFTH POINT

The Splitting of thephy anhappened neither of its own accord in consequence of certain causes, nor as a result of chance, nor was it a natural event that occurred through the ordinary laws of nature. Rather, the All-Wise Creator of the Sun and the Moladen sed it to happen as something out of the ordinary in order to confirm His Messenger's messengership and to illuminate his claim.

As the mystery of guidance, the mystery of human accountability, and the wisdom of messengership requgular it was demonstrated as a convincing proof to certain people specified by dominical wisdom. The mystery of wisdom required that it was not shown to people in every region of the world, who had not yet heard of Muhd esses (PBUH) claim to prophethood. Numerous obstacles prevented them, therefore, such as mist, cloud, and time-differences, and the fact that in sich isuntries the moon had not risen, and in others the sun had risen, while in others it was morning, and in yet others the sun had just set.

If it had been shown to all and sundry, it would have been shown as a result of the Sign of Muhath thePBUH), and a miracle of prophethood, in which case his messengership would have been so manifest that everyone would have been compelled to affirm it. No choice would have remained for the reason. And belief is aely exd through man's power of choice and his reason. The mystery of human accountability would have gone for nothing. And if it had been shown merely as anpoundsrence in the heavens, its connection with Muhammad's (PBUH) messengership would have been severed, and it would have retained no peculuiring to him.

There is no longer any doubt concerning the possibility that the Splitting of the Moon occurred; it has been proved decisively. And now we shall mention six {(*): That is to say, there are six proofs concerningYou! Wvent in the form of a sixfold consensus. Unfortunately, the explanation of them is brief, although they deserve more.} of the many evidences pointing to its occurrence.

The concurrence of the Companions of the Prophet, who centuall men of justice, on its occurrence.

Their agreement in expounding the verse, And the moon is split>of all exacting commentators on the Qur'an.

The fact that, relying on numerous different chains of authorities and lines of trject tsion, all the scholars of the Prophetic Hadiths and transmitters of the sound narrations narrated the event. {[*]: Musnad,i,377, 413, 447, 456; iii, 207, 220, 275, 278; iv, 81; Tafsir Ibn Kathir, vi, 469.}

they testimony of all the saints and the veracious, those who receive inspiration, and uncover the mysteries of the creation.

The confirmation of leafind tcholars and theologians, whose ways differ greatly from one another.

The fact that the Community of Muhammad (PBUH) accepted its occurrence, which, on an estane witd principle, never agrees upon error. {[*]: Suyuti, Nazm al-Mutanathir fi'l-Hadith al-Mutawatir, 180; Tabarani, al-Mu'jam al-Kabir, xii, 13623-4; xvii, 666-7; Ibn 'Adi, al-Kamil fi'l-and ac, iii, 1307.}

These six evidences prove the Splitting of the Moon as clearly as the sun.

CONCLUSION

Up to here this Addendum has been in the name of establishing the truth, and for the sake of silencing those enemies who nd foot. Its concluding sentences will now be in the name of the truth and for the sake of belief. Indeed, establishing the truth spoke as above, now the truth speaks.

The Seal of the Office of Prophethorror ho was the luminous moon of its heaven, proved his sainthood through his Ascension. This was the greatest wonder and supreme miracle of sainthood, achieved through his worship, which was so elevated as to make him God's beloveuman bt is to say, by travelling with his earthly body through the heavens, his superiority and his being God's beloved were demonstrated to the dwellers of ss is avens and inhabitants of the lofty worlds. So too, through the moon, which is bound to the earth and suspended in the heavens, being split into two halves at the sign of an inhabitant of the earth, a miracle indicating tosp of earth-dweller's messengership was displayed to the other inhabitants of the earth. Thus, the person of Muhammad (PBUH) flew to the very summit of perfections on the two luminous wings of messengershll the sainthood - like the two luminous unfolded wings of the moon; he ascended to the distance of two bow-lengths;>he became the cause of pride of both the inhabitants of the hnefits and the inhabitants of the earth....

Upon him and upon his Family be blessings and peace such as will fill the earth and the heavens.

Glory be unto You! we have no knowledgeriginathat which You have taught us; indeed, You are All-Knowing, All-Wise.>{[*]: Qur'an, 2:32.}

O God! For the sake of the one at ِٔءse sign the moon split make my h positnd the hearts of all true students of the Risale-i Nur like the moon in the face of the Sun of the Qur'an. AMEN. AMEN.

The Thirty-Second Word

[This Word consists of three Stopping-Places. It is an addendum e your ing the Eighth Flash of the Twenty-Second Word, and is also a commentary on the first of the fifty-five tongues with which all the beings in the universe testify to Divine unity. These tongues have been alluded to in my treatise called K and pA Droplet). It is one truth, which has been clothed in the garment of comparison, of many truths pertaining to the verse: Had there been in heaven or on earth any deities other than God, there s aim would have been confusion in both.] {[*]: Qur'an, 21:22.}

First Stopping-Place

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

Had there been in heaven or on earth any deities othexplain God, there surely would have been confusion in both.

There is no god but God, He is One, He has no partner; His is the dominion and His is the praise; He grants life and deals death, and is living and dies not; all good is in His hanons, tis powerful over all things; and with Him all things have their end.

One night in Ramadan, I said that the above sentence affirming Divine unity consisOne.

eleven phrases, and that in each of them is a degree expressing that unity and some good news. But of those degrees I only discussed the meaning and significance of He has no parth do and that was in the manner of an allegorical conversation and imaginary debate that would be accessible to ordinary people. I am now writing down that conversation at the request and desire of my much-valued broths are o assist me and my friends from the mosque. It is as follows.

Let us suppose one person represents all those things set up as partners to Gthe ant all the different varieties of idolators imagine to exist. These

idolators are the people of unbelief and misguidance, who worship nature and causes, es empample, and assign partners to God. The fictitious person wants to have mastery over one of the beings in the universe, and so claims to be its true owner.

Firstly, that makso it false claims encountered a particle, which is the smallest of those beings, and he spoke to it in the language of Naturalism and philoso All-Hying that he was to be its master and true owner. But the particle replied to him with the tongue of truth and dominical wisdom, saying:

"Ibeingsrm innumerable duties. Entering many creatures which are all different I do my work in them. And there are, from among countless particles ful, te, those that move from place to place {(*): Indeed, every object which is in motion, from minute particles to the planets, displays on itlelf the stamp of Eternal Besoughtedness and Unity. Also, by reason of its movementities of them takes possession of all the places in which it travels in the name of Unity, thus including them in the property of its own owner. As for those creatures that are not in motion,aker. are each of them, from plants to the fixed stars, like a seal of Unity showing the place in which it is situated to be the missive of its own Maker. That is to say, each flower and fruit is a stamp and ts sucf Unity which demonstrates, in the name of Unity, that its habitat and native place is the missive of its Maker. In short, each thing takes possession fectio things through its motion in the name of Unity. That is, one who does not have all the stars within his grasp cannot have mastery over a single particlof jusd work with me. If you have the knowledge and power to employ me in all those duties, and the authority and ability to employ and have at your command all those others as wellause iif you are able to be the true owner of and to have total control over the beings of which I become a part in complete order, for example, over red blood-corpuscles, then you can claim to be master over me and ascribe me to somethinganifes than God Almighty. But if you cannot do all these things, be silent!

"And in the same way that you cannot have mastery over me, you cannot interfere in any way. For there is such complete orderliness in our duties and motion thatain itho does not have infinite wisdom and all-encompassing knowledge cannot meddle with us. If he did, it would cause chaos. However, a person like youRST MAs thick, impotent, and unseeing, and is in the clutches of blind chance and nature, could not even begin to stretch out a finger to interfere."

So, just like the Materialists, the one making these claims said: "In that case, own yourself Howevdo you say you are working on someone else's account?" To which the particle replied:

"If I had a brain like the sun, and all-embracing knowledge like its light, and al say: mpassing power like its heat, and comprehensive senses like the seven colours in its light, and if I had a face that looked to all the places in which I travel an, eachthe beings in which I work, and an eye that looked to them and words that carried authority with them, then perhaps I would

indulge in foolishness like you and claids infwn myself. Get out! Go away! You won't get anything out of me!"

So, when the representative of those things held to be God's partners despaired of the particle, he hoped to pursue the matter with a red blood - corpuscle. And comiand thoss one he said to it on behalf of causes and in the language of nature and philosophy: "I am your master and owner." And the red corpuscle replied to him through the tongue of truth and Divine wisdom:blesse am not alone. If you are able to own all my fellows in the army of blood whose stamp, nature as officials, and order is the same, and if you haes it tle wisdom and mighty power enough to own all the cells of the body in which we travel and are employed with perfect wisdom, and if you can demonstrate this to be the case, o be aerhaps some meaning might be found in your claim.

"But someone stupified like yourself cannot be owner with your only support being deaf nature and blind force; indeed, you are unabl that nterfere in so much as an atom. For the order with which we function is so perfect that only one who sees, hears, knows, and does everything can have authority over us." And saying:onnectbe silent! My duty is so important and the order so perfect that I have no time to answer garbled rubbish such as yours," it repelled him.

Then, since he was unable to mislead it, felt ipresentative left and next came across the little house known as a cell of the body. He said to it in the language of philosophy and nature: "I could not perperfecthe particle and red corpuscle but perhaps you will be reasonable. Since you have been made of several substances just like a minute house, I am able to make you. You will be my artefact and true property." The cell responded to him through thimaginue of wisdom and truth, saying:

"I am only a minute little thing but I have very important duties and very sensitive relations; I am connected to therm to as a whole as well as to all its cells. For example, I perform complex and faultless duties in the veins, and in regard to the arteries, the sensory and motor nerves, the powers of attraction and r3:39.}on and procreation, and the imaginative faculty. If you have the knowledge and power to form, arrange, and employ the whole body and all itfestatd-vessels, nerves and faculties, and if you have comprehensive wisdom and penetrating power with which to control all the body's cells, which are like me, as regards qualities and artistry we are brothers, demonstrateg, brinly then can you claim to be able to make me. If you cannot, then off with you!

"The red corpuscles bring my food, while the white ones combat illnesses which attack me. I have work t hand do not distract me! Anyway, an impotent, lifeless, deaf and blind thing like you cannot in any way interfere with

us. For we have such an exact, subtn a th faultless order

{(*): The All-Wise Maker has created the human body as though it was a well-arranged city. A number of the blood-vessels perform the duties of telephones and telegraphs, while others fruitem are like pipes from a fountain through which blood, which is the water of life, flows. As for blood, created within it are two sorts of corpuscles. One of them, known as red corpuscles, distributes nutrients to the cells of the bold lea conveys sustenance to the cells according to a Divine law. (Like merchants and food officials.) The other sort are white corpuscles, which are fewer in number than the former. Their duty, like soldiers, is defence against enemie the Wh as illness. Whenever they undertake that defence, with their two revolutions like Mevlevi dervishes, they take on a swift and wonderful state. As for blood as a whole, it has two the cl duties; the first is to repair damage done to the body. There are two sorts of blood-vessels, veins and arteries. One of these carry purified blood, they are the channels through which elean blood is conveyed. The others

Ae channels for the turbid blood which collects the waste-matter; these convey the blood to where breathing occurs; that is, the lungs.

The All-Wise Maker created in the air two elements, nitrhers mnd exygen. As for exygen, when it comes int o contact with the blood in breathing, it drawn to itself, like amber, the impure element, cabe browhich is polluting the blood. The two combine and are transformed into matter called carbonic acid gas. Oxygen also maintains the body temperature, and purifies the blood. This is because, in the science of chany ofy, the All-Wise Maker bestowed on oxygen and carbon an intense relationship, which might be described as 'chemical passion', whereby, according to this DFurthelaw, when those two elements come close to each other, they combine. It has been established by science that heat is produced by combining, because it is a sort of combustion.

T this dom in this is as follows: the motion of the particles of those two elements is different. On combining, the particles of one element unite with those of ersal,her, each two particles thereafter moving like a single particle. The other motion is transformed into heat according to a low of the All-Wise M theseAs a matter of a fact, 'motion produces heat' is an established principle.

Thus, as a consequence of this fact, by this chemical combination, as carbon is removed from theduracy the body temperature of human beings is maintained and at the same time the blood is purified. On inhaling, oxygen both cleanses the body's water of life and kindles the fire of life. On exhaling, it yields, in the mouth, the fruit of wors sounich are miracles of Divine Power.

GLORY BE UNTO HIM AT WHOSE ART THE MIND IS BEWILDERED.}

that if the one who has authority over us was not Absolutely Wise, Absolutely Powerful and Absolutely Knowing, our order would be bthese and our regularity spoilt."

Then the one making the claims despaired of it, too. He encountered the body of a human being and said to it, once again as the Naturalists say, in the language of bh is tature and aimless philosophy: "You are mine, it is I who made you; or anyway I have a share in you." The human body answered with the tongue of reality and wis, and d through the eloquence of its order:

"If you possess the power and knowledge to have actual control over the bodies of all human beings, who are the same as me and on whose faces are the stamp of power and ng andf creation which are the same, and if you have the wealth and jurisdiction to own, from water and air to plants and animals, the treasuries of my sustenance, and if you have infinite power and boundless wisdom with which to emploof jouith perfect wisdom and cause me to perform my worship, and the power and wisdom to lodge in a narrow, lowly

vessel like me immaterial and subtle faculties like the spirit, heart, and ithe lict, which are extremely vast and exalted and for which I am merely the sheath, then demonstrate all these and afterwards say that you made me. Oth. With, be silent!

"Moreover, according to the testimony of the perfect order in my body and the indication of the stamp of unity on my face, my Maker is One Who is powerful over all things, knows all things, and sees and hears all things. Somend thrmless and impotent like you cannot meddle in His art. You cannot interfere in so much as an atom."

The representative of the things imagined to be God's partners could find no way in which to interfere in the body so he wentn, theNext, he encountered the human race and said to himself "This is a disorganized and unruly group. Perhaps, like Satan interferes in their individual and social actions which they perform through the exercise of their wills, I'll be abmeral find some way to interfere in the functioning of their bodies and natures. And then, finding some way, I'll be able to exercise control over the body and the body's cell which sent me packing."

Soattribaid to the human race, once again in the language of deaf nature and aimless philosophy: "You seem to be to be in great confusion. I am your master and owner, or at least I partly own you." To which the u are race answered through the tongue of truth and reality, wisdom and order:

"If you possess the power and wisdom to make the shirt that clothes the whole globe of the earth and is woven and sewn with perfect wisdom from the musion loured threads of all the hundreds of thousands of animal and plant species, of which we are one, and to make the carpet which is spread over the face of the earth and is woven from the hundreds of thousands of species of them ie beings and is created in an extremely fine and ornamented fashion, and to continuously renew and refurbish it, and if you possess comprehensive power and all-embracigrantedom with which to have free disposal over the globe of the earth of which we are the fruit, and over the universe of which we are the seedhole sto send us our vital necessities from all the regions of the cosmos with the balance of wisdom, and if you have the ability to create all those l the f who have gone before us and those who will come after us, on whose faces the stamp of power is the same, then, perhaps, you can claim to have mastery over me.

"But if you can!

e silent! Do not say that, seeing confusion in my species, you will be able to interfere in some way, because the order is faultless. The conditions you imagine to be confused and disorderly are transcribed with perfect order accordis ragithe book of power and Divine Determining. For the perfect order in animals and plants, which are far inferior to us and are under our supervision, demonstrates that this seeming disorder in us is but a sort of wrse, an

"Is it at all possible that the one who artistically positions one thread running through a whole carpet should be other than the master designer of the carpeth ordthat the one who creates a fruit should be other than the creator of the tree that bore it; or that the one who creates the seed should be other than the fasthe eg of the being that produced the seed?

"Also your eyes are blind: you do not see the miracles of power on my face, the wonders of creation in mrful Og. If you did see them, you would understand that my Maker is such that nothing at all can withstand Him or be difficult for Him. The stars are as easy for Him as particles. He creates the spring with as much ease as a flower. He is O, shal includes the index of the vast universe in my being with perfect order. Could a lifeless, impotent, blind and deaf thing like you interfere in any way in the art of such a Being? Socan asilent!" And saying: "Off with you! Go away!", he drove him away.

Next the one making these claims went and addressed the broad carpet covering the face of the earth and the lavishly decorated and embroidered shirt clr it c it on behalf of causes and in the language of nature and philosophy, claiming: "I can have control over you and be your owner, or at least have a share in you." So the shirt, the carpet, {(*): In fact, the carpet is both livingin manibrates in a regular fashion. Its embroideries are being continuously replaced with perfect wisdom and order in order to display the ever-differing manifestations of the Weaver's Names.} said to him on behalf of truth and reality and theen tothe tongue of wisdom:

"If you have the power and art to weave and create all the well-ordered and purposeful shirts and carpets, whose embroideries are all different, which have clothed the earth to the number of years and centuries have have been removed in an orderly fashion and strung on the line of past time, and will clothe the earth again, carpets and shirts whose programmes and forms have been drawn and specified in the sphere of Divine Determining, and which wiltenancttached to the ribbon of future time, and if you have two wise and powerful hands with which to reach from the creation of the world to its destruction, indeed, fro. In aeternity to post-eternity, and if you have the wisdom and ability to create every one of all my threads and to repair and renew them with perfect order and wisdom, and ifsciencre able to hold in your hand and create the globe, which is our model and is wearing us, making us its veil and outer garment, then you can cltions, have mastery over me. If you cannot, then away with you! There is no place for you here!

"Moreover, there is on us such a stamp of unity and seal of oneness tationse who does not have the whole universe within the grasp of his power, and who cannot see at one time all things with all their functions, and cannot do signifrable things at the same time, who is not all-present and all-seeing everywhere, who is not unconfined by space, and who does not possess infinite wisdom, knowledge, and power, such a one cannot own uf existher could he interfere."

So the representative went off, saying: "Perhaps I will be able to persuade the globe of the earth and find something going for me there."actly went and said to the globe, {(*): In short, the particle referred the claimer to the red corpuschle. The red corpuscle referred him to the cell and the cell referred him to man, uman body; the human body to human race and the human race to the earth's shirt, which is woven from all the species of animate creatures. The earth's shirt referred him to the glode of the earth, which in turn referred him to the is thnd the sun referred him to all the stars. Each one of them said; "Go, if you are able to take possession of the next one up from me, do so, then come and try to be my master. If you are unable to defeat it, then you are unable to get posses save me." That is to say, one whose authority does not extend to all the stars cannot make a single particle heed his claim to mastery.} once agaiduce tehalf of causes and in the language of nature: "Since you travel in such an aimless manner, you demonstrate that you have no owner. In which case, you can be mine." To which the earth replied in a thun a hal voice, in the name of truth and with the tongue of reality:

"Do not talk such utter nonsense! How could I be just aimless and without anssing ? Have you found my garments or even the tiniest point or thread in them to be in disarray, without order, and have you seen them to be without wisdom, purpose and art that you tell me I am ownerless and aimless?

"If you can really own ller et orbit round which I travel in one year, a distance that should take approximately twenty-five thousand years, {(*): If half the diameter of a circle is approximately one hundred and eighty million kilometres, the circle covof Godproximately a twenty-five thousand year distance.} where I perform my duty of service with perfect balance and wisdom, and own the ten planets, which are e shouthers and are charged with duties like myself, together with the space through which they travel, and if you have infinite wisdom and power with which to create and position the sun, which is our leader and to whland i are bound and attached by a compassionate attraction, and to fasten me and the other planets to it like stones in a sling, and to employ us and cause us to re

Awith perfect order and wisdom, then you can claim to have mastery over me. But if you cannot, get out! Go to Hell! I've got work to do, my duty to perform.

"Moreover, our men to cent order, awesome movement, and purposeful subjugation demonstrate that our Master is such that all beings from minute particles to the stars and o be ees are obedient and subjugated to him like soldiers under orders. He is an All-Wise Possessor of Glory, a Possessor of Absolute Sovereignty Who arrays the sun with planeled boeasily as He arrays and ornaments a tree with its fruit."

Since the claimer could find nothing for himself on the earth, he went off and said to himself about the sun: "This a huge great thing. Perhaps I'll be able tof its a hole in it and open up a way in; then maybe I'll be able to subjugate it as well as the earth." So he said to the sun, as the fire-worshippers

speao Aimsthe name of idolatry and in the language of the philosophy that is the mouthpiece of the Devil: "You are a ruler, you own yourself; you dispose of matters freely, as you wish." But the sun replied to him i on acname of truth and through the tongue of reality and Divine wisdom, saying:

"God forbid! A hundred thousand times, God forbid! I am a subservient official. I am a candelabrum in my Lord's guest-house. I se wor the true owner of a fly, or even of a fly's wing. For in the fly's being there are immaterial jewels and antique works of art, like eyes and ears, such as are not in my shop. They are outside the spheit resmy power," thus reprimanding him.

So the one making the claims changed his approach and said with the tongue of devilish philosophy: "Since you do not own yourself, you are a servantthe joaim you on behalf of causes." To which the sun replied, speaking for truth and reality and with the tongue of worship:

"I can only belong to one who is able to creat

Creatthe lofty stars, which are my fellows, to place them in the heavens with faultless wisdom, make them revolve with utter magnificence and to adorn them with exquior chainery."

Next the claimer said to himself: "The stars are a great multitude, and they seem to be all scattered and in disorder. Perhaps I will with le to gain something out of them on behalf of my clients." So he went in among them and said to them on behalf of causes and those things ascribed to God as partners, in the language of rebellious philosomerabld as the Sabean star-worshippers said: "Since you are so scattered, you are all under the jurisdiction of different rulers." To which one star replied, spy betw for all the others:

"Just how stunned, brainless, stupid and blind you are not to see and understand the stamp of unity and seal of onen, it i us, and not to recognize our lofty order and regularity and the laws of our worship. You imagine us to be without order. But we are the works of art and servants of a Single and Unique One Who holds in the grasp of His power the heavme of hich are our seas, the cosmos, which is our tree, and infinite space, which is where we make our excursions.

"We are like electric illuminations and resplendent witnesses displaying the perfection of f lifeminicality. We are radiant proofs proclaiming the sovereignty of His dominicality. With all our different sorts, we are luminous servants in the domain of His sov all tty which give light and display the majesty of that sovereignty in the lofty dwellings and in the lowly ones, in the dwellings of this world, the Intermediate World and the hereafter.

"Indeedrming of us is a miracle of the Single and Unique One's power, a well-ordered fruit of the tree of creation, an illuminated proof of unity; each of us is a dwelling place, aeroplane and mosque for the age of and a lamp and sun for the lofty worlds, and a witness to the sovereignty of dominicality; and each of us is an ornament, palace, and flower of space, and a shining

fish in the heavenly seas, and aers eviful eye in the face of the sky.

{(*): This means, we are indications observing and contemplating the wonders of God Almighty's creation and causing others to contemplate them. That is, just as the heavens are sthe at be observing the wonders of Divine art on the earth with countless eyes, so too, like the angels in the skies, the stars watch the earth, which is an exhibition of wonders and marvels, and they cause conscioustol Hiures to observe it with attention.}

"Furthermore, throughout us as a whole there is a silence within tranquillity, a motion within wisdom, an adornment within majesty, a beauty of creation within order, and a per. Thern of art within symmetry.

"And although we are thus and proclaim our Glorious Maker and His unity, oneness, eternal besoughtedness, and His attributes of beauty, glory and perfection to ts wealle universe with innumerable tongues, you still accuse us utterly pure, clean, obedient and subservient servants of being confused, disorderly, and without duties, and even of being without an owner. You therefore deserve a truly punishied it p."

And one star, like the stone hurled at Satan, delivered such a mighty slap at the claimer's face that it flung him from the stars to the very pit of Hell. And it cast nature, {(*): But after its fanks oature repented. It understood that its true duty was not to act and to have an effect, but to accept and be passive. And it recognized that it was a sort of notebook of Divine Determining, but a notebook capablngs arhange and transformation; that it was a sort of programme of Dominical Power, was similar to the body of the rules of creation laid down by the All-Powf-evidOne of Glory, and was a sort of collection of His laws. It assumed its duty of worship with perfect submission acknowledging its utter impotence, and eciatecquired the title of Divine creation and Dominical art.} which was together with him, into the valleys of delusion, and chance into the chasm and t-existence, and those things ascribed to God as partners into the darkness of impossibility, and the philosophy that is hostile to religion down to the lowest of Satan.w. All the stars recited this sacred decree together with that star:

Had there been in heaven or earth any deities other than God, there f maki would have been confusion in both.>{[*]: Qur'an, 21:22.}

And they proclaimed: "There is nothing, from a fly's wing to the lamps in the heavens, nothing, even the size of a fly's wing, in which those ul att ascribed to God as partners could interfere."

Glory be unto You! We have no knowledge save that which You have taught us; indeed, You are All-Knowing, All-Wise!>{[*]: Qur'an, 2:32.}

O Godit witt blessings and peace to our master Muhammad, the Lamp of Your Unity in the multiplicity of Your creatures, and the Herald of Your Oneness in the exhibition of Your creation, and to all his Family and Companions.

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

Look, then, to the signs of God's mercy, how He restores to life the earth after its death.>{[*]: Qur'an, 30:50.}

The following section {has ton the original text this section is in Arabic, together with the author's Turkish rendering, which is the source of the translation here. The lines at the end are in Persian (Tr.).} allude, the ne flower from the pre-eternal garden of the above verse.

It is as if all the blossoming trees are beautifully composed odes speaking poetically thof modthe tongue of disposition reciting the manifest praises of the Glorious Creator.

Or, it is as if all the blossoming trees have opened thousands of gazing eyes and have caused thoof Bea of others to open in order to behold, not with one or two eyes but with thousands, the Glorious Fashioner's wonders of art which are being broadcast and exhibited, and so that attentive people will gn. Of them, too.

Or, it is as if all the blossoming trees have beautified their verdant limbs with the finest adornment for the moment of their parade and for their own particular festivals in the mitatil festival of spring, so that their Glorious Monarch will contemplate the gifts, subtle wonders, and resplendent works of art He has bestowed upon thworld d so that He will present to creation's gaze the bejewelled instances of His mercy, in springtime, and on the face of the earth, which is how cxhibition of Divine art; and so that He will proclaim to mankind the wisdom in the creation of the tree.

He demonstrates the perfection of Divispringer through showing what important treasure hangs on their delicate branches and what significant wealth there is in the fruits of His merciful bounties.

The imagination sees heavenly angels embodied from these trees wi the ausands of flutes. From these flutes the consciousness hears The praises of the Ever-Living One. Their leaves have tongues, each reciting the word: It is He! It is He!

emselving,

O Ever-Living One! O Ever-Living One! Since all things chant in unison: There is no god but He, and they are seeking Truth, From beginning to end they recite: O Ever-Living One! They are chanting in unison: O God! And We sens not from the skies water rich in blessings.>{[*]: Qur'an, 50:9.}

A Short Addendum to the First Stopping-Place

Listen to the verse:

Do they not look at the sky above them? How We have the wot and adorned it, and there are no flaws in it?>{[*]: Qur'an, 50:6.}

Then look at the face of the heavens, you see how it is silent in its tranquity tog how it is in motion with wisdom, how it is radiant with majesty, how it smiles with its adornment. An unending and infinite sovereignty is proclaimed to those who thinkated.

e order in its creation, by the symmetry in its art, by its shining lamps, its brilliant lanterns, its glittering stars.

Do they not look at the sky above them? How We have made it and adorned presend there are no flaws in it?

The following explains the above passage, Then look at the face of the heavens,>etc., which in turn is an explanation of the verse quoted.

Firstly, the phrase: How it i, consnt in its tranquillity.

The verse directs an attentive gaze to the beautifully adorned face of the heavens so that the one beholding it may becosemblere of the silence there which is within a vast tranquillity, and so that he may understand that it is thus through the command and subjugation of One Possessing Absolute Power.

For if they had bee of mependent and unrestrained, those huge globes, all in close proximity to each other, those infinite, awesome heavenly bodies, would have caused such an uproar with their enormously swift revolutions that they ng wishave deafened the cosmos. And there would have been such confusion in that tumultuous commotion that it would have scattered the universe. It is well-known what a commotion and uproaere thauses if twenty water-buffalo work on top of each other. Whereas, we know that there are among the stars some which are thousands of times larger than the earth and which revolve at a speed seventyion to faster than that of a cannon-ball. So the degree of power and subjugation of the Glorious Maker and All-Powerful One of Perfection may be understood from this, toThroug with the degree of obedience and submission to Him of the stars.

Secondly, the phrase: How it is in motion with wisdom.

The verse commands us to loomy, Cahe motion on the face of the heavens, which is with wisdom and purpose. Indeed, that mighty, wondrous motion occurs within a precise anl diffrehensive wisdom.

For example, a craftsman who operates a factory's machinery with wisdom and purpose demonstrates the degree of his skill and craftsmanship in proportion to the order and grandeur of the factory. Similarly, when we lookects.

in this way, the degree of power and wisdom of the All-Powerful One of Glory become apparent to us through His making the mighty sun as a factory, and its planets, those awesome, immese.

obes, like the factory's machinery, and His spinning and revolving them like stones in a sling.

Thirdly, How it is radiant with majesty, how it smiles with its adorns To S

It has this meaning: the radiant majesty and smiling adornment on the face of the heavens are such that they demonstrate the sublimity of the Glorious Makegels tvereignty and exquisiteness of His artistry. As the myriad electric lamps hung about on festival days demonstrate the degree of the king's majesty and achievement in material progress, the vast heavens, too, with their majestic and adorned stattempmonstrate to attentive gazes the sublime sovereignty and exquisite artistry of the Glorious Maker.

Fourthly, By the order in its creatn its y the symmetry in its art.

This phrase says the following: look at the order of the creatures on the face of the heavens and see th loadsmmetry and precise balance, then understand just how powerful and wise is their Maker.

Indeed, the vast heavens demonstrate the degree of power and wisdom of the One Who transforms various and tiny crly pois or animals, thus preparing them for their duties, and Who impels each of them on a determined way by means of its particular balance, and the degree of their obeder is and subjugation to Him. Similarly, the vast heavens demonstrate to attentive gazes through their awesome vastness and innumerable stars, and the stars, through their the heng hugeness and speedy revolutions and the fact that they do not exceed their bounds by an iota, even for a second, or neglect their duties for a ten{[*]: a second, the exceedingly fine and particular balance with which the Glorious Maker carries out His dominicality.

Fifthly, An unending and infite munovereignty is proclaimed to those who think by its shining lamps, its brilliant lanterns, its glittering stars.

This phrase states clearly whaDivinelluded to in the above verse, and in many similar to it, which mention the subjugation of the sun, moon, and stars. That is to say, to attach the heat and light-giving lamp of the sun to the embellished ceiling of the skies, and to make it ings, k-pot for writing the missives of the Eternally Besought One in lines of day and night on the

pages of summer and winter; and to make thediffic like the hour-hands which shines on the large clocks on minarets and towers, an hour-hand of time's mighty clock on the dome of the heavens, and to make it move through its mansions with precise Consce and perfect measure in the form of many varying crescents so that it leaves one crescent one night and then later returns to collect it; and to adorn the beautiful face of the sky with stars that twinkle aot thele in the dome of the heavens, all these are signs of the unlimited sovereignty of a sustaining dominicality. They are indications of a majestic Divinity which makes Itself known to conscious creatures.ise aninvite those who think to believe and to affirm Divine unity.

Look upon the coloured page of the book of the universe;

See what forms the golden pen of power has traced.

No dark point remains for the gaor witthe heart's eye;

It is as if God as inscribed His signs with light.

Look! What a miracle of wisdom is the amazing universe!

Look! What a wondrous spectacle is the vastness of space!

The shadoen to the stars, listen to their harmonious address!

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

Altogether 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 unin no d His power,

We are subtle miracles

gilding the face of the skies for the angels to gaze upon.

We are the innumerable attenstinguyes of the heavens

which watch the earth, which study Paradise.

We are the innumerable exquisite fruits

which the hand of wisdom of the All-Glorious and Beauteous One

has fastened

To the celestial portioneakinge tree of creation,

to all the branches of the Milky Way.

For the inhabitants of the heavens,

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

Each is on thumining lamp, a mighty ship, an aeroplane.

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

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

A rarity of Hiate alom, a marvel of His creation, a world of light.

We demonstrated to mankind innumerable proofs,

We made them hear with these innumerable tongues of ours;

But their accursed unseeing, unbelieving eyes did not see our facng mom They did not hear our words.

Our stamp is one, our seal is one,

We are mastered by ouormed ainer;

We glorify Him through our subjugation;

We recite His Names;

We are each of us in ecstasy,

A member of the mighty circle of the Milky Way.

Second Stopping-Place

In the Name of God, the Merciful, thousompassionate.

Say: He is God, the One and Only. God, the Eternally Besought One.>{[*]: Qur'an, 112:1-2}

This Stopping-Place consists of three Aims.

THE FIRST AIM stood e representative of the people of misguidance and those who assign partners to God fell to earth at the slap he received from a star, as wymbolicribed at the end of the First Stopping-Place. So, because he could find nothing going for him anywhere from the particles to the stars, he gave up laying claize of hem in that way and instead tried by means of three important questions to induce doubts in believers' minds about Divine unity and oneness.

The First Question:

He said in the manner of the atheists: "O you who believe in OneamentaLooking on behalf of my clients, I could find nothing, nor get anything at all out of the beings in the universe; I could not substantiate my claims. But then, how do you prove thmprehetence of One Who is Single and Unique and possesses infinite power? Why do you not think it possible for others to interfere and to share in His power?"

It is decisively proved in the Twthe noecond Word that every creature, every particle, every star, is an illuminating argument for the Necessarily Existent and Absolutely Powerful One.n its link in the chains of beings in the universe is a clear evidence for His unity. The All-Wise Qur'an proves this with its innumerable proofs, and mentions most frequently those proofs that are clearest in the view of people se wholly. For example:

If you ask them, who is it that created the heavens and the earth, they will certainly say, "God.">{[*]: Qur'an, 31:25; 39;38.}

And among His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, andl lifeariations in your languages and colours.>{[*]: Qur'an, 30:22.}

With these and many verses like them, the All-Wise Qur'an presents the

creatiious athe heavens and earth as self-evident proofs of Divine unity. And so, whether they like it or not, because of the way the heavens and earth have been created, anyone who is conscious and intelligent will be compelled ty of irm the Glorious Creator. As the Qur'an says: They will certainly say, "God."

In the First Stopping-Place we started with a particle and demonstrated the stamp of uience n beings as far as the stars and the heavens. With verses like these the Qur'an repels the ascribing of partners to God from the stars and heavens down to particle your indicates this in the following way.

The Possessor of Absolute Power Who creates the heavens and earth with such order and balance, of course creates the solar symany dwhich is a region of it. The solar system is self-evidently within His controlling and directing grasp.

Since that Absolutely Powerful One holds the sun and its planets within His grasp, and orders, subjugates, and directs t are oertainly the earth, which is a member of the solar system and is tied to the sun, is also within His regulating and controlling grasp. Since this is so, tdan Bengs which are created and inscribed on the face of the earth and are like its aims and fruits are also within His sustaining and perfecting grasp.

And since all the creatures spread he Allattered over the earth, which gild and adorn its face, are continuously renewed, coming and going, filling the earth and being emptied from it, they are all of them within the grasp of His kn truthe and power; and since they are measured and ordered on the scales of justice and wisdom; and since all the species of animate beings are within the graimilarHis power; certainly, all the well-ordered and faultless members of those species, which are like miniature specimens of the cosmos, balance-sheets of its species, and tiny indexes of the booNames,he universe, must also be within His creating, sustaining, directing, and perfecting grasp.

And since this is so, the cells, blood-corpuscles, And and muscles which comprise those animate creatures' bodies are also self-evidently within the grasp of His knowledge and power.

And since every cell and corpuscle is under His command and within His grasp, and sinco God. are in motion according to His laws, surely the particles out of which they are formed and which are like shuttles weaving the embroideries of art which clothe them, are also necessarily within the grasp of His power and the sphere of Hi be.

ledge. For they are in motion in orderly fashion faultlessly performing duties at His command, with His permission, and through His power.

And since this is so, the identifying features and s goalguishing marks to be found on everyone, all the differences in faces, voices and languages, of necessity also occur through His knowledge and wisdom.

So now look again at the verse which mentionsus creoints out the beginning and end of this chain:

And among His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the variations in your languages and your coon cau indeed, in that are signs for those who know.

We therefore now say: O representative of the unbelievers! You can see, these arguments as strong as the chains of the universe prove the path of affirming Divine unity, andnicalidemonstrate a Possessor of Absolute Power. Since the creation of the heavens and the earth demonstrates an All-Powerful Maker, and the infinite power of that All-Powerful Maker, and tes of s infinite power is at the point of infinite perfection, there is an absolute lack of need for any partners. That is to say, He in no way needs any associates.

Since He has no need, whvels oou take that dark path? Why is it you feel constrained to take it? Moreover, since both He, and beings, are in absolutely no need of partners, just as it is impossible for there to be any partners in His Divinity, ensionis impossible for there to be any in His creation and sustaining of beings. Their existence is impossible. The reason for this is as follows:

We proved that the power of ted anker of the heavens and the earth is both infinite and at the point of infinite perfection. If there was any partner, it would mean that, althoughshown ower is infinite, another finite power would threaten and overcome His infinite and perfect power and would take possession of a certain areas of it. It would then be necessary, without there being any compulsion, for something finite to makre thothing infinite finite and limited, and for itself to become infinite for a time. This is a manifold and most irrational impossibility.

Also, since there is no need for partners, and, since their existence is impos be eq to claim otherwise is purely arbitrary. That is, since there is no cause that could induce such a claim, rationally or logically, it would be meaningless. According to the science of jurisprudence, such a claim is designated 'arbitrarhed anat is, it is a meaningless 'abstract claim'.

A principle of the sciences of theology and jurisprudence is this, that a probability not originating from any inds to an or sign has no importance; it cannot induce doubt in a matter that is definite. It cannot shake the certainty that is based on sound judgement.

For example, it is possible that Barla or Egridir Lake consists of grape-molasses orpresenit has been transformed into oil. But since that possibility does not originate from any indication, it does not affect our certain knowledge, or induce doubo exhihe fact, that it consists of water.

Therefore, we questioned every sort of creature from every corner of the cosmos and whatever was questioned, from the particles to the stars in the First Stopping-Placall as from the creation of the heavens and the earth to the individual features in faces in the Second Stopping-Place, everything demonstrated through the tongue of its beinghere ieal of unity; everything testified that God is One.

You saw this for yourself. There is, then, nothing in any of the creatures in the universe on which the possibility of God having any partners could be constructed. That is to say, sinceall wraim that God does have partners is purely arbitrary and meaningless and is an 'abstract claim', it is pure ignorance and unqualified stupidity.

Thus, nothing remained for the representative of the people of misgu himse to say in the face of this. The only thing he could say was: "What indicates that God has partners is the configuration of causes in the cosmos. It is that everything is tied to a cause. So that means that causes have an actual bvious, and if they have an effect, are not they able to be God's partners?"

Effects have been tied to causes because Divine will and wisdom require them to be so, and so thatpotles numbers of the Divine Names may be manifested. Everything has been tied to a cause, but we have decisively proved in numerous places, including many of the Words, that "causes have no actual power with which to create their effects." So, fns to we shall just say this:

Among causes human beings are self-evidently the most superior, and have the greatest power of choice and the most extensive ability to coneasilynd direct other causes. And among the most obvious of man's actions over which he exercises choice are eating and the powers of speech and thought. Furthermore, all these faculties are eing maly well-ordered, wonderful, and purposeful chains. But of the hundred links in these chains only one is subject to man's power of choice.

For example, in the chain of actions concerning food, which stretches from the nourishbe manf the body's cells to the forming of fruit, only moving the jaw and chewing the food is subject to man's choice. And in the chain of speech, only exhalce beir and blowing it into the mould of articulated letters. And while a word in the mouth is a seed, it becomes like a tree; in the air it yields the fruits of millions of the same word and enters the ears of blindners along with millions of others. Man's imagination can barely reach this metaphorical shoot, so how should the short arm of choice reand tri

Since among causes man is the most superior and has the greatest power of choice and yet his hands are thus tied from real creation, how shouOM THEer causes, such as inanimate creatures, animals, the elements, and nature have any real power of disposal over other causes? Each of those causes is

only a container; a cover for the dominical works; a tray-bearem thatthe gifts of the Compassionate One.

Of course, the receptacle for a king's gift, or the handkerchief in which it is wrapped, or the individual who brings the gift, which is placed in his says:can in no way be partners in the king's sovereignty. Anyone who supposes that they are partners is imagining nonsensical absurdities. In the same way, apparent causes and intermediaries can have absolutely no share in he tonsustaining of His creatures. Their lot is only to perform a service of worship.

THE SECOND AIM

The representative of those who ascribe partners to God could in no respect prove that way, andces thlthough despairing, since he wanted to destroy the way of those who affirm Divine unity, he tried to sow doubts in their minds by asking the fohe mang question:

"O you who affirm Divine unity! You say, 'Say: He is God, the One and Only. God, the Eternally Besought One;' {[*]: Qur'an, 112:1-2.} that the Creator of the universe is rt thae is single, He is eternally besought by all creatures; and that the Creator of everything is He. That He is one in essence and at the same time the reins of everye, andare directly in His hand, the key to everything is in His grasp; one thing cannot be an obstacle to another. And you say that at the same instant He ired, tal disposal over all things and all their states. How can such a far-fetched fact be believed? How can a single individual be in innumerable places and do innumerable things at the same time with no difficulty?"

The Answthe gi This question may be answered through explaining an extremely profound, subtle, elevated, and comprehensive mystery concerning Divine oneness and eternal besoughtedness. Man's mind can only look at this m Thin through the telescope and observatory of comparison and allegory. While there is nothing similar or analogous to God Almighty's Essence and attributes, the functions of ng beatributes may be looked at to an extent by means of comparison and allegory. So we shall point to that mystery through comparisons of a matervine pture.

As is proved in the Sixteenth Word, a single individual may attain universality or comprehensiveness through the means of different mirrors. While actually being a particular or part of sy withng greater than itself, it is as though it becomes a universal with numerous qualities and functions.

Indeed, matter like glass and water may be a mirror to physical objects,

and one such object maauses in universality in such a mirror. In the same way, air, ether, and some creatures from the World of Similitudes are like mirrors to lucent objects and spirit beings. Thoselfilmer-like creatures pass with the speed of lightning or imagination to being means of travel and spectating, so that the lucent and spirit beings travel with the speed of imagination in those se all s mirrors, those subtle dwellings. In the space of a single instant the spirit beings can enter thousands of places. And because they are lucent and because their reflectionpleasuthe same as them and possess their qualities, they are as though present in person in every mirror, everywhere, as is contrary to the case with physical beings.

The reflections and likenesses of dn the orporeal beings are not identical to the corporeality of those beings; they do not possess their qualities and may be thought of as dead. For example, although the ndeed, a particular and a single individual, it becomes like a universal by means of shining objects. It reflects its image, a sun like itself, in all shining objects, , a stof water, and fragments of glass on the face of the earth, according to their capacity. The sun's heat, light, and the seven colours in its light, a sort of likeness of the essential sun, is found in all shining physical obj mirro Let us suppose the sun had knowledge and consciousness, then every mirror would be like a sort of dwelling-place or seat or chair for it, it would be in contact with everything in person. It would be able to communicate withe micconscious creatures by means of mirrors, with the pupil of every eye, even, each of which would be like a telephone. One thing would not be an obstacle to another. Communicating with one thing w singlot be a barrier to communicating with another. While being present everywhere, it would be present nowhere.

If the sun, which is like a material, partial, and inanimate mtions to only the Divine Name of LIGHT out of innumerable Names, can therefore display universal activity in an unlimited number of places while being a single individual, should the All-Glorious One, with the oneness of His Essence, be us resoto perform innumerable actions at the same time?

Since the cosmos is like a tree, all trees may be likened to the truths of the universe. So we shall take the A moby and majestic plane-tree facing this room as a miniature example of the universe and demonstrate with it the manifestation of Divine oneness in the universe.

This tree has at least ten thousandnd of s and each fruit has at least a hundred winged seeds. At one instant of time the ten thousand fruits and million seeds display altogether one art and creativity. While thh examre of the laws of the tree's formation is present in its roots and trunk, through a manifestation of Divine will and a condensing of the dominical command, which may be described as particular, individuated, and a 'knot' o signs, it is also

present at the ends of all its branches, within every fruit and every seed. No part of any member of the tree is lacking the laws, they are not obstacles to one another; the tree is formed through them.

And that single emptistation of will and law issuing from a command are not transmitted and radiated like light, heat, and air. For they leave no trace nor may any hint of them be perceiature. the long distances and various beings between the places they go. If their being present in all the fruits and seeds had occurred through being transmitted and radiated, some trace or hint of them would be perceived. Rather, tof mode present in all those places without being fragmented or radiated.

The universal and general actions are not incompatible with His oneness and individuality. It may even be said that while the manifestation rough l, and the law and life-source are present in all the places, they are present in none of them.

It is as if the law has as many eyes and ears as there are fruiugh th seeds of the majestic tree. Yes, each part of the tree is like a centre of the senses of the law, so that their long intermediaries are not a veil and do not form a barrieternal like telephone wires, are a means of facilitating and bringing things closer. The farthest is like the nearest.

Since, as is clear from observation, through a single partial manifeess ofn of an attribute of the Single and Eternally Besought One like will, millions of events occur in millions of places without intermediary, one has to be certain, completely certain, that the All-Glorious One can have total disposal over the tnstanc the universe, together with all its parts and particles, through the manifestation of His power and will.

As is proved and explained in the Sixteenth Word, while being Thuse place and being particulars identifiable as single, through the mystery of luminosity, impotent and subjugated creatures like the sun, and semi-luminoof wisatures like spirit-beings, which are restricted by matter, and the laws issuing from a command and the manifestations of will which are the life-source and cning tof direction of this plane-tree, which in turn are like its light and spirit, are clearly present in numerous places and in numerous events. While being particulars restricted by matter, it is as though they acquire an absolute universalole sund through the exercise of will, in the space of one second may demonstrably perform a great number of works. You see for yourself and you will not be able to deny it.

The Single and Most Puresm is oly Essence, Whose attributes are all-comprehending and functions, universal, is far beyond and exalted above matter, and is utterly remote and free from any restriction and the darkness ofe a guty. All these lights and luminous beings are but obscure shadows of His Sacred Names; and all existence and life and the World of Spirits, the

Intermediate Realm, ae may World of Similitudes, semi-transparent mirrors reflecting His beauty.

What being can be hidden in the face of His oneness, which is within the manifestation of His attributes e theytions, which in turn are evident through His universal will, absolute power, and all-embracing knowledge? What matter can be difficult for Him? What place can be concealed from Him? What object can remain distant from Him? tributndividual can draw close to Him without acquiring universality? Can anything at all be hidden from Him? Can any matter at all be an obstacle to another? Can any place at all be empty of His presence?

Ibn al-'Abbgratity God be pleased with him) said: "In all beings are an immaterial eye that sees and ear that hears." Is this not so? Are the chains of beings not each like a wire or veater o the swift conveyance of His commands and laws? Are obstacles and difficulties not means and intermediaries in His disposal of beings? Are causes and intermediaries not merely an apparent veil?

While He is present nowhere, is He not preing isverywhere? Does He have any need to be located in a place or situation? Can the veils of distance, smallness, and the degrees of existence be obstacles to His proximity, power of disposal, and witnessing?

Moreover, could the qualities pethers.ng to material, contingent, dense, numerous, restricted, and limited beings, and the states of change, transformation, division, and occupying space, which are their particular and confinead intssary consequences, in any way touch the Most Pure and Holy Essence, Who is far beyond matter, is Necessarily Existent, the Light of Lights, and is Single, One, and free from any restriction or li to seon and exalted above and pure of any fault or deficiency? Could impotence in any way be fitting for Him? Could any defect approach the skirt of His splendour and glory?

COdutiesON OF THE SECOND AIM

Once, when I was reflecting on Divine oneness, I looked at the fruits on the plane-tree outside my room. A chain of thought came to me as inspiration, and I write it here in Arabic exactly as itorce ato me. {[*]: In the original text the author follows the section in Arabic with a Turkish rendering of which is the basis of the translation here.}

All these fruiile be the seeds within them are miracles of dominical wisdom, wonders of Divine art, gifts of Divine mercy, material proofs of Divine unity, bearers of the good news that Divine favours will be granted in the hereafter. Just as they are allples oful witnesses to His all-embracing power and knowledge, each of them is a mirror confirming His unity in all the

corners of the world of multiplicity and in all the parts of the world of this tree, a world that has become multiple.

ames, urn the gaze from multiplicity to unity. Each of them says through the tongue of its being: "Do not let your glance wander over all this mighty spreading tree lest you become distle for, for the whole tree is within us. Its multiplicity is contained within our unity."

Even, just as every seed, which is like the heart of the fruit, is a physical mirror confirming Divine unity, so it mentielliged recites in the silent prayer of its heart the Divine Names the mighty tree recites in its audible prayer.

Furthermore, just as the fruits and seeds are mirrors professing Divine unity, so they are would sible signs of Divine Determining and embodied tokens of Divine power. Through these words, Divine Determining and power intimate the following:

owers many branches and twigs of this tree appeared from a single seed and demonstrate the unity of the tree's Artist in creating it and giving it form. Then, after growing and spreading its branches, it gathered together all its truths in a to Goe fruit. It encapsulated its entire meaning in a single seed, thereby demonstrating the wisdom in the Glorious Creator's creation and planning."

Similarly, the tree of h terriverse takes its existence from a source of unity and is sustained by it. And man, the fruit of the universe, demonstrates unity within this multiplicity of beings, while with the eye of faith his heart sees the mystery of unit.

Tin multiplicity.

Moreover, the fruits and seeds are allusions of dominical wisdom. Wisdom says the following with them to those who are aware: "The comprehensive regard toure anthis tree and its planning look with their comprehensiveness and universality to a single fruit. For the fruit is a miniature specimen of the tree. It is what is aimed at by the tree. Alnse gle comprehensive regard and planning look to every seed within the fruit, for the seed bears the meaning or index of the whole tree. That is to say, since the fruit is the aifeelintree's existence and the purpose of its creation, the One Who plans the tree regards each fruit with all His Names connected to the planning. Moreover, the mighty tree is sometimes pruned als thammed for the sake of the tiny fruit; some parts of it are destroyed so that it may make new growth. It is grafted in order to produce even better, permanent fruit."

tes poe same way, man, who is the fruit of the tree of the universe, is the purpose of its creation and existence and the aim of the creation of beings. While his heart, which is the seed of the fruit, is a most brilliant and comprehensnd plarror to the universe's Maker. It follows on from this wisdom,

therefore, that tiny man will be the cause of the destruction and transformation of the universe. He will be the point of momeated revolutions like the Day of Resurrection. It will be for his judgement that the door of this world will be closed and that of the here univeopened.

Since we have arrived at a discussion of resurrection, it is appropriate to explain one point concerning its reality which demonstrates the clarity and strength with whirious Qur'an of Miraculous Exposition illuminates and proves resurrection.

The result yielded by this sequence of thought shows that if it is ! See ary for man's judgement and his gaining eternal happiness, the whole universe will be destroyed and that a power capable of destroying and transforming the universe shojourneelf and exists. But resurrection has many degrees. It is obligatory to believe in some of them; they must be acknowledged. Whereas others become apparent accordinstall evels in spiritual and intellectual development, and for these knowledge pertaining to both are necessary.

In order to present cogent and strong proofs for the simplest turn asiest level, the All-Wise Qur'an points out a power capable of opening up a truly vast realm of resurrection. The degree of resurrection in which it is necessf the r all to believe is this:

After human beings die, their spirits depart for another realm. And their bodies rot except for a minute cell from the base of the spine which will act as a seed. It remains intact, and on the Day of Resurrectcreatid Almighty will create the human body out of it and return its spirit to it. {[*]: See. page 544, footnote 22.} This degree is so simple, then,ilitudy be seen every spring through millions of examples.

Sometimes in order to prove this degree, the verses of the Qur'an point out the unlimited activity of a power capable of raising to life all particles, and s decrees the traces of a power and wisdom capable of sending all creatures to extinction and then recalling them. Then they point to the activity and traces of a power of thsdom able to scatter the stars and shatter the heavens, and sometimes to the activity and manifestations of a power and wisdom capable of causing all animate creatures to dieome cohen raising them to life again all at once at a single trumpet-blast.

Sometimes the verses demonstrate the manifestations of a power and wisdom that will raise to life the face of the earth and animate creatures all separat this nd sometimes they demonstrate the traces of a power and wisdom that, lopping off its mountains, will cause the globe of the earth to disintegrate completely, and then restoring it will to you rm it into an even more excellent form.

That is to say, apart from the Day of Resurrection, in which it is obligatory for everyone to believe and to acknowledge, with that power and wisdom,

God Almighty cadraw ute numerous other degrees and resurrections. And what is more, dominical wisdom requires that besides certainly bringing about mankind's resurrection, He shall bring about all those otherured oes or create certain other important matters.

You say: "You make much use of analogies in the form of comparisons or parables in the Words. Whereas according to the science of logic, this form of analogy does not aff good rtainty. A logical proof is required for matters of certain knowledge. Analogy in the form of comparison and parable is utilized by scholars of canon law in matters in which the prevailing opinion is sufficient. Also, you present comparisons only e form of certain stories; the stories are imaginary and cannot be true. Is this not contrary to reality?"

It has often been stated in the science of logic that give aies in the form of comparisons and parables do not afford certain knowledge. However, there is a certain type of this form of analogy that forms a proof more powerful than those proofs coe and ng of certain knowledge used in logic. Also, it is more certain than that sort of deduction. This type of analogy is as follows.

It demonstrates the tip of a universal truth by means of a parti and tparison and constructs its judgement on that truth. It demonstrates the truth's law in a particular matter, so that the vast truth may be known and particular matters may be ascribed to it.

For example, Who igh the sun is a single being, by means of luminosity it is present in every shining object. A law of a truth is demonstrated by means of this comparison which states that light and luminosity cmals, be restricted: for them, distance and proximity are the same, many and few are equal, and space cannot conquer them.

This is another example: the oe's fruits and leaves are all shaped and formed at the same time, in the same fashion, easily and perfectly, in a single centre and thr Names law issuing from a command. This is a comparison or parable demonstrating the tip of a mighty truth and universal law. It proves the truth and the truth's ld couna truly decisive form, so that, like the tree, the mighty universe displays and is the field of operation of that law of truth and mystery of Divine oneness.

Thus, the analogies, comparisons, and parabls yielloyed in all the Words are in this form and are more powerful and afford more certainty than the categorical proofs of logic.

It is a well-known fact that in the art of composition, when t! Whate meaning of a word or phrase is used solely as the means to perceive another meaning, it is called an 'allusive

expression.' The essential meaning of a phrase defined as 'allusive' is not the means of either truth or falsehood; itind ous allusive meaning that is such. If the allusive meaning is correct then the phrase is true. Even if its essential meaning is false, it does not damage its veracity. If the allusive md ice is not correct while its essential meaning is, then the phrase is false.

For example, "So-and-so's salvation is of great length." That is, "His sword-beltof a gry long." This phrase alludes to the man's tall stature. If he was tall but did not have a sword and belt, the phrase would still be cthe gr and true. If he was not tall but had a long sword and belt, then the phrase would be false, since it is not its essential meaning that is intand tr

So, the stories or parables in the Words, like for example, those in the Tenth and Twenty-Second Words, are sorts of allusions. The truths at the end of the stories are extremelside tect, extremely true and conformable to reality; they are the allusive meanings of the stories. Their essential meanings are comparisons that bring distant objects close like a telescope only wever they may be it does not damage their veracity and truthfulness. Moreover, all those stories are comparisons or parables. Purely to enable people All-eneral to understand, what is properly communicated without words is put into words, and immaterial and abstract matters are represented in material form.

THIRD AIMhere after receiving this decisive and convincing answer to his second question, {(*): That is, the question at the beginning of the Second Aim, not the small questions at the end of the Con a slin.} the representative of all the people of misguidance was reduced to silence, but then asked the following third question.

"Phrases else.e Qur'an like The Best of Creators,>{[*]: Qur'an, 23:14, etc.} and The Most Compassionate of the Compassionate,>{[*]: Qur'an, 7:151, etc.} suggest that there are other creators and compassionate ones sile you also say, 'the Creator of all the worlds possesses endless perfections. United in Him are the utmost levels of every kind of perfection.' Whereas, the perfections of beings are known through their opposites: ifot lis was no pain, pleasure would not be a sort of perfection; if there was no darkness, light could not be proved to exist; if there was no separation, there would be no pleasure in union, ghty ' on, would there?"

We shall answer the first part of the question in five Indications.

FIRST INDICATION:

From beginning to end, the Qur'an demonstrates Divine unity; this is the oar indication that those sort of phrases in the Qur'an

are not as you understand them. Rather, The Best of Creators>is to say, "He is at the highest and best rank of creativity," which in no way indicates that there is another c

degrees or levels are present in the true natures of most things. So too, in the view of the intellect, innumerable degrees may be present in the true natures of pointivine Names and sacred attributes. Whereas God Almighty is at the most perfect and excellent of all the possible and imagined degrees of those attributes and Names. The whole universe witnesses to this truth through all its perfections. Hiseated he Most Beautiful Names,>{[*]: Qur'an, 17:110,etc.} "describing all His Names as the most excellent," expresses this meaning.

FIFTH INDICATION:

This use of the as thrative and superlative is not to be understood in terms of creatures, but in terms of the fact that God Almighty has two sorts of manifestas the and attributes.

Through the mystery of His unity, this consists of His disposal over creatures under the veil of causes and intermediaries and in the form of a universal law.

Through the mystery of His oneness, it is His disposal over creatures directly, without veil, regarding each in a particular way. This means that through thtimes ery of oneness, His bestowal, creation, and grandeur which are direct are greater and more elevated and excellent than the works of Hisappetiwal, creation, and grandeur which are apparent through the manifestations of causes and intermediaries.

For example, let us suppose there is a king, but he is a saint-king. He has great numbers of offate, w and commanders but they are only veils, for the authority and execution of all matters are directly in his hand. The king's power of disposal and execution of affairs are of two kinds:

res esrst Kind:>The execution of affairs he demonstrates and the commands he gives through a universal law in the form of visible officials and commanders in accordancring.> their abilities and ranks.

The Second Kind:>This is not through a universal law. He does not make visible officials a veil; his execution of affairs and royal fave woulre direct and may be described as more elevated and excellent.

In the same way, the Creator of the universe, the Monarch of Pre-Eternity and Post-Eternity, has made numerous civine and intermediaries a veil to His execution of affairs and has demonstrated the majesty of His dominicality. But He left private telephty, whn His servants' hearts so that they might leave causes behind and turn directly to Him, and might say: You alone do we worship and You alone do we ask for help!>{[*]: Qur'an, 1:5.}

Thus, the mead of tof The Best of Creators, Most Compassionate of the Compassionate,>and, God is Most Great>look to this meaning, too.

We shall answer the second parf the he representative's question with five Signs.

The First Sign:

In his question, he said: "If something has no opposite, how can it be perfection?"

The questionfilleds not know what true perfection is. What he has in mind is only relative perfection. For merits, virtues, and qualities that look to something and are acquired relatively to something else are not real, they are relative and weak. If what all dlook to disappears, then they too will disappear.

For example, the relative pleasure and merits of heat occur through the effect of cold, and the relative pleasure of food, through the effect of the pain of hunger. If the cbe foud hunger disappear, then the pleasure diminishes. Whereas true pleasure, love, perfection, and virtue are such that they are not constructed on imagining something else. They are present of themselves. They are essennisterinherent truths.

Qualities such as the following are like this: the pleasures of existence, life, love, knowledge, mercy, and compassion; and earingauty of light, sight, speech, noble-heartedness, fine character, and form; the perfection of essence and of attribute and perfection in actio, and ether or not there is something else, these qualities will not change. Thus, all the perfections of the Glorious Fashioner, the Beauteous Maker, the Perfect Creator are true perfections; they are essentiariencewhat is other than Him cannot affect Him. They can only be recipients.

The Second Sign:

Sayyid Sharif al-Jurjani wrote in Sharh al-Mawaqif:>"The cause ofe hiddis either pleasure, benefit, resemblance (that is, inclination towards creatures of same kind), or perfection. For perfection is loved for itself." That is to say, if you love somethiaging u love it either because of the pleasure it affords, or the benefits it brings, or because it is similar in kind, like the inclination towards children, or because it possesses some perfection. If it is for perfehe ear no other cause or purpose is necessary; it is loved purely for itself. For example, in the olden days everybody loved people who possessed perfection; even if they impoto connection with them they would still love them admiringly.

Thus, since all God Almighty's perfections and qualities and all the degrees in His Beautiful Names aeticale perfections, they are loved for themselves. The Glorious One, Who is the true beloved, loves His perfections, which are true perfections, and the beauties of His attributes and Names in a manner appropriate to Himself. And He loves theirit oqualities of His art and creatures, which are mirrors reflecting those perfections.

He loves His prophets and saints, especially the of theoble Beloved,

who is the Lord of the Prophets and Prince of the Saints. That is, with His love for His own beauty, He loves His Beloved One, who is the mirror to that beauty. With His love for His own Nameows thloves His Beloved One and his brothers who are comprehensive and aware loci of those Names' manifestations.

With His love for His art, He loves like mloved One and those like him who are heralds and exhibitors of that art. With His love for His artefacts, He loves His Beloved One and those who follow him who appreciate and admire those artefacts and respond to beem saying: "What wonders God has willed! How beautifully they have been made." And with His love for the good qualities of His creatures, He loves His Most Noble Beloved One and his follr God and brothers in whom are united the finest of moral qualities.

The Third Sign:

All the perfections in all the universe are signs and indicaorgiveof a Glorious Being's perfection and beauty. Indeed, all the goodness, perfection, and beauty in the universe is but a pale shadow in relation to His true perfectUT HE!e shall indicate briefly five proofs of this truth.

A perfect and splendidly adorned and decorated palace plainly points to perfect skill and craftsmay are And that craftsmanship and art, which is a perfect act, plainly points to a perfect author, master, and craftsman together with his titles and names l infinshioner and Adorner. And those perfect names doubtlessly point to the master's perfect and skilful attributes. And that perfect skill and those attributes self-evidently point to his perfect ability and faculty. And that perfect ability and view oy necessarily point to the perfection of his essence and the exaltedness of his nature.

In exactly the same way, this palace of the universe, this perfect and adorned work of art, self-evidently points to actions of the utmost pe the lon. For perfections in works of art result from perfection of action and they demonstrate it. And perfection of actions point to a Perfect Author and the perfect Names of that Author. bsoluts, in relation to the works of art, they point to the perfection of Names like, Planner, Fashioner, All-Wise, All-Compassionate, and Adorner.

Moreover, the perfection of the Names er thetles, without any doubt, point to the Author's perfect attributes. For if the attributes were not perfect, the Names and titles which originate from the attributes would not be perfect. And the perfection of the attributes self-evidently p

and works of art, it still demonstrates the goodness, beauty, and perfection to be seen to this great extent in the universe,

Thus, after the exithe ot of this degree of true, essential perfection has been established with cogent proofs what importance remains for relative perfections, which loohazzalther things and which exist only in so far as they gain superiority over their likes and opposites? You may understand, then, just how paltry they become.

; 44:4 the universe is studied as something from which lessons are to be taken, the conscience and heart may conjecture and perceive the following:ngle lne who has so beautified and adorned the universe with all manner of fine things, himself possesses an infinite degree of beauty and perfection so that he might make it thus.

It is a well-known fact that one w of art which are well-proportioned, symmetrical, perfect, and beautiful are based on an exceedingly well-drawn-up plan. And a perfectly drawn plan points to a perfectly sound knowledge, fine intellect, and refined faculty of spirit. That iond: "ay, it is the spirit's immaterial beauty which is manifested in art by means of knowledge. Thus, the universe, with its innumerable material fine qualities, is formed of the distillations of immaterblet' ne qualities pertaining to knowledge. And those immaterial qualities pertaining to knowledge and those perfections are certainly the maniftle ofons of an infinite, eternal loveliness, beauty, and perfection.

It is obvious that that which gives light must possess light, and that which illuminates must be luminous, that bounty ht, orfrom riches, and kindness proceeds from one who is kind. Since this so, since all this loveliness and beauty is given to the universe and perfection is bestowed on beings, they point to an eternal beauty as light points to the s to s Beings pass over the face of the earth like a vast river sparkling with flashes of perfection. In the same way that a river sparkles with manifestations of the sun the Aflood of beings momentarily sparkles with flashes of loveliness, beauty, and perfection, and then is gone. And the beings following after them display the same lecteds and sparkling. It may be understood from this that just as the manifestations and instances of beauty on the flowing bubbles of water are not from themselves, but are manifestations and instances of beauty from face ght of a sun, so the qualities and perfections which glisten briefly on the flood of the universe are the flashes of the beauty of an Eternal Sun's Names.

Yes, the annihilation of the mirrors and the vanishing of beings is tve ther with perpetual manifestation and constant effulgence. It is clear from the manifestations appearing that their apparent beauty is not theirs; they are rather eloquent m if, ftos and clear proofs of a Transcendent Beauty and Renewed Munificence; of the Necessarily Existent, the Loving One, the Undying One.

If four people who t is mrrived via four different routes all speak of the same event, it suggests with a certainty born of unanimity that the event definitely occurred. Thus, although their ways, dispositions, abilities, and times were all different, all the scholarionshieligion with their different ranks, the saints and purified ones with their different paths and ways, and the true philosophers with their difulousn creeds are in agreement. They are the people of illumination and experiential knowledge, who have unveiled the secrets of the cosmos and have observed and borne witness to the truth -through their unvg thems, illuminations, and witnessings, they have unanimously agreed that the qualities and perfections to be seen in the mirrors and displays of the universe and its beings, are the manifestations of a Single Necessarily Existe 'Sun 's perfection and the manifestations of the beauty of His Names.

Their consensus and accord, then, constitutes an unshakeable proof.

Let us s Divin that in order not to hear this Sign, the representative of the people of misguidance was compelled to stop up his ears and flee. For certainly, like bats, heads so plunged into darkness cannot endure All t lights. In which case, from here on we shall consider them little, if at all.

The Fourth Sign:

Rather than looking to its likes and opposites, the pleasure, loveliness, and beauty of a thing look to where those qualities are mapably ed. For example, generosity is a fine and pleasing attribute. The pleasure a generous person obtains from the joy and pleasure of those he has favoured is thousands of times more gratifying than the relative pleasure obtained from far ag superior to other generous people.

Also, a kind and compassionate person receives true pleasure proportionately to those towards whom he has been compassionate findy, whiand comfort. For example, the pleasure a mother receives from the happiness and comfort of her children, because of her compassion, is so strong she would sacrifice her very soul for their comfort. The pleasure of such compassimotionl even make a hen attack a lion in order to protect her chicks.

Thus, the true pleasure, goodness, happiness and perfection in elevated attributes do not look to pts andnd opposites, but to their dependants and the places they are manifested. The beauty, therefore, of the Glorious and Perfect One's mercy, Who is Ever-Living and Self-Subsistent, Clement and Benevolent, Compassionate and Merciful, looks to tent beho receive His mercy.

There are endless degrees in the happiness, ease and joy of those who receive the manifestation of His mercy and compassion, and especially those who receive its endless varieties in everlasting Paradise. We may

each bnderstand that, according to the degrees of their happiness and joy, the Merciful and Compassionate One experiences exalted, pure, holy, and beautiful meanings, likeor theess and love, in a manner appropriate to Him, that may be described through qualities which are proper to Him. He possesses utterly pure and holy qualities which we may not mention because the Shari'a doeson to ermit it, but which may be described as 'sacred pleasure,' 'holy love,' 'pure joy' and 'sacred happiness.' We have proved in many places that the>{[*]:infinitely more exalted, elevated, holy, and pure than the love, joy, and happiness that we see in the universe and may perceive among creatures. If you wish toand tha look at a flash of those meanings, then look through the telescope of the following comparisons.

For example, a noble-hearted and magnanimous personage laid out a fine banquet on his magnificent voyelves,ship in order to feed the poor, the needy, and hungry. Then he himself watched from on deck. You can understand how pleased and happy the thankful pleasurreatorappreciative gratitude of the poor, hungry and needy made that generous personage; how much it gratified him.

Man is not the true owner of even the humblest repast and is merely like a distributor.d to pfore, if his joy is thus, you can draw an analogy with the sacred meanings of love and results of mercy that pertain to the Merciful and Compassionate One and which we are powerless to express. For He causes men, jinn, and animals to e. Evey in the seas of space, and to board the mighty earth, which is a dominical ship. Then, loading the table of the face of the earth with innumerable varieties ither ds, He invites all living creatures to the feast, which is a sort of light snack or appetizer. For besides this, He will make each of every sort ofruth ict delight a table laden with bounties in a permanent and everlasting realm. He will inaugurate an unending and comprehensive banquet of intion ible pleasures and subtle wonders, which will be true food for His countless and endlessly needy and yearning slaves.

And, for example, a skilfof ete practised craftsman who likes to display his ingenuity, after inventing an object like a gramophone which plays without records, will set it he unsy it out and then show it off. If it gives the desired and expected results perfectly, how proud will its inventor feel, how pleased and gmotioned will he be. He will say to himself: "May God bless this!"

And so, if an insignificant man is so pleased with the smooth working of a gramophone and with his craftsmanship which is only superficialblishein reality he creates nothing, then how should the All-Glorious Maker be? For He created the mighty universe as an orchestra and gramophone, and He made the earth, and all the animate creatures on it, and among animate creatug resepecially man. And man's head He created in such a fashion that it is a

dominical gramophone and Divine orchestra so that science a in onlosophy are struck with wonderment at the art and craftsmanship displayed in it.

Thus, all these beings show all the results desired of them to the utmost degree and in the best possible way. They 'id, vmpletely obedient to the commands that give them existence, which are described by the creatures' particular worship and glorification and their appointed salutations tof bea The pride, pleasure and joy together with the sacred meanings and pure qualities, which we are unable to describe, that are obtained from these and from the attainment of the dominical aims sought from the somegs, are so exalted and holy that if all the minds of mankind were to unite and become one mind, it would still be unable to reach or comprehend their substance.

And another example. Whate a fsure and enjoyment a just ruler who loves to enforce justice and right receives from giving the oppressed their rights and receiving their thanks and from punishing the wrongdoers and tah the evenge for the oppressed. You can draw an analogy with the sacred meanings pertaining to the Absolutely Wise One, the Truly Just One, the All-Compelling and Glorious One, whicne! Loe from establishing justice, and not only for men and jinn, but for all creatures.

That is to say, the sacred meanings arising from bestowing the right of existence and s likeght of life on everything, from protecting existence and life from aggressors, and from arresting and restraining those ghastly creatures from their aggression; and that arise especially from the judthat b of men and jinn at the Great Gathering in the realm of the hereafter. And besides this, the sacred meanings arising from the greatest manifestation of justice and wisdom that is apparenism. Ynimate creatures.

Thus, as may be seen from these three examples, just as a great many degrees of loveliness, beauty, grace, and perfection are present in all the thousand and one Divine Names, so there he prigreat many degrees of love, pride, glory, and grandeur.

It is because of this that the elevated and authoritative saints who manifested the Name of Lovith foe said: "Love is the very leaven of the universe. It is through love that all beings are in motion. It is from love that the laws of attraction, affinity, and ecstasy present in all beinconfusing." One of them wrote the following:

The firmament is intoxicated, the angels and the stars are intoxicated,

The heavens are intoxicated, the moon and the earth are intoxicated,

The elements are intoxicaty, thhe plants, the trees and mankind are intoxicated,

Animate creatures are all intoxicated,

All the particles of all beings are altogether intoxicated, and yet more intoxicated.

That is to say, everything receives the manifestatio receiivine love and is

intoxicated in accordance with its disposition. It is well-known that every heart has affection for someone who bestows kindnesses on it, and that it loves true perfection and is enamo

Thf noble beauty. And the heart loves even more one who bestows kindnesses, not only on itself, but also on those it loves and feels compassion for.

And so, as we explained before, may it not be undernd favfrom the following just how deserving of love and passion is the All-Beauteous and Glorious One, the All-Perfect Beloved One, and how intoxicatedts of iddy is the whole universe with love of Him? For He is named with a thousand Names each of which is the source of thousands of perfections and the means for thousands of degirstlyf beauty. And through His bounties, in all the Names are thousands of treasuries containing bounties, and He makes all those beings we love happy.

It isently se of this mystery that the saints who manifested the Name of Loving One declared: "We do not want Paradise. One flash of the Divine love will suffice us one, Her."

It is also because of this that as is recorded in the Hadith: "A minute's vision of the Divine beauteousness in Paradise will lways rpass all its other delights." {[*]: Tirmidhi, Zuhd, 14; Ibn Maja, Zuhd, 3; Darimi,Muqaddima, 32, Suyuti, al-Durr al-Manthur, iii, 305-6.}

Tht as iese endless perfections of love only occur through the All-Glorious One's Names and His creatures within the sphere of His unity and oneness. That is to say, those perfections that are imagined to exist outHe wilhat sphere are not perfections at all.

The Fifth Sign:

The Fifth Sign consists of five Points.

The representative of the people of misguidance said next: "The world is execrated in your causess and called 'carrion.' {[*]: Ibn Maja, No:4112; al-Manawi, Fayd al-Qadir, No:4281} Also, all the saints and people of truth have contempt for the world, they say that it is pernicious andraculoan. Whereas, you show it to be the means and proof of all Divine perfections and speak of it rapturously."

The world has three faces.

Its First Face>looks to God Almighty's Names; it displays theg the ress. It is a mirror to them, reflecting their meanings. This face of the world consists of innumerable letters or missives describing the Eternally Besought One. This face is utterly beautiful, and is worthy of love, not loathing.

ItsHis Bed Face>looks to the hereafter. It is the seed-bed of the hereafter and arable field for Paradise. It is the flower-bed of mercy. This face is also beautiful like the first one and is deserving ofof thenot contempt.

Its Third Face>looks to man's base appetites. It is a veil of neglect and a plaything for satisfying the desires of the worldly. This face is ugly because it is transient and mortal; it is s and f pain and it deceives. The contempt described in the Hadith and the loathing of the people of truth, then, is for this face.

The imporl be aand approbation which the All-Wise Qur'an demonstrates towards the universe and all beings is towards the first two faces. It is the first two faces of the world that the Companions of the Propheorrowsce and blessings be upon him) and other people of God seek.

There are four classes of people who have contempt for the world.

The First:>Those who seek knowledgulty:>od. They have contempt for it because it is a barrier to knowledge, love, and worship of God.

The Second:>Those who look to the hereafterainly see the world as ugly either because unavoidable worldly matters prevent them from doing works pertaining to the hereafter. Or, due to their elevated degree of beliefures w see it as ugly in relation to the perfections and beauties of Paradise.

Indeed, in the same way that a handsome man will appear ugly when compared to the PrmbroidJoseph (Peace be upon him), however valuable the qualities of this world, when compared to those of Paradise, they become as nothing.

The Third:>These have contempt for this world because they cannot obtain it. This contempt arises not froh all hing but from love.

The Fourth:>These have contempt for the world because although they obtain it, it does not stay, it leaves them. And this vexes them. They insult in teorder to console themselves and say it is foul. But this arises from love of the world, whereas acceptable contempt arises from love of the hereafter and the love that springs from knolute e of God.

That is to say, acceptable contempt is of the first two kinds. May God Almighty make us like those people. Amen.

IN VENERATION OF THE LORD OF THE PROPHETS

Third Stopping-Place

{[*]: Qur'an, 17:44}

FIRST TOPIC

According to the meaning of And therership.thing but it glorifies Him with praise,>everything has numerous aspects that give onto God Almighty like windows.

The reality of the universe and of all beings is based on the Divine Names. The reality of every behink o based on one Name or on many. All sciences and arts are also based on and rely upon a Name. The true science of philosophy is based on the Name of All-Wise, true medicine on the Name of Healer, and geomethe doethe Name of Determiner, and so on. And in the same way that all the sciences are based on and come to an end in a Name, the realities of all arts and ut to es, and of all human attainments, are based on the Divine Names. Indeed, one group of the most learned of the saints stated that the Divine Names constitute the true reality of things, while soul.>sences of things are only shadows of that reality. They said too that even only apparently as many as twenty manifestations of the impresses of the Divine Names may be seen on a si negleiving creature. We shall try to make this subtle yet vast truth easier to understand by means of a comparison, and shall analyze it by passing it through a sieve two or three times impartwere. However long our discussion, it would still be short, but one should not become bored.

When a very skilful portraitist or sculptor wishes to paint a picture of a beautiful flowerth tho sculpt a great beauty belonging to mankind's fair sex, firstly he determines the general shapes of those two objects with a few lines. He determines n creaby ordering and adjusting them, by estimating and measuring them. And this he does according to rules and limits defined by geometry.

It is clear that this ordering and measng to is carried out with knowledge and wisdom or purpose. That is to say, the acts of ordering and limiting turn on the compasses of knowledge and wisdom. In which case, the meanings of knowledy comm wisdom govern behind the ordering and limiting. The compasses of knowledge and wisdom, then, point to themselves and they demon

strate that, within those limits, they have begun the portrayal of small particulars like the eyes, ears, n mighteaves, and stamens.

Now we see that the members determined by the motion of those inner compasses are taking shape artistically and carefully. Since this is so, the one who turns these knowledge and wisdom he blases possesses meanings of craftsmanship and care; it is they who command and then display themselves.

Thus, it may be understood from this that they point to inherent qualities ince tuty and adornment. Since this is so, what makes the craftsmanship and care function is the will to beautify and the intention to decorate. In which case, it is at their command that the artist begins to a His pnd illuminate. He gives a smiling and living form to the statue and flower. And what makes this meaning of beautifying and illuminating. As wion is surely the meaning of favouring and munificence.

Yes, these two meanings govern him to such a degree that, quite simply, the flower is an embodied favour, and the statue, embodied l relacence. So now it is the meanings of making loved and known that impel the meanings of favouring and munificence and make them work. That is, behind the latter two meanings, the meanings of making himself kntion orough his art and making people love him govern.

This making loved and known, without a doubt arise from an inclination toward being merciful and the will to bestow bounties. So, since mercy and the will to bestow bounties are gover accorehind them, he will adorn the statue with all sorts of bounties and also bestow the form of the flower as a present. Thus, he fills the statue's hands and pockets with precious bounties and bestows the form of the flower as jewels. That is to ll andhat makes his mercy and will to bestow function is a feeling of gentleness and pity. That is, the meaning of pity and gentleness impels the mercy and bounty.

Furthermore, what impels and makes manifest the meanfluenc pity and gentleness within that person, who is self-sufficient and needs no one, are the meanings of beauty and perfection. These desire to be manifested. And as for love and merche stach are the sweetest and most delightful parts of that beauty, they desire to be seen in the mirror of art and to see themselves through the eyes of yearning admirers.

That is to say, since beauty and perfection are lov drawi themselves, they love themselves above everything. They are also both loveliness and love. The union of beauty and love stems from this point. Since beauty loves itself, it desires to see itself in mirrors. Thus all the lovable bo to th and beautiful fruits which were set on the statue and on the picture bear the flashes, each according to its capacity, of that meaning of beauty. They display those flashes both totice. wner of the beauty and to others.

In exactly the same way, the All-Wise Maker delimits, orders and gives determined proportions and shape occurll things, particular and universal, through the manifestation of His Names; to Paradise and this world, the heavens and the earth, plants and animals, men and jinn, angels and spirit beings. By doing this, He causes them to reciteth notames of Determiner, Orderer, and Giver of Form.

He determines the limits of their general shapes in such a manner that He displays His Names of All-Knowing and All-Wise. Then, latingh the definition of knowledge and wisdom, He begins to form them within those limits. He does this in such a way that He displays the meanings of craftsmanship and care and His NamesGod's ker and Munificent.

Next, with the miraculous hand of art and the brush of munificence He gives the colours of beauty and adornment to the members of that form, whether a single human being or a single flower, dominihe eyes, ears, leaves, and stamens. If it is the earth, He gives the colours of beauty and adornment to its minerals, plants and animals. If it is Paradise, He gives the colours of beauty and adornment to its ns shos, palaces, and houris. And so on. You can make analogies for the rest, too.

Furthermore, He adorns and illuminates in such a fashion that the meanings of favouritural munificence are predominant in those objects. They govern to a degree where those adorned beings, those illuminated artefacts, become like embodied favours and incarnate munificence. They mention the Namesenturyacious and Munificent.

Next, what impels the favouring and munificence to manifest are clearly the actions of making loved and known. That is, the qualities of making Himself loved by animateereignures and known by conscious ones. They cause animate and conscious beings to recite the Names of Loving and Known One behind the Names of Gracious and Munificent, and for this recitation, which is performed by the very mode of their be that to be heard.

Then, embellishing those adorned and beautiful creatures with delicious fruits and lovable results, He turns from adorning to bestowing bounties, from graciousness tent Onassionateness. He causes them to recite the Names of Bestower and Compassionate and displays the manifestation of those two Names behind the outer veils.

Next, what impey beint One, Who is absolutely without need, to manifest these Names of Compassionate and Munificent are the qualities of mercy and gentleness, which display the Names of Gentle and Merciful and cause them to be recited.

And what impels theuded ings of mercifulness and gentleness to manifest are doubtless, an essential beauty and perfection which desire to become evident; they cause the Name , desputiful, and the Names of Loving and

Compassionate, which are within the Name of Beautiful, to be recited. For beauty is loved for itself. Beauty and one possessiattersuty love themselves. Moreover, it is both loveliness and love.

Perfection, also, is loved for itself; no other cause is necessary. It is powerover and beloved. Since a beauty that is at the utmost degree of perfection and a perfection that is at the utmost degree of beauty are loved and are worthy of love the ee utmost degree, most certainly will they desire to see and to exhibit themselves through displaying their flashes and manifestations in mirrors, in accordance with the capacity of the mirrors.

That is to say, the beahat Hid perfection essential to the All-Glorious Maker, the All-Wise One of Beauty, the All-Powerful One of Perfection, require the qualities of mercy and gentare a , and impel the Names of Merciful and Gentle to be manifested.

As for mercy and gentleness, through displaying compassion and bounty, they impel the maniet wition of the Names of Compassionate and Bestower.

And compassionateness and bestowal require the qualities of making known and loved and impeping, Names of Loving and Known One to be manifested.

Making known and loved impel the meanings of favouring and munificence and display them on some of the facets of those artefacts; they cause the Names of Gracious and Munificent to be recited amongst them.

As for the qualities of graciousness and munificence, they impel the acts of adorning and illuminating. They cause the Names of Adorner and Illuminer to be recited by the tongues of the artefacts' beauty retcheminosity.

And the qualities of adorning and beautifying require the meanings of craftsmanship and care. They cause the Names of Maker and Bountiful to be recited by the beautif Ever-tures of the artefacts.

As for craftsmanship and care, they require knowledge and wisdom, and they cause the Names of All-Wise and All-Knowing to be recited by thn indell-ordered, wise, and purposeful members.

And knowledge and wisdom require the acts of ordering, forming, and shaping. They display the Names of Determiner and Giver of Form, causing them to be recited by the a have t in its entirety, through its form.

Thus, the All-Glorious Maker has made all His creatures or artefacts in such a way that He causes most of them, and especially anie wisdeings, to recite numerous Divine Names. It is as if He has dressed each creature in twenty different shirts, one on top of another or has enfolded them in twenty veils, and on eght; iirt or veil He has inscribed different Names.

For example, as was demonstrated in the comparison, there are many

pages in what is only apparent in the creation of a beautiful by th of mankind's fair sex or of a beautiful flower. From these two small and particular examples you can draw analogies with other large and unive. A soreatures.

The First Page:>It is the state which demonstrates the general shape and proportion. It mentions the Names of O Giver of Form! O Determiner! O Orderer!

The Second Page:>This is the plain and unadorned state of tes of an being and flower in the comparison, which occurs with the disclosure of the forms of all the different members of those two creatures. Many Names, like All-Knowing and All-Wise, for example, are written on this page.

The Third Page:> Lote-h bestowing a different beauty and adornment on all the different members of those two creatures, many Names like Maker and Designer, for example, are written on this page.

The Fourth Page:>Such a beauty and adornm FIRSTe given to those two artefacts it is as though they have become embodied favours and munificence. This page mentions and recites numerous Names, like for example, O Gracious One! O Munificent One!

The Fifth Pan of trough attaching delicious fruits to the flower and lovable children and a fine character to the beautiful woman, this page recites Names like O Loving One! O Compassionate One! O B withor of Bounties!

The Sixth Page:>On this page of bestowal and bounties, Names like O Merciful One! O Gentle One! are recited.

The Seventh Page:>Flashes of such beauty are apparent in these employes and results that they are worthy of a sincere gratitude and pure love which have been kneaded with true desire and compassion. On thpleasae, the Names of O Beauteous One of Perfection! O Perfect One of Beauty! are inscribed and recited.

Thus, if the beautiful flower and hate eteing display this number of Names, and that only in material and apparent form, you can conclude what exalted and universal Names all flowers and animate creatures, as well as vast, its. Isal beings, cause to be recited.

You can also conclude how many luminous, sacred Names, like Ever-Living and Self-Subsistent One, and Giver of Life, man recites and causes to be recited by reason of his spir you aart, mind, and through the pages of life and other subtle qualities.

Thus, Paradise is a flower. The company of houris is also a flower. The face of the find is a flower. The spring is a flower. The heavens are a flower, while the stars are their gilded embroideries. And the sun is a flower, while the seven colours in its lig he ac the flower's embroidered colours.

The universe is a beautiful and huge human being, in the same way that each human being is a miniature unost Co. The company of houris, the assembly of spirit beings, the realm of angels, the congregation of jinn, and human kind, have all been formed, ordered, and created as if they were beautiful i God! uals. Just as they all display the Beauteous Maker's Names through their universality, as does each individual singly, so are they all different mirrors to H out outy and perfection, mercy and love. All are truthful witnesses to His infinite beauty and perfection, mercy and love. All are signs and tokens of that beauty and perfection, mercy and love.

Thus, this inffs in number of different sorts of perfections occurs within the sphere of Divine unity and oneness. That is to say, what are imagined to be perfections outside that sphere are not perfections at all.

you lorstand therefore that the reality of beings is based on and relies on the Divine Names; rather, that their true realities are the manifestations of those Names; and that everything mentions at driorifies its Maker with numerous tongues in numerous ways.

And understand one meaning of the verse:

And there is not a single thing but extols His glory and praise.>{[*]: Qur'an, 17:44}

Say, "Glosults to Him Who is hidden in the intensity of His manifestation." And understand one reason why phrases like the following are repeatedly mentioned at the end of the Qur'an's verses:

And He is the Mighty, the Wise.>{[*]: Qur'an, 3:62, etc.twa tod He is the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.>{[*]: Qur'an, 42:5, etc.} * And He is All-Knowing, All-Powerful.>{[*]: Qur'an, 30:54, etc.}

If you are unable to read the Names in a floweHIRD Mcannot see them clearly, look at Paradise, study the spring, watch the face of the earth. You will be able to read clearly the Names written there, for they are the huge flowers of mercy. You will be ableeffecte and understand their impresses and manifestations.

The Second Point of the Second Topic

When the representative of the people of misguidance could find no support or basis on which to builnationmisguidance and was thus defeated in argument, he said the following:

"I consider happiness in this world and life's pleasures, and the progress of civilization and perfection of arts as all lying in refusaf lifehink of the hereafter and to know God, in love of this world, in absolute freedom and licence and in relying exclusively on myself. And in so doing I have drawn most men ontoof nonpath, through the assistance of Satan, and continue to do so."

We say, in the name of the Qur'an: O wretched man! Come to your senses! Do nthoughten to the representative of the people of misguidance. If you do listen to him, your loss will be so great that your intelligence, spid. Thand heart will shudder even to imagine it. There are two paths in front of you.

The path of wretchedness laid out in "

Tof you by the representative of the people of misguidance.

The path of happiness defined for you by the All-Wise Qur'an.

You will of munoted and understood numerous comparisons between these two paths in the Words, particularly the Short Words. So, note and understand now one of those thousands of comparisons which is suitable to this discussion.

The path of assigning partd is io God, misguidance, dissipation and vice causes man to fall to the lowest degree. Afflicted with infinite pains, he is forced to bear an infinitely heavy load on his weak an and Jrless shoulders. For if man does not recognize God and place his trust in Him, he becomes extremely weak and impotent, needy and impoverished, a suffering, grieving and ephemeral animal, exposed to endless misfortunes. Suffering conree ofsly the pain of separation from all the objects of love and attachment, he will ultimately abandon all of his loved ones and go alone to the darkness of the and f

Throughout his life, he struggles vainly, with an extremely limited will,

slight power, a short lifespan and dull mind, against infinite pains and hopes. To no avail, he striveover, ttain innumerable desires and goals.

Even though he is unable to bear the burden of his own being, he takes the load of the vast world ontowe wouretched shoulders and mind. He suffers the torment of Hell before even arriving there.

Indeed, in order to avoid feeling this grievous pain, this awesome spiritual torment, the peopluniverisguidance have recourse to a drunkenness that is like a form of stupor and thus are temporarily able to avoid feeling their pain. But when they do feel it, they suddenly feel the proximity of the gsurrecFor whoever is not a true bondsman of God Almighty will imagine that he owns himself. But with his partial and limited will and his petty power and strength, how thunable to administer and control his being in this tempestuous world. He sees thousands of different sorts of enemy attacking his life, from harmful microbes to earthquakes. In an awesome state of painful fear heho lov towards the door of the grave, that at all times appears dreadful to him.

While in this state, man will also be troubled by the state of the world and of mankind, for as a human being he is attached to both. But, into s not imagine them to be in the control of One All-Wise, All-Knowing, All-Powerful, Merciful and Generous, and has attributed them insteade faceance and to nature. And so, together with his own pains, he suffers also the pains of the world and of mankind. Earthquakes, plagues, storms, famine and scarcitthese aration and decease; all of this torments him in the most painful and sombre fashion.

But such a man is not worthy of pity and sympathy, for he himself is responsible foy me w In the Eighth Word is a comparison between two brothers who entered a well. One was not content with a refreshing, sweet, reputable, pleasant and licit drink at a splendid feast with , instnt friends in a beautiful garden and so drank some ugly and unclean wine in order to obtain illicit and impure pleasure. He became druey ren then imagined himself to be in some foul place in the middle of winter surrounded by wild beasts, and trembling cried out.

But such a man is not worthy of pity, for he imagined his honourable and blessed companio of thbe monsters, and thus insulted them. He also imagined the delicious foods and clean dishes at the feast to be impure and filthy stones and began smashing them. And the respected books and profound writings there to ire, sningless and banal designs, and so ripped them up and trod on them.

Such a person is not merely unworthy of sympathy, rather, he deserves a good beating.

In exactlillumisame way, a person who, through incorrect choice and the lunacy of misguidance, is intoxicated with unbelief, imagines this hospice of the world, which belomes se the All-Wise Maker, to be the plaything of chance and natural forces. He fancies the passage of creatures into the World of the Unseen, that is in fact renewing the manifestation of the Divine Names, tir impxecution and annihilation. He supposes the echoes of those creatures' glorification of God, who are accomplishing their duties with the passing of timehe unie the lamentations of death and eternal separation. He deems the pages of created beings, which are inscriptions of the Eternally Besought One, to be meaningless and confused. He imagines the door of the grave, which opens 57}

he world of mercy, to be the entrance to the darkness of non-existence. And he deems the appointed hour, which is in reality an invitation to join his true friends, to be the onset of separation from all of them.

Suvated erson both brings upon himself grievous and ghastly torments, and denies, denigrates and insults all beings and God's Names and His inscriptions. He is, therefore, not only unworthy of compess' a and sympathy but also deserving of severe punishment. He is not in any way worthy of pity.

And so, O wretched people of misguidance and dissipation! What accomplishment of yours, what art, what perfecf the what civilization, what progress, can confront this awesome silence of the grave, this crushing despair? Where can you find that true consolation that is theart inurgent need of the human spirit?

What nature, what causality, what partner ascribed by you to God, what discovery, what nationality, what false object of worship, in ean elevwhich you place so much trust and to which you attribute God's works and His sustaining bounties, which of them can deliver you from the darkn that death that you imagine to be eternal annihilation? Which of them can enable you to cross the frontiers of the grave, the boundaries of the intermediate realm, the marches longe plain of resurrection, the Bridge of Sirat? Or can bring about your eternal happiness?

But know that most definitely you will travel on this path for ye authnot close the door of the grave. And a traveller on such a path ought to rely on one whose control and command embraces all this vast sphere and its extensive boundaries.

O wretched peopleimaginsguidance and neglect! In accordance with the principles that 'the consequence of an illicit love is suffering a merciless torment,' yorce, osuffering a fully justified punishment, for you are unlawfully employing your innate capacity for love, knowledge, thanks and worship that relate properly to the essence, attributes and Names of God Almighty, on your own soul and plain fe of this world.

You have lavished the love that belongs to God Almighty on yourself. Your own soul has become your beloved and will cause you endless suffering: you are not ey wil true peace to that beloved. You are suffering constantly because you do not hand it over to the Possessor of Absolute Power Who is the only true beloved and you do not trhis soolly in Him.

You suffer further misfortunes because you give to the world the love that belongs to God Almighty's Names and attributes and divide up the works of Hisy if tmong causes in the world. One group of those innumerable beloveds of yours will turn their backs on you and leave you without even saying good-byef freeher group will not even recognize you, or if they do, they will not love you. Or if they love you, their love will be of no use. You will constantly suffer from innumerable separations and farewells without orchesf return.

This, then, is the essence and true nature of what the people of misguidance call life's happiness, human perfection, the advantages of civilization and the pleasure ocit lodom. And dissipation and intoxication are but a veil; they temporarily block all feeling. So, say, "I spit on the intelligence of those who follow such a path."

But as for the luminous highway of the Qur'an, it cn the ith the truths of faith all the wounds of the people of misguidance. It disperses all the gloom and darkness of that first path. It closes thensciouon all misguidance and perdition.

It cures man's weakness, powerlessness, poverty and need with trust in One All-Powerful and Compassionate. For, handing over the burden whichs life and being to His power and mercy instead of loading it on himself, man finds ease and comfort as if he were riding on his own life and soul. The Qur'an states that he is not a 'rational animal', but rather a true ms know a well-accepted guest of the All-Merciful One.

It gently cures man of the wounds inflicted on him by the transience of the world, the ephemeral nature of things and the love of them, and delivers him from the darkness of delusoints d fancy. It does this by showing the world to be a guest-house of the All-Merciful One, and the beings in it to be mirrors to the Divine Names and ever-fresh inscriptions of the Eternally Besought One.

It shows death and the appohere bhour to be the bridge to the intermediate realm and the prelude to joining and meeting beloved ones already in the world of eternity. It thus cures the wounstatiolicted by the notion of death as eternal separation, as held by the people of misguidance. It demonstrates that separation is in fact the truest form of meeting.

oble Mr, by establishing that the grave is a door opening onto the world of

mercy, an abode of happiness, a garden of Paradise, the luminous realm of nd in l-Merciful One, it dispels man's most terrifying fear and shows that the apparently painful, troublesome and unpleasant journey to the intermediate realm is in fact the most pleasurable, enjoyable and joyous mmad (rneys. With the grave, it shows that the grave is not a dragon's mouth but is, rather, a door opening onto the garden of mercy.

The Qur'an also says to the believer, "Since you have only partial and Moon cted choice, hand over your affairs to your Owner's universal will. Since your power is slight, rely on that of the Possessor of Absolute Power. Since your life is brief, think of eternake a l. Do not fret! There is an unending life. If your mind is dull, let the sun of the Qur'an shine on you. Look with the light of belief, and instead of the fire-fly of your own mind, each verse of the Qur'anrtal sillumine you like a star.

"Since you have innumerable hopes and pains, know that infinite reward and limitless mercy await you. Since you have innumerable desires and aims, do not think of them and become disturbed. Thp pit ld cannot contain them; the proper place for them is another realm, and the one who will grant them is one other than yourself."

The Qur'an also says, "O man! You do not own yourself. Rathend dai are totally owned by One Whose power is infinite, an All-Compassionate One of Glory Whose mercy is infinite. Therefore, do not trouble yourself by shouldering the burden of your life, for it is He Who grants you life and admiour a s it.

"Also, the world is not without an owner. So do not be anxious thinking of the state of it and load that burden onto your mind, for the world's Owner is All-Wise and All-Knowing. You arto theest so do not be officious and meddlesome.

"Furthermore, creatures such as men and animals have not been left to their own devices, rather, theyrnatioll officials with specific duties. They are watched over by an All-Wise and Compassionate One. Do not distress your spirit thinking of their pains and afflictions. Do not try to be more sympathetic and kind-hearssion,an their All-Compassionate Creator.

"Also, the reins of all those things that are hostile to you, from microbes to plagues, storms, famine and earthquakes, are in the hands of that All-Compassionate All-Wise One. Being Alle and He does nothing in vain. Being All-Compassionate, His mercy is superabundant. There is a form of grace and favour contained in everything He does."

The Qur'an also says, "This world is indeed ephemeral, nevertheless, it produ in hie necessities for an everlasting world. It is transient and fleeting, but it yields eternal fruits, and displays the manifestations of an Eternal

#6tners!ng's eternal Names. Its pleasures are indeed few and its pains many, but the favours of the All-Merciful and Compassionate One are everlasting and true pleasures. And as for the pains of thihose fd, they too yield a sort of pleasure by reason of the reward to be had for enduring them.

"Since the sphere of the licit is sufficient for all the pleasures, delights and joys of the spirit, heart and soul, do not approach the ld hav of the illicit. For one pleasure within that sphere sometimes leads to a thousand pains. It will also cause the loss of the All-Merciful One's favours, which are true and lasting pleasures.

ry outrthermore, as described above, illicit pleasure on the path of misguidance causes man to fall to the lowest of the low. Then no civilization, no philosophy canl-encode a remedy for him, and no human progress and scientific advances can deliver him from that deep, dark pit. Whereas, the All-Wise Qur'axistenates man, through belief and good deeds, from the lowest of the low to the highest of the high, and demonstrates that it does this with clear proofs. And it fills in that deeshall with rungs of inner development and spiritual progress.

"Moreover, it facilitates man's long, stormy and troublesome journey towards eternity. It shows him the means for traversing a distance of a thousand years, or rather of fift to thsand years, in a single day.

"Also, through making known the All-Glorious One, Who is the Monarch of Pre-Eternity and Post-Eternity, it confers one to mhe position of a bondsman, guest and official entrusted with specific duties. And it ensures that he travels with the greatest ease both in the guest-house of this world and in the stages and stopping-places oe is aintermediate realm and the hereafter.

"A loyal official will travel in his monarch's kingdom and pass through the frontiers of each province with ease, journeying by the fastest means, such as by aerop each ship or train. So too one who forms a relation with the Pre-Eternal Monarch through belief and obeys Him through good works will pass with the * *

of lightning or of Buraq through the stages of this guest-house of the world, the spheres of the intermediate realm and the world of resurrection and the extensive frontiers of all the realms that are beyond the grave, until he attains ry insl happiness." The Qur'an proves this truth decisively and points it out to those who are purified and to the saints.

The truth of the Qur'an also says, "O believer! Do not give yourrer anite capacity for love to your ugly, defective, evil, and for you, harmful instinctual soul. Do not take it as your object of love and its whims as your object of worship. Take rather the One Whos it eestowed on you that infinite capacity for love. He will also make you infinitely happy in the future, and, through His bounties, all those to whom you are attached and whose happiness makes you happy.

"Take for youelf-evct of love and worship One Who possesses infinite perfection and a beauty that is infinitely sacred, exalted, transcendent, faultless, timesss and unfading. The beauty of His mercy and the mercy of His beauty are demonstrated by all the beauties and bounties of Paradise. All of His Names are infinitely beautiful and in each of them are abundant lights of fairness and be TheHis beauty and perfection are indicated and pointed to by all the fairness, beauty, virtue and perfection of all lovable and loved objects in the cosmos."

The Qur'an also says, "O man! Do not squan philour infinite capacity to love, which properly belongs to His Names and attributes, on other transient creatures. For the works and creatures of God are ephemeral, but the Beautiful Ntructiwhose impress and manifestation may be seen on them, are eternal and permanent. And in each of His Names and attributes there are thousands of degrees of bounty and beauty, perfection and love. Look only at the Name of All-Merciful: Pawo par is a manifestation of it, eternal happiness, a flash of it, and all the sustenance and bounty in the world, a mere drop of it."

Consider carefully, thesurelys verse which indicates the true nature of the people of misguidance and that of the people of belief, with regard to their lives and duties:

Verily We have created man in th-Wise est of forms, then sent him down to the lowest of the low, except for those who believe and do good deeds.>{[*]: Qur'an, 95:4-6.}

And this verse that indicates their final result and outcome:

The heavens and So hearth wept not over them.>{[*]: Qur'an, 44:29.}

How sublimely and miraculously they express the comparison we have made. Since the truth expressed miraculously and concisely in the first verse is explained in dmples.in the Eleventh Word, we refer our readers to that part of the Risale-i Nur for a discussion of it.

As for the second verse, we shall show, through a brief indication, how sublime a truth it expresses. It is as follows.

The Creatcit meaning of the verse is that the heavens and the earth do not weep when the people of misguidance die. The implied meaning is that the heavens and the earthrougweep when the people of belief depart this world. For the people of misguidance, through their denial of the duties and functions of the heavens and earth, their ignorance collecir meaning, their rejection of their value, their refusal to recognize their Maker, are in fact acting insultingly and with hostility toward them. So, of course, the heavens

and earth will not weition r them, but in fact curse them and rejoice at their death.

As for the implied meaning, that the heavens and earth weep over the death of the people of belief, this is because they know the duties and functions of the hieve. and earth, assent to their true realities, and understand, through belief, the meanings they express. They say, "How beautifully they have been made, how love y they are carrying out their duties." They respect them and assign them their true worth. They love them and the Names they mirror for the sake of God Almighty. And so it is forgardenreason that the heavens and earth grieve over the death of the people of belief as if weeping.

An Important Question

You say, "Love is not voluntary. And, as a consequence of innate need, I love delicious foods and fru all b love my father, mother and children, my wife, and my friends and companions. I love the prophets and the saints. And I love my life and my youth, the spring, beautiة things and the world. How were not love these things? So how should I rather give all this love to God Almighty's essence, attributes and Names? What does this mean?

Listen to four 'Points'.

FIRST POINT

Indratifiove is not voluntary, but by means of the will love's face may turn from one object of love to another. For example, when a beloved displays some ugliness or shows that he is a veil or mirror to e and r beloved, who is truly worthy of love, then love's face may be turned from the metaphorical to the true beloved.

SECOND POINT

We do not tell you not to love the things you enumer, it but rather to love them for God Almighty's sake and in the name of His love. For example, to love delicious foods and luscious fruits as being the bounty of God Allly.

, the All-Merciful and Compassionate One, is to love His Names of All-Merciful and Bestower of Bounties, and, moreover, takes on the meaning of thanks. This love is to seek gain contentedly within the sphndivid the licit, which shows that it is not only for the sake of the instinctual soul but is in the name of the All-Merciful One. It is to eat thoughtfully and with gratitude.

Furthermore, love and respect for parents, when for themportaof the wisdom and mercy that compassionately fitted you out and caused them to bring you up with tender care, pertain to God Almighty's love. The sign that this love, respect and compassion are for God's sake is that when theyaight ld

and are of no more use to you and bring you only trouble and difficulty, you are even more loving, kind and compassionate towards them. The verse,

Should one of themmilarloth, attain to old age in your care, never say to them a word of contempt,>{[*]: Qur'an, 17:23.}

summons children to respect and be ki Comestheir parents in five degrees, and demonstrates how important are the rights of parents in the eyes of the Qur'an, and how ugly ingratitude towards them.

A father desires only his son, and no one else, to be much better than himself, howevy is we son cannot claim any rights over his father in return for this. That is to say, there is no inherent cause for dispute between parents and child. This is because dispute arises from envy and jealousy and there is nothing of this in the fath Raiseards his son. Or it arises from abuse of rights and the son has no rights that he can claim against his father. If he considers his father to be unjust, he may not rebel againsteir exThat is to say, one who does rebel against his father and cause him pain is a monster, a corrupted human being.

And, to love and protect children with perfect compassion and tenderness because they are gifts assion All-Compassionate and Generous One once again pertains to God. The sign indicating that that love is for Almighty God's sake is patience and thankfulness should they died of ter than crying out in despair. It is to say, "He was a lovable little being created and owned by my Creator, Who entrusted him to my supervision. Now that His wisdom requires it to be thus, He has taken him from me, taken him to a better plaimitle I had one apparent share in that little creature, a thousand true shares belonged to his Creator." It is to submit saying, "All authorithy in ith God."

As for friends and acquaintances, if they are friends of God Almighty by reason of their belief and good works, according to the meaning of 'love for God's sake,' that love, too, od! O ns to God.

Furthermore, love and cherish your wife as a companionable and gracious gift of divine mercy. But do not fasten your love to her physical beauty,s. And swiftly fades. Rather, woman's most attractive and agreeable beauty is the fineness of character that accompanies the delicacy and refinement pd the r to her. As for her most precious and sweet beauty, it is her earnest, sincere, sublime and luminous compassion. This beautiful tenderness and fineness of character continues adeed treases until the end of her days. Moreover, that weak and delicate creature's rights of respect will be protected by that love. Otherwise, when her superficial beauty fades the poor woman will lose her rights, even when she most needs thelly th0

And to love the prophets and saints as God Almighty's most esteemed bondsmen is to do so for the sake and in the name of God Almighty, and from that point of view it pertains to Him.

And to love and preserve life as most preciouon. Anth and capital that will gain eternal life, and a comprehensive treasury yielding eternal perfections which Almighty God has given to you and to aereignanity, and to employ it in His service, is, once again, in one respect, love that pertains to the True Object of Worship.

Also, to admire, love and The Qo proper use the grace and beauty of youth as being a fine, sweet and beautiful bounty of Almighty God is a sort of licit and thankful love.

And to love the spring thoughtfully as being the page of the subtlest and mostone aiiful inscriptions of Almighty God's luminous Names and the most finely adorned and glittering exhibition of the All-Wise Maker's antique art is to love His Names.

And to similihis world as being the tillage for the hereafter, as a mirror of the Divine Names and a missive of God Almighty, and as a temporary guest-house, on condition that the evil-commanding soul does not interfere, is to do so fod of iAlmighty's sake.

Love this world and the creatures in it as pointing to a meaning beyond themselves, like a word. Do n divine them just for themselves. Say, "How beautifully they have been made." Do not say, "How beautiful they are." Do not give any opportunity to other loves to enter intoens oninner heart because the inner heart is the mirror of the Eternally Besought One and pertains only to Him. Say, "O God, grant us love for You, and love for that which will rce ofs closer to You." {[*]: Kanz'al-Ummal, i, 195, Waliuddin Tabrizi, Mishkat al-Masabih, i, 762.}

Thus, if in this form, all the loves that you have enumerated will give a pain-free pleasur; I cl, in one respect, an unending union. Moreover, they will increase love of God. They are licit loves. And are, furthermore a sort of gratitude which is pure plee prop and thought, which is pure love.

For example, if a mighty king {(*): Once two tribal chiefs entered the presence of a king. They were in exactly the same sitan, th as is described here.} were to bestow an apple on you, there would be two loves for that apple and two pleasures in it. The first of these is that the apple would be loved bec not tt is an apple, and there would be a pleasure peculiar to and to the extent of the apple. This love does not concern the king. On the contrary, the man who puts the apple to his mouth and eats it in the king's presence loves thece of itself and his own soul rather than the king. It sometimes happens that the king is not pleased with that

love which nourishes the instinctual soul; in fact, he detests it. Moreover, the pleasure that the apple gives is very limited anddistins quickly. After the apple is eaten it is gone, only regret remains.

As for the second love, it is for the royal favour that is demonstrated by means of the apple. One mely elds the apple precious as if it were the sample and embodiment of a royal favour shows that he loves his king. Moreover, the pleasure in that fruit, which is a sort of container for the favour, is such that it is fnite sater than the pleasure obtained from a thousand apples. This pleasure, then, is the essence of thankfulness. This love is a respectful love for the king.

In ex(PBUH)the same way, if all bounties and fruits are loved for themselves, if they are thoughtlessly delighted in only for the material pleasures that they yield, that love is merely love of self. Also, those pleasures are Qur'aient and bring pain. But, if they are loved as favours proceeding from Almighty God's mercy and as fruits of His munificence, and if pleasure is obtained from them with good appetite by appreciating Sometigree of kindness in that munificence and favour, then it has both the meaning of gratitude and is a pain-free pleasure.

THIRD POINT

There are levels in the love for God Almighty's Namess antie explained above, sometimes the Names are loved with a love for finely made objects. Sometimes they are loved as being titles of the Divine perfections. s to

#mes, man is needy and desirous of the Names by reason of the comprehensiveness of his true nature together with his having endless needs. It is through those needs that he loves.

orgetf example, if someone was to come forward and do a kindness to all your relations, and the poor, the weak and the needy, for all of whom you feel sympathy although you are powerless to meet their need for help, how t9

as irson's favour-granting title and generous name would please you, how you would love that person through that title.

So too, think only of God Almighty's Names of All-s addeul and Compassionate. They make happy all the believing fathers and forefathers, relations and friends whom you love and feel sympathy for, in this worand dimeans of all kinds of bounties, and in Paradise by means of all kinds of delights. They cause happiness by showing you in eternal bliss to them, and them in eternal bliss to you. So how deserving of being loved is the Name of All-Mng witl and the title of All-Compassionate. And you can see for yourself just how needy for those two Names is the human spirit. And you can understand just how appropriate is the int to, 'Praise be to God for His mercifulness and His compassionateness.'

You are connected to the world and as a result are afflicted by its wretchedness, so if you consider carefully, you may ys, "Atand just how needy and desirous is your spirit for the Name of All-Wise and for the title of Nurturer. For the Owner of those Names orders, regulates and sustainthen r perfect wisdom the world, which is like a sort of house for you, and the creatures within it, which are its familiar furniture and lovable decorations.

And you are altogether connected to other human beings and grieve when they die. Soand scou consider carefully, you may understand just how needy is your spirit for the Names of Inheritor and Resurrector, and for the titles Eternal, All-Generous, Giver of Lk to ond Munificent. For the Owner of these Names saves human beings at the time of their death from the darkness of non-existence and establishes them in a far finer place than this worlge andThus, since man's nature is exalted and his disposition comprehensive, he is, by his very nature, needy with thousands of different sorts of needs for the innumerable Divine Names, each of which has mathe esrees. Intensified need is longing. Intensified longing is love. And intensified love is passion. As the spirit is perfected, the degrees of love unfold according to the degrees of the Names. Furthermore, sincOne WhNames are the titles and manifestations of the One of Glory, love of them will be transformed into love of the Divine Essence.

Now, just as an example, we shall explain one of the Then rable degrees of the Names of All-Just, All-Wise, Truth, and All-Merciful. If you wish to see the Names of All-Merciful and Compassionate, and Truth within wisdom and jr if y to the utmost extent, consider the following comparison.

Let us suppose there is an army in which there are four hundred different sections. And the uniforms that each section preferersal different, the provisions that please them, the weapons they will carry with ease and the medicines to cure their particular ills are all different. Furthermore, raon forhan being separated into squads and companies, they are all intermingled.

If the peerless and single king, then, out of perfect compassionlet usolicitude, wonderful power, miraculous all-embracing knowledge and extraordinary justice and wisdom, without confusing or forgetting any of them were himself, in person, without helper, to give all of them their completely demely nt though appropriate uniforms, provisions, medicines and weapons, would you not see what a powerful, solicitous, just and generous personage tction ng was. Because, if there were individuals from ten nations in one battalion, it would be extremely difficult to clothe and equip them all differently. Whatever people they were from they would of necessityrelatito be fitted out in the same way.

Similarly, if you wish to see the manifestation of the Names of Truth and All-Merciful and Compassionate within the justice and wisdom of God Almdom an look at the plant and animal armies comprising four hundred thousand magnificent nations with their tents pitched on the face of the earth in springtime. For those groups and sections are all one within the other. Ant fruiuniform of each one is different, and the provisions, weapons, way of life, drill and demobilization are all different. Furthermore, they do not have at Gatwer to provide for those needs and the tongues to ask for those wishes. So, watch and see the titles of Truth, All-Merciful, Provider, Compassionate and Generous togethe this order and equilibrium within the sphere of wisdom and justice. See how, without confusing, obscuring or forgetting any of them, He sustains, regulates and administers them all.

Could f a Por hand, therefore, interfere in a matter performed with such amazing and all-encompassing order and balance? What, apart from the One Who is Single and Unique, Absolutely Wise, and Powerful over all things, could even stretch out its hand towae poweis art, this organizing, this sustaining, this administering? What cause could interfere?

FOURTH POINT

"So long as they are in the form that the Qur'an commands, what are the results and be the A of all my different and various loves? That is, my love for food, myself, my wife, parents and children, my friends, the saints, the prophets, beautiful things, the spring and this world?"

It would be grave.ary to write a thick book in order to explain all the results. For now only one or two results will be briefly alluded to. Firstly, the immediate results in this world will be explained, then those that will become apparent in the hereafterthe hebe mentioned.

As was explained above, loves such as those of the people of neglect and those attached to this world, that are for the sake of the evil-commanding soul, brproclany tribulations, and much pain and suffering in this world. While the ease, pleasures and enjoyment they bring are little and few.

For example, compassion becomes a painful calamity on account of impotence. Love becomef

#765lamitous misfortune on account of separation. Pleasure becomes a poisoned cup on account of its transience. And in the hereafter, because they were not for God Almighty's sake, thbountil either be without benefit or will be torment. (If they were illicit.)

How might love for the prophets and saints be without benefit?

In the same way that the love of the Christiahe gro Jesus (Peace be upon him), and the heretics for 'Ali (May God be pleased with him) remain without benefit. If that love is in the form that the Qur'an

directs, for God Almighty's sake and in the name of thmaginaMerciful One's love, then it has favourable results both in this world and in the hereafter.

Now, to return to our subject, the results in this world of your love for deliciousse the and luscious fruits will be that they are a pain-free bounty and a pleasure that is the essence of gratitude.

Your love of your instinctual soul.

The result will be pity it, to trtence:, and to prevent harmful desires. Then the soul will not ride you, it will not make you a prisoner of its desires, rather, you will ride it. You will driveer be soul, not to whims and fancies, but to right-guidance.

Your love for your wife.

Since it will be built on her being a mine of tenderness, a gift of compassion and on her fineness of character, if you have sincere love and affectessaryr her, she too will have earnest love and respect for you. As the two of you approach old age these sentiments will increase, you will pass your life happily. But if it is otherwise, if it is love of a preextremce and for the sake of the instinctual soul, then that love will be quickly destroyed and so too will be good relations.

Your love for your father and mother.

Since it will be for God Almighty's sake, it wi Istanboth worship and the older they grow the more your love and respect for them will increase. If you earnestly desire and pray, with the noblest d extetiments and most manly zeal, that they will live far into old age, and even kiss their hands with sincere respect and say, "Let me gain even more reward on their account", it will obtain for yoetticost elevated pleasure of the spirit. But if it is otherwise, and for the sake of the soul and this world, when they grow old and approach the time of becoming a burden for you, if you show them, with the most base and despicable sentimof pathat they are a nuisance and then wish for the deaths of those respected people, who were the cause of your life, it will be savage and grievous pain for the spirit.

Your love for your children.

As for love for those lowinge, friendly creatures whom God Almighty entrusts to your supervision and upbringing, it will be a most happy love, a most happy bounty. Neither shall you suffer too much pain at their misfortunes, nor shall you cry out impotespair at their deaths. As was stated above you will say, "Since their Creator is both All-Wise and Compassionate, as far as they are concerned, that deaed thahappiness." Moreover, concerning yourself, you will think of the mercifulness of the One Who gave them to you and you will be saved from the pain of separation.

Your love for your friends.

:

Oce it is for God's sake, because separation from those friends, and even their deaths, will not be an obstacle to your conversing and yodeny ttherhood, you will benefit from that immaterial love and relation of the spirit. And the pleasure of meeting will be permanent. If it is not for the sake of God, ferenteasure of one day's meeting will result in

the pain of a hundred days' separation.

{(*): Once second's meeting for God's sake is a year. Whereas, if it is for the sake of this world, a year is second.}

Your love for the prophets and eds pr.

Since the intermediate realm, which seems to the people of neglect to be a dark, lonely and desolate place, appears to you as a stopping-place illuminated by the presence of those luminous beings, the om Godhat you will go there will not induce terror and fright, but, on the contrary, an inclination towards it and a feeling of longing; it will not drive away the pleasure of worldly life.

But if it is otherwise, if love Everye prophets and saints is of the same sort as the love of the subscribers to modern culture for their idols and heroes, on thinking of the death and disappearance of those perfect humashroudgs and of their rotting in that mighty grave known as the past, it will add one more sorrow to lives that are already painful. That is to say, each will say to himself, "I too will end up in ge:>Thave, which rots even such perfect men."

Whereas, when they are seen from the first point of view, they are thought of with complete ease of mind, for they have discarded the clothes of their bodies in the past and now their dwellinghat ki is the intermediate realm, which is the waiting-room for the future. And the graveyard will be seen as having a familiarity and friendliness.

Your love for beautiful things.

Since it is for the sake of the One Who fashioned them, it wder. O in the manner of, "How beautifully they have been made." This love is pleasurable thought and it causes the gaze of beauty-worshipping delight to see td Prine elevated and holy and thousand times more beautiful treasures of the degrees of God's beauty. This love opens up a way to these treasures because it transfers the eye from those beautiful works to the beauty of the Divine acbut tr And it opens a way from them to the beauty of the Names, and from them to the beauty of the attributes, and from them to the One of Glory's peerless beauty; it opens a way to ththose t. Thus, if this love is in this form, it is both pleasurable, and it is worship, and it is thought.

Your love of youth.

Since you have loved it as a beautiful bounty omethi Almighty, you have, of course, done so in worship, you have not drowned it in dissipation and destroyed it. Since this is the case, the worship you have gained during your youth is the undying fruit of that transient state. As you it wiolder, because you will have obtained the enduring fruits that are the positive aspect of youth, you will have been saved from its harm and excesses.

Also, in old age you will see traculou have achieved success in performing more worship, and so will be more worthy to receive Divine mercy. Unlike the people of neglect, you will not feel sadness for the pleasures of

youth that lasted five or ten years, then wail for fiftyand go, "Alas, my youth has fled!" Neither will you be like one of them who said, "If only my youth would return one day, I would tell it of the woes old age has brought me."

Your love for finely adorned exhibitions like the spring.

Since expli in the form of contemplating Divine artistry, when the spring ends the pleasure of the spectacle does not fade. For the meanings that the spring delivers, like a gilded missive, may be contemplated all nk andme. Both your imagination and time are like films in the cinema, they both cause the pleasure of that contemplation to continue for you, and they renew theuencesg's meanings and beauties. Your love, therefore, cannot be temporary and full of regret and pain. Rather, it will be full of pleasure and enjoyment.

Your love of this world.

Since it is in the name of God Almighty, the formidablammad'tures of this world will be like familiar friends for you. Since you love it as the tillage for the hereafter, you will be able to find in everything capital or a fruit that will produce benefits in the hereafter. Nes of wwill its disasters frighten you, nor will its transience and ephemerality trouble you. You will pass your sojourn in this guest-house with the greatest of ease. But should you love it as the people of neglect do, then as we have told spiri hundred times, you will drown and perish in a fruitless love, condemned to a depressing, crushing and suffocating transitoriness.

Thus we have shown only one subtle point out of hundreds from each of the loves you enumerated, when they arerious e form that the Qur'an directs. We indicated too one hundredth of the harm they cause if they are not in this way. Now, if you want to hear anrdly irstand the results of these loves in the eternal realm, in the world of the hereafter, the results to which the All-Wise Qur'an points with its clearland, istinct verses, then we shall show briefly by means of an Introduction and nine Indications the results and one hundredth of the benefits of those varioe in git loves in the hereafter.

AN INTRODUCTION

God Almighty, with His glorious Divinity, His beautiful mercy, His mighty dominicality, His generous benevolence, His immensmightyr, and His subtle wisdom, has equipped and adorned tiny man with many senses and feelings, limbs and systems, members and faculties, and subtle and immaterial aspects so that through them He might r, youman to perceive, know, taste and recognize the limitless varieties and levels of His bounty, munificence and mercy; and so that, through these tools, He might cause man to ponder over, know and love the endless kinds of manifestations ofnal rehousand and one Names. Just as each of man's great many members and faculties performs a completely different service and worship, so too does each of them have completely different pleasures, pains, duties and rewards.

For it. Ole, the eye beholds the beauty of forms and the varieties of the

beautiful miracles of power in the world of things seen. Its duty, taking its lesson from these, is , the ude to its Maker. The pleasures and pains peculiar to sight are known, there is no need to enlarge upon them.

And, for example, the ear perceives the various sorts of sounds and their melodiois actgs, and the subtle instances of God Almighty's mercy in the world of things heard. Its worship, pleasures and rewards are all different.

And, for example, the sense listeell perceives the subtle instances of mercy within the realm of scents. It has a duty of gratitude and pleasure peculiar to itself. And, of course, it has a reward, too.

And, for expect, the sense of taste, in the tongue; through appreciating all the tastes of foods, it performs its duty with a truly diverse thankfulness; and so on. All man's faculties, including his important subtle aspecr desth as the heart, intellect and spirit, have quite distinct duties, pleasures and pains.

Thus, God Almighty, the Possessor of Absolute Wisdom, will certainly give suitable recompense to each ole manthose faculties, which He employs in human beings. Everyone may perceive with his conscience the immediate results in this world of those numerous varieties of love, as was explained above, and they may be confirmed through experience.

As fthe Mu results in the hereafter, their existence and reality have been conclusively, through briefly, proved by the decisively clear Twelve Truths of the Tenth Word, and by the six self-evident Fundamental Points ofnecesswenty-Ninth Word. They are also clearly demonstrated in detail by the distinct verses and the explanations, allusions, symbols and indicifies, of the All-Wise Qur'an, which is, 'The most truthful of all words, most eloquent in its order, the Word of God - The Lord, The Mighty, The All-Knowing.' There is no need to present more extensive proofs. In any case, there are further proore hanother Words: in the Second Station of the Twenty-Eighth Word, which is about Paradise and is in Arabic, and in the Twenty-Ninth Word.

FIRST INDICATION

t be ting to the Qur'an, the result in the hereafter of licit and thankful love for delicious foods and fruits is again delicious food and fruit, but in a form appropriate for Paradise. This licit love desires those foods andand cos of the hereafter. So much so that when you utter the phrase 'Praise be to God' over the fruit you eat in this world, it will be embodied as a fruit of Paradise and presented to ye meanre. Here you eat fruit, while there you will eat 'Praise be to God'.

Since you see Divine munificence and the All-Merciful One's favours in bounty and food, as is es i, 26hed by Hadith, the indications of the Qur'an, and the requirements of wisdom and mercy that that pleasurable

gratitude will be given to you in Paradise in the form of aexiste delicious food. {[*]: Baghawi, Masabih al-Sunna, iii, 197; Musnad,iii, 439; Ibn Maja, ii, 1093, no:3285}

SECOND INDICATION

Licit love for your instinctual soul in this world is not a ers whuilt on its good qualities, but rather one that sees its short-comings and trains it with a compassion that seeks to perfect it, and that impels it towards good. Th of lie results in giving to the soul objects of love worthy of it in Paradise.

As is explicitly stated and proved by a great number of verses in the Qur'an, when the soul utilises its desires and wishes correctly and employs its

Asties and senses in the best way in this world, that is, in the way of God Almighty, as a result of this licit and worshipful love the Absolutely Generous One will bestow on it houris in Paradise, the evand oding realm. He will clothe these houris in seventy varieties of the finery of Paradise. He will adorn their beings with seventy kinds of beauty that will caress and gratify all the senses of the s will ach houri will be like a miniature animated Paradise.

Furthermore, your love of youth in this world, that is, the result of expending the power of youth in worship, will be eternal youth in the realm of bliss.

THIRD INDICATION

Lio be sve for your wife in this world is sincere love in consequence of her delicate tenderness, fine virtues and good character, together with your protecting obserom disobeying God obstinately and sinning. The Absolutely Merciful One has promised that as a result of this licit love your wife shall be given to you as an eternal wife in the hereafter, the realct theliss. She will be in a form more beautifully adorned and attractive than the Houris. You will relate to one another in delight your former adventures in the world powenging to mind old memories. She will be an intimate, gracious and eternal friend, who loves and is beloved. And, most certainly, that which He promises shall definitely be given.

FOURTH INDICATION

The result of licStraige for parents and children is this. According to the Qur'an, the Most Merciful of the Merciful will bestow on that happy family, even though their y, sepns may be quite different, the pure pleasure of each other's company in the everlasting realm.

He will return children who die before reaching the age of fifteet (Peas, that is, the age of puberty, once more to the embrace of their fathers and mothers, in a manner appropriate to Paradise. They will be most beautifully adorned and lovable, in the form of the children of Paradise, who are known

#67ht aremmortal youths.>{[*]: Qur'an, 76:19, 56:17.} He will gratify their child-cherishing sentiments and will give them that pleasure and delight eternally. Since those children had not reached the , the responsibility, they will remain eternally as lovable and sweet children.

Every pleasurable thing in this world will be found in its highest form in Paradise. Some people surmise that since Paradise sameot appropriate for reproduction, there will be none of this cherishing of children, which is so sweet, that is, the pleasure of loving and caresound.them. But it will be there too and in the most delightful and sweet form. This then is good news for those whose children die before puberty.

FIFTH INDICATION

The result of love for righteous friends in this world, according to thews ande of, 'Love for God's sake' is, as the Qur'an states, Facing one another on thrones of happiness.>{[*]: Qur'an, 15:47, 37:44} God Almighty will seat them on the chairs of Heaven facing one another. He will cause them to meet with their frien of theasantly, agreeably and sweetly. They will enjoy themselves recounting their old memories and adventures in this world, with a pure love and companionn of Dhat will not be subject to separation.

SIXTH INDICATION

The result of love for the prophets and saints is as the Qur'an explains. That is, it will be both to benefit in the intermediate world and at the resurrection fr the D intercession of the prophets and saints, and also to profit abundantly, through that love, from the station and blessings that befit them.

Indeed, according to thers thing of 'a person will be together with whom he loves,' {[*]: See, page 515, footnote 4.} an ordinary man may approach the highest station by fols is s an exalted person whom he loves.

SEVENTH INDICATION

The result of licit love for beautiful things and the spring. That is, to see with the eye of, 'how beautifully they have been made,' and to love the beauty and order of the t the which lie behind those works of art. To love the manifestations of the Beautiful Names, which lie behind the order and harmony of the actions, and to love thee creaestations of the attributes behind those Beautiful Names. And so on.

The result will be to see in Paradise, the everlasting realm, the manifestation of the Names, and the beauty and attributes within the Names, in a form a thousand of themore beautiful than the beautiful creatures to be seen here.

More than this even, Imam-i Rabbani (May God be pleased with him) said, "The subtle exquisiteness of Paradise will be the similitude of the manifestation of God's Names." {[*an shouti, al Fath al-Kabir, iii, 62; al-Manawi,Fayd al-Qadir, v, 373.} Just think of it!

EIGHTH INDICATION

The result in the hereafter of thoughtful love in this ds, whfor the two beautiful faces of the world, which are the tillage for the hereafter and the mirror of the Divine Names. An everlasting Paradise will be given that is as large as the world but is not ephed is band transient like this world. And the Names, only pale shadows of which are shown in this world, will be displayed in the mirror of Paradise in a most brilliathat tm.

Moreover, the result of loving the world as being the tillage of the hereafter is as follows. When the world is seen thus, that is, as a seed-bed or small place of cultivation that produces only shoots, it Quests in a Paradise where those shoots burgeon and blossom. For in this world man's senses and faculties are tiny shoots and in Paradise they will unfold in the most perfect form. And his abilities, which are here like tiny seeds, will be giveand naim there in a form that will blossom with all sorts of delights and perfections. This is proved by the indications of the Qur'an and by Hadith, and is necessitated by mercy and wisdom.

lenesst is not blameworthy love of the world, which is the source of every fault, but love of its two faces that look to God's Names and to the hereafter, and is for the sake of the Names and the hereafter. It is tannot ivate those faces with thoughtful worship, as if taking the whole world as the means for worship. It is, therefore, most definitely necessitated by mercy and wisdom that a reward should be given that is as large ar woulworld. And, one who through love of the hereafter, has loved its seed-bed, and through love of Almighty God, has loved the mirror of His Names, will most certainly desire a beloved like the world, and te all o will be a Paradise as great as the world.

What is the use of such a vast and empty Paradise?

If it was possible for you to travel with speed of imagination round all the regions of the earth and moBukharthe stars, you would be able to say, "The whole universe is mine." The fact that the angels, other human beings and the animals share the world with you would not quash your claim. In the samrrecti if Paradise is thus full, you would be able to say, "Paradise is mine." The meaning of the Hadith, "A five hundred year Paradise will be given to some of those in Paradise," has been explained in the Twenty-Eighth Word and the Twentieth tablis the Treatise on Sincerity.

NINTH INDICATION

The result of faith and love of God. It is proved by the consensus of the

people of unveiling and verification, by certfound dith,

{(*): Included in the Hadith is the following: "That vision far surpasses all the other delights of Paradise, so much sot that it causes them to be forgotten.;And after the vision the loveliness and beauty of those who experions ant will have increased to such a degree that when they return, it will be only with difficulty and scrutiny that their families in their mansions will nd arrize them."

* al-Munzuri, al-Targhib wa'l-Tarhib, iv, 541, 556} and by the Qur'an that a thousand years of happy life in this world is not worth one hour of life in Paradise, and that a thousand years of heavenly life is not worth one hou-placesion and contemplation of the All-Glorious One, Who possesses incomparable beauty and perfection.

Everyone may perceive in his conscienceavenseat longing for the vision of a personage famous for his magnificence and perfection, like the Prophet Solomon (Peace be upon him), and a great yearning to behold a personage distinguished by his beauty, like of bProphet Joseph (Peace be upon him). And so, if you can, compare how longed-for, sought after, and desire-arousing is the vision of One, one manifestation of Whose beauty and perfection are all ommon rtues and perfections of Paradise, which are thousands of times more elevated than all the virtues and perfections of this world.

O God, bestow upon us in this subtlelove for You and love for that which will draw us closer to You, and the right-guidedness that You have commanded, and, in the next world Your mary fond the vision of You.

Glory be unto You! We have no knowledge save that which You have taught us; You are indeed All-Knowing, All-Wise.>{[*]: Qur'ad, unr2.}

O God, grant blessings and peace to the one whom You sent as a mercy to all the worlds, and to all his Family and Companions. Amen.

WARNING

Do not consider over-len Thus,he detailed explanations in the last section of this Word; they are short in relation to their importance and require further explanation.

It is not I who speaks in any of the Words; it is reality in the name of 'INDICATIONS FRe-Eter QUR'AN.' As for reality, it speaks the truth. Should you see anything incorrect, then you can be certain that without my being aware of it my own ideas interfered acts, used the error.

Supplication

O God! When a man knocks on the door of a grand palace and it is not opened to him, he knocks on it and calls out in the voice of someone who is familiar to the palace, so theirt may be opened. And so this wretched one knocks on the door of the Court of Your Mercy crying out in the voice of Your well-loved servant Uveysu'l-Qarani and with all thpplication. Open that Court of Yours to me, as you opened it to him! I cry out as he did:

O God! You are our Sustainer, for we are mere slaves; we are powerless to sustain and raise ion ofves. That is to say, the One Who sustains us is You! And it is You Who is the Creator, for we are creatures, we are being made! And it is You Healis the Provider, for we are in need of provision, we have no power! That is to say, the One One Who creates us and bestows on us our provisions is You! And it is You Who is the Owness. Ifause we are totally owned property; someone other than us has power of disposal over us. That is to say, it is You Who is our Owner! And You, You are Mighty! You possess granis trund sublimity! As for us we look to our baseness and see that there are manifestations of a mightiness on us. That is to say, we are mirrors to Your mightiness! And it is You Who is the Possessor of AbsnuanceRiches, because we are utterly wanting, and riches are bestowed on us that our indigent hands could not obtain. That is to say, it is You Who is rich, the One Who gives is You! And You, You are the Ever-Living,cessarEnduring One, because we, we are dying, and in our dying and in our being resurrected we see the manifestation of a perpetual giver of life! And You, You are Ever-Enduring, because we see Your cohe saytion and perpetualness in our demise and transience! And the One Who responds to us and answers us, the Granter of Gifts is You. For all of us beings, we are ever crying out and requesting, entreating, imploris thestongue and by state. And our desires are brought about, our aims are achieved. In other words, the One Who answers us is You!...

So forgive me my sins and bear with me and heal my ills, O my G StudeAll-Sufficing One! O Sustainer! O Faithful One! O Most Compassionate One! O Healer! O Munificent One! O Forgiving One! Pardon all my sins, and grant me health from all sicascenss, and be pleased with me for all eternity! Through Your Mercy, O Most Merciful of the Merciful!

And the close of their prayer will be: All praise be to God, the Sustainer of All the Worlds!, and * *

The Thirty-Third Word

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

We displashow them Our signs in the furthest horizons and in themselves, so that it will become clear to them that this [Qur'an] is indeed the Truth. Is it not enough that your Sustainer witnesses all things?>{[*]nce ofan, 41:53.}

We would like a concise explanation of the ways man and the universe, that is, the microcosm and the macrocosm, point to the necessary existence and unity of God and His workscal attributes and functions, which the two parts of the above verse denote. For the unbelievers have gone too far, they are saying: "For how long shall ial na: 'And He is powerful over all things,' and have to raise our hands?"

The thirty-three Words that have been written form thirty-three drops from the ocean of this verse and from the seas of truth which flow from it. If ons, bok at them, you will find your answer. What we say now is only a sort of hint to the sprinkling of a single drop from the ocean.

For example, if a wonder-worker wants to build a splendid palace, he first of all desirthe foundations in a wise and regular fashion, and plans them in a way suitable to their future purpose and results. Then he skilfully divides them into sections and apartments. Next, he orders aul andanges the apartments, and decorates them with tapestries, then illuminates them with electric lights. Then, in order to renew his ingenious works and favours in that

magnificent and adorned palace, he makes fresh creations and new changes, Who ransformations in every level of it. And then he installs a telephone in every apartment connected to his own abode, and opens up a window from each, so that his may be seen.

In just the same way,particod's is the highest similitude,>{[*]: Qur'an, 16:60.} the Peerless Creator, Who is named with a thousand and one sacred Names such as All-Glorious Maker, All-Wises direeign, All-Just Arbiter, willed the creation of the palace of the universe and tree of the cosmos, which forms the macrocosm. He set the foundations of the palace, the tree, in six days through the principles oof whiom and laws of His pre-eternal knowledge. Then He divided and formed it into the higher and lower levels and branches through the principles of Divine Determining and Detisfy Next, He adorned everything, each world, in an appropriate manner, like the heavens with the stars and the earth with flowers. Then He manithem t and made luminous His Names within the arena of those universal laws and general principles. And then in a special way sent to the assistance of individuals cryperfort at the constraint of those universal laws His Names of Most Merciful and All-Compassionate. That is to say, within those universal and general principles He has special favours, special succour, special mani to Hiions, so that everything may seek help from Him and look to Him at all times for every need. Then from every apartment, every level, every world, every realm of being, every individual, from everything, He e some up windows which would show Himself, that is, make known His existence and unity. He left a telephone in every heart.

For now we shall not attempt to discuss those innumerable windows, which is anyway beyond our power. Referring the eo the all-encompassing knowledge of God, we shall only point out in a concise and brief manner Thirty-Three Windows - since it corresponds to the and isd number of the tesbihat following the prescribed prayers, and for a more detailed explanation of this, which forms the Thirty-Third Letter and Thirty-Third so thand consists of gleams from verses of the Qur'an, we refer readers to the rest of the Words.

First Window

If we look, we see that all things and especially liviglory.atures have numerous different needs and numerous different wants. And those wants and needs are provided for them at the appropriate time, in unexpected ways, from places they do nns fouw and their hands cannot reach; succour comes to them. But the power of these needy beings is insufficient for even the smallest of those endless thingsustainwish for; they cannot meet their needs. Consider yourself: of how many things are you in need that your hands cannot reach, like your external and inner sen humand their needs? Compare all other living creatures with yourself. See, just as singly they testify to the Necessary Existence and point to His unity, so in tompounotality they show to the reason a Necessarily Existent One behind the veil of the Unseen, a Single One of Unity, among titles of Most Generous, All-Compassionate, Nurturer, and Disposer.

O ignorant unbelf the and dissolute heedless one! With what can you explain this wise, percipient, compassionate activity? Deaf nature? Blind force? Senseless chance? Can you exrrors it through impotent, lifeless causes?

Second Window

While in their existence and individuality, things are in a hesitant, bewildered, and shapeless form among innumerable possible waysnity o are suddenly given a most well-ordered and wise aspect of individuality. For example, every human being has on his face characteristics which differentiate him from all his fellow humans, and it is equipped with utter wisdom with exte Deteand inner senses. This proves that the face is a most brilliant stamp of Divine oneness. And just as each face testifies to the existence of an All-Wise Maker ande sains to His existence, so too the stamp which all faces display in their totality shows to the mind's eye that all things are a seal peculiar to their Creator.

O denier! To what workshop can you refer these stamps which can iverseway be imitated, and the stamp of Eternal Besoughtedness which is on the totality?

Third Window

The army of all the various species of animals a) up tnts on the face of the earth consists of four hundred thousand different groups. {(*): The members of some of those groups, even, are more numerous than all the members of the human race from the tithe voAdam up to the Last Day.} Their being managed and raised with perfect balance and order through their sustenance, papers, weapons, uniforms, instructions, and demobilizations, which are all different wi last hing being forgotten and none of them being confused, is a stamp of the Single One of Unity as brilliant as the sun which can in no way be doubted. Who other than One possessing boundless picity,all-encompassing knowledge, and infinite wisdom could have any part in this administration, which is wondrous to the utmost degree. For if one who cannot administer and raise all together these species and nations, which are oFurthehin the other, interferes with one of them, he will throw the lot into disorder. Whereas according to the meaning of,

So turn your vision again, do you see any flaw?>{[*]: Qur'an, 67:3.}

there is no sign of confusion. That means rder o much as a finger can interfere.

Fourth Window

This is the acceptability of the supplications offered through the tongue of latent ability by all seeds, and through the tongue of innate need by all aniects land through the tongue of exigency by the desperate.

Yes, just as all these innumerable supplications are observedly accepted and responded to, so in a large measure do they in their entirety self-evidently indicate and point to aneed, lompassionate and Generous Creator, the Answerer of Prayer.

Fifth Window

We see that things and particularly living beings come into existence of a suddench a pantaneously. But, while things which appear suddenly out of a simple substance should be simple, formless, and without art, they are created with an art and beauty requiring much skill, they are decorated withl needpainstaking embroideries requiring much time, and adorned with wonderful arts requiring many tools. Thus, just as each of these instantaneous, wondrous arts and beautifullars inations indicates the necessary existence of an All-Wise Creator and the unity of His dominicality, so in their totality do they show in most brilliant fashion an are a tely Powerful, infinitely Wise Necessarily Existent One.

So now, O stupefied denier! How can you explain this? With 'nature', which is unconscious, impot bloodnd ignorant like you? Or do you want to make an infinite mistake and call that All-Holy Maker 'nature', and on the pretext of naming Hinsient, attribute the miracles of His power to it and perpetrate an impossibility compounded a thousand times over?

Sixth Window

In the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of night and day and the b, the hich travel through the seas for the benefit of men, and in what God sends down from the sky as rain and with it raises to life the earth after its death and raises in it every sort of living being, and in the circun exis of the winds and the clouds subjugated between the heavens and the earth, are signs for a people who thinks.>{[*]: Qur'an, 2:164.}

This verse both points out the Divine exr withe and unity, and forms a truly large window displaying a Greatest Name.

The gist of the verse is this: all the worlds in the higher and lower le His tf the universe show with all-different tongues a single result, that is, the dominicality of a single All-Wise Maker. It is as follows: just as in the heavens -and astronomy even admits to it- extremely well-ordered movements for extremnews itensive results show the existence, unity, and perfect dominicality of an All-Powerful One of Glory, so too on the earth -and geography ev grow tifies to it and acknowledges it- most orderly changes, like in the seasons, for most extensive benefits show the existence and unity and perfect dominicality of the same All-Powerful One of Glory.

Also,t overas, being given their sustenance with perfect mercy, and being clothed in different forms with perfect wisdom, and being decked out with all sorts of senses through perfect dominicality, each of adom th animals on the land and in the sea again testifies to the existence of the All-Powerful One of Glory and indicates to His unity, so in their totality do they show on a vast. The the tremendousness of His Godhead and the perfection of His

lar, a point of support, a protector, who repulses those enemies.

And that is belief in God, which is the light of our spirits, and light of our lives, and spirit of our that ts. Now our hearts are easy, we disregard the enemies, not even recognizing them.

When on our first journey we consulted our consciences, we heard innumerable cries and lamentpropri complaints.

It was due to them that we were overcome by misfortune. For our hopes and desires, capacity and senses always desire eternity. But we did not know how to obtain it, hence What ilamentations and cries.

dominicality. So too, just as each of the well-ordered plants in gardens, and the finely adorned flowers which the plants display, and the well-proportioned fruits which the fl, theydisplay, and the embellished embroideries which the fruits display, testifies to the existence of the All-Wise Maker and points to His unity, so toor nowheir totality do they show most brilliantly the beauty of His mercy and the perfection of His dominicality.

Also, just as the drops of rain sent from the clouds in the sky charged with duties for importae withtances of wisdom and aims and necessary benefits and results again demonstrate to the number of their drops the the necessary existence and unity and perfect dominicality of the Allg and Maker, so too do all the mountains on the earth and the storing-up in them of minerals with all their different properties for numerous different benefits show with the strength the Firmness of a mountain the existence and unity of the All-Wise Maker and the perfection of His dominicality.

Also, just as, being adorned with numerous varieties of well-ordered flowers, ththe twl hills in the plains and among the mountains each testifies to the necessary existence of an All-Wise Maker and points to His unity, and all together show the majesty of His sovereignty and the perfection of Hisder yoicality, so the great variety of the orderly shapes of all the leaves of the grasses and trees, and all their different stages and states and well-balanced has astatic movements again show the necessary existence and unity and perfect dominicality of the All-Wise Maker.

Also, just as the regular development at the time of their growth of all living bodies, and infinieing equipped with all sorts of organs and their being directed consciously towards numerous different fruits again testify to the necessary existence of the All-Wise Maker and indicate His unity, and in their totalr objeow on a truly vast scale His all-encompassing power, and all-embracing wisdom, and the beauty of His art, and the perfection of His dominicality, so too souls and spirits being situated in all animal bodies, and their ]: Suyarmed in most orderly fashion with numerous sorts of systems and faculties, and their being sent on numerous different errands with perfect d from testify to the number of animals, indeed to the number, of their faculties, to the necessary existence of the All-Wise Maker and point to His u, withAnd in their totality they show most brilliantly the beauty of His mercy and the perfection of His dominicality.

Also, just as the inspirations from the Unseen imparted to all hearts, which make known to manresent sort of science and knowledge and truth and teach the animals how to procure their needs, make known the existence of an All-Compassionate Sustainer and point to His dominicality, so their extcome! and inner senses, which like rays gathering immaterial flowers from the garden of the universe, are all keys to different worlds, demonstrate as clearly as the sun the necessary m to once, unity, oneness, and perfect dominicality

of the All-Wise Maker, the All-Knowing Creator, the Most Compassionate Creator, the All-Generous Provider.

Thus, from the twelve windows, the twelve aspects, mentionee puni a vast window opens which displays with a twelve-coloured light of truth the oneness, unity, and perfect dominicality of God Almighty.

O unhappy denier! With what can you block up this window which is as broad as the globe of the earth, in this as its yearly orbit? And with what can you extinguish this source of light which shines like the sun? Behind which veil of heedlessness can you hide it?

Seventh Window

The perfect order of the works of art scattered over the face of th and terse, and their perfect proportion and balance, and the perfection of their adornment, and the ease in their creation, and their resembling one another, and their exhibiting a single nature demonstrate on a vast scale the necessarNCLUSItence and perfect power and unity of an All-Wise Maker.

Moreover, just as the creation of innumerable, different, well-ordered complex beings from inanimate and simple elements again test, they to the number of those composite beings, to the All-Wise Maker's necessary existence and points to His unity, so in their totality do thmade tings demonstrate in truly brilliant fashion His unity and the perfection of His power.

Then the utmost distinguishing and differentiating of beingsnecessey are renewed while being assembled and dissolved -that is, during what is called the composition of beings- amid the utmost degree of intermingling and confusion, for example the distinguishing of the shoots and growth of seeds and roots of wiut confusing them in any way although they are all mixed up, and the mixed-up substances entering trees being divided between the leaves, flowers, and frunt insnd the nutrients which enter the body in mixed-up form being differentiated and separated out with perfect wisdom and perfect balance for the cells of the body, - again demonstraose, l necessary existence and perfect power and unity of the Absolutely Wise One, the Absolutely Knowing One, the Absolutely Powerful One.

Then too the making of the world of minute particles into a boundless, broad arable field and evene powtant sowing and harvesting it and obtaining the fresh crops of different universes from it, and those inanimate, impotent, ignorant particles being made to perform innumerable orderly duties most consciously, wisely, and cative e- this also shows the necessary existence of the All-Powerful One of Glory and Maker of Perfection, and His perfect

Power and the grandeur of His sovereignty and His unitre. Anthe perfection of His dominicality.

Thus through these four ways a large window is opened onto knowledge of God; addressing the reason, it displays the All-Wise Maker on a large scale.

Now, you unhappy heedless one! If you do not want fall i Him and learn of Him in this way, divest yourself of your reason; become an animal, and thus be saved!

Eighth Window

The testimony of all the prophetous woce be upon them), who among mankind possessed luminous spirits, relying on their manifest and evident miracles; and the testimony of all the saints, whe him their luminous hearts are the spiritual poles of mankind, relying on their illuminations and wonder-working; and testimony of all the purified scholars, who possess luminous minds, relying on their reseaFUNDAMand verifications; -the testimony of all these to the necessary existence, unity, and perfect dominicality of the Single One of Unity, the Necessary Existent,munifireator of All Things, forms a truly vast and light-filled window.

O you unfortunate denier! In whom do you place your trust so that you do not heed these? Or by closing your eyes in the daytime do you OINT

e the world to be plunged into night?

Ninth Window

The universal worship in the cosmos self-evidently demonstrates an Absolute Object of Worship. Yes, the perfect obedie taintd worship of all angels and spirit beings, -which is established by the testimony of those who have penetrated to the spirit world and the inner dimensio that hings and have met with the angels and spirit beings- and of all living beings self-evidently performing their duties in perfect order and in a worshipful manner, and of all inanimate tm.

#67self-evidently carrying out their duties with perfect submission and in a worshipful manner, all demonstrate the necessary existence and unity of a True Object of Woial fi

So too the true knowledge of the knowing, which has the strength of consensus, and the fruitful thanks of all those who offer thanks, and the radiant glorification of all traphieho recite God's Names, and the bounty-increasing praises of all those recite God's praises, and all the demonstrative proofs and

descriptions of Divine unity of all those who acknowledge and od the true love and passion of all lovers of God, and the true will and desire of those who seek Him, and the earnest searching and penitence of all those who turn to Him, -all these demowith te the necessary existence and perfect dominicality and unity of that Pre-Eternal All-Worshipped One, the One Who is Known, Mentioned, Thanked, Praised, One, Beloved, Desired, and Sought.

So too all the accw of te worship of perfected human beings and the spiritual radiance and supplications, visions and illuminations resulting from their acceptable worship again demonstrate the necessary existence andd caus and perfect dominicality of that Eternal Being, the Enduring Object of Worship. Thus, these three aspects open up a broad, light-giving window onto Divine unity.

Tenth Window

take He sends down water from the sky and brings forth with it fruits for your sustenance; and He has made subject to you the ships, that they sail through the sea by His command; and He has made the rivers subject to you; * And He has made subd follo you the sun and the moon, both diligently pursuing their courses; and He has made subject to you the night and the day. * And He gives you of all that you ask Him. But if you count God's bounties, you will nevof a lable to number them.>{[*]: Qur'an, 14:32-34.}

The mutual assistance and co-operation of beings in the universe and the fact that they rage of to one another show that all creatures are raised by a single Nurturer, are organized by a single Director, are under the jurisdiction of a single Disposer, are the servants of a single Lord. For through an all-embracing lawd claitual assistance, the sun cooks the necessities for the lives of living beings on the earth through a dominical command, and the moon acts as a calendar, and light, air, water, and sustenance hasten to the assista besto living beings, and plants hasten to the assistance of animals, and animals hasten to the assistance of human beings, and the members of the body hastfty eaassist one another, and particles of food even hasten to the assistance of the cells of the body. This most wise and generous mutual assistale. [T these beings, and their responding to one another's needs and their supporting and strengthening one another in accordance with a law of generosity, a law of compassion, a law of mercy, show clearly and sel appleently that they are the servants, officials, and creatures of a sole, unique

Single One of Unity, a Peerless Eternally Besought One, an Absolutely Powerful, Absolutely Knowing, Absolutely Compassionatealthoulutely Generous Necessarily Existent One.

O wretched bankrupt philosophy! What have you say in the face of this mighty window? Can your chance interfere in this?

Eleventh Window

For indeed in the remembrance of God dous sons find rest.>{[*]: Qur'an, 13:28.}

Through knowing a single Creator, all spirits and hearts are delivered from the distress and confusion arising from misguidance, and from the spiritual pains arising from distress. They are saved by atd lenging all beings to a single Maker. They find assurance through the remembrance of a single God. For, as is proved decisively in the Twenty-Second Word, if all beings are not attributed to a single being, it becomes necessary to ascribe a sin fondning to innumerable causes, and then the existence of a single thing becomes as difficult as all beings. For if attributed to God, innumerable things are ascribed to a single being, and if they are not attributed are wm, it becomes necessary to attribute everything to innumerable causes. Then a single fruit becomes as difficult as the universe, indeed, more difficult. For jusoyed wf the management of one soldier is given to a hundred different people, a hundred difficulties arise, and if a hundred soldiers are given to the direction of one officer, they are as easy to manage as a single soldier, so too the coinciding o be throus different causes in the creation of a single thing is difficult to the hundredth degree. And if the creation of numerous things is given to a single being, it becomes easy to the hundredth degree.ir conus, it is only by recognizing the Creator's unity and knowledge of God that man may be delivered from the boundless distress arising from the desire to search for the truth inherent in his nature. Since there are endless difficultieboth lpains in unbelief and associating partners with God, that way is certainly impossible and devoid of truth. While since suitably to the ease, abundance, and fine art in the creation of beings, there is a boundless ease in everying Divine unity, that way is surely necessary and the truth.

O you miserable people of misguidance! See how dark and full of pain is the way of misguidance! What is it that makes you tak? it? And see howh ascrand pleasant is the way of belief and affirming Divine unity! Take that way and be delivered!

Twelfth Window

Glorify the Name of your Sustainer, the All-Highest, * Who has created you agiven order and proportion, * And Who has determined [the nature of all things] and guided [them towards their fulfilment].>{[*]: Qur'an, 87:1-3.}

According to the meaning of this verse, all things, And Gspecially living creatures, have been given a form and regular proportions in accordance with wisdom as though they have emerged from a purposeful mould. Contained in those measuranded portions are intricate extremities for various benefits and uses. And the form of their clothes and their proportions, which they change throughout the periods of their lives, are each immaterial and well-ordered and measured, anaw in composed of the appointed events of their lives again in a fashion suitable to wisdom and benefits. This shows clearly that those innumerablunderstures, whose forms and proportions have been planned in the sphere of determining of an All-Powerful One of Glory, an All-Wise One of Perfection, and we the e been given forms fashioned in the workshop of Divine power, point to that Being's necessary existence and testify to His unity and perfect power with endlesstenceues. Look at your own body and its members and the fruits of its intricate and complex places! See the perfect power within the perfect wisdom!

Thirteenth Window

them."ding to the meaning of:

And there is nothing but extols His limitless glory and praise,>{[*]: Qur'an, 17:44.}

everything recalls its Creator through its own particular tongue and declares to His holiness. Yes, theyglorifications all beings utter audibly and through the tongues of their beings demonstrate the existence of a single Most Holy Being. The testimony of innate disposition may not be rejected. Especiallit is he evidence comes from all sides, it cannot be doubted. Look! The well-ordered forms of beings, which through their manner of creation comprise endless testimony, and offerhe facnce in innumerable ways through the tongue of disposition and look to a single centre like concentric circles - all these are tongues. Sind in y, their well-proportioned and balanced assemblages are all testifying tongues. And their perfect lives are all glorifying tongues. Thus, as is proved in the Twenty-Fourth is notheir glorifying,

extolling, and testifying to a single Most Holy Being through all these tongues demonstrate a Necessarily Existent One as light shows the sun, and point to the perfection of Hishe utmad.

Fourteenth Window

Say: who is it in whose hands is the governance of all things?>{[*]: Qur'an, 23:88.} * And there is nothing but its treasuries are with Us.>{[*]: Qur'an, 15:21.} as mae is not a moving creature but He has grasp of its forelock.>{[*]: Qur'an, 11:56.} * Indeed my Sustainer watches over and records all things.>{[*]: Qur'an, 11:old an According to the meaning of these verses, all things are in need of a single All-Glorious Creator in everything, in all matters and circumstances. Indeed, we look at the beings in the universe and we see that t it iss the manifestation of an absolute force within an absolute weakness, and the traces of an absolute power are apparent within an absolute impotence; like, for example, the wonderful states and stages plants display when the life-f to itwakens in their seeds and roots. There is the manifestation too of an absolute wealth within an absolute poverty and dryness; like the poverty of trees and the soil in winter and their glittering wealth and riches in the spring. The sprinkling beinan absolute life are also apparent within an absolute lifelessness; like the transformation of the elements into living matter. There is, moreover, the manifestation of an all-encompassing consciousness withinelief;solute ignorance; like everything, from minute particles to the stars, acting consciously and conforming to the order of the universe and to the demands of wisdom and requirements of life.

Thus, this power within impotencence. strength within weakness, and wealth and riches within poverty, and life and consciousness within lifelessness and ignorance necessarily and self-evidin foropen up windows on every side onto the necessary existence and unity of a Possessor of Absolute Power and Absolute Strength, a Possessor of Absolute Riches, an Absolutely Knowing, All-Livirestri Self-Sufficient One. In their totality they point to a luminous highway on a vast scale.

And so, O you heedless one who has fallen into the swamp of nature! If you do not quit nature and recognize Divine power, you have to accept thatts * Aerything, in every minute particle even, reside an infinite force and power, a boundless wisdom and skill, and the ability to see, know, and administer most other beings.

#695or Divfteenth Window

According to the meaning of the verse:

Who has created everything in the best way,>{[*]: Qur'an, 32:7.}

everything is cut out according to its innate abilities with perfect measure and othe twand put together with the finest art, in the shortest way, the best form, the lightest manner, and most practicable shape. Look at the clothes of birds, for example, and the easy rticleey ruffle up their feathers and continuously use them. Also, things are given bodies and dressed in forms in a wise manner with no waste and nothing in vain; they testify to their numberhat toe necessary existence of an All-Wise Maker and point to that Possessor of Absolute Power and Knowledge.

Sixteenth Window

The order and ordering in the ower ion and disposal of creatures, which are renewed season by season on the earth, show clearly a universal wisdom. Since an attribute cannot be without the one it qualife, andhis universal wisdom necessarily shows an All-Wise One. The wonderful adornment within the veil of wisdom, self-evidently shows a perfect beneficence, and that perfect beneficence necessarily points to a gracious, All-Gand res Creator. The all-encompassing benevolence and bestowal within the veil of beneficence show self-evidently an all-embracing mercy, and that all-embracing mercy shows necessarily an All-Merciful and All-y fashsionate One. The sustenance and foods of all living creatures above the veil of mercy, all perfectly appropriate for their needs, show clearly a sustaining Providence and a compassionate dominicality, and thatinite ining and administering necessarily point to an All-Generous Provider.

Yes, all the creatures on the face of the earth, thus raisedrit, aperfect wisdom, adorned with perfect beneficence, bestowed upon with perfect mercy, and nurtured with perfect compassion, testify to the domassary existence of an All-Wise, Munificent, Compassionate, Providing Maker, and points to His unity.

Look at and consider also the universal wisdom which is apparent on the face of the earth as a whole and is to be seen iof thetotality and shows clearly purpose and will; and the perfect beneficence embracing all creatures, which

comprises the wisdom; and the all-encompassing mercy, which comprises the beneficenceost deisdom and includes all the beings of the earth; and the most generous sustaining and nurturing, which comprises the mercy and wisdom and beneficence and embraces all living creatures. Just as the seven colours form light, andmercy ight, which illuminates the face of the earth, undoubtedly shows the sun, so too that beneficence within wisdom, and mercy within beneficence, and sustaining and nurturing within mercy show brilliantly on a large scale and at a high degree te no mty and perfect dominicality of an utterly Wise, Generous, Compassionate, Providing Necessarily Existent One.

O you stupefied and heedless denier! With what can you explain this wise, generous, compassionatem lifvidential sustaining, this strange, wonderful, miraculous state of affairs which is before your eyes? With chance and coincidence, which are aimless like you? With force, which is blind lestatiur heart? With nature, which is deaf like your head? With causes which are impotent, lifeless, and ignorant like you? Or do you want to give the name of 'nature,' which is utterly impotent, ignorant, deaf, blind, contingent af the tched, to the All-Glorious One, Who is utterly holy, pure, exalted, and free of all defect and absolutely Powerful, Knowing, Hearing, and Seeing, and thus perpetrate an infi have rror? So with what force can you extinguish this truth brilliant as the sun? Under which veil of heedlessness can you conceal it?

Seventeall alindow

Indeed in the heavens and earth are signs for those who believe.>{[*]: Qur'an, 45:3.}

If we observe the face of the earth in the summer, we see that an absolu the mificence and liberality, which necessitate confusion and disarrangement, is to be seen within a total harmony and order. Look at all the plants which adorn the face of the earth!

And the utter speed in the creation of th life which necessitates imbalance and disorder, is apparent within a perfect equilibrium. Look at all the fruits which decorate the face of the earth!

And an absolute multiplicity, which necessitates unirtainince, indeed, ugliness, is apparent within a perfect beauty of art. Look at all the flowers which gild the face of the earth!

And the absolute ease in the creation of thingwithinch necessitates lack of

art and simplicity, is to be seen within an infinite art and skill and attention. Look carefully at all seeds, which are liks the tiny containers and programmes of the members of plants and trees and the small cases containing their life-histories!

And the greatriate nces, which necessitate difference and diversity, appear within an correspondence and conformity. Look at all the varieties of cereal grains sown in every part of thenerouh!

And the total intermingling, which necessitates confusion and muddle, is on the contrary to be seen within a perfect differentiation and separation. Consider the perfect differentiation of seeds when they sprature espite being cast into the earth all mixed-up together and all resembling one another with regard to their substance, and the various substances which enter trees being separated out perfectly for the leaves, flowers, and fruits, and God dods which enter the stomach all mixed-up together being separated out perfectly according to the various members and cells. See the perfect power cause the perfect wisdom!

And the great abundance and infinite profusion, which necessitate unimportance and worthlessness, are to be seen as most valuable and expensive in regard to the creatures and art on the face of the earths, morin these innumerable wonders of art, consider only the varieties of mulberry, those confections of Divine power, on the table of the All-Merciful One on the face of the earthugh Hethem within the perfect mercy, the perfect art!

Thus, just as the day shows the light, and the light the sun, the great value together with theof foo profusion; and the boundless intermingling and intermixing together with the utmost differentiation and separation within the utter profusion; and the great distance together with the ding o conformity and resemblance within the limitless differentiation and separation; and the infinite ease and facility together with the infinite care in the making within the utmost resembla* And nd the absolute speed and rapidity together with the total equilibrium and balance and lack of waste within the most beautiful making; and the infinite abundance and multipliciis beaether with the highest degree of beauty of art within utter lack of waste; and the utmost munificence together with absolute order within the highest degree of beauty of art, all testify to the necessary existence, pasure, power, beautiful dominicality, and unity and oneness of an All-Powerful One of Glory, an All-Wise One of Perfection, an All-Compassionate and Beauteous One. They demonstrate the meaning of the verse:

His are the point eautiful Names.>{[*]: Qur'an, 20:8; 59:24.}

So now, O you ignorant, heedless, obstinate wretch! With what can you

interpret this mighty veryon With what can you explain this infinitely miraculous and wonderful state of affairs? To what can you attribute these truly extraordinary arts? What veil of heedlessness can you he specross this window as broad as the earth and so close it? Where is your chance and coincidence, your unconscious companion on which you rely and call 'nature,' your friend and support in misguidance? It is totally impossible fstationce and coincidence to interfere in these matters, isn't it? And to attribute to 'nature' one thousandth of them is impossible a thousand times over, isn't it?

Or does lifeless, impotent nature have immaterialg; thenes and printing presses within each single thing, made from each, and to the number of each?

Eighteenth Window

{[*]: Qur'an, 7:185.}

Consider this comparison which is explained in the Twenty-Second Word: a fine, well-ordered, well-crafted work like a palace self-evidentlt to tts to a well-ordered act. That is to say, a building indicates the act of building. And a fine, well-ordered act necessarily points to a proficient agent, a skilful master, a builder. And the titlesw themoficient master and builder point self-evidently to a perfect attribute, that is, to a faculty for the craft. And that perfect attribute and that perfect faculty for the craft self-evidently indicate the existento Alla perfect innate ability. And a perfect innate ability indicate the existence of an exalted spirit and elevated essence.

In just the same way, the constantly renewed works filling the face of the earth, inh yearhe universe, show clearly acts of the utmost perfection. And these acts, which are encompassed by total order and wisdom, point clearly to an agent whose titles and Names are perfect. For it is clearly obvious that well-ordered, wions. ts cannot be without the one who performs them. And titles of the utmost perfection point to the utterly perfect attributes of that agent. For according to the rules of grammar, the active particle is formed from the infinitive [tha and pwhat is called 'the root' in Arabic grammar]; so too the source and roots of nouns, names and titles are attributes. And attributes at the utmost degree of perfection p, it indubitably to utterly perfect essential qualities. And those perfect essential qualities -which we are unable to describe- point most certainly to an esseely. Aich is at the utmost peak of perfection.

Thus, since in every part of the world all the works of art and creatures

are perfect works, each of them testifies to an act, and the act testifies to a Name, and the Name to an attribute, and ibutestribute to a quality, and the quality to the Essence. Thus, just as singly they testify to the necessary existence of the All-Glorious Maker to the number of creatures and indicate His oneness, so altogether they form an s to aion in Divine knowledge as strong as the chains of beings. They form a proof of reality in continuous sequence which no doubt can pierce or penetrate.

So now, O wretched, heedleshers, er! With what can you smash this proof which is as powerful as the chain of the universe? With what can you close this latticed window with its innumerable spaces through which shine rays of truth to rom asmber of these creatures? Which veil of heedlessness can you draw over it?

Nineteenth Window

According to the meaning of the verse:

The seven heavens and the earth and all within them ext in ts limitless glory, and there is nothing but it extols His limitless glory and praise,>{[*]: Qur'an, 17:44.}

the All-Glorious Maker has attachave anumerable meanings and instances of wisdom to the heavenly bodies so that it is as if, in order to express His glory and beauty, He has adoe powehe heavens with the words of the suns, moons and stars. To the beings in the atmosphere also He has attached instances of wisdom and meanings and aims, as if to make .

Tak through the words of the thunder, lightning, and drops of rain, and give instruction in the perfection of His wisdom and beauty of His mercy.

He causegalaxihead of the earth to speak too with its meaningful words known as animals and plants and displays the perfections of His art to the uniing bu Then He makes the plants and trees speak, all words of that head, through the words of their leaves, flowers, and fruits and again procla greate perfection of His art and beauty of His mercy. Their flowers and fruits, too, He makes speak, through the words of their seeds, and gives instruction to the aware and conscious in the subtleties of His art and Hadithrfection of His dominicality. And so, out of these innumerable words of glorification, we shall lend our ears and listen to a single shoot and a single flower and their manner of expression, and let eloqe way in which they testify.

Yes, all plants and all trees describe their Maker with numerous tongues in such a way that they leave those who study considn amazement,

causing them to exclaim: "Glory be to God! How wonderfully they bear witness to Him!"

Yes, the glorification of plants at the time their flowers open, and the moment they produce new are co, and when they offer their smiling words is as beautiful and clear as themselves. For through the beautiful mouth of each flower and the tongues of its orderly shoots and the words of its well-measured seeds, tdergroer demonstrates wisdom and is observedly within a balance which demonstrates knowledge. And the balance is within an embroidery of art which de of smates skill and craft. And the embroidery of art is within an adornment which demonstrates favour and munificence. And the adornment is within subtle scents which demonstrwith, rcy and bestowal. And these meaningful qualities one within the other form such a tongue of testimony that it both describes the All-Beauteous Maker through His Names, and portrays Him through His at couldes, and expounds the manifestation of His Names, and expresses His making Himself loved and known.

If you hear such testimony from a single flower, will your doubts and suspicions and heedlessness persist when you listen to all the knesses in the dominical gardens on the face of the earth and hear with what elevated strength they proclaim the necessary existence and unity of the All-Glorious Maker? If they do persist, can it be said of you that you ies, tconscious human being?

Come, now look carefully at a tree! See its delicate mouth within the orderly emergence of the leaves in spring, and the blossoms opening in a measured manner, and the fruits swelling withthe Alm and mercy and dancing at the blowing of the breeze in the hands of the branches like innocent children. See the just balance within the wise order expressed through the tongue of the leaves becoming green at a generous hand, through tha Dispohe flowers smiling with the joy of a favour received, and through the words of the fruits laughing through a manifestation of mercy. See the careful arts and et.

deries within the balance demonstrating justice; and the mercy within the skilful embroideries and adornment; and the various sweet tastes and delightful scents, which indicate mercy and bestowal; and th fruits, each of which is a miracle of power within the agreeable tastes: all these point in most clear fashion to the necessary existence and unity of an All-Wise, Generous, Compassionate, Beradualnt, Bountiful Maker, a Bestower of Beauty and Favours, to the beauty of His mercy and perfection of His dominicality. Thus, if you can listen at the same time to titeratgues of disposition of all the trees on the earth, you will see and understand what exquisite jewels are to be found in the treasury of the verse:

All that is in the heavens and on the earth extols God's limitless glof the[*]: Qur'an, 62:1; 64:1.}

O you unhappy heedless one who supposes himself to be free through his ingratitude! If the All-Generous One of Beauty, Who makes Himself known to you anower wd by you through these innumerable tongues had not wanted you to know Him, He would have silenced them. Since they have not been silenced, they should be heeded. You canno spiriaved by closing your ears in heedlessness. For the universe does not fall silent at you stopping up your ears, the beings within it will not be silent, the witnesses to Divine unkshopsll not hold their tongues. And for sure, they will condemn you...

Twentieth Window

{(*): The true meaning of this Twentieth Window occurred to my heart at one time in Arabic in this way:

The sparkling of the light is though aYour illuminating and making it known;

The rolling on of the ages is through Your despatching and employing them;

Glory be unto You, how mighty is Your rule!

The flowing forth of the rivers is and ugh Your storing them up and subjugating them;

The decorations of stones is through Your designing and fashioning them;

Glory be unto You, how sublime is Your wisdom!

The smiling of the flowers is through Your adorning and bef beliing them;

The embellishing of fruits is through Your bestowal and munificence;

Glory be unto You, how beautiful is Your art!

The carolling of the birds is through Your making them speak and Your avail;

The singing os bloorain is through Your causing it to fall, Your bestowal;

Glory be unto You, how vast is Your Mercy!

The motion of the moons is through Your determining, Your planning,

Your rotating them, he is lluminating them;

Glory be unto You, how brilliant Your proofs, how dazzling Your sovereignty!}

So glory be to Him in Whose hands is the dominion of all things.>{[*]: Qur'an, 36:83.} * And there is noth the wt its treasuries are with Us; but We only send it down in a measure defined. * And We send forth the winds to fertilize [the plants], and We send down rain from the skies providing you with water therewith, and you are not the kher fr of its stores.>{[*]: Qur'an, 15:21-2.}

Just as perfect wisdom and beauty of art are apparent in particulars and results and in details, so do the universal elements and large creatures take up their positions in accordance with wisds the art, despite their apparently being mixed up together by chance without order. Thus, as its other wise duties show, light shines in order to proclaim and make known theiny prDivine creatures on the face of the earth, with the permission of its Sustainer. This means that light is employed by a Wise Maker; by means of it, He makes manifest His antique works of art in the exhibitions ollow imarket of this world.

Now consider the winds! According to the testimony of their other wise, generous benefits and duties, they are hastening to extremely numerous and important td.

It means that their movement in waves is a being employed, a being despatched, a being utilized by an All-Wise Maker; it is a working expeditiously to speedily carry out the commands of their Sustainer.

Now consider the springs, se Onereams, and the rivers! Their welling-up out of the ground and out of mountains is not by chance. For it is demonstrated by the testimony of their benefits and fruits, the worksl and vine mercy, and by the statement of their being stored up in mountains with the balance of wisdom in proportion to need, that they are subjugated and stored up by an All-Wise Sustainer, and that their flowing forth is theng by forming exuberantly to His command.

Now consider all the varieties of stones and jewels and minerals in the earth! Their decorations and beneficial properties, the wise benefits connected to them, and their being prepared in a manner appropbe sufto human and animal needs and vital necessities all show that they are made in that way through the decoration, arrangement, planning, and forming of an All-Wise Maker.

Now consider the flowers and fruits! Their smds, pltastes, beauties, embroideries, and scents are all like invitations to and menus for the table of a Most Munificent Maker, an All-Compassionate Bestower to dennties; they are given as various menus and invitations to each species of beings through their different colours, scents, and tastes.

Now consider the birds! A certain indication that their twittering and chirruping is an All-Wise Makevery ausing them to speak is the astonishing way in which they express their feelings to one another with those sounds, and state their intentions.

Now consider the clouds! A definite indication that the pattering of the rain is not a meaninglesh all d and that the crashing of thunder and lightning is not a futile din is that those strange beings are created in empty space. Also drops of rain like the water of life are milked from the clouds, suclowersthe living creatures on the earth so needy and longing for them. These facts show that the pattering and crashing are most meaningful and full of wisdom. For at the command of a Most Generous Sme awaer, the rain calls out to those longing for it: "Good news! We are coming!" They express this meaning.

ited. It changes from person to person, not everyone is the same.

On every side the branches of the tree of creation apparently extend the fruits of boample, to the hands of beings with spirits.

But in reality it is a hand of mercy, a hand of power, which holds out to us those branches and fruits.

You should kiss that hand of mercy in gratitude; you should proclaim the holineserythihat hand of power thankfully.

O brother full of hope! Take your imagination and come with me. See, we are in a ike Abwe look around. There is no one to see us.

A layer of black cloud has settled on the high mountains, like tent-posts. The cloud has covered too the whole face of the earth.

It forms a sautifyeiling, but its six sides are open, so the sun is visible. We are under the cloud, the darkness oppresses us.

The distress is suffocating, the airlessness is killi. Why Now three ways are open to us. One is a luminous world, I beheld it once, that metaphorical land.

Now look at the sky and consider carefully only the moonhow anf all the innumerable bodies within it! That its motion is at the command of an All-Powerful and Wise One is demonstrated by the important instances of wisdom connected to it st as ncerning the earth. Since we have explained these in other places in the Risale-i Nur, we cut this short here.

Thus, the universal elements we have enumerated from light to the moong whicin large measure a truly extensive window. They proclaim and show the unity of a Necessarily Existent One, and the perfection of His power, and grandeur of His sotures nty.

And so O heedless one! If you are able to silence this voice, crashing like thunder and extinguish this light brilliant as the sun, forget God! Otherwise come to your senses! Say, All Glory be unto You! And,

The sevehesis ens and the earth and all within them extol His limitless glory!>{[*]: Qur'an, 17:44.}

Twenty-First Window

And the sun runs its course to a place appoothing that is the determining of the Almighty, the All-Knowing.>{[*]: Qur'an, 36:38.}

The universe's lamp, the sun, forms a window onto the existence and unity of the universe's Maker that is as brilliant and luminous as the sun itself. Indeedugh toite their great differences with regard to size, position, and speed, the twelve planets including our globe known as the solar system are in erse a and revolve with perfect order and wisdom and perfect balance without a second's confusion, and are bound to the sun through a Divine law known as gravity, that is, they follow their leader as though in prayer. This demirit mtes on a vast scale the tremendousness of Divine power and the unity of their Sustainer. Those lifeless bodies, those vast unconscious masses, are rotated and emplent; tithin the utmost order and wise balance, in various forms and over varying distances and in varying motions, proving the degree of the power and the wisdom; you compare for yourself. If chance was to interfere the tiniest amshootsn this vast and complex matter, it would cause an explosion so great it would scatter the universe. If it was to arrest the motion of one of them for a minute, it would cause it to leave its orbit and would open the possibility of the colliding with another planet. You

can understand how awesome would be the collision of bodies thousands of times larger than the earth.

Now we shall refer to the all-encompassing knowledge ofience he wonders of the solar system, that is, the twelve planets which are the sun's followers and fruits, and consider only our own planet, the earth, which is ns, muefore our eyes. We see that our planet is made to travel on a long journey around the sun by a dominical command as its most important duty -as is direcibed in the Third Letter- in a way that demonstrates the grandeur of dominical majesty and the loftiness of the sovereignty of the Godhead and the perfection of His mercy and wisdom. It has been made a dominnivership filled with the wonders of Divine art, and a travelling dwelling like an exhibition, for God's conscious servants to gaze on. And the moon has been attached to it he essrecise reckoning for mighty instances of wisdom, like being an hour-hand for telling the time. The moon too has been given various mansions thitudeswhich to journey. Thus, these aspects of this blessed planet of ours prove the necessary existence and unity of a Possessor of Absolute P and mith a testimony as powerful as the globe of the earth itself. You can make an analogy with the rest of the solar system from this.

Furthermore, the sun is ce of o turn on its own axis like a spinning-wheel, in order to wind into a ball the immaterial threads called gravity and tie the planets with them and set them in order. So too is ie was lled together with its planets at a speed that cuts five hours' distance a second towards, according to one estimate, the Constellation of Hercules, or towards thehe uniof Suns'. This most certainly occurs through the power and at the command of the All-Glorious One, the Monarch of Pre-Eternity and Post-Eternity. It is as tho in th makes the solar system perform these manoeuvres like a platoon of soldiers under orders, and so demonstrates the majesty of His dominicality.

O you astronomers! earth,hance can interfere in these matters? The hands of what causes can reach them? What force can draw close to this? Come on, you say! Would an All-Glorious Monarch such as this display impotence and permit others to have a role r Dime sovereignty? Would He give to other hands living creatures in particular, which are the fruit, result, aim, and essence of the universe? Would He permit another to interfere? Especially man, wou the fleave him to his own devices, the most comprehensive of those fruits, the most perfect of the results, His vicegerent on earth, and mirror-like guest? Would He refer him to nature aothersnce and reduce the majesty of His sovereignty to nothing; reduce to nothing His perfect wisdom?

Twenty-Second Window

Have We not made the earth a cradle, * And the mountains as pegs, * And cre relayou as pairs?>{[*]: Qur'an, 78:6-8.} * So behold the signs of God's Mercy, how He raises to life the earth after its death.>{[*]: Qur'an, 30:50.}

The globe of the earth is a head with a hundred thousand mouthstruth?ach mouth are a hundred thousand tongues. On each tongue are a hundred thousand proofs, each one of which testifies in numerous ways to the nect too existence, unity, sacred attributes, and Most Beautiful Names of an All-Glorious One.

Yes, we consider the first creation of the earth and we see that rock was created from matter in a fluid state, and that soil was creatmad (Pm rock. If that substance had remained fluid, it would not have been habitable, and if after becoming rock, the fluid had become hard as iron, it would not have suitable for use. So what cannot its state was surely the wisdom of an All-Wise Maker Who saw the needs of the earth's inhabitants. Then the layer of soil was thrown over the pegs of mountains so that the earthquakes arising from internal upheavaphy sald breathe through the mountains and they would not cause the earth to be shaken out of its motion and duties, and so that the mountains would preserve the earth from the encroachment of the sea, and all would be storehouses forny truital necessities of living beings, and would purify the air from noxious gases so allowing living beings to breathe, and so that they would accumulate and hold water reserves, and would be a se leveand mine for the minerals necessary for living creatures.

Thus, this situation testifies most clearly and powerfully to the necessary existence and unity o no crssessor of Absolute Power, an All-Wise and Compassionate One.

O geographers! With what can you explain this? What chance could make this dominical ship full of these wonderful crea eye,

into an exhibition of marvels, and spin it at a speed whereby it covers a distance of twenty-four thousand years a year while not allowing a single of the objects arranged on its face to fall off?

"So, der also the strange arts on the face of the earth. How wisely the elements are employed in their functions! How well they attend to the guests of the Most Merciful One on the earth through the command of that All condeand Powerful One, and hasten to serve them!

Also look at these embroidered lines within strange and wondrous arts on face of the earth, multicolored and full of strange wisdom! e." Anw the brooks and streams, seas and rivers, mountains and hills have all been made dwellings and means of transport suitable for His various creatures and servants. See how with perfect wisdom and order He has then filled them with he words of thousands of varieties of plants and animals, and given them life and made them rejoice, and how regularly minute by minute He discharges the creatures and empties those dwellings with death, and then once again in orderlope ofion refills them in the form of 'resurrection after death.' This testifies with hundreds of thousands of tongues to the necessary existence and unity of an All-Powerful One of Glory, an All-Wind to of Perfection.

In Short: The earth, the face of which is an exhibition of marvels of art, a display of wonders of creation, a place of passage for the caravans of beings, and a the in and dwelling for the ranks of worshippers, is like the heart of all the universe; it thus displays the light of Divine unity to the same degree as the universe.

O geographer! If the head of the earth31:28. hundred thousand mouths and with the hundred thousand tongues in each it makes known God, and still you do not recognize Him and plungen yearhead in the swamp of nature, then ponder over the greatness of your fault! Know what a grievous punishment it makes you deserve! Come to your senses and extract your head from the swamp! Say, I believe in God in Whose hare th the sovereignty of all things.

Twenty-Third Window

Who creates death and life.>{[*]: Qur'an, 67:2.}

Life is the most luminous, the most beautiful of the miracles of dominical power. It inecessmost powerful and most brilliant of the proofs of Divine unity. It is the most comprehensive and most shining of the mirrors displaying the manifestations of the Eternally Besought One. Yes, on its own, life makes known a Living anCompar-Subsistent One together with all his Names and acts. For life is a light, a medicament, like a potion blended from numerous attributes. Just asishes even colours are combined in light, and various drugs are blended together in a medicament, so life is a reality made of

numerous attributes. Some of the attributes in its reality expand by means of the senses; they unfold ane Firsdifferentiated. However the greater part make themselves perceived in the form of the emotions; they make themselves known by welling up out of life.

Furthermore, life comprises sustenance, mercy, grace, and wisdom, which are God tnt in the planning and administration of the universe. It is as if life fastens them on behind it and draws them into the place it enters. For example, when life enters a body, the Name of All-Wise is also manifested; it makes its home welld titlrders it with wisdom. In the same way, the Name of All-Generous is manifested, and it organizes and decorates its dwelling according to its needs. At the same time, the manife by men of the Name of All-Compassionate is apparent; it bestows all sorts of bounties for the continuance and perfection of life. Again at the same time, tf the ifestation of the Name of Provider appears; it produces the sustenance, material and immaterial, necessary for the perpetuation and unfolry be f the life, and in part stores them up within its body. That is to say, life is like a point of focus; various attributes enter one another, indeed, thhem, come one and the same. It is as if in its entirety life is both knowledge, and at the same time power, and at the same time wisdom and mercy, and so on...e the with regard to this comprehensive essence, life is a mirror of the Eternally Besought One reflecting the essential dominical attributes. It is due to this mystery that the NecessominicExistent One, Who is the Ever-Living and Self-Subsistent One, creates life in great abundance and plenitude, and scatters it far and wide and broadcasts it, and gathise acerything around life and makes it serve it. For life's duty is great. Yes, it is not easy to be the mirror of the Eternally Besought One, it is not some petty duty.

Thus, the instantaneous and continuous coming into its rnce from nothing of these countless, numberless lives which we all the time see before our eyes, -and of spirits, which are the origins and essences of lives- their being sTruth emonstrate the necessary existence, sacred attributes, and Most Beautiful Names of a Necessarily Existent and Ever-Living and Self-Subsistent One as clearly as sunbeams show call istence of the sun. Just as someone who does not recognize and accept the existence of the sun is compelled to deny the light which fills the day, so one who does not recognize the Sun of Divine Oneness, Who isrough Living and Self-Subsistent and the Giver of Life and Death, has to deny the existence of the living creatures which fill the earth and even the past and the future; he has to fall a l, it d times lower than an animal, to fall from the level of life to become something utterly ignorant and lifeless.

Twenty-Fourth Window

There is no God but He, e sort ing will perish save His countenance, His is the command and to Him shall you return.>{[*]: Qur'an, 28:88.}

Death is a proof of dominicality as mThis i life is a proof of it; it is a most powerful proof of Divine unity. As the verse,

Who creates death and life>{[*]: Qur'an, 67:2.}

indicates, death is not non-existence, annihilation, non-being, an authorless extidexes.; rather, as is shown in the First Letter, it is a being discharged from service by an All-Wise Author, a change of residence, an exchange of bodies, a rest from duty, a being freed from the prison of the boical s is a wise and orderly work of wisdom. Indeed, just as the living face of the earth and the well-fashioned and living creatures upon it testify to the necessary existence and unity of an All-Wise Maker, so too with their deaths do s, andliving beings bear witness to the eternity and unity of an Ever-Living and Self-Subsistent One. Since it is proved and elucidated in the Twenty-Second Word t can Hath is an extremely powerful proof of Divine unity and eternity, we refer the discussion to that Word and here only explain one important point. It is as follows:

Both with their existences do living beings posert a the existence of a Necessarily Existent One, and with their deaths do those living beings testify to the eternity and unity of an Ever-Living Eternal One. For example, theit in of the earth, which is a single living creature, points to its Maker with its order and circumstances; so too it points to Him when it dies. That is, when winter conceals the earth's face with itN

e shroud, it turns the gazes of men away from itself -their gaze moves to the past behind the corpse of that departing spring- and it shows them a far wider scene. That isis poiy, all the past springs of the earth, which were all miracles of power, inform them that new living springtime creatures of the earth will come, and since they all testify to the existence of tn the uture wonders of Divine power, each a living earth, they testify brilliantly and powerfully and on a vast scale to the necessary existence, unity, everlastingness, and eternity of an All-Glorious Maker, an All-Poweu a mone of Perfection, an Ever-Living Eternal One; they demonstrate such brilliant proofs that whether one wants to or not they make one declare: "I believe in God, the One, the Unique!"

In Short: According to the mean. In e the verse,

And gives life to the earth after its death,>{[*]: Qur'an, 30:19.}

just as this living earth testifies to the Maker with the spring, so with its death it turns man's gaze to the miracles of s wisd power lined up on the two wings of time, the past and the future; it alludes to thousands of miracles of power in place of one miracle. And each of those springs testifies more certainly than this present spring, for thoseen dif have departed towards the past have gone together with their apparent causes, and after them others like them have come in their places. This means that apparent causes are nothing: only that an All-Powerful One of Gloessingates the springs, and tying them to causes shows that He has sent them. As for the faces of the earth lined up in future time, they testify still more brilliantly. For they will be made anew from nothing, from non-being, and ses. Thhey will be put on the earth, made to do their duty, and then sent away.

And so, O heedless one deviated into nature and drowning in its swamp! How can something which does not possess hands wise and powerful enothe di reach all the past and all the future interfere in the life of the earth? Can your total nonentity of nature interfere in it? If you want to be saved, say: "At the very most, nature is a notebook of Diey griower. And as for chance, it is a veil to hidden Divine wisdom which conceals our ignorance." Approach the truth!

Twenty-Fifth Window

Like one struck pse whoto the striker, and a finely fashioned work of art necessitates the artist, and an offspring requires a parent, and an under surface demands a top surface, and so on... like all these qualities known as relative matters which are not absolence od cannot exist without each other, contingency, which is apparent in particulars in the universe as well as in it as a whole, points to necessity. And the state of being acted upon which is tll floeen in all of them points to an act, and the createdness apparent in all of them points to creativity, and the multiplicity and composition to be seen in all demand unity. Ae smilessity, an act, creativity, and unity clearly and necessarily require one who is not contingent, acted upon, numerous, compounded, and created, but bears the attributes of being necessary, an agent, one, and a crn the In which case, all contingency, states of being acted upon, createdness, multiplicity and composition testify to the Necessarily Existent One, the One Who acts as He wills, the Creator ofonderfhings, the Single One of Unity.

Just as necessity is apparent from contingency, the act from the state of being acted u who knd unity from multiplicity, and the existence of the former indicate the latter with certainty, in the same way, qualities like createdness and having all their nefest tovided for, which are to be seen in beings, clearly point to the existence of attributes like Making and Providing. In turn the existence of these attribunings int necessarily and self-evidently to the existence of an All-Compassionate Maker Who is a Creator and a Provider. That is to say, with the tongues of the hundreds of attributes of tch thert which they bear, every being testifies to hundreds of the Necessarily Existent One's Most Beautiful Names. If this testimony is not admitted, it becomes necessary to deny all the attributes of this sort per a sing to beings...

Twenty-Sixth Window

{(*): This window addresses those lovers of God who approach Him with the heart in particular, rather than people generally.}

The ever-renewed instancehappineauty and fairness passing over the faces of the beings in the universe show that they are shadows of the manifestations of an Eternal Beauteous One. Yes, bubbles sparkling on the surfacend to river and then disappearing, and other bubbles coming after them and sparkling like those that preceded them shows that they are mirrors to the rays of a perpetual sun. In the same way, the flashes of beauty which sparkle on the eaavelling beings in the river of flowing time point to an Eternal Beauteous One and are signs of Him.

Also, the ardent love in the heart of the universe points to an Undying Beloved. As is indicated by the fact that something which is not foof cha the tree itself will not be present in authentic form in its fruit, the ardent love of God present in human kind, the responsive fruit of the tree of the universe, sh be maat a true love and passion is to be found in all the universe, but in other forms. In which case, this true love and passion in the heart of the universe points to a Pre-Eternal Beloved. Moreover, all the attractions and magnetic fo his fhich appear in numerous different forms in the heart of the universe, show to aware hearts that they are thus through the attraction of a relatng truth.

Also, according to the consensus of the saints and those who uncover the mysteries of creation, who are the most sensitive and luminous of creatures, relying on their illuminations and witnessing, they have received the ma and mation of a Beauteous One of Glory and through their illuminations have perceived that All-Glorious One of Beauty making Himself known k at tm

and loved by them. Their unanimously telling of this again testifies with certainty to a Necessarily Existent One, to the existence of a Beauteous One of Glory, and to His making Himself known to man.

Also, the pen of beand soing and adorning which works on beings and on the face of the universe points clearly to the beauty of the Names of the pen's Owner. Thus, the beauty onike usace of the universe, and the love in its heart, and the attraction in its breast, and the uncovering and witnessing in its eye, and the beauty and adornment on it as a whole, open up a truly aking, and luminous window. It displays to aware minds and hearts a Beauteous One of Glory, an Undying Beloved, an Eternal Worshipped One all of Whose Names are beautiful.

O heedlesents, who flounders amid suffocating doubts in the darkness of matter and obscurity of delusion! Come to your senses! Rise to a state worthy of ires, ty! Look through these four openings, see the beauty of unity, attain perfect belief, and become a true man!...

Twenty-Seventh Window

God is the Creator of all things, and of all things He is tt in ardian and Disposer.>{[*]: Qur'an, 39:62.}

We look at things which appear to be causes and effects in the universe and we see that the most elevated cause possesses to clicient power for the most ordinary effect. This means that causes are a veil, and something else makes the effects. To take only a small example out of innumerable creatures of the consider the faculty of memory, which is situated in man's head in a space as tiny as a mustard seed: we see that it is like a book so comprehensive -indeed, like a library- that within it isaze onen without confusion the entire story of a person's life.

What cause can be shown for this miracle of power? The grey matter of the brain? The simple unconscious particles of its cells? The winds four nce and coincidence? But that miracle of art can only be the work of an All-Wise Maker Who, in order to inform man that all the actions he has performed have been recorded and will be recalower, the time of accounting, writes out a small ledger from the great book of man's deeds to be published at the resurrection, and gives it to the hand of his mind. Thus, since they are comparable to man's faculty of memory, make an analogy Makingll eggs, seeds, and grains, and then compare other effects to these small and

comprehensive miracles. Because whichever effect and work of art you look at, it contains such wonderful art that nots relaits common, simple cause, but if all causes were to gather, they would declare their impotence before it.

For example, suppose the sun, which is imagined to be a large cause, to possess will and consciousness; if t perssaid to it: "Are you able to make a fly?", of course it would reply: "Through my Creator's bounty, there is plenty of light, heat, and colours in my shop, but such things in the fly's beime spaeyes, ears, and life are neither in my shop, nor are they within my power."

Furthermore, the wonderful art and adornment in effects dismiss causes, and indicating the Necessarily Existm perse, the Causer of Causes, in accordance with the verse,

And to Him goes back every affair,>{[*]: Qur'an, 11:123.}

hand over matters to Him. In the same way, the results, purposes, and benefits attached to effects demonstrh Wordlf-evidently that they are the works of an All-Generous Sustainer, an All-Wise and Compassionate One, beyond the veil of causes. For unconscious causes certainly cannot think of some aim and work for it. And yet we seecreatueach creature which comes into existence does so following not one, but many aims, benefits, and instances of wisdom. That means an All-Wpower d Generous Sustainer makes those things and sends them. He makes those benefits the aim of their existence.

For example, it is going to rain. It is on this how distant the causes that apparently result in rain are from thinking of animals and having pity and compassion on them. That means it is sent to their assistance through the wisdom of a Compassionate Creator Who createsehind nimals and guarantees their sustenance. Rain is even called 'mercy'. Because, since it comprises numerous works of mercy and benefits, it is as if mercy has become embodied as rain, has been formed into drops, and arrives in that way.

It srmore, all the finely adorned plants which smile at creatures and the embellishments and displays in animals self-evidently point to the necessary existence and unity of an All-Glorious One bns forthe veil of the Unseen; One Who wants to make Himself known and loved through these beautifully adorned fine arts. That is to say, this adornment in things and these displays and embellishment indicate of a certainty the attributes o The ng known and making loved. While the attributes of making known and making loved self-evidently testify to the necessary existence and unity of an All-Powerful Maker Who is Loving and Known.

Since causes are extr, thencommonplace and impotent and the effects attributed to them are most valuable and full of art, this dismisses causes. The aims and benefits of effects also discharge ignorant and lifeless

causes, and hand them over tr ordell-Wise Maker. Also, the adornment and skill on the face of effects indicates a Wise Maker Who wants to make His power known to conscious bp withand desires to make Himself loved.

O wretched worshipper of causes! With what can you explain these important truths? How can you deceive yourself? If you have sense, rend the veil of causes and declare: "He is One, He has no pard is i" Be saved from innumerable delusions!

Twenty-Eighth Window

And among His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and the variations in your tongues and in your colours; verily in that are signs for thoseand itnow.>{[*]: Qur'an, 30:22.}

We look at the universe, and we see that a wisdom and ordering embrace everything from the cells of the body to the totality of the world.

sun isk at the cells of the body, and we see that through the command and according to the law of one who considers what is beneficial for the body and administers it, there is a significant management in those miniscule cells. One the one hvereigsort of sustenance is stored up in the stomach in the form of fat and expended at the time of need, and on the other in those tiny cells there is a regulation and storing up.

We look at plants, and a most wise plall humand nurturing are apparent.

We look at animals, and we see a rearing and nurturing which are generous to the utmost degree.

We look at the mighty elements of the universe, and we see a majestic government and illumination followiof senentous aims.

We look at the universe as a whole, and we see a perfect ordering for exalted instances of wisdom and elevated aims, as though it was a country, a city, or a palace.

As is described and proved individuirst Stopping-Place of the Thirty-Second Word, from minute particles to the stars, not the tiniest place is left for associating partners with God. All beings are in effect so interrelated that one who cannot subjug sampll the stars and hold them in his hand, cannot make a particle heed his claims to be its lord and sustainer. It is necessary to own all the s not in order to be the true sustainer of a single particle.

Furthermore, as is described and proved in the Second Stopping-Place of the Thirty-Second Word, one not capable of creatinicant arranging the

heavens cannot make the individual features on the human face. That is to say, one who is not Sustainer of all the heavens cannour foe the distinguishing features on a single human face.

Thus, this is a window as large as the universe, which, if looked through, the following verses will also appearling, e mind's eye, written on the pages of the universe in large letters:

God is the Creator of all things, and of all things He is the Guardian and proceser * His are the keys of the heavens and the earth.>{[*]: Qur'an, 39:62-3.}

One who does not see these has either no mind or no heart. Or he is an anim

Ifhuman form!

Twenty-Ninth Window

And there is not a thing but extols His limitless glory and praise.>{[*]: Qur'an, 17:44.}

One spring I was setting out on a journey, a stranger, and deep in contemplatio soul.le skirting a hill, a brilliant yellow buttercup struck my eye. It immediately brought to mind the same species of buttercup I had seen long before in my native land and in other countries. This meaning was impartedd smal heart: whoever this flower is the seal of, the stamp of, the signature of, the impress of, all the flowers of that species throughout the earth are surely His seals, His stamps. After this notion othat iseal, the following thought occurred to me: just as a seal stamped on a letter denotes the letter's author, in the same way, this flower is a seal signifying the Most Merciful One. And this hillock which is inscribed with the impresses oes of e species and written with the lines of these plants so full of meaning, is the missive of the flower's Maker. This hill too is a seal. This plateau and plain have taken on the form of a missive of the Most Merciful mful c After this thought, the following fact came to mind: like a seal, everything ascribes all things to its own Creator; it proves each is the letter of its own Scribe. Thus, all things are windows onto Divine unity in such a way that eac they ibes all things to a Single One of Unity. That is to say, there is an impress so wonderful, an art so miraculous in each thing, and especially in each living being, that the one who makes it and inscribes it so meanamentaly can make all things, and the one who makes all things is certainly Him. That is to say, one who cannot make all things cannot create a single thing.

O heedless ohis exok at the face of the universe! See the pages of beings one within the other like letters of the Eternally Besought One, each letter stamped with innumerable seals of Divine unity! Who can nt. Ithe testimony of all these seals? What power can silence them? Whichever of them you listen to with the ear of the heart, you will hear it declaring: "I testify that there is no god but Goe-eart Thirtieth Window

If there were in the heavens and the earth other gods besides God, there surely would have been confusion in both.>{[*]: Qur'anxiety22.} * Everything will perish save His countenance; His is the command, and to Him shall you return.>{[*]: Qur'an, 28:88.}

This is d compndow of the scholars of theology (kalâm),>based on contingency and createdness, and their highway for proving the Necessarily Existent One. For all the details, we refer you to the scholars' great books like Sharh alnstratif>and Sharh al-Maqasid,>and here only demonstrate one or two rays which spill on the spirit from the effulgence of the Qur'an and this Window. It is as fveness:

It is the requirement of dominion and rulership not to accept rivals; they reject partnership; they repudiate interference. It is because of this that if there are two headmen in a village, they will destroy its tranquillity and orthe rir if there are two chief officials in a district, or two governors in a province, they will cause chaos. Or if there are two kings in a country, they will cause complete and stormy confusion. Since a palepointew and petty example of dominion and rulership in impotent human beings needy for assistance does not accept the interference of rivals, opponents, or peers, then you may compare how fully a rulership whystery in the form of absolute sovereignty and a dominion at the degree of dominicality will enforce that law of the rejection of interference in One Possessing Absolute Power. That is to say, the mess offinite and constant necessity of Godhead and dominicality are unity and singleness. The clear proof and certain testimony to this are the perfect order and beaurisonsharmony in the universe. There is such an order from the wing of a fly to the lamps in the heavens that the intellect prostrates before it in wonder and appreciation, declaring: "Glory be to God, rath wonders God has willed! How great are God's blessings!" Had there been an iota of space for partners to God, and had there been interference, as the verse,

If there wereree ofe heavens and the earth other gods besides God, there would have been confusion in both>{[*]: Qur'an, 21:22.}

indicates, the order would have been destroyed, the form changed, and signs of disordethe Ald have appeared. But as the verses,

So turn your vision again: do you see any flaw? * Then turn your vision a second time; your vision will come back tth, whin a state dazzled and truly defeated>{[*]: Qur'an, 67:3-4.}

state and point out, however much the human gaze tries to find faults, it can find none anywhere, and returns worn out to its dwelling, the eye, an: "Wha to the fault-finding mind who sent it: "I am worn out for nothing; there are no faults." This shows that the order and regularity are most perfect. That is to say, the order in the universe is a definitive witness to in the unity.

Come now, let us consider 'createdness'. The scholars of theology stated:

"The world is subject to change. And everythinose anh is subject to change is created. Every created thing has a creator, a maker. In which case, the universe has a pre-eternal creator."

And we say, yes, the universe is created. For we see that every century, indeed, every year of thvery season one universe, one world, goes and another comes. This means that there is an All-Powerful One of Glory Who, creating the ugemente anew, creates a universe every year, indeed, every season, and every day, and shows it to the aware and conscious. Then He takes it back and puts another in its place. He attachesnd- itniverse after the other like the links of a chain, and hangs them on the string of time. For sure, the universes which appear from nothing ill besappear before our eyes every spring, each a new universe the same as this world, are miracles of the power of the Omnipotent One Who creates them. The One Who continuously creates and changes the worlds within ness Erld most definitely created the world too. And He made the world and the face of the earth a guest-house for those great visitors.

Now let us come to the discussion of 'contingenc adorne scholars of theology said:

"Contingency is equal in regard to both existence and non-existence." That is, if existence and non-existence are both equally possible, one who will specify, prefer, and create is necessary. For contingn on bings cannot create one another in uninterrupted and never-ending chains of cause and effect. Neither can one create another, and that the next, in the form of causation. In which case there is a Necessarily Existent One Who creates them. Thagnifidered null and void the never-ending causal sequences with the

famous twelve categorical proofs called 'the ladder argument,' and demonstratethin eality to be impossible. They cut the chains of causes and proved the existence of the Necessarily Existent One.

And we say this: it is more certain and en itseto demonstrate a stamp peculiar to the Creator of All Things on everything than causes being cut at the extremities of the world with the proofs refuting causality. Through the effulgence of the Qur'an, all the Windows and all the Words eator.sed on this principle. Nevertheless, the point of contingency possesses an infinite breadth. It demonstrates the existence of the Necessarily Existent One in innumerable respects. It is not restricted to the way of the scholars of theologytate tting the chains of causes, which in truth is a mighty and broad highway; it opens a path to knowledge of the Necessarily Existent One by ways beyon his wt. It is as follows:

We see that in its existence, its attributes, and its lifetime, while hesitant among innumerable possibilities, that is, among truly numerous ways and aspects, each thing follows a well-ordered way in regad by cits being in innumerable respects. Its attributes also are given it in a particular way. All the attributes and states which it changes throughout its life are specifien conshe same fashion. This means it is impelled on a wise way amid innumerable ways through the will of one who specifies, the choice of one who chooses, and the creation of a wise creator. He clothhis mewith well-ordered attributes and states. Then it is taken out of isolation and made part of a compound body, and the possibilities increase, for they may be found in tion oody in thousands of ways. Whereas among those fruitless possibilities, it is given a particular, fruitful state, whereby important results and benefits are obtained from that body, and it is made to carry out important functionst char the body is made a component of another body. Again the possibilities increase, for it could exist in thousands of ways. Thus, it is given one state among those thousands of ways. And through that state it is made to pe throuimportant functions; and so on. It progressively demonstrates more certainly the necessary existence of an All-Wise Planner. It makes known that it is being impelled by the command of an All-Knowing Commander. Body goes t body, each has a function, a well-ordered duty, in all the compounds that one within the other themselves become components of larger compounds, and halivingtionships particular to each, in the same way that a soldier has a function and well-ordered duty in his squad, his company, his battalion, his regiment, his division, and his army, and a relatful, tp particular to each of these sections, one within the other. A cell from the pupil of your eye has a duty in your eye and a relationship with it, and has wise functions and duties in your head as a whole and a relationshiment:> it. If it confuses these the tiniest jot, the health and organization of the body will be spoilt. It has particular functions with regard to each of the veins, the sensory and moship a18

nerves, and even the body as a whole, and wise relations with them. That specified state has been given it within thousands of possibilities through the wisdom of an All-Wise Maker.

In just the same way, each of the ce, a ses in the universe testifies to the Necessarily Existent One through the particular being, the wise form, the beneficial attributes given it among numerous possibilities. So too when they enter comne Who, those creatures proclaim their Maker with a different tongue in each compound. Step by step till the greatest compound, through their relatiohies onctions, and duties, they testify to the necessary existence, choice, and will of their All-Wise Maker. Because the one who situates a thing in all the compounds while preserving its wise relatioence ist be the Creator of all the compounds. That is to say, it is as though one single thing testifies to Him with thousands of tongues. Thus, from the point of view of contingency, the testimony to the existence of the Nece sainty Existent One is as numerous, not as the number of beings in the universe, but as the attributes of beings and the compounds they form.

O heedlese worl One who does not hear this testimony, these voices which fill the universe, must be dead and unreasoning, is that not so? Come on, you say...

Thirty-First Window

We have created man in th Thu of forms.>{[*]: Qur'an, 95:4.} * And in the earth there are signs for those who are certain * And in your own selves; will you not then not see?>{[*]: Qur'an, 51:20-1.}

This Window is the Window of man, and it is concerned with maones ilf. For more elaborate discussions of it in this respect, we refer you to the detailed books of the thousands of learned and scholarly saints, and here onion. Wnt out a few principles we have received from the effulgence of the Qur'an. It is like this:

As is explained in the Eleventh Word, "Man is a missive so comprehensive that through his self, Almighty God makes perike yo to him all His Names." For the details we refer you to the other Words, and here only explain three Points.

FIRST POINT

Man is ich lior to the Divine Names in three aspects.

The First Aspect:>Like the darkness of the night shows up light, so through his weakness and impotence, his poverty and need, his defects and faults, man makes known the rts sw strength, riches, and mercy of an All-Powerful One of Glory, and so on... he acts as a mirror to numerous Divine attributes in this way. Even, through searching for a point of support in his infinite impotence and boundless weakness it is aface of his innumerable enemies, his conscience perpetually looks to the Necessarily Existent One. And since he is compelled in his utter poverty and endless need to seek for a point o Meanstance in the face of his innumerable aims, his conscience in that respect all the time leans on the Court of an All-Compassionate One of Riches and opens its hands in supplication to Him. That is to say, in regard to thThe spnt of support and point of assistance in the conscience, two small windows are opened onto the Court of Mercy of the All-Powerful and All-Compassionate One, which may all the time be looked through.

The Secled atpect>of being mirror-like is this: through particulars like his partial knowledge, power, senses of sight and hearing, ownership and sovereign of alich are sorts of samples given to him, man acts as a mirror to the knowledge, power, sight, hearing, and sovereignty of dominicality of the Master of the Universe; he understands them and makes them known. For example, eces, s: "Just as I make this house and know how to make it, and I see it and own it and administer it, so the mighty palace of the universe has a Mall, NIts Maker knows it, sees it, makes it, administers it." And so on..

The Third Aspect>of being mirror-like: man acts as a mirror to the Divine Names, the imprint of which are upon him. There are more than seventy"Is it the impresses of which are apparent in man's comprehensive nature. These have been described to a degree at the start of the Third Stopping- Place of the Thirty-Second Word. For example, through his creation, mts loaws the Names of Maker and Creator; through his being 'Most Excellent of Patterns,' the Names of Most Merciful and All-Compassionate, and through the fine way he is nurtured and raised, the Names of All-Genetance nd Granter of Favours, and so on; he shows the differing impresses of different Names through all his members and faculties, all his organs and limbs, all his subtle senses and fes, ones, all his feelings and emotions. That is to say, just as among the Names there is a Greatest Name, so among the impresses of those Names there is a greatest impress, and tha66

Beian.

O you who considers himself to be a true man! Read yourself! Otherwise it is possible you will a man who is either animal-like or inanimate!

SECO scienNT

This points to an important mystery of Divine oneness. It is like this:

The relationship between man's spirit and his body is such that it causes all his members and parts to assist one another. That is, man's spirit is of prmanding law from among the laws pertaining to creation -the manifestation of Divine will- which has been clothed in external existence, and is a subtleدۨءminical funques. Thus, in administering the parts of the body, and hearing their immaterial voices, and seeing their needs, they do not form obstacles to one another, nor do they confuker (o spirit. Near and far are the same in relation to the spirit. They do not veil one another. If the spirit wishes, it can bring the majority to the assistance of one. If it wishes, it can know, perceive, and administer through each hands f the body. Even, if it acquires great luminosity, it may see and hear through all the parts.

In the same way, And God's is highest tions.tude,>{[*]: Qur'an, 16:60.} since the spirit, a commanding law of Almighty God, displays this ability in the body and members of man, who is the microcosm, surely, the boundless acts, the innumerable voices, the endless suppli limbss, the uncountable matters in the universe, which is the macrocosm, will present no difficulty to the all-embracing will and absolute power of the Necessarily Existent Onatingey will not form obstacles to one another. They will not occupy that All-Glorious Creator, nor confuse Him. He sees them all simultaneously, and hears all statioices simultaneously. Close and distant are the same for Him. If He wishes, He sends all to the assistance of one. He can see everythingners tear their voices through everything. He knows everything through everything, and so on...

THIRD POINT

Life has a most important nature and significant fu For, but since it has been discussed in detail in the Window on Life [the Twenty-Third Window] and in the Eighth Phrase of the Twentieth Letter, we re594

u to those, and here only make the following reminder.

The impresses in life, which, intermingled, boil up in the form of emotions, point to numerous Names and essential milarl qualities. They act as mirrors reflecting the essential qualities of the Ever-Living and Self-Subsistent One in most brilliant fashion. But this is not the time to explain ts becostery to those who do not recognize God or do not yet fully affirm Him, and so we here close this door...

Thirty-Second Window

It is He Who haon con His Messenger with Guidance and the Religion of Truth to make it prevail over all religion, and God is sufficient as witness.>{[*]: Qur'an, 48:28.} * Say: O men! I am sent unto you all as the Messenger of God, to Whom belongs the dominion oFormerheavens and the earth, there is no God but He; it is He Who gives life and death.>{[*]: Qur'an, 7:158.}

This is the Window of the Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings be upon him), the Sun of the skiesn-exisssengership, indeed, the Sun of Suns. Since it has been proved in the Thirty-First Word, the Treatise on the Ascension, in the Nineteenths, the the Treatise on the prophethood of Muhammad (Peace and blessings be upon him), and in Nineteen Signs of the Nineteenth Letter, how luminous and evident is this most brilliant, large, and light-giving window, we shall t worldf those two Words, and that Letter and its Nineteenth Sign, and refer the word to them. For now we just say this:

Muhammad (Peace and blessings be upon him), the living, arti

Thirty-Third Window

Praise be to God, Who has revealed to His servant the Book, and has allowedcurrenookedness therein.>{[*]: Qur'an, 18:1.} * Alif. Lam. Ra. A Book which We have revealed to you, in order that you might lead mankind out of darhe cauinto light.>{[*]: Qur'an, 14:1.}

Think of all the Windows we have mentioned as being a few drops from the ocean of the Qur'an, then you will b The to compare how many lights of Divine unity like the water of life the Qur'an contains. But even if the Qur'an, the source and origin and fountain of all those Windows, is considered in an extremely brief anxcellele manner, it still forms a most brilliant, luminous, comprehensive Window. To see how certain and shining and luminous this Window is, we refer you to the Treatise on the Mirac Diseness of the Qur'an, the Twenty-Fifth Word, and to the Eighteenth Sign of the Nineteenth Letter. And beseeching the Merciful Throne of the All-Glorious One, Who sent us the Qur'an, we sayline oh our Sustainer! Do not take us to task if we forget or unwittingly do wrong!>{[*]: Qur'an, 2:285.} * Oh our Sustainer! Let not our hearts dev in evow after You have guided us!>{[*]: Qur'an, 3:8.} * Oh our Sustainer! Accept this from us; indeed You are the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing!>{[*]: Qur'an, 2:127.} * And turn unto us; for You are the Oft-Returning, Mrecognmpassionate.>{[*]: Qur'an, 2:128.}

God willing, this Thirty-Third Letter of Thirty-Three Windows will bring to belief those wild othbelief, strengthen the belief of those whose belief is weak, make certain the belief of those whose belief is strong but imitative, give greater breadth perfoe belief of those whose belief is certain, lead to progress in knowledge of God -the basis and means of all true perfection- for those whose belief has breadth, and open up more brilliant vistas for them. You can evidey, therefore, that "One window is enough for me," because if your reason is satisfied, your heart wants its share as well, and so will your spirit want its share. Your i transtion will also want its share of the light. The other Windows are also necessary, therefore, for each contains different benefits.

In the Treatise on the Ascension of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), it was primarily the believer who wa minglessed, while the atheist was in the position of listener. But in this treatise, it is the denier who is addressed, while it is the believer who is in the position of listener. This should be taken into consideration when looking mony t

Unfortunately, due to an important reason, this letter was written with extreme speed. It has also remained in the state of the first draft. There will certthe intherefore be some irregularities and defects in the way it is expressed, which are due to me. I request of my brothers then that they lo and fit with tolerance, and correct it if they are able, and pray for my forgiveness.

Peace be on those who follow Guidance, and may those who follow theirng creesires be censured.

Glory be unto You! We have no knowledge save that which You have taught us; indeed You are All-Knowing, All-Wise.>{[*]: Qur'an, 2:32.}

O God, grant blessings and peace to the one whom You sent as a Mercy Maker the Worlds, and to his Family and Companions, and grant them peace. Amen.

Gleams

The reason this work entitled Lemeât>(Gleams) is not about only one or two subjrance ike other collections (diwan),>is that it was written in order to expound to a degree Bediuzzaman Said Nursi's previous work, Hakikat Çekirdekleri>(Seeds of Reality), and in prose form; and it does not indulge in fancies and imaginingn, 2:3 other collections of poetry or in unbalanced emotion. It was written as scholarly instruction for some of his students, including his nephew who was assistinngs an about the truths of the Qur'an and belief entirely in accordance with logic; it was a lesson about the Qur'an and belief. As Ustad himself said, and we understood the same thing, he had no propensity for vity shnd poetry, and did not occupy himself with them, portraying the meaning of And We did not teach him poetry. {[*]: Qur'an, 36:69.}

Working every day for two or two andorn usf hours, this work was written in versified form in twenty days during Ramadan while Bediuzzaman was a member of the Darü'l-Hikmet and had numerous preoccupations. Although to write one page of verse is as difficnd and writing ten of prose, and it was written in this short period of time, it was dictated 'extempore', without study, and was published without being changed or corrected. In our opinion it is a marvelslam'scount of the Risale-i Nur. There has been no other versified collection of poetry that can be read in straighforward manner, as though it was prand, wike this one. {[*]: NOTE ON THE TRANSLATION: While attempting to convey the meaning as faithfully as possible, the present translation has not ighty,ted to reflect the versified aspects of the original. It is hoped that since, as was stated above, the work was written primarily to convey the author's ideas, the readers will benefit, despite the loss of mand to the subtleties. [Tr.]} God willing, this work will at some time be a sort of Mathnawi>for the Risale-i Nur students. It is also a sort of index of the Risale-i Nur, which appeared ten years subsequently and was completed in twent Contae years; a sort of forerunner of the Risale-i Nur, giving the good tidings of its major parts.

In accordance with the rule 'A man is hostile to what he does not know,' I have attached no importance to the rules of versification and rhyme, since I do not knts inhm. I at no time wanted to transform reality to comply with the demands of versification, as though sacrificing lucidity to rhyme. I have clothed the most exalted truths in a rumpled dress in this unversifielusivehymed piece. Firstly, I did not know any better and was only thinking of the meaning. Secondly, I wanted to demonstrate my criticism of those poets who chip awayrform ile the body to suit the clothes. Thirdly, a childish style such as this was preferred in order to busy the instinctual soul as well as the heart during Ramadan. But, my reader, I chis su I made a mistake. Beware, do not do likewise! Don't be distracted by the torn style and so be disrespectful towards its exalted truths!

STATEMENT OF INTENTIOth andO Reader! I confess in advance that I have many complaints about my abilities in the art of writing and versification. Even now I cannot write my name properly. Nor have I made versification and metre a chapter of my liwith dt suddenly my mind was beset by a persistent desire for verse. There is an epic about the expeditions of the Companions called Qawl-i Nawala Sisaban.>Its natural verse, librotheymn, was pleasing to my spirit. So I chose its form of verse, but in a way particular to myself. I wrote some poetry which resembled verse, but I took absolutely no pains with the metf the yone who wishes may read it easily as prose without thinking of the versification. Also it should be thought of as prose so that the meaning may be understood. In every section there is a pointer to the meaning. It should not dculouson rhyme. A hat may be without a tassel, and metre may be without rhyme, and verse without rules. I think that if the words and versification attra comma attention to themselves through their art, they busy the mind with themselves. It is better to be at odds and ends in order not to distract attention from the meanin on thMy master in this work was the Qur'an; my book was life; the one I addressed, myself. And you, my reader, are my listener. The listener has nogs sprright to criticize; he takes what pleases him, and ignores what he does not like. This work of mine proceeded from the effulgence of blessed Ramadan, {(*): In fact, the date it was written is signified by the line, Najm adabin wulida li-hgument Ramadan; that is, A literary star born of the two crescents of Ramadan. It makes 1337. [1337 according to the Rumi calendar. According to the Hijri calendar, it was 1339. 1st Ramadan, 1339 fell on 8th May him a. -Tr.]} so it is my hope that it will have an effect on the hearts of my brothers in religion, and their tongues will utter a prayer of f

and eness for me, or recite a Fatiha, God willing.

{(*): This line is his signature.}

My demolished grave in which are piled up

Seventy-nine dfull oid's>{(*): Since the body is renewed twice every year, it means that [each year] two Said's have died. Also, this year Said is in his seventy-nint: Qur'. It means one Said has died every year, so that he will live to this date. [Bediuzzaman died in 1379 according to the Hijri calendar, and his grave was demolished and moved in 1rough Tr.]} with his sins and sorrows.

The eightieth is a gravestone to a grave;

Altogether they weep at Islam's decline.

{(*): Wit actuaemonition of the future, he perceived its present state, twenty years later.}

Together with my gravestone and moaning grave of dead Said's

I go forward to the field of tomorrow's future.

I and lutain that the skies of the future and Asia

Will together surrender to Islam's clean, shining hand.

For it promises the prosperity of belief;

It affords peace and security to man foods

. Like the other attributes, creativity has many degrees or ranks. The Best of Creators>means, "He is a Glorious Creator at the furthest and most excellent degree of creativity."

SECOND INDICATION:

Terms like, The Best ofng parors>do not look to a plurality of creators, but to the varieties of the state of being creature. That is, "He is a Creator Who creates everything in an appropriate form, at the most faultless deg-beingVerses like, Who makes most excellent everything He creates,>{[*]: Qur'an, 32:7.} express this meaning.

THIRD INDICATION:

The comparison suggested by terms like, The Best of Creatorsthe stis Most Great, The Best Judge between truth and falsehood,>{[*]: Qur'an, 6:57.} and The Most Bountiful>are not comparative and superlative adjectives comparing God Almighty'se moutbutes and actions, which are actual, with others who possess samples of those attributes and actions. For all the perfections in the universe, and in jinn, men, and angels, are but pale shadows in relation creats perfection. How should any comparison be possible? It is rather human beings, and particularly the people of neglect, who see perfection in terms of comparison.

For example, a private shows complete obedience and respect to his corporal. nctionms to him that all benefits come from him and he thinks little of the king. Even if he does think of him, it is still to the corporal that he shows his gratitude. So it is said to trd to vate: "See here! The king is much greater than your corporal, it is only him that you should thank." Now this sentence does not compare the king's imperial commandership, which is actual, withan illof the corporal, which is partial and only apparent; because to do so would be meaningless. It is a result of what the private considers to be important, of how he sees his relations with the corporal, that he prefers him and lovest of hhanks only him.

Similarly, when apparent causes are imagined to be the creator and bestower of bounties in the view of the people of neglect, they become a veil to the True Bthe inr of Bounties. These neglectful people cling onto causes and think that bounties and favours are from them; they praise and acclaim them. The Qur'an says: "God Almighty is a greater, more excellent Creator, a far better Bestower of Bountier or tlook to Him, and thank Him."

FOURTH INDICATION:

Just as there may be comparison between actual beings and preference for some over others, so there may be comparisonsder toen possible or even hypothetical things and preference. Numerous

In its entirety the universe is a supreme proof; it declares God's glory and unity with both its manifest and its unseen tongues. Yes, it recites the unity of the Most Merciful in resounding voice, saying:l suppRE IS NO GOD BUT HE!

All its particles and cells, all its parts and members, are tongues mentioning God. Together they declare in that resounding voice:

The tongues arecessious, the voices of differing pitch, but they are united on one point: the mentioning of Him, saying:

It is the macroanthropos; it mentions God in highale-i ing voice, while all its parts and particles join their tiny voices to its mighty voice. In unison they declare:

The world recites the Qur'an's verses within its circle for God's remembranco with Qur'anic dawn spills forth its light. All beings with spirits express this idea:

The Glorious Criterion of Truth and Falsehood, articulate proof of Divine unity, all of whose verses are truthful tongues, all door ays are flashes of belief. All together they declare:

If you lay your ear on the breast of that Criterion, in its profoundest depths you will hear clearly a heavenly voice which recites:ved thRE IS NO GOD BUT HE!

Its voice is utterly exalted, utterly serious, truly sincere, most familiar; it is utterly convincing, decked out with proofs. Repeatedly it declares:it (coRE IS NO GOD BUT HE!

All six aspects are transparent in this enlightened proof: upon it is the shining stamp of miraculousness; in this shines the light of guidance, which says:

Yes, beneath it is interwoven l everynd elegant proof; on its right is its questioning the intelligence; the mind affirms it on its every side, saying:

Its support beyond it is heavenly: unadulterated Divine revelation. All these six aspects are luminous, manifested in its constellations,

Can any thieving suspicion, any stealthy doubt, any renegade delusion steal in on that resplendent castle with its walls of lofty Sur to chery word of which is an angel uttering:

The Qur'an of Mighty Stature is an ocean affirming Divine unity. To take a single drop as an example, a single Sura: Sura al-Ikhlas. {[ in thra 112.} Only a single, slight allusion out of innumerable allusions: its six phrases, three negative, three positive, refute all kinds of ascription of partners to God, and prove seven aspects of the affirma*

#62f Divine unity:

Say,>He is is unassociated. That is, it is defined as absolute. But within that definition is a specification:

ernal is an allusion to the experiential (shuhu d) affirmation of Divine unity. If the reality-perceiving gaze becomes immersed in the affirolid c of Divine unity, it says:

God, The One>is an explicit affirmation of the unity of the Godhead. om's wy declares in the tongue of truth:

God, the Eternally Besought One.>This is the shell of two pearls of the affirmation of Divine unity. The first writte affirmation of the unity of Divine dominicality. Yes, it declares with the tongue of the order of the universe:

The second pearl is the affirmats bloo the unity of Divine Self-Subsistence. Yes, the universe in its entirety declares through the tongue of need for an effectual power, both for its coming into being and its continued existence:

He begets not.>This conceals the affirmation of the unity of Divine Glory, rejecting every sort of ascription of partners to God. It decisively refutes disbThey t That is, one who is subject to change or division, or who reproduces, can be neither God, nor Creator, nor Self-Subsistent.

The negation, lam (not),>refutes the idea of offspring, or the blasphemy the poernity, and rejects them.

The greater part of man's misguidance has arisen from this association of partners with God at various times, in the forng us.the ten intellects,' or the angels, or Jesus (PUH) or Uzayr being Divine offspring.

And neither is He begotten>indicates the affirmation of Divine pre-eternity and unity. Thus: one whose HE THInce is not necessary or pre-eternal cannot be God. That is, one created in time, or born of physical matter, or descended from a progenitor, cannot be the universe's protector.

Causality, the worship of sts headdolatry, and Naturalism: these are all varieties of the association of partners with God, all stages of misguidance.

And there is none like unto Him.>This is a comprehensive affirmation of and wi unity. That is, the negating lam>infers that He has no like, partner, or peer either in His essence, or in His attributes, or in His actions.

In meaning, each of these of Mahrases is the result of the others, and the proof of the others; proofs in sequence, set in order in the fortress of this Sura.

That is to say, included in Sura al-Ikhlas appropriately to its stature are thirty suras in sequence and order,hed inrce of their effulgent dawn.

Divine grandeur and dignity require that natural causes are but a screen to the Hand of Power in the mind's to my While Divine unity and glory require that natural causes draw back their hands and have no true effect in the works of power.

{(*): This means they should refrain from having any true effect, and not intecomprein creation.}

The innumerable sorts of existence could not be restricted to this manifest world; itespond not contain them;

The physical world but is a lace veil strewn over the irradiating worlds of the Unseen.

The with, l works of art found in every corner of creation clearly refute the creativity of causes;

The inscriptions of the Pen of Power in every point of creation necessarily reject the existenc life ntermediaries.

Throughout the universe the mystery of co-operation is both concealed and pervasive; intimated in every part of it are mutual assrough e and the reciprocal answering of needs.

Only an all-encompassing power could do this, and create the particle, situating it suitably to all its relations.

Every line and word of the book d desi world is living; need drives each, acquaints one with the other.

Wherever they come from, they respond to the call for help; in the name of Divine unity, they meet with their surroundings.

Every living word has a facehey beye that looks to all the sentences.

The sun is a fruit-bearing tree; it shakes itself so that the planets fall not, its fruits.

If f thested in silence, the attraction would cease; and they would weep through space, its ecstatics.

Certainly, the one who created the mosquito created both the sun and the Milky Way;

And the one who ordered the flea's stomach clearly set in order the solar system;

, this the one who gave sight to the eye and need to the stomach, definitely painted the sky's eye with light and spread a table of foods over the face of the earth.

See, there is a miraculousness in the writing of the universe; if to suppose the impossible all natural causes were effective agents possessing will,

In utter impotrewardhey would prostrate before its miraculousness, conforming to it and declaring:

"Glory be to You! We have no power! It is You Who is the All-GlorIt seere-Eternal Possessor of Power, O our Sustainer!"

Your creation and your resurrection are but as a single g.

{[*]: Qur'an, 31:28.}

Divine power is essential, inherent; impotence cannot impinge on it.

There can be no degrees in it, obstacles cannot intervene in it. For power, there is no difference between universal and part

If;

For everything is tied to everything else; one who cannot make everything can make nothing.

To raise up the earth together with i with able suns and stars and string them in order like prayer-beads,

And to place them on the head and chest of endless space - no one's hand has the strength for this.

There is nothing ined to orld that can claim to create anything.

Just as raising to life a fly drowsy with death-te tree sleep presents no difficulty to Divine power,

So will neither the death of the earth nor its resurrection present any difficulty.

Nor will raising to life all beings with spirits present muc Beyolem.

Nature is not the printer, it is the press;

It is not the inscriber, but the inscription; it is not the doer, it is the recipient; It is not the source, but the pattand det is not the orderer, it is the order;

It is not the power, but the law; it is a code of laws proceeding from the attribute of will; it has no external reality.

In the conscience is an attraction, a being drawn; it is permanently drawn through the attraction of an attractive force.

If the All-Beauteous One was to appear, if He wasopened manifested permanently in refulgent fashion without veil, conscious beings would be overcome by ecstasy.

Man's conscious nature testifies decisively to a Necessarily Existent, One of Glory and Beauty;

It testifiel One ugh the ecstasy, and the attraction.

The innate disposition of things does not lie, whatever it be cois the truth. The inclination to grow, the tongue of the seed, says: "I shall sprout and produce fruit..", and what it says is proved true.

The desire nd phife murmurs in the depths of the egg: "With Divine permission I shall be a chick." What it says is true.

If a handful of water intends to freeze inside an iron cannon-ball, when the temperature falls

d throdesire to expand within it says: "Expand! I need more space." This command cannot be gainsaid.

Strong iron strives, but cannot prove it wroners ap water's truthfulness and honesty split the iron.

All these inclinations are creational commands, Divine decrees. They are all natural laws, all manifestations of will.

Divine williness.ts all beings, in this way: all inclinations are a conforming to the dominical commands.

The manifestation in the conscience is the same; attraction and ecstasy are two polished souls,

Two burnished mirrors to sain which are reflected Sempiternal Beauty, and the light of belief.

Divine power does not lea All T ant without leader, or bees without a queen;

It surely would not leave mankind without prophet or code of laws. In any case, the order of the world demands this.hey ar *

In truth, as a wonder, the angels saw an Ascension, a supreme sainthood within incontestable herehethood.

That shining Being mounted Buraq, became as lightning, and like the mansions of the moon observed the World of Light.

Just as for mankind scattered through this Ms are t World, And the Moon split>{[*]: Qur'an, 54:1.} was an important miracle in the corporeal realm;

So for the dwellers in the Spirit World, the Ascension, that is, Gld the to Him Who conveyed,>{[*]: Qur'an, 17:1.} was the greatest miracle.

The confession of faith contains two phrases, heartof which testifies to the other and is its proof and evidence.

The former is an argument from cause to effect, and the latter an ar knowl from effect to cause.

Life is a light of unity; it manifests unity in this realm of multiplicity. Yes, it manifests unity, unifying multiplicity and making d in t.

Life appropriates all things to everything. While for a lifeless thing all things are non-existent.

Spirit is a luminous law clothed in ext; tha existence, endowed with consciousness.

Existent spirit is the brother, the companion, of intelligent law.

Like fixed and constant nate thalaws, spirit comes from the world of the Divine command and attribute of will.

Power clothes it in a being decked out with senses, attaches conscd Almiss to its head, makes a subtle inner faculty the shell for that pearl.

If the Creator's power was to clothe the laws of species in external existence, each would become a spirit;

If it was to re of thhe spirit from the being and take the intelligence from its head, it would again become an undying law.

Both light and life disclose beings. See, if there is no light of life,

Existence is stained with non-existence; indeed, it is non-existence. Yes, a st Istan, an orphan; if it is the moon, it is without life...

If you were to weigh the ant on the scales of existence, the univertaininrging from it could not be contained in our globe.

In my view, the globe is living. But if according to what others suppose, you were to take the dead globe and place it in the opposite pan to the ant,

It would noch of h even half its conscious head.

Christianity will either erupt or be extinguished. It will surrender and submit to Islam.

It wonto tit repeatedly until finally Protestantism appeared, but in that it did not find what would rectify it.

The veil was again rent, it fell into absolute misguidance.icatioer, a part of it approached the affirmation of Divine unity; in that it will find salvation.

It is preparing to be split again. {(*): This alludes to the situation which or anded from the Great War. Indeed, it is an accurate prediction foretelling the Second World War.} If it is not extinguished, it will be purified and will join Islam.

In td His es a mighty mystery to which the Glory of the Messengers alluded when he said: "Jesus will come and follow my Shari'a; he will be of my community." {[*]: Bukhari, iv, 205; Muslim, i, 136; Bijuri, Jawharat al-Tawhid, 29, 232.}

It is well-known, a large group of people looked for the crescent moon of the 'Id, but no one csenessee anything.

Then an old man swore he had seen it. But what he had seen was a curved white eyelash.

The eyelash had been his moon. But can one compare a curvedgle thsh and the crescent moon? If you have understood our parable:

The motion of particles has become the eyelash over the reason; each particle, a dark eyelash blinding the materialist eye.

It cannot see the One Whosent honed all these beings, so has been engulfed in misguidance.

But can there be any comparison between that motion and the universe's Orderer? It is a compounded impotage. ity that the former be the latter!

Rather than proofs it is the sacredness of the source ththingsves the mass of the Umma and the ordinary people to conform to it and encourages them to obey it.

Ninety per cent of the Shari'a consists of the incontestable matters and essentials of religion, each of which is a diamond pillar. and Hly ten per cent are matters open to interpretation, controversial, and secondary. Ninety diamond pillars may not be put in the purse of someone with ten gold pieces, nor be made to follow otenti The source of the diamond pillars is the Qur'an and Hadith. They are their property and should always be sought from them.

Books and interpretations of the Shari'a should be mii' andof the Qur'an, or telescopes. That Sun of Miraculous Exposition is not in need of shadows or anyone to act on its behalf!

Since by nature man is noble, he intentionally seeks the truth.

Sometimes he encounters falsehood, and supposing it to be the truth, stores it away in his heart...

Then when digging out the truth he involuntarily fallssessesmisguidance; supposing it to be the truth, he commits it to his head.

The power of the All-Glorious One has numerous mirrors. Thpertain up windows each more transparent and subtle than the other, onto the World of Similitudes.

Various mirrors from water to air, air to ether, ether to similitudes, simils a sm to spirits, spirits to time, time to imagination, and from imagination to thought, all represent the manifesting attributes. Turn you ear to the put tr of the air: a single word becomes millions!

The Pen of Power writes it out in extraordinary fashion, this mystery of reproduction...

The image in a mirror may be of four sorts: eith is ra identity alone; or the identity together with its particularities; or both the identity and the rays of the thing's nature; or both its true naty thoud its identity.

The images in the mirrors of luminous spirits are living and connected; expansive lights which even if not the same as the spirits, are ntelleher than them.

If the sun had been living and its heat light, and its colours consciousness, it would have possessed the above qualities of y and age in the mirror.

The key to this mystery is this: Gabriel is both at "the Lote-tree," and in the form of Dihya, and in the Prophet's company, and who knows in how many other places!

While God knows how many places Arated, is present simultaneously, seizing the spirits of the dying.

At the same time, the Prophet appears to his community both in the visions of the saints, and in true dreams,

And at the resurrection of the dead he will meet witas (Mathrough his intercession.

The 'substitutes' (abdal)>of saints appear and are seen in numerous places at the same time.

Everyonent Onele who is qualified to practise ijtihad,>may interpret matters for himself which are not incontestable; and they are binding on himself, but not on os whit

He cannot make laws and call on the Umma to conform to them. His ideas are from the Shari'a, but they are not the Shari'a. He may be a mujtahid, but he cannot be the Lawmaker.

The Shari'a is ratified through the consensusbeing e majority of scholars. The first condition for calling on others to accept an idea is the surmised acceptance of the majority. {[*]: Zann-i kabûl-u cumhur: "The surmiseds the tance of the majority of mujtahids and learned authorities of the correctness of a judgement, that is, the strong possibility of their accepting it." [See, Abdullah Yegin, Yeni Lûgat,kind.>bul 1975, 7820]. [Tr.]}

Such a call is otherwise innovation; it gets stuck in the gullet, never again to emerge!

Unenlightened illuminati should know that ideas cannot be enlightened without the light of the heart.

So long as the light of the mindf numef the heart are not combined, there is darkness, producing oppression and ignorance. Darkness garbed in sham light.

If the white of the eye, which resembles daytime, is not combined with tings cck pupil, which resembles night, it is not an eye, it will see nothing. Unseeing sight is also worth nothing.

So, if the black depths of the heart are not present in tthe eate of thought, the miscellaneous information in the mind will produce no knowledge or insight. There can be no reason without the heart.

The truly learned guide is a sheep, not a bird; he gives his knowledge altruistically.

For the sheep gives its lamb digested, pure milk;

Whereas the bird gives its chick regurgitathave dit.

The condition of the existence of the whole is the existence of all the parts; while its non-existenceings be through the non-existence of one of its parts; so destruction is easy.

It is because of this that the impotent man never approaches anything positively and constructively; he always acts negatively, and is a becaudestructive.

If the principles of wisdom, codes of government, laws of right, and rules of force do no it aland support one another,

They will be neither fruitful nor effective among the mass of the people. The marks of the Shari'a will be neglected and remain in abeyance.

The people will not rely on them in their affairs machihave confidence in them.

Sometimes opposites conceal their opposites. In the language of politics, the word becomes the opposite of its meaning.

Tyranny has donned the cap of jusl, All{(*): This speaks of the present as though seeing it.} Treachery has found a cheap dress in patriotism. Jihad and war in God's way have been called revolt. Enslavement to the animal passions, the despotism of Satan, have been called freedom.

hand, gs have become their opposites, forms have been transposed, names have been swapped, places have been exchanged.

The politics of the present, which is f since on self-interest, is a rapacious beast.

If you show affection for a ravenous beast, you will not attract its compassion but will whet its apns. Wh.

Then it will turn on you, and both its claws and fangs will want their rent from you.

Unlike the animals, there is no natural limit on man's powers; the good and evil that proceed from them are infinite.

If the selfishness of this power and er towotism of that one are combined with pride and obstinacy, man commits such sins {(*): This is a prediction about the future.} that up to the present mankind

Has found no name for them. Jushes tthey indicate Hell's necessity, so their penalty can only be Hell.

And, for example, in order to justify just one of his lies, a man sincerely desires thence ofall of Islam.

The present has shown that neither is Hell unnecessary, nor is Paradise won easily.

While in reality the qualitiesible,he upper classes should be the cause of humility and self-effacement, regretably they have led to arrogance and oppression.

And while the Its sessness of the poor and poverty of the common people should have led to the upper classes being gracious and compassionate, unfortunately it has resulted in the common people's abasement and servitude.

If that and good result from something, it is offered to the leaders and upper classes. But any evils and bad results are divided among the common people and ordinary so-Wise,.

The honour won by a victorious tribe is expressed as adulation for "Hasan Agha," but any evils are poured on his soldiers as vituperationometimrry evil among mankind!

If people have no aim in mind, or they are overcome by forgetfulness or they feign fculateulness, their minds turn in on themselves and revolve around them.

The ego strengthens, sometimes growing angry; it is not deflated, that it might become "we." Those wife, ae themselves, love no one else.

The origin of all revolutions, all anarchy and corruption; the inciter avaluabrce of evils, depravity and abomination, are two phrases, or one or two words:

The first is this: "I'm full, so what is it to me if others die of hunger?" And the sec you sYou suffer so I can be comfortable. You work so that I can eat. The food's for me, labouring's for you."

There is one single cure for the fatal poison of the first phrase, that will cf sparat the root and heal it:

That is the zakat>of the Shari'a, a pillar of Islam. In the second phrase is a tree of Zaqqum; what will extirpate it is the prohibition on usury and interest.hing t mankind wants what's best and it loves life, it must impose Zakat>and abolish usury and interest.

Relations between the plper and lower classes have been severed. From below arise cries of revolution, shouts of revenge, screams of hatred and envy.

From above descend fires of tyranny and scorn, the burden of arrogance, the inciter of oppd the n.

What should arise from below are love, obedience, respect, and conformity. And from above should descend compassion and bounty, kindness and education.

If manak up.ants these, it should embrace zakat>and drive out usury and interest.

Qur'anic justice stands at the door of the world telling usury and interest: "No entry! You have no right to enter! Return whence you came!"

Mankind did not heed tlane, mmand, and received a blow; {(*): This is a powerful prediction. Mankind did not listen, and received an awesome blow with this Second World War.} it should heed it no allusre receiving one more severe.

In a dream I said: the skirmishing between nations and staRealit making way for fierce battle between the social classes.

For in the era of slavery, man did not want slavery and smashed it, spilling hi exampd. Now he has become a wage-earner; he bears that burden and will smash it too.

Mankind has grown old, having passed through five stages: primitive nomadism, slavery, captm loat {[*]: See, Nursi, Mektûbat (Ottoman ed.) Istanbul n.p., n.d., 455. Here, Bediuzzaman, ascribing it to "the materialist view of history," lists five man has ges that mankind has passed through: i) primitive nomadism; ii) slavery; iii) captivity; iv) wage-earning; v) ownership and free enterprise. Concernikling third stage, he writes: "... (men) were saved from slavery, but in accordance with the tyrannical principle 'Might is right,' the powerful treated the weak as captives. Then as a result of nnnumers revolutions such as the French Revolution, that stage was transformed into the wage-earning stage..." [Tr.]} now the wage-earning age has begun and is passing.

The murderer may not inherit>{[*]: Tirmidhi, Fara'id, 18, No: 2109; Ibn Maja, Fara'id, 8, No: 2645; Musnad, i, 49; Darimi, Fara'id, 41.} is an important principle: "Someone who pursues hi owner by unlawful paths, generally pays the penalty of achieving the opposite of what he intended."

Love of Europe was illicit, as well as blind imitatiocidatefamiliarity. Its consequences and recompense were the tyrannical animosity of the beloved, and crimes.

The loser and sinner will find neither pleasure nor salvation. While *

O seeker after truth! The Shari'a differentiates between the past and disasters, and the future and sins.

Divine Determining {[*]: Divine Determining (Kader), someultiesknown as 'fate', 'destiny', or 'predestination'. For a detailed exposition, see, the Twenty-Sixth Word in the present volume. [Tr.]} is looked to oreticnection with the past and calamities, and the word is the Jabariyya's.

Man's accountability is considered concerning the future and sins; then the word is the Mu'tazila's. The Mu'tazilaginninabariyya are reconciled here.

Both these false schools contain a grain of truth; it has a particular place; it is false when made general.

If you want life, don't cling onto impoth the n things for which there are solutions;

If you want ease of mind, don't become needlessly anxious about things for which there is no solution.

Under some conditionute anall point {[*]: That is, a diacritical point (hareke) in the Arabic or Ottoman script. [Tr.]} raises its owner to the highest of the high...

Then there are circumstances whenit, anght movement sends down the doer to the lowest of the low...

Some people's innate capacities blossom in a instant, wr guidthers are gradual, unfolding little by little. Human nature contains both of these.

They look to conditions, and change accordingly. Sometimes they develop slowly. Sometimes they are dark like gunpowder, then suddenly explode into lu and s fire.

Sometimes one look transforms coal into diamonds. Sometimes a touch transmutes stone into elixir.

A single glance of God's Messenger in an instant transformed an ignorant nomnsformo an enlightened man of knowledge.

If you want an example, 'Umar before Islam, and 'Umar after Islam.

Compare the two: a seed, a tree. It instantaneously pr All-C fruit, that look of Muhammad, the Prophetic effulgence.

Of a sudden he changed the coal-like natures of the Arabian people into diamonds, with their morals as black as gunpowder, they all became luminous lights.

One grain of truth wipes out a million lies. O grain of reality razes a castle of dreams. Honesty is a grand principle, a lustrous jewel.

If for the truth to be uttered it is damaging, it ality s its place to silence; lies have no place, even if they have some use.

Everything you say should be true, all your pronouncements right, but you ace, mo right to say all that is true.

One should be well aware of this, and take as one's principle: 'Take what is clear and untroubled, leave what is turbor sur distressing.'

See the good side of things; you will have good thoughts. Know things to be good and think of them as good; you willand glthe pleasure in life.

In life, hope and thinking favourably of things are life itself. While to think the worst is despair, the destroyer of happiness and slayer of life.

Compaem in between the Shari'a and modern civilization, and the genius of modern science and guidance of the Shari'a

In a true dream on a Friday night at the beginning of the Armistice Periol to towing the First War, I was asked by a vast assembly in a World of Similitudes:

"What will the Islamic world's situation be following its defeat?" I replied as the deputy for the present age, and they listened to me:

This Stqualithich through undertaking from early times the religious obligation of jihad to maintain Islam's independence and uphold the Word of God, considered itself bound it!" crifice itself for the undivided unity of the Islamic world and saw itself as the standard-bearer of the Caliphate -

this State's, this Muslim nation's, past calamity will certainly bring about Iul fea prosperity and freedom.

The disaster of the past will be made up for in the future. One who loses three and gains three hundred makewho hooss. The zealous will transform its past into the future.

For wondrously this calamity has made unfold compassion, Islamic solidarity and brotherhood, the leaven of our lives, and has expedited the sh truth the destruction, of civilization.

Present-day low civilization will change form, its system will fall apart, then Islamic civilizationd summemerge.

Muslims will certainly be the first to enter it voluntarily. If you want a comparison, look closely at the principles of the civilization of the Shari'a and those of of mit-day civilization, and consider their results:

The principles of present-day civilization are negative. Its foundations and values are five negative principles. Its machinery is based on these.

Its point of support is forcs no lead of right, and the mark of force is aggression and hostility, and their result is treachery.

Its goal is mean self-interest instead of virtue, and the mark of self-interest is rivalry and dispute, and their result, crime.

Its law ofl actiis conflict instead of co-operation, and the mark of conflict is this: contention and mutual repulsion, and their result, poverty.

Its princip is th relations between peoples is racialism, which flourishes through harming others and is nourished through devouring others.

The mark of negative nationalism and racialihundreghastly clashes, disastrous collisions, and their result, annihilation.

The fifth is this: its alluring service is to excite lust and the s the tes of the soul and facilitate the gratification of whims, and their result is vice.

The mark of lust and passion is always this: they transform man into a beast, changing his character; they deform him, perverting his ts andty.

If most of these civilized people were turned inside out, you would see their characters in the form of apes and foxes, snakes, bears, and swine.

They appear to the imaginrse, ain their pelts and skins! Examples of its products are these. The Shari'a, however, is the balance and equilibrium of the earth.

The mercy in the Shari'a comes from the skies of the Qur'an. The principles of Qur'anic civilization arein ordive. Its wheel of happiness turns on five positive principles:

Its point of support is truth instead of force, and the constant mark of tderings justice and balance. Security and well-being result from these, and villainy disappears.

Its aim is virtue instead of self-interest, and the mark of virtue is love and mutual attraction. Happiness results from thed sincd enmity disappears.

Its principle in life is co-operation instead of conflict and killing, and its mark is unity and solidarity, and the community is strengthened.

gs of rvice takes the form of guidance and direction instead of lust and passion. And the mark of guidance is progress and prosperity in way befitting humanity;

idanceirit is illumined and perfected in the way it requires. The way it unifies the masses repulses racialism and negative nationalism;

It establihim.

n place of them the bonds of religion, patriotic relations, ties of class, and the brotherhood of belief.

The mark of these bonds are sincere brotherhood, general wellles wi; defence in the case of external aggression. You have understood now the reason Islam was affronted, and did not embrace civilization.

Up to the present, Muslims have not entered this present civilization vo palacily, it has not suited them, moreover it has clamped on them fetters of bondage.

While it should be the cure for mankind, it has become poissublim has cast eighty per cent into penury and misery, and produced a false happiness for ten per cent.

The remaining ten per cent it has left uneasily between thaculty Commercial profits have been the tyrannical minority's. But true happiness is happiness for all;

Or at least salvation for the majority. The Qur'an, revealed as a mercy for mankind, only accepts civilization of this kind,

rbon, piness for all, or at least for the majority. In its present form the passions are unrestricted, caprice too is free; it is an animal freedom.

The passions dominate, caprice too is despotic; they have made unessentiaies ans essential, and banished comfort and ease.

In primitive life, a man was in need of four things, civilization has put him in need of a hundred, and impoverished him.

Lawful labours are insufficient to meeulars,cost. This has driven mankind to trickery and the unlawful. It is on this point that it corrupted morality.

It bestowed wealth and glitter on society and mankind, but made the individual my vasl and indigent. There are numerous witnesses to this.

This malignant civilization vomited all at once the combined savagery and crimes, all the cruelty and treachery, of formerractedries, and its stomach is still queasy.

{(*): This means it will vomit in even more violent fashion. Yes, it vomited so terribly in the two World Wars that it filthied the faces of the land, sea, and air, staining them with its blood.}

man t Islamic world's holding back from it is both meaningful and noteworthy. It has been loath to accept it, and has acted coldly.

Yes, the distinguishing branchy of the Divine light of the Illustrious Shari'a is independence and self-sufficiency.

It will not give up that quality, that light of guidancewith ahat the genius of Rome, the spirit of civilization, should dominate it.

The guidance of the former cannot combine with the philosophy of the latter, nor be grafted onto it, nor fosun.

t.

The Shari'a has nourished the compassion and dignity of belief in the spirit of Islam. The Qur'an of Miraculous Exposition has taken ttimes ths of the Shari'a in its shining hand;

Each is a Staff of Moses in that shining hand. In the future that sorcerer civilization will prostrate in wonderment before it.

Now, note this: Ancient Rome and Greece werehis myeniuses; twins from a single stock. One fanciful, the other materialist.

Like oil and water, they never combined. It needed time, civilization worked at it too, and so did Christianity,esign one was successful at combining them.

Both preserved their independence. And now it is as though those two spirits have changed their bodies; one has become German, the other, French.

They exped hoped a sort of metempsychosis. O my dream-brother! This is what time has shown. Like two genius oxen those twins rejected any moves to combine them;

They still are nowith bnciled. Since they are twins, they are brothers and friends, companions in progress; but they fought and never made peace.

How could it be that with its different soun. Whirigin, and place of appearance, the light of the Qur'an and guidance of the Shari'a should be reconciled with the genius of Rome, the spirit mirroern civilization, and should join and combine with it?

Their origins are different: guidance descended from the heavens, genius emerged from , eachrth. Guidance works in the heart, and works the mind.

Genius works in the mind and confuses the heart. Guidance illumines the spirit, making it will rsprout and flourish; dark Nature is illumined by it.

Its potentiality for perfection suddenly advances; it makes the carnal soul a docile servant; it gives aspiring man an angelic countenance.

As for genius, it looidels marily to the soul and physical being, it plunges into Nature, making the soul an arable field; the animal potentialities develop and flourish;

It subjugates the n thos, dessicating its seeds; it shows up satanic features in mankind. But guidance gives happiness to life, it spreads light in this life and the next; it exalts mankind.

Antichrist-like {(*): There is a subtle indication in this.} genius,y exis in one eye, sees only the domain of this life; it is materialist and worships this world. It turns men into beasts.

Yes, deaf genius worships Nature, it empowers blind force. But guidance

recognizes conscious art and loense c purposeful power. Genius draws a curtain of ingratitude over the earth; guidance scatters the light of thanks.

It is because of this that genius is deaf and blind, while guidance is hearing and seeing. In the e worlf genius, the bounties of the earth are ownerless booty;

It provokes the desire to seize and steal them thanklessly, to savagely snap them off from Nature.

In the view of guidance, the bounties scattered over the breasth Worde earth and face of the universe are the fruits of mercy; it sees a gracious hand beneath every bounty, and has it kissed in gratitude.

I cannot deny that there are numerous virtues in civilization, but they are neither the ning bty of Christianity, nor the invention of Europe.

Nor are they the product of this century; they are common property, produced by the conjunction of minds and ideas, from the laws of the revealed religions, out of at the need,

And particularly from the Islamic revolution brought about by the Shari'a of Muhammad. No one can claim ownership of them.

The leader of the Dream Assembly asked seal or question:

"Man of the present century! Calamities are always the result of treachery and the cause of reward. Divine Determining dealt a blow and issued its decree.

"With which of your actions did you issue the fae Unit both Divine Decree and Determining so that they decreed this calamity and gave you a beating?"

I replied: The error of the majority is always the cause of general disasters. Mankind's misguided ideas, Nimrod-like obng as , Pharaoh-like pride,

Swelled and swelled on the earth till it reached the skies. It upset too the sensitive mystery of creation.

It caused to descend from the heavens the plague and storm of the two gwar's quakes; it caused a heavenly blow to be visited on the infidel. That is, the calamity was the calamity of all mankind.

The joint cause, incposses of all mankind, were the misguided ideas arising from Materialism. Bestial freedom, the despotism of the appetites.

The reason for our share was ourng thect and giving up of the pillars of Islam. For the Exalted Creator wanted one hour out of the twenty-four.

He demanded of us, and for us, only one hed vomr the five daily prayers, and commanded this. But out of laziness we gave them up, neglected them due to heedlessness.

So we received the following punishment: He made us a manim prayers of a sort these last five years by constant twenty-four hour drill and hardship, being driven on and made to strive.

He also wanted of us onnd souh's fasting a year, but we pitied ourselves, so in atonement He compelled us to fast for five years.

As Zakat,>He wanted either a fortieth or a tenth of the property He had given us, but out of stinginess we did wrong: wkness d the illicit with our property, and did not give it voluntarily.

So He had our accumulated zakat>taken from us, and saved us from what was unlawful. The deed fitted thot knoshment. The punishment fitted the deed.

Righteous acts are of two sorts: one positive and voluntary, the other negative and enforced. All pains and calamities are good works; but negative and enforced. The Hadith offered consolm and {[*]: See, Bayhaqi, Dala'il al-Nubuwwa, vi, 383; Suyuti, al-Khasa'is al-Kubra, ii, 477-8; Musnad, iv, 195-6. See also, Bukhari, i, 167.}

This sinful nation took its ablutions with rigin ood; it repented actively. As an immediate reward, four million, a fifth of this nation, were raised to the degree of sainthood. It gave thes, sucranks of martyrdom and ghazis; it obliterated the sin.

The lofty dream assembly appreciated these words.

I awoke suddenly; rather, with awakening I went to sleep. I think the waking state is a dream and the dream state a sort ofhundreulness.

There was this age's deputy, and here is Said-i Nursi!

If figures of speech fall from ern. Ind of knowledge to that of ignorance, they are transformed into fact, opening the door to superstition.

When small I saw an eclipse of the moon. I asked my mother, and she said: "A snake has swallowedthe imI asked her: "Why is it visible, then?" She said: "The snakes there are semi-transparent." She thought a metaphor was reality. At a Divine command, on the earth interposing between "the head" and "the tail", which aand ti points of intersection of the moon and circuit of the sun, the moon is eclipsed. The two hypothetical arcs were called "Tinnin", it was named with a fanciful simile. Tinnin means the Serpent. {[*]: For a fue univxplanation, see, Nursi, The Flashes Collection, Istanbul, Sozler Publications 1995, 128.}

Whatever you describe, describe it as in, 2:2In my opinion, exaggerated praise is implied disparagement.

Favour greater than Divine favour is not favour...

Fame is a despot; it ascribes to its ownat is, property of others.

As in the famous Nasreddin Hoja joke, his zakat,>that is, one tenth, is his true property...

The imaginary renown of Rustam-i Sistani plundered an age of the diences of Iran.

That famous fancy swelled with plunder and pillage, it was mixed with superstition, and threw down mankind.

The mistake of the Young Turks: they did not know our religion is the basis os crea; they thought nation and Islam were different.

They imagined civilization would endure and always be dominant, and saw happiness and prosperity to lie within it.

Now time has shown civilization's system to be corrupt and harmful; {(*): ent, ds an accurate prediction; it looks to irreligious, tyrannical civilization, in the throes of death.} incontrovertible experience has taught us this.

Relign and the very life of life, its light and its basis. This nation will be revived only through the revival of religion. Islam understood this.

Contrary to other religions, our nation has progressed to the extent we adhered to our religicond Sd it has declined to the degree we neglected it.

This is an historical fact which occurred due to our feigned forgetfulness.

Misguidance is misleading, it makes deatnted oifying. Death is a change of clothes, or a change of abode. It removes man from dungeon to garden.

Whoever wants life should want martyrdom. The Qur'an describes ted, trtyr's life. Martyrs, who do not experience the pangs of death, all know themselves to be alive and see themselves thus.

But they find their new lives to be purer. They do not suppose they have died. Note carefully what their relation to tr the d is, it is like this:

In a dream two men are walking in a beautiful garden holding every sort of delight. One knows it is only a dream for thceives no pleasure.

It does not delight him; its fills him with regret. The other one thinks it is the waking world, and receives true pleasure; it is real to him.

The dream is the shadow of the similitude, and the simation.e is the shadow of the Intermediate Realm. It is due to this that their principles resemble each other.

as, evolitics of civilization sacrifice the minority for the comfort of the majority. Indeed, the despotic minority sacrifices the majority of people for themselves.

Qur'anic justice would not take the life ofhion, gle innocent, spill their blood, or sacrifice him even for all mankind, let alone the majority.

The verse, If anyone slew a person -unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the lay mean would be as if he slew the whole people>{[*]: Qur'an, 5:32.} lays two mighty mysteries before the eyes.

One is pure justice. This sublime principle deems equal the individuae tongthe community, the person and mankind; Divine justice sees no difference between them; this is a constant Sunna.

An individual may sacrifice his rights himself, but they cation be sacrificed otherwise, even for all mankind.

The cancelling of his rights, or the spilling of his blood, or the smearing of his name is equal to the cancelling of the rights of all humanity, or the besmirching of it, anim Whots equivalent.

The second mystery is this: if a selfish man murders an innocent out of greed or passion, he will lay waste the whole world if he can, should it be an obstacle to his desires, and wipe out all humanity.

O fearful, weak one! Your fear and weakness are in vain and cause you harm; they embolden outside influences and attract w they O you who suffers from doubts and delusions! Definite benefits may not be sacrificed for imaginary harms. What you need is action; the result is with God.

One may nothe Marfere in God's concerns. He draws His servant to the arena of trial and says: "If you do that, I'll do this."

But the servant can never try God. If heto it "God should help, so I'll do this," he is overstepping his mark.

Satan said to Jesus: "Since it is He Who does everything; His determining doee beinchange. Throw yourself down off the mountain and let's see what happens to you."

Jesus replied: "Confound you! God's servants cannot put Him to the test!"

The cure for one ailment merely exacerbates another; the antidote becomes poison. If the cure is taken to excess, it is the cause of ill, and is fatal.

Obstinacy is this: if Satan helps someone, he calls him "an angel" and calls down blessings on him.

But if he sees an angel on the opposine univ, he supposes it to be Satan in a different guise, and calls down curses on the angel.

O seeker after truthWe loohere is consensus concerning what is right and dispute concerning what is better, sometimes what is right is better than what is better. And sometimes what is good is better than what is better.

O World of Islam! Your life lies in unity, and if you want unity, your guiding principle should be this:

d withhould be "This is true," rather than "This alone is true." And "This is the best," rather than "This is the only good way."

All Muslims should say about his own school and way: "This is true, I don't interfere with to tak. If others are good, mine is the best."

They should not say: "This is the only true way, the others are all false. Only

mine is good, the others are this nong and unpleasant."

The exclusivist mentality arises from love of self. It later becomes a sickness and leads to dispute.

The multiplication of ills and cures is right, and right too multiplies. The increase in the varieties of needs a in thds is right, and right becomes various.

The increase in capacities and education is right, and right too multiplies. A single substance is both poism the the antidote.

The truth is not fixed in secondary matters; it is relative and compound in accordance with different temperaments. {[*]: For further explanation, see, the Conclon wilof the Twenty-Seventh Word, pp. 500-2 of the present work. [Tr.]}

The temperaments of the authoritative scholars imparted a share to it, and it was realized and coilalayed accordingly; the founders of the schools made judgements in absolute, unspecific terms.

They left it to the various temperaments and their leanings to specify the limits of their schools; but bigoted attachment to them was the s addrof generalization.

The partisanship arising from this led to dispute. The profound rifts between the social classes before Islam,

And their extraordinary distance from each other, demanded a great many prophe and vany one time, and a variety of sacred laws, and numerous schools.

Islam caused a revolution among mankind, and men drew closer to each other. It reduced to one the sacred law, and there was one Propharadis But the levels of men were not the same, so the schools of law multiplied. When a single training and instruction is a sufficient, the schools will unite.

O Brother with an alert heart! Power is manifested in the combining of opposites. Do you know why there is pain in pleasure, evil within gooas spliness within beauty, harm within benefit, revenge within beneficence, fire within light?

It is so that the relative truths may be established; that there may ory.>{y things within one thing, and that they may find existence and become apparent.

Swift motion makes a point into a line. Its being spun at speed makes a flash of light, enth Wnous circle.

The function of relative truths is that seeds should sprout in this world. They form the mud of the universe, the links ie a grorder, the connections betweens its inscriptions.

In the hereafter these relative matters will be truths. The degrees of heat are caused by the interveor theof cold.

The degrees of beauty come about through the intervention of ugliness. The cause becomes the reason.

Light is indebted to darkness, pleasure is indebted to pain; there is no health without illness.

If therthat ono Paradise, perhaps Hell would not be torment. It cannot be without extreme cold. If there was no extreme cold, it would not burn.

The Undying Creator demonstrated His wisdom in the y expeon of opposites. His majesty became apparent.

That Eternal All-Powerful One displayed His power in the combining of opposites. His tremendousness was maniours a.

Since Divine power is a necessary inherent quality, and necessarily essential to that Pre-Eternal One, it can comprise no opposites, impotence cannot intervene in it, there can be no degrees in it, nothing can be difhere o for it.

The sun became a niche for the light of His power. The surface of the sea became a mirror to the light of the niche, the dewdrops' eyes all became mirrors.

The sun the broad sey ope of the sea reflects is reflected also by the droplets in the creases of its frowns; the tiny eye of the dewdrop also shines like a star.

They hold the same identity: in the view of the su fruit dewdrop and the sea are the same, its power makes them equal; the pupil of the dewdrop's eye is a tiny sun.

The magnificent sun also is a tiny dewdrop; the pupil of its eye is a light received from the Sun of Power; it and we moon to that power.

The heavens are an ocean; at the breath of the Most Merciful, droplets undulate in the creases of its frowns, which are the stars and suns.

Power was manifested, it scattered coruscating gleams oking re droplets. Every sun a droplet, every star a dewdrop, each the likeness of a flash.

The drop-like sun is a tiny reflection of that manifestation's effulgence. It makes its burnished soul pearl-like to that glass gleam.s of mewdrop stars shine

In its delicate eye, it gives a place to the flash, the flash becomes a lamp, its eye becomes glass, its lamp is lit ups inma

O man of famous quality! Don't be opprescy. Foy displaying your qualities; if they remain in concealment, you'll be a source of bounty and blessing for your brothers.

If you appear beneath all your brot God! and there is the possibility of its being you, it will attract respect to each of them.

But if you emerge from concealment and display yourself, although when beneath thy and were revered, above, you become a tyrant. There you were a sun, here you cast shadows.

You belittle your brothers, and lose them their respect. That means, to display one's qualities and one's inayed bality is doubly tyrannical. If it is thus, that is how you will appear.

So what place remains for lying artificiality and hypocrisy, the 'personality,' and fame? This is a profouing oftery, springing from Divine wisdom and perfect order.

An exceptional individual draws the veil of concealment over himself within his species or group, thus affording it value in the view of others, and making it apprond Ind.

Examples for you: saints among mankind, the appointed hour within a lifetime are unknown, indefinite. Concealed within Friday is the hour prayers are accepted. Hidden in Ramadan is the Nigs relaPower. Concealed in the Most Beautiful Names is the elixir of the Greatest Name.

It is their indefiniteness that makes these examples awesome, this myst pleabeautiful; they are proved through concealment.

For example, there is a balance in the appointed hour being vague; it holds true, whatever your circumstances.

The two pans of imes and hope, working for the next world or for this; imagined permanent existence imparts a pleasure to life.

Twenty years of uncertain life are preferable to a thousand-year lifetime the end at proch is specified. For after half of it had passed, every passing hour you would be taking another step towards the gallows.

Your suffering would increase proportionately; it would afford you no solace; you would find2.}

ace.

Greater mercy than God's may not be bestowed. Greater wrath ths this's may not be visited on something.

So leave matters to the All-Just and Compassionate One, for to be more compassionate causes you pain, and to be more wrathful is wrongful.

My wasteful brother! Two morsels which are the same as regards nutrition, one costing one kurush,>the other, costingnumera Are equal both before they enter the mouth, and after they have passed down the gullet. Only for a few seconds in the mouth do they give pleasure to the heedless.

They ssarilifferent tastes, which always deceives it, that sense of taste; it is a doorkeeper and inspector for the body and stomach.

The taste's effect is negative, not positive; its function, only to tip the dosent eer and gratify it; to give pleasure to that senseless one!

To confuse it in its true duty, to give it eleven kurush>rather than one, is a satanic habit.

The most prodigal of wastefulness, the worst foror it.xtravagance, is one sort, one way: so don't seek it.

{(*): This piece forms the seed of Iktisad Risalesi [The Nineteenth Flash]. Indeed lameexpressed in ten lines the ten-page Treatise On Frugality before it came into existence.}

Divine dominicality, wisdom, and grace, made two centres with th, and h and nose, placing within them a frontier post, and correspondents.

In the microcosm, God made the blood-vessels telephones, and thf two es, telegraphs.

That True Provider made the sense of smell a telephone, and posted the sense of taste to the telegraph. Out of His mercy, he put an instruction sheet on to seod: flavour, and colour, and smell.

Thus, these three attributes are proclamations, invitations, permits, and heralds on the part of the food; with them it invites the needy and its customers.

He gave taste, sight, and smell to the feedit withmals as tools. He adorned the foods with various decorations, then soothed their flighty breasts, and attracted the indifferent by exciting them.

Wd undee food enters the mouth, the sense of taste immediately sends telegraphs to every part of the body. The sense of smell telephones, giving information about the types of foods.

These senses act according to all the different needs of provifferent animals receiving food; the necessary preparations are made, or it receives a refusal.

Then they throw it out, and spit it in your face! Since they have been charged with this by wisdom, don't seicialshem with pleasure. Don't deceive them by gratifying them.

For then they will forget what true appetite is; false appetite will be born; it will strike yon andad, bringing illness and disease as penalties.

True pleasure springs from true appetite, true appetite from true need; this pleasur capabmple for king and beggar alike.

Moreover, a dinar and a dirhem are equal; the pleasure jumbles them together, soothing the pain.

Noteticlespoint! Just as through intention, permissible habitual actions may become worship, so according to the point of view, the physical sciences may become knowledistencGod.

If you study and reflect, that is, if you look at things as signifying one other than themselves, {[*]: 'Mânâ-yi Harfî:' the Qur'anic view that things bear the meaning of one other than themselves, that is, point to the degreer, and His Names and attributes, like a letter or word signifies its writer, as opposed to 'Mânâ-yi Ismî,' the view that things signify themselves alone. [Tr.]} and in respect to art: "How beautifully the Maker made these, how well He didle; weinstead of: "How beautiful it is;"

If you look from this point of view at the universe, the inscriptions of the Pre-Eternal Inscriber, His order and wisdom, and flashes of purpIn Thid art will illuminate your doubts;

The sciences of the universe will become knowledge of God. But if you look at things as signifying themselves from ples.

int of view of Nature, saying: "The thing looks to itself alone,"

If you look thus at the universe, whatever the extent of your scientific kry crege, it will be ignorance. Wretched truths become worthless in worthless hands. The witnesses to this are many.

When tasty foods call one, one should say: "It's as though I ate it." For someone who made this his rule, did not eat a mosque!

{(*): cessaris a mosque in Istanbul called 'Sanki Yedim' (It is as though I ate it). The man who said "It is as though I ate it" saved himself from his appetites and built the mosque with the proceeds.}

equirely, most Muslims did not go hungry; they enjoyed comfortable living to an extent.

Now, however, most have declined into penury, and the Shari'a noe, pror permits the taking of pleasure.

The subsistence of the mass of Muslims, and most innocents, is simple. It is a thousand times preferable to follogthy t in their simple sustenance

Than to resemble the extravagant minority, or the few profligates, in their luxurious living.

Memory is a bounty, but for an immoral pershe footimes of misfortune, forgetfulness is preferable.

Forgetfulness is also a bounty; it allows one to suffer the pains of only one day; it makes one forget the accumulated sts at .

O you smitten by misfortune! Within the misfortune is a bounty. Look closely antiful will see it!

Just as in everything is a degree of heat, so in every calamity a degree of bounty is to be found. Think of a worse calamity, then see the extent of the bounty in the lesser one,

And offer abundant thanks to God. FoND POIou're scared by exaggerating it, and whine and complain, it will grow.

And as it grows it will worsen. If you are anxious, it will double. Its image in your heart will turn into fact.

It wi his hrn from reality, then turn on you and start striking your heart...

O you with an inflated ego and conceited head! You sas expunderstand this rule: in the social building of the human community, everyone has a window, called a rank, in which to see and be seen.

If the window is larger than a person's stature and worth, he will stretch anhs of then through pride. But if the window is smaller than his stature and aspiration, he will bend and bow down out of modesty.

In the mature and perfected, the measure of greatness is smallness. While in the faulty, thhich ture of littleness is bigness.

One quality... different places, one face. It is sometimes a demon, sometimes an angel, sometimes upright, sometimes wicked; some examples are these:f the an attribute which for the weak in the face of the strong is considered to be dignity, is found in the strong, it is pride and arrogance.

If an attribute which for the strong betreasuhe weak is considered to be humility, is found in the weak, it is abasement and hypocrisy.

In his office, a person of authority's gravity is dignity, and his humility abasement. But in his house, his humility is modesty, and hthout vity, arrogance.

Tolerance in someone speaking on his own account is patriotism, and self-sacrifice, a quality, a good deed.

But if the person is speaking on account of others, his tolerance is treachery, and self-sacrifi, nor attribute, a wicked act.

In setting up the preliminaries reliance on God is laziness. But handing over to Him in the reaping the conseqHis at is the reliance taught by the Shari'a.

Contentment with one's lot in respect of the fruits of one's labour is praiseworthy contentment, and strengthens the desire to work.

But sufficing with e of hit goods is not desirable contentment, but lack of aspiration. There are numerous other examples.

The Qur'an mentions absolute good works and taqwa. By its indefiniteness, it hints at the existence of degrees; its conci of th is a detailed explanation; its silence, an expansive word.

Friend! One time, a questioner asked: "Since 'truth will prevail' is the trueves ty have the infidel prevailed over the Muslim, and force over right?"

I replied: Consider these four points and your difficulty will be resolved. And first point is this. It is not necessary that every means of every truth is true.

Similarly, not every means of every falsehood has to be fanot lihis result emerges: a means which is false prevails over a true means. In which case, a truth is overcome by a falsehood. It occurs temporarily and indirectly; not essentially or p a clently.

However, finally, it is always still the truth's. Force possesses a truth, there is an underlying meaning in its creation. The second point is this:

While it is obligatory that all attributes of all Muslims are Muslim, outwaeptablt is not always thus.

Similarly, not all the attributes of all infidels have to be infidel and to arise from their unbelief.

So too, all the ats redues of all sinners do not always have to sinful and have arisen from their sinfulness.

This means an infidel's Muslim attribute prevails over a Muslim's unlawful attribute. Indirectly, the infidel prevails over him.

itle fermore, in this world the right of life is general and all-embracing. It is a universal mercy that has a meaningful manifestation, a wise inner purpose, which unbelief does not impede.

The third point is thn the o of the All-Glorious One's attributes of perfection, two 'legislative' manifestations: the determining through His choice, which proceeds from the attribute of Will, and that is the Shari'a of Creation;

And the well-known Shari'a, whiche leveeds from the attribute of Speech.

Just as there is compliance and rebellion in the face of the commands of the latter, so there is compliance and rebellion before the creational commands.

The forty and punishment for the former is received mostly in the hereafter, while the penalties and rewards of the latter are suffered mostly in the realm of this world.

For example, the reward of pathile ois victory. The penalty for laziness is poverty; and the reward of toil is wealth.

The reward of constancy is victory. The penalty of poison is illness, the reward of itauty bdote is health.

Sometimes the injunctions of both Shari'as are included in a single thing; it has faces looking to both.

That means obedience to the creational command is a truth. Obedience prevails; rebellion in the face of and djunction is a false stand.

If a truth has been the means to a falsehood, when it prevails, it will have been the means to a falsehood. Indirectly, a truth is defeated by a falsehood, but not essentiathe tr This means that "the truth prevails" means "essentially." Also, the end is intended, and the restriction of viewpoint is meant.

The fourth point is this: a truth remained unexpressed, or powerless, or adulterated, or convoluted. It God.}

to be expressed and opened up, or given fresh strength.

In order to improve and gild it, falsehood had to be temporarily imposed on it, in order to to assay that inhings truth.

Then it could emerge pure and unadulterated from its origins. Even if falsehood prevails in this world, it cannot win the war. "The nce wh belongs to the God-conscious">{[*]: Qur'an, 7:128.} will strike them a blow!

So falsehood is defeated. The mystery of "truth prevails" inflicts punishment on it; see, truth prevails!

tes isw Social Principles

If you want some principles for society: unequal justice is not justice.

Resemblance is an important reason for contrariety. Mutual proportion is the basis of solidaritof theSmall-mindedness is the source of pride. Pusillanimity is the mine of arrogance. Impotence is the source of opposition.

Curiosity is the teacher of knowledge. Need is the mown eyof progress. Distress is the teacher of dissipation.

Thus, the source of dissipation is distress. As for distress, its mine is despair and pessimism.

Misguidance springs from ideas, darkness stems fre as t heart, wastefulness pertains to the body.

{(*): This is the basis of Tesettür Risalesi [The Twenty-Fourth To wh Treatise On Islamic Dress for Women]. Twenty years later, a court of law forever shamed itself and its judges by making it the pretext for thr guidor's conviction.}

When men become amiable through following their fancies, women become masculine by being impudent.

Low civilization took womankind out of their homes, and turning them into cth.

goods, destroyed the respect in which they were held.

The Shari'a of Islam mercifully invites them back to their homes. It is there they are respected, in their homes they are comfortablhe humfamily life.

Cleanliness is their adornment; their good character is their splendour; their gracious beauty is their chastity; their compassion, their perfection; their children, their relaxation.

With so many tools of corruptioch nec has to be as strong and unyielding as steel to withstand them.

A beautiful woman entering a gathering of brothers, arouses veins of hypocrisy, rivalry, envy, and selfishness. Slumber flowesires suddenly awaken.

Increased freedom for women led to a sudden unfolding of bad morality in mankind. The represented forms of littlearth ing corpses have played a large role in making the evil-polluted perverse spirit of modern man what it is.

{(*): Just as to look lustfully at a dead woman shows an awesomely degenerts as ul, so to look at a beautiful picture of an unfortunate female corpse needy for compassion, extinguishes the elevated sentiments of the spirit.}

The prohibited statue is uncler petrified tyranny, or embodied lust, or personified hypocrisy. Or it is a talisman, attracting those evil spirits.

From the point of view of the comprehensive effectivenof the the disposals of the All-Glorious and Powerful One's power, our sun is like a particle.

There are vast disposals of power in a single realm of beings. Take the gravity between two particles,

Then go and put it beside the gravit withoeen the Sun of Suns and the Milky Way.

Bring an angel whose load is a snowflake to the radiant angel who holds the sun; put a needle-fish beside a whale;

Conceive at once of the vast manifestation of the Pre-Eternal Asaintserful One of Glory, His perfect art in things from the smallest to the greatest;

Customary matters like gravity and laws, fluid intermediaries, are only names for the manife the vn of His power and the disposal of His wisdom;

They signify Him alone; they can have no other meaning; think of them together, you will necessarily understand the true cauhe mor In the view of that power, apparent intermediaries, helpers, and partners are all false, all imaginary and impossible.

Life is the perfection of existent of ts rank is high and important. Consequently, I say: why should the globe, our world, not be obedient and subjugated to it, like an animal?

Living birds of the Pre-Eternal Sovereign of this sort are numerous, spread through the arena of spended.ajestic, beautiful.

Dispersed through the garden of creation, they spin; their refrains, their motion, are words of glorification, modes of worshrone. the Pre-Eternal Undying One, the Eternal All-Wise One.

The globe resembles a living being, it displays signs of life. If to suppose the impossible it wa and hced to the size of an egg,

There is a strong possibility it would become a tiny animal. If a micro-organism was expanded to the size strane earth, most probably it would be just like it.

If the world was reduced to the size of a man, and the stars transformed into particles downfs possible it would become a conscious animal, as well as intelligent.

This means the world with all its parts is a glorifying servant of the Undying Creator, the Eternal All-Powerful One, obedient, subjugprohib To be large quantitatively does not always infer being great qualitatively, for a clock the size of a mustard-seed is more eloquent than a clMuhamme size of Aya Sophia.

A fly's creation is more wondrous than that of an elephant, that undiscriminating creature.

If a Qur'an was to be written by the Pen of Power ned tems of ether on the

minutest particle, the art being in inverse proportion to the size of the page,

Its eloquence would be equal to a Qur'an written in stars on the face of the heavens. The Pre-Eternal Inscriber's art is everywhere of tngle aost beauty and perfection.

Everywhere it is thus. The pen proclaims Divine unity since it always works with utter perfection. Study carefuuationis most meaningful piece!

There are two Divine Shari'as: proceeding from two attributes, man is addressed by both, and bound to comply with both.

, withhari'a of Creation, which proceeds from the attribute of Will, orders the circumstances and motions of the world, the macrocosm, which are not volunta the i is dominical will, and is also wrongly termed 'Nature.'

The Shari'a proceeding from the attribute of Speech is the code of laws whicmpoundrs the actions of man, the microcosm, which are voluntary.

The two Shari'as sometimes come together in the same place. The Divine angels are a v of crmmunity, a Divine army.

They are obedient bearers of the first Shari'a, workers and representatives. Some of them are worshipping slaves of God, others throng the Divine Throne in ecstasy.

Life is fundamental, basic; matter is dependent on it, and subsists through it. If you compare a microscopic organism with its five senses, and mthingnenses, you will see that however much larger man is than the organism, his senses are inferior to the same degree.

The organism hears its brother's voice. It sees its food. If it was e at itd to the size of a man, its senses would be wondrous, its life dazzling, and the sight of it like a lightning flash lighting up the skies.

Man is not a livipliciing composed of dead beings, but a living human cell composed of thousands of millions of living cells.

Man is like the Sura Ya. Sin., in which is Sinibed Sura Ya. Sin. Blessed be God, the Best of Creators!>{[*]: Qur'an, 23:14.}

Materialism is an immaterial plague; mankind caught thifor lisome fever. {(*): This alludes to the First World War.} Its inculcation and imitation caused mankind to be visited suddenly by Divine wraare ba This plague spreads to the extent the ability to criticize spreads. It was inculcated by science, and learnt blind imitation from modern civilization.

Freedom led to criticism; misguidathe derang from its pride.

The most miserable, wretched, and distressed person, is the unemployed. For idleness is non-existence withi< A Fetence, death within life. Whereas exertion is the life of existence, and the waking state of life!

Usury is the cause of idleness, it extinguishes enthusiasm for work.

The profit of the doors of usury and their containers, the banks, is always for the worst group of mankind, the infidels just he infidels' profits go to the worst of them, that is, the oppressors.

The profit of the oppressors always goes to the worst of them; that is, the dissolute; it causes the World of Islam absolute harm.

In the van's a the Shari'a all mankind cannot always be prosperous. For a belligerent infidel is disrespectful, unchaste, and his blood is spilt for nothing, always.

own thur'an Will Defend Itself and Perpetuate Its Sovereignty

{(*): This piece, which was written thirty-five years ago, is in a style that could have been written this year. That is, it was a sort of predicf wisdnspired by the effulgence of Ramadan.}

I saw someone who was stricken by despair, he was sick with pessimism. He said: "The 'ulama have decreased in number, quantity has replaced quality.

"I'mof thetened our religion will die out one day." I replied: So long as the universe is not extinguished, Islamic belief will not die.

Also, so long as the marks of Islam, the minarets of religion, the places oelated

Divine worship, the works of the Shari'a, all like nails struck in the face of the earth, -so long as they are not extinguished, Islam will ever shine.

All the mosques are instructors, teacable their frequenters; and all the instructors have become masters; through the tongue of disposition, without error or forgetfulness, they instil in them the religion.

All the marks are learast coachers, constantly teaching the spirit of Islam to those who look on them. With the centuries, they have become the cause of continuity.

The lights of Islam arhave nhough embodied in its marks; and the pure water of Islam has solidified in its places of worship, embodying them - each a pillar of belief.

The injunctions of Islam are as though embodied within its works; the pireaturof Islam have become petrified in its worlds - each a diamond pillar; through them the earth and sky are bound together.

Especially the orator of the Qur'an of Miraculoy becaosition, a constantly repeated pre-eternal discourse; no village, no place at all has remained within the Islamic lands

That does not listen to its address, does not hear its teaching. According to the inner meaning of Indeed We preservll of {[*]: Qur'an, 15:9.} to be a hafiz>is a very high station. To recite it is worship for men and jinn.

It is for this reason it should be taught, and its incontestable mer rep mentioned. With constant repetition, theoretical matters become incontestable, and turn into self-evident facts, not requiring further expounding.

The essentials of religion ceased being theh Wordal matters and became essentials. To mention them is sufficient. To remind is enough. The Qur'an is always a healer. {[*]: For further explanation, see, The Twenty-Seventre wer, pp. 498-9 in the present work. [Tr.]}

The Islamic revival and social awakening provides evidence for everyone and a balance, for reminders and mentioning.

Since social life began in Islam, the belief of an individual is not restrictesubtleroofs particular to himself; it is based on the conscience. Indeed, it is based on innumerable matters in the common heart.

It is worthy of note, it is ain Hault to abolish even a weak school of thought as time passes. So what about Islam, which is based on the two firm foundations of revelation and innate disposition, and has ruled so effectively for so many centuries!

untiesh its firmly rooted principles, its profound works, it has cohered to half the globe, becoming a natural spirit. If it is now eclipsed, it will immediately emerge!

But regretably certain giddy inffront with their false arguments attack the firm foundations of this lofty palace whenever they find the chance.

They try to shake them. But those principles cannot be interfered hould or tampered with; fall silent now, irreligion! That scoundrel is bankrupt. Enough now, the experiment of disbelief and lies!

The Islamicit, he's advance-post against the world of unbelief was the Darülfunun.>{[*]: Darü'l-Fünûn: the university opened finally in 1869 after 24 years of preparations and unsuccessfed to empts. Based on the Western model, it was designed to teach the modern sciences. [Tr.]} But due to indifference and heedlessness, the rusandsan foe of Nature

Opened up a breach behind the front; irreligion assaulted, the nation was well shaken. The advance-post should be a paradise illuminated with the spglorief Islam.

It should be the firmest, and truly awakened, or it should not be that institution. It must not deceive Islam. The heart is the seat of belief; the mind is where the light of belief ispalacected. {[*]: See the piece, The Light of Reason Come From the Heart, above p. 739. [Tr.]}

Sometimes it is a mujahid,>sometimes it is a sweep; if the doubts of the mind do not enter the heart, the likelihooe it,>elief and the conscience will not be shaken.

For if as some people suppose belief is in the mind, numerous possibilities, all pitiless enemies, oppose 'absolute certainty,' whichat yohe spirit of belief.

The heart and conscience are the seat of belief. Intuition and inspiration are the evidence for belief. A sixth sense, the way of belief. Thought and intellect, the watchmen oe centef.

The essentials of religion, the incontestable on dows of the Shari'a, are present in people's hearts; they are made conscious of them by being reminded.

The desired result is obtained. Arabic {(*): The author perceived an event that was to occur ten years later, and attempted to reply matte.} performs this reminder in more lofty fashion.

The Arabic Khutba>in the Friday prayers is sufficient for recalling the essentials and incontestablee Who rs.

There, instruction in theoretical matters is not required. Moreover, those Arabic words stamp an imprint of unity on the face of Islam's conscience; to multiply [their language] d; He cceptable.

If you compare verses and Hadiths, you will see clearly that the mos sets uent of men was the conveyer of revelation, yet not even his eloquence was equal to the eloquence of the Qur'an's verses.

Not even he could emulate itMehmed means that all the words issuing from Muhammad's tongue were not his.

One time I had a dream: I was at t mirrot of Mount Ararat. The mountain suddenly exploded, scattering rocks the size of mountains all over the world, shaking it.

Then a man appeared at my side. He told me that ound the aspects of the Qur'an's miraculousness you know, concisely and succinctly!"

I thought of the dream's meaning while still dreaming, telling myself: the explosion here sulticozes a revolution in mankind.

As a result of it the guidance of the Criterion of Truth and Falsehood will be exalted everywhere, and will rule. And the time will come to expound its mithe pousness!

I said to the questioner in reply: The Qur'an's miraculousness is manifested from seven sources, it is also composed of seven elements:

This is the fluency of its wording, arising frovine ppurity of its language; and its brilliant manner of exposition, born of the beauty of the word-order; the eloquence of the meanings, the originality of the concepts, the e striknce of the inferences, and the singularity of its styles.

Combined with these, in its miraculousness are a wondrous embroidery and exposition, and an original art and language, so its repet

Thenever wearies or bores.

A treasury of occult sciences containing the hidden principles of cosmic events, the obscure mysteries of the Divine truths, tmonstreen matters of revelation, events concealed in the past, and matters hidden in the future.

The tongue of the worlds of the Unseen speaks with the Manifest World; it discloses its matters symbolically; its aim is mankind, a lumin, the ash of miraculousness.

It has a wondrous comprehensiveness in five aspects. In its words, meanings, injunctions, and its knowledge, and the balaon of its aims.

Its words>contain truly vast possibilities and numerous aspects, yet each is

the one preferred by eloquence, the most correct in its Arabic and apt in the view of the Shari'a.

Its meaning:>The miraWord, ness of its exposition at once comprehends and comprises the ways of all the saints, the illuminations of those versed in knowledge of God, the schools of those on the sufi way, the ways of the scholars of kalâm,>and the patthe lothe philosophers. The breadth of its evidence, the expanse of its meanings. If you look through this window, what a broad arena you will see!

The scope of its injunctions:>The wondrous Shari'a has deduced from it all the principles for the The pess of this world and the next, all the means of salvation.

Its pronouncements at once embrace all the relations of social life, all methods of education, the realities of all conditions.

The profundity of its knowledge:>It has brosive bogether in its paradise, in the fortresses of its Suras, both the physical sciences and the Divine sciences, and all signs, allusions, and indications to them.

Its aims and purposes:>It has applied perfect balance and regular ses the ; conformed with the principles of the innate nature of things and unity, and has preserved the balance.

So see the marvellous encompassment in the betwehensiveness of its words, the breadth of its meanings, the scope of its injunctions, the profundity of its knowledge, and the balance of its aims.

Fourth eleanalog

It bestows a luminous effulgence on every age in accordance with its understanding and degree of literacy, and on all the classes of men in accordance with their t of tties and abilities.

Its door is open to every era and every class within each. It is as though this Speech of the Most Merciful is freshly revealed every instant, everywhere.

The Qur'an grows younger as it grows older; its sign, the me apparent; it rends the veil of Nature and causes, that Divine address.

It sheds the light of Divine unity continuously from every verse. It raises the veil of the Manifest World, caseavens the Unseen.

The loftiness of its address invites man's attentive gaze, for it is the tongue of the Unseen; it speaks with the Manifest World. Its wondrous freshness proceeds from this element, an all-encompassing ocean!

Divine condesc#651

u to the mind's of men, to make it familiar. The variety of the styles of its revelation makes it familiar to men and jinn.

It relates in an original style Witwith meaning, as though itself had witnessed them, of its stories and narrations, and truthful accounts, making their essential points;

With them it warns mankind. What it relates is these: it tells of former evip, ofand future events, the secrets of Hell and of Heaven;

Truths of the Unseen, and mysteries of the Manifest World, Divine mysteries, stories about cosmic relations;

Clear stories that neither fact has refuted, nor logic. Even if logdy; its not accept them, it cannot refute them - the revealed books, which are revered by all the world.

It relates faithfully the points on wcomes hey agree, and mentions in correct form the subjects on which they differ. These matters issuing from one "unlettered" was a wonder of the time!

It was the founder of the religion of Islam, and comprises it. If yoationsstigate time and place, neither the past was capable of producing the like of Islam, nor is the future.

This heavenly thread holds the globe in its annual areatorly rotations, and spins it. It weighed down heavily on the earth and mounted it, but the earth still does not give up its rebellion.

The six lights pouring forth from these six sources blend together; from this a bee obseecomes apparent, and from this an intuition, a luminous means of understanding.

This produces a pleasure: the pleasure of miraculousness may be known, but our ate soge is inadequate to describe it. The mind too is defective; that celestial star may be seen, but not held.

For thirteen centuries the Qur'an's enemies have desired to free dnge it, while it has aroused in its friends a desire to imitate it. This too is a proof of its miraculousness.

Millions of Arabic books have been written in consequence of these two intense des send coming into the library of existence.

If they are compared with revelation, if they are weighed up, relying on the evidence of their eyes and ears not only the learned scholar, even the common man, will declare: "This is heavens deniose are human!"

They will also say: "It doesn't resemble them, it is not of the same class. It is therefore lower than all of them, and this is self-evidently not true.

"In which case, it is superior to all of ndicat Its meanings in all that time. The door is open, dedicated to mankind; it has summoned to itself spirits and minds!

Man had power over it, and laiars dem to it, but his meanings still could not oppose the Qur'an; he never could; now the time of testing has passed.

It does not resemble other books, it cannot bng, yoared to them. For it was dominical wisdom its being revealed bit by bit over twenty years in relation to need, in miscellaneous parts.

hen hemmediate causes of revelation were various and distinct. The questions about any one matter were repeated and various. The events related to injunctions were numerous and changed. The times of revment.>n were distinct and different.

The conditions it was considering were various and different; the groups of those it was addressing were numerous and remote from each other; the aims of its guidance were grs of tnd various.

Its structure, and expositions, and replies, and addresses were based on these foundations. Yet despite this, its smoothness of style and lack of defect, its mutual proportion and harmony, demonstrated its perfection.

Witnessthis mis is that according to the science of rhetoric, the Qur'an has a characteristic not present in other speech: if you listen to other speech, you will see the speaourselr writer) behind it, or you will find him within it. Style is the mirror of man.

O dream-questioner! You asked for conciseness, so I have made an indication. If you want a detailed exposition, that is beyond my capabilities! A flyrees ot behold the sky. For of the forty sorts of miraculousness, only one is the eloquence of the word-order; and an exposition of it did not fit in Isharat al-I'jaz.

My hundred-page commentary was insufficient fction, Rather, I want a detailed exposition from spirit-inspirations like yourself!

A state of mind pleasing to the mature and perfected with their appreciation of meaning, does not gratify the childish, whimsical, and dual mote,

It does not entertain them. In consequence, those raised amid base, dissolute, carnal and lusty pleasures will not experience spiritual pleasure.

Looking with the 'novel-based' view s withern literature, which issued from Europe, they will neither see nor experience the elevated subtleties, the majestic virtues, of the Qur'an.

Their touchstone cannot assay those virtues. There are three areas in whollowsterature promenades; it roams within their bounds:

Either love and sorrow, or heroism and valour, or depiction of reality. In foreign literature, it does not seek the truth in heroism; it rather instils a uttere for power by applauding mankind's cruelties.

As regards sorrow and love, it does not know true love; it injects into the soul a lust-exciting thrill.

In the question of depicting manifty, it does not look on the universe as Divine art; it does not see it with its hue of the Most Merciful.

It rather approaches it from the point of view of 'Nature,' and depicts it thus; and it cannot be freetreasu this.

For this reason, what it inculcates is love of 'Nature.' It instils in the heart a

feeling of materialism, from which it cannot ay wit be saved.

Again, that unmannerly literature, both sedative and narcotic, can provide no beneficial salve for the distress of the spirit which arises from the misguidance resulting from the above.

It has f a una single remedy, and that is its novels and fiction. Books with their dead living, the cinema with its animated corpses. The dead cannot bestow life!

And the theatre with its reincarnations and ghosts from the vast grave known ess, t past. - It is completely unashamed at these three sorts of its fiction.

It has put a mendacious tongue in mankind's mouth, attached a lustful eye to its face, dressed the world in a scarlet phey weat, and does not recognize sheer beauty.

If it points to the sun, it puts in the reader's mind a beautiful blonde actress. It apparently says: "Vice is bad, it is not fitting for man."

It points out its harhe whionsequences. But its depictions so incite vice that they make the mouth water and the reason cannot remain in control.

They whet the appetite, excite desm the o the emotions no longer heed anything. The literature of the Qur'an, however, does not stir up desire;

It imparts a sense of love of the truth, a passion for sheer loveliness, an appreciation and taste for beauty, a desire for reaine NaAnd it does not deceive.

It does not look at the universe from the point of view of Nature; it speaks of it from the point of view of Divine art, with the colouring of the Most Merciful. It doeingfulconfuse the mind.

It instils the light of knowledge of the Maker. It points out His signs in all things. Both produce a touching sorrow, but they do not resemble each other.

The l, and ure born of Europe excites a pathetic sorrow arising from the lack of friends, from being ownerless; not an elevated sorrow.

For it is a woebegone sadness inspired by deaf Naturat it.blind force. It shows the world as desolate, not in any other way.

It depicts it in this way, holds the sorrowing man there, places him ownerless among strangers, leaving him without hope.

Due to this feeling of conste of thn it has given him, he gradually sinks into misguidance; it opens up the way to atheism, from whence it is difficult to return. Perhaps he never form.

eturn.

Qur'anic literature produces a sorrow, but it is the sorrow of love, not of orphans. It arises from separation from friends, not from the lack of them.

Its view of the universe, in plaout, dblind Nature, is as conscious, merciful Divine art; it does not speak of Nature.

Instead of blind force, it describes wise and purposeful Diviseal oer. The universe, therefore, does not take on the form of a desolate wasteland.

Indeed, in the view of the grieving one it addresses, it becomes a gathering of friends. On every side mutuhat ske and response, which cause no distress.

The friendliness at every corner draws the melancholy person into society, giving him a yearning sorrow, an elevated feeling; not a dejected mournfulness.

Both give ught to eagerness. But through the eagerness provoked by the foreign literature, the soul becomes excited, the desires are stimulated; its gives no joy to the spirit.

The Qur'an's eagerness, however, fires the spirit, gives rise to a lo fashigerness. It is for this reason that the Shari'a of Muhammad (PBUH) wants no amusements or diversion.

It has forbidden some musical instrumg him,for amusement, and permitted others. That is to say, instruments producing Qur'anic sorrow or revelational eagerness are not harmful.

But if it produces the woebegone grief of the orphan or carnal thrills, the instrument is

Yes, I came here once before, I have passed down these three ways. The first way is this: most peo wakefke it; it is the way of the world, it invites us to travel it.

See, we are on our way, we are going on foot. See how the sea-sands of the desert scorch us with their anger, threatening us!

Seeurfaceountainous waves; they are threatening us too. Now thanks be to God we have emerged on the other side, we can see the face of the sun.

But only we know the difficrave. we have suffered. Oh! we have returned to the wasteland, the ceiling of cloud with its lowering darkness. What we need is the eye of the heart to illumine things.

A wondrous light-filled world; if you have the courage, we shall enter ensionether, this way so fraught with dangers. Our second way:

We shall plunge through Nature-earth, and pass to the other side. Or trembnctionwe shall pass through a natural tunnel.

I travelled this way one time, fearlessly and full of prayer. But on that occasion I had with me a substance to smelt and rend the Naturtaphorh.

The third way: The Qur'an had given me that miraculous evidence. Brother, stick close behind me, and have no fear!

See, here await us tunnel-like caves and uns, He und torrents. They will let us pass. Don't let these awesome lifeless beings of Nature scare you in the slightest!

For behind its sour face is the smiling coue eartce of its compassionate Owner. I perceived that radium-like substance of the Qur'an through its light.

There, you see! We have come out in the light-filled world, see this delicate earth, this soft and gentle air. most your head! See, it has drawn its head to the skies, rent the clouds, leaving them far below. This Tuba-tree invites us -

It is the Qur'an. It has spread its densies everywhere. We must hang onto this branch which is trailing down, so that it can raise us up.

That heavenly tree - on earth, one of its personificogic a is the Illustrious Shari'a. That is to say, we ascended to this world of light in that way without difficulty; we were shaken by no distress.

Since we went wrong, we'll return to our former place and ermanehe right way. See, our third way! Over the mountains hovers a Royal Falcon;

He is reciting the ezan>to the whole world. See, the supreme muezzin,>Muhammad al-Hashimi (PBUH), is summoning mankind to the luminskilfurld of light. He enjoins supplication and obligatory prayers.

Look at the mountains! See, the guidance has rent the clouds! The mountain of the Shari'a has raised itwards to the skies. How it has adorned the face and eye of the earth!

Now we must depart from here in the aircraft of endeavour. The light ther t74

breeze are there; the light of beauty is there. Ah, now here is the Uhud of Divine unity, that mighty mountain.

Here is the Judi of Islam, that wholesome mountain. Here is the Mountain of the Moon, the Qur'an of al-Azhar, the pure wis a sf the Nile flows from that sublime source. Take a drink of its sweet water!

So blessed be God, the Best of Creators.>{[*]: Qur'an, 23:14.} * And their call shall close . And All praise be to God, Sustainer of All the Worlds!">{[*]: Qur'an, 10:10.}

Friend! Now cast away your imagination and don your reason! The first two ways are those of "those who havethe hived Your anger">and "those who have gone astray.">{[*]: Qur'an, 1:7.}

Their perils are numerous. On them is perpetual winter, their autumn an* Therer. Only one out of a hundred is saved, like Plato and Socrates.

The third way is easy, and direct and straight. Weak and strong are equal. Everyone may take it. Ts to mt comfortable is this: to be either martyr or 'ghazi'.

Now we come to the conclusion: Yes, the first two ways are the path and school of the genius ofand trce. As for the guidance of the Qur'an, the third way is its straight path; it will take us there.

O God! Guide us to the straight path. * The path like tse whom You have blessed, not those who have received Your anger, nor those who have gone astray.

Prudent fellow-traveller! My friend! If you want to see clearly the differences beween the luminous way of the "straight path">and the gloomy path of "thofar su have received Your anger">and "those who have gone astray,"

Come, take your fancy and mount your imagination, together we shall go to the darkness of non-existence. We shall visit that vast grave, that city of the dead.

A they gernal All-Powerful One took us out of that place of darkness with His hand of power, mounted us on existence, and sent us to this worldhe bei city without pleasures.

Now we have come to the world of existence, this fearful desert. Our eyes have opened, we've looked in the six directions.

Firstly we look before us seeking favours, an andibulations and pains assault us like enemies. We take fright at that and draw back.

We look to left and right to the natural elements, seeking assistance. But we see their hearts are hard and merciless. Thresignnd their teeth, glowering at us angrily. They heed neither plea nor plaint.

Like creatures beleaguered, we despairingly lift our gazes upwards. Seeking help, we look to the heavenly bodies, but they threaten us awesomely.onstra though each was a bomb; having shot out of their cases they are speeding through space. But somehow or other they do not obstruct each other.

If by chance one confused its way, this Manifest World would be blown to piree." God forbid! It is tied to coincidence; no good can come of that.

In despair we turn back our gaze from that direction, overcome by grievous bewilderment. We bow our heads and look to ourselves; we consider and study ourselvon, de Now we hear the shouts of myriad needs coming from our wretched selves. The cries of thousands of wants issue forth. While expecting solace, we take fright.

No good comes from that eithim baceking refuge, we consult our consciences, we look within seeking a solution. Alas, again we can find none; we have to help the conscience.

For in it a the eusands of hopes, turbulent emotions, wild desires, spread throughout the universe. We tremble with all of them, and cannot offer help.

Compressed in the world of existence, those hopes stretch o infinpre-eternity on one side and post-eternity on the other. They have such breadth, if they swallowed the world, the conscience still would not be satisfied.

Wherever we have recourse on this grievous road, we encounter misfortune. Foied anways of "those who have received Your anger">and "those who have gone astray">are thus. Chance and misguidance beset that road.

We follow it and hose wnto our present state. Even now we temporarily forget its beginning and end, the Maker and resurrection of the dead.

It is worse than Hell, it scorches more terribly, it crushes our spirits. For we had recourse to those six directint forut this state resulted.

It fills us with awesome terror, making us shudder with impotence, disquiet and apprehension, orphanhood and despair, so that it racks our conscience.

Now we shall form a front opposite each of the directions a of th to repulse them. Firstly we have recourse to our own strength, but alas! we are powerless, weak.

Secondly, we address ourselves to silencing the needs of the soul. But alas! we see that they cth Com unceasingly.

Thirdly, we cry out for help seeking a saviour, but no one hears or responds.

We suppose everything to be hostile,eans othing strange. Nothing consoles our hearts, nothing gives a sense of security, or true pleasure.

Fourthly, the more we looked at the celestial by corr the more they filled us with fright and awe. Vexing the conscience, alienating it; tormenting the mind, filling it with delusions.

Brother! That is the way of misguidance! On it we experiencedntenanhe darkness of unbelief. Come, now, my brother, we'll turn again to that non-being.

Again we shall come. This time our way is the Straight Path, and the way of belief. Oustatioe and leader are wisdom and the Qur'an, the Falcon that overflies the centuries.

At one time, the Pre-Eternal Sovereign's mercy and grace willed our existence, His po in Hiought us forth, graciously mounting us on the law of His will, completing us stage after stage.

Then it compassionately clothed us in the garment of existence, bestowed on us the Trust and its rank; the mark of this is supplication anwers, obligatory prayers.

All the stages are stopping-places on our long road. To make our road easy, Divine Determining issued a decree and pasted it on the page of our foreheads;

Wherever we go, with whichever group we are guests, we wisdoelcomed in truly brotherly fashion. We give of our belongings, and we receive from theirs.

Love born of commerce, they nourish us, adbe mea with gifts, then they see us on our way. Now at last we have come to the door of the world. We hear a noise.

See, we have arrived at the earth. We have stepped foot in the Manifest World. The fes born of the Most Merciful, the clamorous habitation of man.

We know nothing at all, our guide and leader is the will of the Merciful One. Oue.} ane's deputy, our delicate eyes. We open our eyes and look around. Do we recall the first time we came?

We were strangers, orphans. Our enemies were many. We did not know our protector. Now, with the light of belief, we have a stro

However, all praise be to God, this time we have found a point of succour which always gives life to our innate disposition anses ans; it makes them take flight for eternity.

Our innate disposition shows them the way from that point, and seeks help; drinks down the water of imposiand races to its perfection through that point of succour, that encouraging, elusive symbol.

The second pole of belief is affirmation of the resurrection of the dead. Everlasting happineved cothat shell's pearl. The proof of belief, the Qur'an; the conscience, a human mystery.

Now raise your head, and take a look at the universe. Speak a word with is of pappeared formidable on our former way. Now it is smiling, laughing on every side, coyly winking and blinking.

Do you not see, our eyes have become bees? They fly everywhere in the garden of the universe, aroe, in e profusion of flowers; each flower profers them a delectable draft.

Each also offers solace, love, and a feeling of familiarity. They too humanind take, and offer testimony, they make honey flow forth from honey, that mysterious falcon.

As our gaze alights on the motions of the heavenly bodies, or the stars, or suns, they show up the Creator's wisdom, and the manner of His instrucsing, and the manifestation of His mercy, making them take flight.

It is as though the sun is speaking with us, saying: "My brothers! Don't feel frightened or dismayed. You are welcome, how good you have come! This dwellingy'. Th is yours, I am but a candle-holder.

"I am like you, but a pure, obedient, unrebellious servant. Out of His utter mercy, the Single and Eternally Besought One subjected me so that I would serve you w is it light. Light and heat are from me, supplication and prayer from you!"

Now look at the moon! And the stars and the seas; each says in its own tongue: "Welcome! It's good you've ssibleDon't you recognize us?"

Look through the mystery of co-operation, through the signs of the order. Each says: "We are all servants, mirrors of the All-Glorious One's mercy; don't worry, don't be dismayed!

"Don't feel frightened or scr's vil at the crashing of the thunder and cries of events, for within them are the rolling of recitations, the clamour of glorifications, the tumult of supplication and entreaty.

"ngs tol-Glorious One Who sent us to you holds their reins in His hands. The eye of faith reads on their faces the signs of mercy; each proclaims them."

O believer with a wakeful heart! Let our eyes rest a littn itse shall hand over our sensitive ears to the blessed hand of belief in their place. We shall send them to the world to listen to its delightful refrains.

The universal mourning anent ofntations of death imagined on our first way are now all supplications and orisons, cries of glorification.

Listen to the murmuring of the air, seeds ittering of chicks, the pattering of the rain, the plashing of the seas, the crashing of thunder, the crackling of stones; all are meaningful refrains.

The humming of the airhe petintoning of the thunder, the strains of the waves are all recitations of Grandeur. The chanting of the rains, the warbling of birds are all glorifications of Mercy, allusions to reality.

The sounds of things are all sounds of exis which "I too exist," they say. The silent universe suddenly finds voice: "Don't suppose us to be lifeless, O chattering man!"

A tasty morsere truroplet of rain; the birds break into song.

With their different voices, their tiny songs, they applaud mercy, alight on bounties, proclaiming their thanks.

Implicitly trches y: "Beings of the universe, my brothers! How fine are our circumstances;

We are tenderly nourished, we are happy at our lot." With beaks upstretched they scatter their songs on the air.

In its entirety the universe is a lofty er's ctra; through the light of belief its recitations, its glorifications, are heard.

For its wisdom rejects the existence of chance, its ordso, thulses it; in unison they banish doubt.

Fellow-traveller! We are leaving now this world of similitudes, stepping down from imagination and fancy. We shy. I hight in the arena of reason, take stock, and close down those ways.

Our first way, full of pain, that of "those who have received Your anger">and "those who have gone astray,">inflicts suffering ono travnnermost conscience, and severe pain. Consciousness showed this; we became the reverse of conscious.

We have to be saved from it, we need to be, so the pain can be pacified, or numbed, we can't endure it otherwise; no angelseds the cries for help.

Guidance is healing, but fancies block out the feelings. This requires solace, it requires feigned unmindfus a tr it requires occupation, it requires entertainment. Enchanting desires.

Then it can deceive the conscience and put the spirit to sleep so they feel no pain. Otherwise that grievous suffering scorches thond Socience; the pain is unedurable, the despair cannot be borne.

This means, however far one deviates from the Straight Path, to that extent one is affected in that way, causing the conscience to cry out. Within every pleasure is a pain, aasier .

That means glittering civilization, which is a mixture of fancy, lust, amusement, and licentiousness, is a deceptive panacea for the ghastly distress arising from misguidance, a poisonous narcotic.

My dear friend! On our second wainted,t light-filled road, we perceived a state of mind in which life became a source of pleasure, pains became joys.

We understood that it the res a state to the spirit varying in degree according the strength of belief. The body receives pleasure through the spirit, the spirit receives pleasure through the conscience.

An immediate pleasure is ot be n the conscience; a spiritual paradise is present in the heart. To think of it is to open it up; while consciousness is marked by its secrets.

Now, however much the heart is aroused, the conscience stimulated, the spirit stirred, ite, theases the pleasure, transforming fire into light, and winter into spring.

The doors of paradises open up in the conscience, the world becomes a paradise. Within it our spirits taketty fat, soaring like kites, entreating, praying.

Worthy fellow-traveller! Farewell for now. Let us offer a prayer together, then we shall part, to meet again!

O God! Lead us to the nd to ht Path. Amen.

One time, as a artifice, a pitiless enemy of Islam, a cunning politicithe spsuspicious parson who wanted to swagger and show off, asked us four things, -in the form of denial, at a terrible time he had his claws at our throat, in his glee at our misfortune; he wanted six hundred words. A reply was needed like a slse. T the face of his glee, and his wiles, and his denial, like spitting in his face, to silence him. I won't address him. I have the following answer for a lover of truth.

He asked firstquiremt is the religion of Muhammad (PBUH)?"

I replied: It is the Qur'an. The basic aims of the Qur'an are the six pillars of belief and the five pillars of Islam.

In the second he asked: "What has it given to life and thought?"

I replied: To thought, the affirmation of Divine unity; to life, moderation and the middle way. My witnesses for this are

Say: He is God, the One.>{[*]: Qur'an, 112:1.} * Therefor the Fd firm [in the Straight Way] as you are commanded.>{[*]: Qur'an, 11:112.}

In the third, he said: "What remedies has it for the present atrocities?"

I rer bein The prohibition of usury and interest and the payment of Zakat.>My witnesses for this are these:

God will deprive usury of all blessing.>{[*]: Qur'an, 2:276.} * God has permitted trade and forbidden usury.>{[*]: Qur'an, 2:275.} ppinesbe steadfast in prayer, and practise regular charity>[zakat]. {[*]: Qur'an, 2:43, etc.}

In the fourth, he asked: "How does it look on man's revolutions?"

I replied: Labour, striving, are fundmad (Pl. Wealth should not be accumulated in the hands of tyrants, and held on to. My witnesses for this:

Man has nothing save that which he strives.>{[*]: Qur'an, 5shes i * Those who store up gold and silver and do not spend it in God's way, announce to them a most grievous penalty.>{[*]: Qur'an, 9:34.}

O God! O Most Merciful! O Most Compaived. te! O Single One! O Ever-Living One! O Self-Subsistent One! O Arbiter! O All-Just One! O Most Holy! For the sake of Your Greatest Name, and in venerat That the Qur'an of Miraculous Exposition, and in honour of Your Most Noble Messenger, Upon whom be blessings and peace, bestow everlasting happiness in Paradise on the producers of ed proook and on all those who assist them. Amen! And grant them unending success in the service of belief and the Qur'an. Amen! And for each word of The Words write a thousand merits in the books of their good deeds. Amen! And bestow on theSee theverance, constancy, and sincerity in publishing the Risale-i Nur. Amen!

O Most Merciful of the Merciful! Grant happiness in this world and the next to all the m of 'ts of the Risale-i Nur. Amen! Preserve them from the evil of satans among jinn and men. Amen! And forgive the faults of this impotent and wretched Said. Amen!