The Twenty-Second Word
[This Word consists of Two Stations]
First Station
In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate.So God sets forth parables for men, so that they may bear [them] in mind * Such are the similitudes which we propound to men that they may reflect.
One time two men were washing in a pool. Under some extraordinary influence they lost their senses and when they opened their eyes, they saw that it had transported them to a strange land. It was such that with its perfect order it was like a country, or rather a town, or a palace. They looked around themselves in complete bewilderment: if it was looked at in one way, a vast world was apparent; if in another, a well-ordered country; and if in another, a fine town. And if it was looked at in still another way, it was a palace which comprised a most magnificent world. Travelling around this strange world, they observed it and saw that creatures of one sort were speaking in a fashion, but they did not understand their language. Nevertheless, it was understood from their signs that they were performing important works and duties.
One of the two men said to his friend: "This strange world must have someone to regulate it, and this orderly country must have a lord, and this fine town, an owner, and this finely made palace, a master builder. We must try to know him, for it is understood that the one who brought us here was he. If we do not recognize him, who will help us? What can await from these impotent creatures whose language we do not know and who do not heed us? Moreover, surely one who makes a vast world in the form of a country, town, and palace, and fills it from top to bottom with wonderful things, and embellishes it with every sort of adornment, and decks it out with instructive miracles wants something from us and from those that come here. We must get to know him and find out what he wants."
The other man said: "I do not believe it, that there is a person such as the one you speak of, and that he governs this whole world on his own." His friend replied to him: "If we do not recognize him and remain indifferent towards him, there is no advantage in it at all, and if it harmful, its harm will be immense. Whereas if we try to recognize him, there is little hardship involved and if there is benefit, it will be great. Therefore, it is in no way sensible to remain indifferent towards him."
The foolish man said: "I consider all my ease and enjoyment to lie in not thinking of him. Also, I am not going to bother with things that make no sense to me. All these things are the confused objects of chance, they are happening by themselves. What is it to me?"
His intelligent friend replied: "This obstinacy of yours will push me, and a lot of others, into disaster. It sometimes happens that a whole country is laid waste because of one ill-mannered person."
So the foolish man turned to him and said: "Either prove to me decisively that this large country has a single lord and a single maker, or leave me alone."
His friend replied: "Your obstinacy has reached the degree of lunacy, and you will be the cause of some disaster being visited on us. So I shall show you twelve proofs demonstrating that this world which is like a palace, and country which is like town, has a single maker and that is only he who runs and administers everything. He is completely free of ail deficiency. This maker, who does not appear to us, sees us and everything, and hears their words. All his works are miracles and marvels. All these creatures whom we see but whose tongues we do not understand are his officials."
· FIRST PROOF
A hidden hand is working within all these works. For something which has not even an ounce of strength is raising a load of thousands of pounds. And something that does not have even a particle of consciousness is performing extremely wise and purposeful works. That means they are not working by themselves, but that a hidden possessor of power is causing them to work. If they were all independent, it would necessitate all the works which we see everywhere in this land to be miracles and everything to be a wonderworking marvel.
· SECOND PROOF
Come, look carefully at the things which adorn all these plains, fields, and dwellings! There are marks on each telling of that hidden one. Simply each gives news of Him like a seal or stamp. So look in front of your eyes: what does He make from one ounce of cotton? See how many rolls of cloth, fine linen, and flowered material have come out of it. See how many sugared delights and round sweets are being made. If thousands of people like us were to clothe themselves in them and eat them, they would still be sufficient. And look! He has taken a handful of iron, water, earth, coal, copper, silver, and gold, and made some flesh out of them. Look at that and see f And so, O foolish one! These works are particular to such a one that all this land together with all its parts is under his miraculous power and is submissive to his every wish.
· THIRD PROOF
Come, look at these mobile works of art! Each has been fashioned in such a way that it is simply a miniature sample of the huge palace. Whatever there is in the palace, it is found in these tiny mobile machines. Is it at all possible that someone other than the palace's maker could come and include the wondrous palace in a tiny machine? Also, is it at all possible that although he has included a whole world in a machine the size of a box, there could be anything in it that was purposeless or could be attributed to chance? That means that however many skillfully fashioned machines you can see, each is like a seal of that hidden one. Rather, each is like a herald or proclamation. Through their tongues of disposition they are saying: "We are the art of such a One that He can make this entire world of ours as easily and simply as He created us. "
· FOURTH PROOF
O my stubborn friend! Come, I shall show you something even stranger. Look! All these works and things in this land have changed and are changing. They do not stop in any one state. Note carefully that each of these lifeless bodies and unfeeling boxes has taken on the form of being absolutely dominant quite simply it is as though each rules all the others. Look at this machine next to us; it is as though issuing commands; all the necessities and substances necessary for its adornment and functioning come hastening to it from distant places. Look over there: that lifeless body is as though beckoning; it makes the largest bodies serve it and work in its own workplace. Make further analogies in the same way.
Simply, everything subjugates to itself all the beings in this world. If you do not accept the existence of that hidden one, you have to attribute all his skills, arts, and perfections in the stones, earth, animals, and creatures resembling man everywhere in this land to the things themselves. In place of a single wonder-working being, which your mind deems unlikely, you have to accept millions like him, who are both opposed to one another, and similar, and one within the other, so they do not cause confusion everywhere and the order be spoiled. Whereas if two fingers meddle in a country, they cause confusion. For if there are two headmen in a village, or two governors in a town, or two kings in a country, the result is chaos. So what about an infinite, absolute ruler?
· FIFTH PROOF
O my skeptical friend! Come, look carefully at the inscriptions of this vast palace, look at all the adornments of the town, see the ordering of this whole land, and reflect on all the works of art in this world! See! If these inscriptions are not worked by the pen of one hidden who possesses infinite miracles and skills, and are attributed to unconscious causes, to blind chance and deaf nature, then every stone and every plant in this land has to be an inscriber so wondrous it can write a thousand books in every letter and include millions of works of art in a single inscription. Because look at the inscription on these stones; in each are the inscriptions of all the palace, and the laws ordering all the town, and the programs for organizing the whole country. That means that to make these inscriptions is as wonderful as making the whole country. In which case, each inscription, each work of art, is a proclamation of that hidden one, and a seal of his.
Since a letter cannot exist without showing the one who wrote it, and an artistic inscription cannot exist without making known its inscriber, how is it that an inscriber who writes a huge book in a single letter and inscribes a thousand inscriptions in a single inscription, should not be known through his writing and through his inscribing?
· SIXTH PROOF
Come, let us go out onto this broad plain. On It is a high mountain, which we shall climb to the top of so that we can see all the surrounding country. Also, we shall take with us a good pair of binoculars which will bring everything close. Because strange things are happening in this strange land. Every hour things are happening that we could not imagine. Look! These mountains, plains, and towns are suddenly changing. And how'? In such a way that millions of matters are being changed in a most regulated and well-ordered fashion one within the other. The most wondrous transformations are being wrought as though millions of various cloths are being woven one within the other. Look! These flowery things which we know and are familiar with are disappearing and others have come in their place in orderly fashion which resemble them in nature but are different in form. It is quite simply as though this plain and the mountains are each a page, and within them are being written hundreds of thousands of different books. And they are being written faultlessly and without defect.
Thus, it. is impossible a hundred times over that those matters should have come about on their own. Yes, for these works which are skillfully and carefully fashioned to an infinite degree to have occurred on their own is impossible a thousand times, for rather than themselves, they show the artist who fashioned them. Moreover, the one who did this displays such miracles that nothing at all can be difficult for him. It is as easy for him to write a thousand books as to write one book. And look all around you; he both puts everything in its proper place with perfect wisdom, and he munificently showers the favors on everyone of which they are worthy, and he draws back and opens general veils and doors so bountifully that everyone's desires are satisfied. And he sets up tables so generously that a feast of bounties is given to all the people and animals of this land, indeed, which is particular and suitable for each group and individual, even. So, is there anything more impossible in the world than that there should be anything attributable to chance in these matters that we see, or that there should be anything purposeless or vain, or that many hands should be interfering in them, or that their maker should not be capable of everything, or that everything should not be subjugated to him? And so, my friend, find a pretext in the face of these if you can.
- SEVENTH PROOF
In Short: Just as all the things throughout the world look to one another, so too they help one another. And just as they see one another, so too they co-operate with one another. And just as they perfect each other's works, so too they support one another; standing shoulder to shoulder, they work together. Make analogies with this for everything; they never end with counting. Thus, ail these things demonstrate as decisively as two plus two equals four that everything is subjugated to the maker of this wondrous palace, that is, to the owner of this strange world. Everything is like a soldier under his command. Everything turns through his strength. Everything acts through his command. Everything is set m order through his wisdom. Everything helps the others through his munificence. Everything hastens to the assistance of the others through his compassion, that is, they are made to hasten to it. And so, my friend! Say something in the face of this if you can!
· EIGHTH PROOF
Come, my foolish friend who thinks himself reasonable like my soul! You do not want to recognize the owner of this magnificent palace! But everything shows him, points to him, testifies to him. How can you deny the testimony of all these things? You have therefore to deny the palace as well, and say: "There is no world, no country." Deny yourself, too, and disappear! Or else come to your senses and listen to me! Now, look, there are uniform elements and minerals inside the palace and encompassing the land. Simply, everything appearing in the country is made of those elements. That means, whose-ever property are those things, everything that is made of them is his, also. Whoever the field belongs to, the crops are his too. And whose-ever is the sea, the things within it are also his.
And look, these textiles, these decorated woven materials, are being made out of a single substance. It is self evidently the same person who brings the substance, prepares it, and makes it into string. For such a work would not permit the participation of others. In which case, all the woven, skillfully made things are particular to him.
And look! Every sort of these woven, manufactured goods is found in every part of the country; they have spread with all their fellows, and are being made and woven together and one within the other, in the same way, at the same instant. That means they are the work of the same person and the 5ame act through a single command, otherwise their correspondence and conformity at the same instant, in the same fashion, of the same sort, would be impossible. In which case, each of these skillfully fashioned things is like a proclamation of that hidden one which points to him. As if each sort of flowered material, each ingenious machine, each sweet mouthful, is a stamp of that miracle-displaying person; a stamp of his, a mark, a decoration; each says through the tongue of disposition: "Whose-ever work of art I am, the boxes and shops where I am found are also his property." And each inscription says: "Whoever wove me also wove the roll of cloth in which I am." And each sweet mouthful says: "Whoever makes me and cooks me, the cauldron in which I am is also his." And each machine says: "Whoever made me, also makes all those like me who have spread throughout the land, and the one who raises us in every part of it, is also he. That means the country's owner is he, too. In which case, whoever is the owner of a11 this country and palace, he may be our owner too."
For example, in order to be the true owner of a single cartridge-belt or even a button belonging to the state, one also has to own all the factories in which they are made. If a bragging irregular soldier claims otherwise, he will be told: "They are the property of the state." And they will be taken from him, and he will be punished.
In Short: Just as the elements in this country each surround and encompass it, and their owner may only be one who owns the whole country, in the same way, since the works of art that are spread throughout it resemble one another and display a single stamp, they show that they are the art of a single person who governs everything.
And so, my friend! There is a sign of oneness, a stamp of unity, in this country, that is, this magnificent palace. For while being the same, certain things are all-encompassing. And while being numerous, some display a unity or similarity, since they resemble one another and are found everywhere. And as for unity, it shows One of Unity. That means that its maker, owner, lord, and fashioner has to be one and the same. In addition, look carefully at this: from behind the veil of the unseen a thickish string has appeared. Look, now thousands of strings have hung down from it. And see the tips of the strings: a diamond, a decoration, a favour, a gift has been attached to each. Suitable presents are being given to everyone. Do you know what a lunatic action it is not to recognize and not to thank the one who stretches out from behind the strange veil of the unseen such wondrous favours and gifts. Because if you do not recognize him, you will be compelled to say: "These strings are making the diamonds and other gifts on their tips themselves and offering them." Then you have to attribute to each string the meaning of a king. Whereas before our eyes an unseen hand is making the strings too, and attaching the gifts to them. That means, everything in this palace shows that miracle-displaying one rather than themselves. If you do not recognize him, through denying them, you shall fall a hundred limes lower them an animal.
· NINTH PROOF
Come, my unreasoning friend! You do not recognize this palace's owner, and you do not want to recognize him, because you deem his existence unlikely. You deviate into denial because you cannot comprehend with your narrow brain his wondrous arts and acts. Whereas the true unlikelihood, real difficulties, hardships, and awesome trouble lies in not recognizing him. For we recognize him, this whole palace, this world, becomes as easy, as trouble-free as a single thing; it becomes the means to the abundance and plenty around us. If we do not recognize him and he does not exist, then everything becomes as difficult as this whole palace, because everything is as skillfully made as the palace. Then neither the abundance nor the plenty would remain. Indeed, not one of these things which we see would pass to anyone's hand, let alone our's. Look at just the ,jar of conserve attached to this string. If it had not emerged from his hidden, miracle-displaying kitchen, we could not have bought it for a hundred dollars, although we buy it now for forty cents.
Yes, all unlikelihood, difficulty, trouble, arduousness, indeed, impossibility, lies in not recognizing him. For a tree is given life from one root, through one law, in one centre, and the formation of thousands of fruits is its easy as that of one fruit. But if the fruits had been tied to different centres and roots, and different laws, each fruit would have been as difficult to produce as the tree. And if the equipping of an entire army is in one centre, through one law, and from one factory, in regard to quantity it is as easy as equipping a single soldier. While if each soldier is equipped from all different places, then to equip one soldier there would have to be as many factories as for the entire army.
And just like these two examples, if, in this well-ordered palace, this fine town, this advanced country, this magnificent world, the creation of a11 things is attributed to a single being, it becomes so easy, so light, that it becomes the reason for the infinite abundance, availability, and munificence we see. Otherwise everything would become so expensive, so difficult, that if the whole world was given to someone, they could not obtain them.
· TENTH PROOF
Come, my friend, who has come a little to his senses! We have been here fifteen days now. If we do not know the regulations of this world and do not recognize its king, we shall deserve punishment. We have no excuse, because for fifteen days, as though given a respite, they did not interfere with us. Of course we have not just been left to our own devices. We cannot wander around among these delicate, well-balanced, subtle, skillfully made and instructive creatures like an animal and spoil them; they would not permit us to harm them. The penalties of this country's august king are bound to be awesome. You can understand how powerful and majestic he is from the way he orders this huge world as though it was a palace, and makes it revolve like a machine. He administers this large country like a house, missing nothing. See, like filling a container and emptying it, he continuously fills this palace, this country, this town, with perfect order, and empties it with perfect wisdom. Like spreading out a table then clearing it away, varieties of foods are brought in turn and given to eat in the form of a great variety of tables being laid out by an unseen hand in every part of his vast country, and then being cleared away. The unseen hand clears away one, then brings another in its place. You see this too, and if you use your head, you will understand that within that awesome majesty is an infinitely munificent liberality.
And see, just as all these things testify to that unseen one's sovereignty and unity, so too these revolutions and changes which pass on in succession like caravans, and are opened and closed from behind that true veil, testify to his continuance and permanence. For the causes of things disappear along with them. Whereas the things which we attribute to them, which follow on after them, are repeated. That means those works are not their's, but the works of one who does not perish. Just as it is understood from the the bubbles on the surface of a river disappearing and the bubbles which follow on after them sparkling in the same way that what makes them sparkle is a constant and elevated possessor of light, in the same way, the speedy changing of things and the things that follow on after them assuming the same colours shows that they are the manifestations, inscriptions, mirrors, and works of art of one who is perpetual, undying, and single.
· ELEVENTH PROOF
Come, my friend! Now I shall show you a decisive proof as powerful as the ten previous ones. We shall board a boat, and sail to a peninsula, far away. For the key to this riddle-filled world will be there. Moreover, everyone is looking to that peninsula and awaiting something from it; they are receiving orders from there. See, we are going there. Now we have arrived and have alighted on the peninsula. There is a vast gathering, a great concourse, as though all the important people of the country have gathered there. Look carefully, this great community has a leader. Come, we shall draw closer; we must become acquainted with him. Look! What brilliant decorations he has, more than a thousand of them. How powerfully he speaks! How pleasant his conversation! In these two weeks I have learnt a little of what he says. You learn them from me. See, he is speaking of this country's miracle-displaying king. He is saying that the glorious king sent him to us. And he is displaying such wonders that they leave no doubt that he is a special envoy of the King. Look carefully, it is not only the creatures on this peninsula that are listening to what he says; he is making the whole country hear in wondrous fashion. For near and far everyone is trying to listen to the speech here. It is not only humans that are listening, it is animals too. And look, even the mountains are listening to the commands he brought so that they are stirring in their places, and the trees, too, move to the place that he indicates. He brings forth water from wherever he wishes. He even makes his fingers like a Spring of Kauthar, and gives to drink from them. And look, at his sign, an important lamp in the dome of this palace splits into two. That means this country together with all its beings recognizes that he is an official and envoy. They heed and obey him, as though knowing that he is the most eminent and true translator of an unseen displayer of miracles, and the herald of his dominicality, the discloser of his talisman, and a trustworthy envoy delivering his commands. All those with intelligence around him declare: "Yes, that is right!" about everything he says, and affirm lt. indeed, through submitting to his signs and commands, the mountains and trees in this country and the huge light that illuminates it, say: "Yes, yes, everything you say is true!"
And so, my foolish friend! Could there be any contradiction or deception concerning the miracle-displaying king about whom this most luminous, magnificent, and serious being, who bears a thousand decorations particular to the king's own treasury, is speaking with ail his strength, confirmed by all the country's notables, and concerning the king's attributes which he mentions, and the commands which he relays? If there is anything contrary to the truth in these things, it will be necessary to deny this palace, these lamps, this community, both their reality and their existence. If you can, raise any objections against these; but you will see that they will be smashed by the power of the proof, and flung back at you.
· TWELFTH PROOF
Come, my brother, who has come to his senses a little! I shall show you a further proof of the strength of all the eleven preceding proofs. See this luminous Decree, which descends from above and which everyone looks on with perfect attention out of either wonder or veneration. The one with the thousand decorations has stopped by it and is explaining its meaning to everyone. The 5tyles of the Decree shine in such a way that they attract everyone's appreciative gaze, and it speaks of matters so important and serious that everyone is compelled to give ear to them. For it describes all the qualities, acts, commands, and attributes of the one who governs this whole land, who made this palace, and exhibits these wonders. Just as there is a mighty stamp on the Decree as a whole, look! there is an inimitable seal on every line and every sentence, and, moreover, the meanings, truths, commands, and instances of wisdom it states are seen to be in a style particular to him which bears the meaning of a stamp.
In Short : The Supreme Decree shows the Supreme Being like the sun, so that anyone who is not blind can see it.
And so, my friend! If you have come to your senses, this is enough for now. If you have something to say, say it. In reply, the obstinate man said:
"I can only say this in the face of these proofs of yours: All praise be to God for I have come to believe. And I believe in a way bright as the sun and clear as daylight that this country has a single King of Perfection, this world, a Single Glorious Owner, this palace, a Single Beauteous Maker. May God be pleased with you, for you have saved me from my former obstinacy and foolishness. Each of the proofs you showed was sufficient to demonstrate the truth. But because with each successive proof, clearer, pleasanter, more agreeable, more luminous, finer levels of knowledge, veils in acquaintanceship, and windows of love were opened and revealed, I waited and listened."
The story in the form of a comparison indicating the mighty truth of Divine Unity and belief in God is completed. Through the grace of the Most Merciful, the effulgence of the Qur'an, and the light of belief, we shall now show Twelve Flashes and an Introduction from the sun of true Divine Unity corresponding to the twelve proofs in the story.
Success and Guidance are from God alone.
The Second Station
of the Twenty-Second Word
Introduction
In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate. God is the Creator of all things, and He is the Guardian and Disposer of all affairs. * To Him belong the keys of the heavens and the earth. * So glory to Him in Whose hands is the sovereignty of all things, and to Him will you all be brought back. * And there is not a thing but its [sources and] treasures [inexhaustible] are with Us; but We only send down thereof in due and ascertainable measures. * There is not a moving creature, but He has grasp of its forelock. Verily it is my Sustainer that is on a Straight Path.
In my treatise entitled Katre, which is about belief in God, the principal pole of the pillars of belief, I explained in brief the evidence and testimony to Almighty God's existence and Unity made by all beings through fifty-five tongues. Also, in the treatise Nokta, I mentioned four universal proofs out of the evidences of Almighty God's existence and Unity each of which is of the strength of a thousand proofs. Moreover, since I have discussed in around twelve of my Arabic treatises hundreds of decisive proofs showing Almighty God's necessary existence and Unity, I shall be content with those and not now undertake any profound investigations. Only, we shall try to show in this Twenty-Second Word, Twelve Flashes from the sun of belief in God which I have written briefly in other places in the Risale-i Nur.
· FIRST FLASH
The affirmation of Divine Unity is of two sorts. For example, if the goods of a rich man arrive in a market or a town, there are two ways in which it is known they are his. One is briefly and simply, as with ordinary people, which is: "No one apart from him is capable of owning this vast amount of goods." But when under the supervision of a common man such as that much of it may be stolen. Many others may claim ownership of parts of it. The second sort is this: through reading his writing on every packet, recognizing his signature on every roll, and seeing his seal on every bill, the man declares: "Everything belongs to that person." In this way, in meaning, everything shows the important man. In exactly the same way, the affirmation of Divine Unity is of two sorts:
One is the superficial and common affirmation of Divine Unity which says: "Almighty God is One, He has no partner or like. This universe is His."
The Second is the true affirmation of Divine Unity which, through seeing the stamp of His power, the seal of His Dominicality, and the inscriptions of His pen on everything, is to open a window directly onto His light from everything and to confirm and believe with almost the certainty of seeing it that everything emerges from the hand of His power and that in no way has He any partner or assistant in His Godhead or in His Dominicality or in His sovereignty, and thus to attain to a sort of perpetual awareness of the Divine presence. We too in this Word shall mention rays showing this pure and elevated true affirmation of Divine Unity.
A Reminder within the First Point: O heedless worshipper of causes! Causes are a veil; for Divine dignity and grandeur require them to be thus. But that which acts and performs matters is the power of the Eternally Besought One; for Divine Unity and Glory require it to be thus, and necessitate their independence. The officials of the Pre-Eternal Monarch are not executives of the sovereignty of Dominicality, they are rather the heralds of His sovereignty and the observers and superintendents of His Dominicality. And those officials and means are to make known the dignity of power and majesty of Dominicality, so that power should not be seen to be associating in base and lowly matters. Not like a human king, tainted by impotence and want, who therefore takes officials as partners. That is to say, causes have been placed so that the dignity of power may be preserved in the superficial view of the mind. For like the two faces of a mirror, everything has a face that looks to this manifest world, which resembles the mirror's coloured face, and may be the means to various colours and states. And everything also has a face that looks to its Maker, which resembles the mirror's shining face. In the apparent face that looks to the manifest world, there may be states incompatible with the dignity and perfection of the Eternally Besought One's power, and causes have been put to be both the source and the means of those states. But in respect of reality and the face that looks to their Creator, everything is transparent and beautiful. It is fitting that power should itself be associated with it. It is not incompatible with its dignity; therefore, causes are purely apparent and in reality have no true effect.
A further wisdom in apparent causes is this: causes have been put as the aim so that unjust complaints and baseless objections should not be directed at the Absolutely Just One. For the faults arise from them, from their incapacity and lack of ability. A comparison is narrated which is in the form of a subtle example illustrating this mystery:
The Angel Azrail (Peace be upon him) said to Almighty God: "Your servants will complain about me while 1 am carrying out my duty of taking possession of the spirits of the dying; they will be resentful towards me." So Almighty God said to him with the tongue of wisdom: "I shall leave the veil of disasters and illnesses between you and my servants, so that the complaints will be directed at them and they will not be indignant at you." So see, illnesses are a veil; what are imagined to be the bad things at the appointed hour are attributed to them, and what is in reality the good things in the spirits of the dying being seized are attributed to the duty of Azrail (Upon whom be peace}. And so too Azrail is a veil; he is an observer of that duty and veil to Divine power, so that certain states in the taking of spirits which are apparently unkind and which are inappropriate to the perfection of mercy be attributed to him.
Yes, dignity and grandeur demand that causes are a veil to the hand of power in the view of the mind, while Divine Unity and Glory demand that causes withdraw their hands from the true effect.
SECOND FLASH
Look at this garden of the universe, this orchard of the earth; look carefully at the beautiful face of the heavens gilded with stars! You will see that on each of the artifacts spread out and scattered over them is a stamp particular to the Creator of All Things, and on each creature a seal special to the Maker of All Things, and on the levels of being written on the pages of night and day, summer and winter, each published by the pen of power, are inimitable, illustrious signatures of an All-Glorious Maker, an All-Beauteous Creator. We shall now mention a few of those stamps, seals, and signatures by way of example:
For example, of the innumerable stamps, consider this stamp out of many placed on life: "He makes everything out of one thing and makes one thing out of everything." For He makes the innumerable members and systems of animals out of a fluid and also out of simple water which is drunk. Thus, to make one thing everything is surely the work of One possessing Absolute Power. And One Who transforms with perfect order numerous substances from the uncountable foods that are eaten, whether plant or animal, into a particular body, and weaves from them a particular skin, and makes from them simple members, is surely One Powerful over All Things, and One Knowing of All Things. Indeed, the Creator of Life and Death administers life through His wisdom in this workshop of the world through such a miraculous commanding law that to carry out that law and enforce it is particular to One Who holds in the grasp of His power the whole universe.
Thus, if your mind is not extinguished and your heart not blind, you will understand that what makes one thing with perfect ease and order, and makes everything, one thing in skillful fashion with perfect balance and order, is a stamp particular to the Maker of everything and a seal special to the Creator of All Things. For example, if you see that together with weaving a hundred rolls of broadcloth and various other cloths like silk or cambric from one ounce of cotton, a wonder-worker also makes many foods from it like helva and pastries, then you see that he takes a handful of iron and stone, honey and butter, water and earth, and makes some fine gold, of course, you would certainly pronounce him to possess such art that all the elements of the earth are subjugated to his command and all the substances of the earth look to his word. Indeed, the manifestatlon of power and wisdom in life is a thousand times more wondrous than this example.
Thus, one stamp on life out of many.
THIRD FLASH
Look at the living creatures revolving in this
flowing universe, in these flowing beings! You will see that on each are
many seals placed by the Ever-Living and Self-Subsistent One. One of
them is this: a living creature, for example, a human being, is simply a
miniature sample of the universe, and a fruit of the tree of creation,
and a seed of the world, for he comprises samples of most of the realms
of beings in the world. It is as if such an animate being is a drop
filtered from the whole universe with an extremely fine balance. That
means, to create it and be its Sustainer, it is necessary to hold in the
grasp of one’s power the whole universe.
Thus, if your mind is not submerged in delusions you
will understand that to make a word of power, for example, a honey bee, a
sort of minute index to most things, and to write in one page, for
example in man, most of the matters in this book of the universe, and to
include in one point, for example in a tiny fig seed, the programme of
the mighty fig-tree, and to display in a single letter, for example in
the human heart, the works of all the Divine Names which are manifest in
the pages of the macrocosm and encompass it, and to make written in the
human faculty of memory, which is situated in a place the size of a
lentil, writings enough to fill a library, and to include in that tiny
faculty a detailed index of all events in the cosmos, is most certainly a
stamp particular to the Creator of All Things and peculiar to the
Glorious Sustainer of the universe.
Thus, if one seal out of many Dominical seals on
living beings displays its light and makes read its signs thus, if you
were able to consider all those seals at once, and see them, would you
not declare: “Glory be to Him Who is concealed in the intensity of His
manifestation!”
FOURTH FLASH
Look carefully at the multicoloured, multifarious
beings swimming in the seas of the heavens and scattered over the face
of the earth! You will see that on each are inimitable signatures of the
Pre-Eternal Sun. Just as the stamps on life and seals on living beings
are apparent, and we saw one or two of them, so also are there such
signatures on the giving of life. Since comparisons bring profound
meanings closer to the understanding, we shall demonstrate this truth
with a comparison.
For example, from the planets to droplets of water,
to fragments of glass and sparkling snow-flakes, a signature from the
sun’s image and reflection, a luminous work particular to the sun, is
apparent. If you do not accept the tiny suns apparent in those
innumerable things to be the manifestation of the sun’s reflection, then
it becomes necessary to descend to an infinite foolishness like
accepting the actual existence of a true, natural sun in every droplet
and fragment of glass facing the light, and in every transparent speck
before it.
In just the same way, in regard to the giving of life
from among the luminous manifestations of the Pre-Eternal Sun, there is
such a signature on each living being that supposing all causes were
gathered together and each had the power to act and possessed will, they
still could not imitate that signature. For living beings, which are
miracles of Divine power, are each in the form of a point of focus of
the Divine Names, which are like the rays of the Pre-Eternal Sun. If
that strange inscription of art, that wondrous ordering of wisdom, that
manifestation of the mystery of Oneness on living beings is not ascribed
to the Single and Eternally Besought One, it necessitates falling to
the most ludicrous degree of misguidance and foolish sort of
superstition like accepting that concealed within each living creature,
and even in a fly or a flower, is an infinite creative power, and a
knowledge encompassing all things, and even an Absolute Will with which
to govern the universe, indeed, the eternal attributes particular to the
Necessarily Existent One. Quite simply, it necessitates attributing
Divinity to each particle of the flower or fly. For such a state has
been given to those particles, and especially if they are seeds, that
they look to the living being of which they are a part, and take up a
position in accordance with its system and ordering. Indeed, such a
particle assumes qualities like looking to all the species to which its
living being belongs, and flying with wings in order to be planted in a
place suitable to the continuation of its species and planting the
species’ flag. Indeed, it holds a position that will continue the
transactions and relations connected with sustenance with all the other
beings with which that living being is connected and of which it is in
need.
Thus, if such a particle is not an official of a
Possessor of Absolute Power, and if its relation with Him is severed,
then it is necessary to ascribe to it an eye which sees all things and a
consciousness which encompasses all things.
In Short: If the miniature suns and various colours
in droplets of water and fragments of glass are not attributed to the
sun’s reflection and the manifestation of its reflection, it is
necessary to accept the existence of innumerable suns in place of the
one sun; it necessitates accepting an utterly impossible superstition.
In exactly the same way, if everything is not attributed to the
Absolutely Powerful One, it necessitates falling to the degree of
accepting a hundredfold impossibility like accepting infinite gods
instead of the Single God; indeed, gods to the number of particles in
existence.
To Sum Up: From each particle three windows open up onto the Light of Unity and Necessary Existence of the Pre-Eternal Sun:
• First Window: Like a soldier has a relation with
each of the spheres of the military, that is, with his squad, his
company, his battalion, his regiment, his division, and the army, and
duties in accordance with those relations, and actions in accordance
with the duties and army regulations, particles too have similar
relations.
For example, such a lifeless particle in the pupil of
your eye has relations with your eye, your head, your body, your powers
of reproduction, attraction and repulsion, with your veins and
arteries, and motor and sensory nerves, and with the rest of the human
race, and duties in relation to each, which shows self-evidently to eyes
that are not blind that it is the work of art and charged official of
the Pre-Eternal All-Powerful One, and is under his regulation.
• Second Window: All molecules of air may visit all
flowers and fruits. They may also enter them and work within them. If
they are not the subject officials of an Absolutely Powerful One Who
sees and knows all things, those wandering molecules would have to know
all the systems and structures of all the fruits and flowers, and their
art, the tailoring of the forms which clothe them, and its perfect and
all-embracing art, which are all different. And so each of those
particles displays the rays of a light of Divine Unity like a sun. You
may compare light with air, and earth with water.
In any event, the original sources of things are
these four substances. According to modern science they are hydrogen,
oxygen, carbon, and nitrogen, the components of the former elements.
• Third Window: If you fill a flower-pot with some
earth, which is composed of particles and may the means of growth of any
flowering or fruit-bearing plant, then put some seeds in it – like the
seed of animals does not differ, but is a fluid, the seeds of all the
flowering and fruit-bearing plants in the world do not differ from one
another either, being composed of carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen, and
oxygen; they only differ in regard to the programme of their progenitors
deposited in them through the immaterial writing of the pen of Divine
Determining.
Thus, if we put these seeds in turn in the
flower-pot, you believe as though it has occurred that each plant will
appear together with its wonderful forms and shapes and members. If
those particles are not charged officials under the orders of One Who
knows all the states and conditions of everything, is capable of giving
everything a being suitable to it and everything necessary for it, and
to Whose power everything is subjugated with perfect ease, then in each
particle of the earth would have to be immaterial factories and
printing-presses to the number of all the flowering and fruit-bearing
plants, so that each could be the source of all those various and
different beings whose parts, members, and forms are all distant and
different from one another; or else it is necessary to attribute to
those beings comprehensive knowledge and a power capable of forming
them, so that they could be the means of this.
That is to say, if the connection with Almighty God
is severed, it becomes necessary to accept gods to the number of
particles of earth, and this is a thousandfold impossible superstition.
However, when they are officials, it becomes extremely easy. Just as, in
the king’s name and through his power, a common soldier of a mighty
king can make a whole country migrate, or join two seas, or take another
king prisoner, so too, at the command of the Monarch of Pre-Eternity
and Post-Eternity, a fly did away with Nimrod, and an ant destroyed
Pharaoh’s palace, and razed it to the ground, and a fig seed bears the
load of a fig-tree.
Moreover, in each particle are two further true
witnesses to the Maker’s Necessary Existence and Unity. One is that
together with its absolute impotence, each particle performs most
important and most various duties. And the other is that together with
its lifelessness, each conforms to the universal order and systems,
which displays a universal consciousness. That is to say, through the
tongue of its impotence each particle testifies to the Necessary
Existence of the Absolutely Powerful One, and through its conforming to
the order in the world, each testifies to His Unity.
Like in every particle there are two witnesses that
He is the Necessarily Existent One of Unity, so too in every living
being there are two signs that He is the Single and Eternally Besought
One.
Yes, in every living being there are a seal of Divine
Oneness and a stamp of Eternally Besoughtedness. For a living being
displays together in its mirror most of the Divine Names the
manifestations of which are apparent in the universe. Quite simply, like
a point of focus, each displays the manifestation of the Greatest Name
of Ever-Living and Self-Subsistent One. Thus, since it shows a sort of
shadow of the Oneness of the Divine Essence under the veil of the Name
of Giver of Life, it bears a stamp of Divine Oneness. And since the
living being is like a miniature sample of the universe and a fruit of
the tree of creation, it shows a seal of Divine Eternally
Besoughtedness, which conveys altogether with ease to the tiny sphere of
its life its needs which are as many as the universe. That is to say,
this situation shows it has a Sustainer Who is such that His looking to
it and regarding it takes the place of all things. All things cannot
take the place of this regard.
Furthermore, this situation shows that like its
Sustainer is in need of nothing, so too nothing diminishes His treasury
and nothing at all is difficult for His power. This, then, is a sort of
seal of Eternally Besoughtedness.
Thus, in every living being is a seal of Divine
Oneness and stamp of Eternally Besoughtedness. Yes, through the tongue
of its life, every living being recites:
Say, He is God, the One, * The Eternally Besoughted.30
In addition to these two seals are several more
important ‘windows’, but since they have been explained in detail in
other places, here the discussion has been brief.
Seeing that each particle in existence at once opens
up three windows and two openings onto the Unity of the Necessarily
Existent, and life too opens two doors, you can compare how the levels
of beings from particles to the sun spread the light of knowledge of the
All-Glorious One.
Thus, you can understand from this the degrees of progress in knowledge of God, and the levels of awareness of His presence.
FIFTH FLASH
If a book is hand-written and in the form of a
letter, a single pen is sufficient to write it, while if it is printed,
pens, that is, pieces of print, are necessary to the number of the
book’s letters, so that it can be printed and come into existence. And
if most of the book is written in an extremely fine script within
certain of its letters, like the Sura Ya Sin being written within the
letters, Ya Sin, then all the small pieces of print are necessary for
those single letters, so that it can be printed.
In just the same way, if you say the Book of the
Universe is the writing of the pen of power of the Eternally Besoughted
One and the letter of the Single and Unique One, you travel a reasonable
road so easy to be necessary. But if you attribute it to Nature and
causes, you travel a road so difficult as to be impossible, and so full
of superstition that no delusion can accept it. Because, for Nature,
there would have to be present in every bit of earth and every drop of
water and every piece of air millions of metal printing-presses and
innumerable immaterial factories, so that they could be the means of the
formation of the countless numbers of flowering and fruit-bearing
plants. Or else it is necessary to accept that there is in them
knowledge encompassing all things and power sufficient for all things,
so that they could be the true source of those creatures. For every
piece of earth, water, and air may be the source of most plants. Whereas
the formation of all plants, whether flowering or fruit-bearing, is so
well-ordered, so balanced, and they are so distinctive and different
from one another, that a different immaterial factory or different
printing-press would be necessary for each and particular to each. That
means, if Nature ceases being a pattern and becomes the source, it
necessitates there being present in everything the machines for
everything else. Thus, the basis of the idea of Nature-worship is such a
superstition that it shames even the superstitious. See what an
infinitely delirious unreasonableness the misguided favour, and take a
lesson!
In Short: Just as every letter of a book shows
itself to the extent of a letter and points to its own existence in one
way, and it describes its writer with ten words and shows him in many
ways - for example: “The one who wrote me has fine hand-writing. His pen
is red, and so on” - in just the same way, each letter of the mighty
Book of the Universe points to itself to the extent of its own size and
shows itself as far as it own form, but it describes the Names of the
Pre-Eternal Inscriber as much as an ode and testifies to the One is
signifies and points to His Names with fingers to the number of its
qualities. That means, like the foolish Sophists who deny both
themselves and the universe, it still means not denying the All-Glorious
Maker.
SIXTH FLASH
Just as the All-Glorious Creator has placed on
the heads of all His beings and on the foreheads of all His creatures
the seals of His Oneness, some of which you have seen in the previous
Flashes, so too has He placed in most brilliant fashion many stamps of
Oneness on all species and numerous seals of Unity on all universals, as
far as the various stamps of Unity on the world as a whole. Thus, of
those many seals and stamps, we shall show one placed on the page of the
face of the earth in the springtime. It is like this:
The Pre-Eternal Inscriber’s raising to life in the
spring and summer at least three hundred thousand species of plants and
animals with complete differentiation and specification and total order
and separation amid infinite intermingling and confusion, is a stamp of
Divine Unity as clear and brilliant as the spring itself. Yes, anyone
with an iota of consciousness will perceive that to create with perfect
order within the raising to life of the dead earth in the spring, three
hundred thousand samples of the Resurrection of the Dead, and to write
without fault, error, mistake or deficiency, in most well-balanced,
well-proportioned, well-ordered, and perfect fashion the individual
members of three hundred thousand different species one within the other
on the face of the earth, is a seal particular to One of Glory, An
All-Powerful One of Perfection, an All-Wise One of Beauty, possessing
infinite power, all-encompassing knowledge, and a will capable of
governing the whole universe. The All-Wise Qur’an decrees:
So look to the signs of God’s Mercy, how He raises to
life the earth after its death; He it is Who will raise the dead to
life, for He is Powerful over All Things.31
Yes, surely it is easy to raise men to life for the
Creative Power which, within a few days, demonstrates examples of three
hundred thousand resurrections in the raising to life of the earth. For
example, may it be said to a Displayer of Miracles Who at a sign raised
up Gelincik Mountain and Sübhan Mountain: “Are you able to remove from
this valley this huge rock which is blocking our path?” In the same way,
can it be said in a way that infers doubt to an All-Wise and Powerful
One, an All-Generous and Compassionate One, Who created the sky and the
mountains and the earth in six days and continuously fills and empties
them: “Can you remove from on top of us this layer of earth which was
prepared and laid out in eternity and is blocking our way to your
banquet? Can you level the earth and let us pass on?”
You saw a seal of Divine Unity on the face of the
earth in the summertime. Now look! A stamp of Unity is most clearly
obvious on the most wise and perspicacious mighty dispositions of the
spring on the face of the earth. For that activity is within an absolute
extensiveness, and the extensiveness is together with an absolute
speed, and that speed is together with an absolute munificence, and
together with these an absolute order and perfect beauty of art and
exquisiteness of creation are apparent. These form a seal which could
belong only to one possessing infinite knowledge and boundless power.
Yes, we see that on the earth within an absolute extensiveness is a
creation, disposal, and activity. And within that extensiveness these
are occurring with absolute speed. And together with that speed and
extensiveness an absolute munificence is apparent in the multiplication
of individual beings. And together with that munificence and
extensiveness and speed, an absolute ease is apparent. And together with
that munificence, ease, speed, and extensiveness, to create the
absolute order and exceptional beauty of art to be seen in all species
and individuals, and the perfect differentiation within infinite
intermingling, and the most valuable works within extreme abundance, and
the complete correspondence within a most broad sphere, and the most
artistic marvels with the greatest ease, and to demonstrate a wondrous
art and miraculous activity at one moment, everywhere, in the same
fashion, in every individual, is certainly and without doubt the stamp
of One Who although He is nowhere is all-present and all-seeing
everywhere. Just as nothing is hidden from Him, neither is anything
difficult for him. Particles and stars are equal in relation to His
power.
For example, in a the garden of munificence of that
All-Glorious and Compassionate One, I counted the bunches hanging from a
grape-vine of the thickness of two fingers, which I saw to be like one
little pip among the bunches of His miracles: there were one hundred and
fifty-five. I counted the grapes in one bunch: there were around one
hundred and twenty. I thought: if this vine was a tap from which flowed
honeyed water and it gave water constantly, it would only just be enough
for the bunches which, in the face of this heat, suckle those hundreds
of little pumps of the sherbet of Mercy. And it only occasionally
obtains a little moisture. And so, the One Who does this must surely be
powerful over all things. Glory be to Him at Whose art minds are
bewildered.
SEVENTH FLASH
Look! Just as with little difficulty you can see
the seals of the Single, Eternally Besoughted One on the page of the
earth, raise your head, open your eyes, and look at the great Book of
the Universe. You will see that on it as a whole a stamp of Unity is
read out which is as clear as it is big. For, like the components of a
factory or members of a palace or town, these beings support one
another, stretch out their hands to assist one another, and say: “Here I
am, at your service!” to the needs and requests of one another.
Assisting one another, they work together in order. Joining efforts,
they serve animate beings. Co-operating and facing one goal, they obey
an All-Wise Disposer. Acting in accordance with a rule of mutual
assistance which is in force from the sun and moon, night and day, and
winter and summer, to plants coming to the assistance of hungry and
needy animals, and animals hastening to the assistance of weak, noble
men, and even nutritious substances flying to the assistance of
delicate, weak infants and fruits, and particles of food passing to the
assistance of the cells of the body, they show to anyone who is not
altogether blind that they are acting through the strength of a single,
most generous Nurturer, and at the command of a single most wise
Disposer.
Thus, together with testifying decisively that this
mutual support and assistance, this answering one another’s needs, this
embracing one another, this subjugation, this order, is administered
through the organization of a single Disposer and that they are being
impelled through the direction of a single Nurturer, this universal
providence and favour within universal wisdom which is to be seen
plainly in the art of things, and the all-embracing mercy which shines
within the providence, and the sustenance spread over that mercy and
scattered so as to answer the needs of all living beings needy for
sustenance, form a stamp of Divine Unity so brilliant that anyone whose
mind is not altogether extinguished will understand it and anyone who is
not altogether blind will see it.
Yes, a veil of wisdom demonstrating intention,
consciousness, and will, has covered the whole universe, and upon that
veil of wisdom has been spread a veil of favour and providence
displaying beneficence, adornment, embellishment, and benevolence, and
over that adorned veil of favour a garment of mercy showing flashes of
making known and loved, of bestowal and the granting of gifts has
enveloped the universe, and spread over that illuminated veil of
universal mercy is a table of general provisions showing kindness and
bestowal and benevolence and perfect compassion and fine nurturing and
Dominical favour.
Indeed, these beings from particles to suns, whether
individuals or species, or large or small, have been clothed in a
magnificent shirt of wisdom embroidered with fruits and aims, benefits
and purposes. And over that shirt displaying wisdom, a garment of favour
adorned with flowers of grace and beneficence has been cut out in
accordance with the stature of everything; and over that decorated
garment of favour, a table of general sustenance has been set up, lit up
with flashes of love, bestowal, affection, and the granting of gifts,
to which the decorations of mercy have been attached, and which,
together with bestowing those illuminated and jewel-encrusted
decorations, is sufficient for all the groups of living beings on the
face of the earth, and meets all their needs. And so, this matter points
to and shows as clearly as the sun, an All-Glorious Provider Who is
All-Wise, All-Generous, and All-Compassionate.
Is that so? Is everything in need of sustenance?
Yes, like individual beings are in need of sustenance
and the necessities for the continuance of life, we see that all the
beings in the world, and especially living beings, whether universal or
particular, wholes or parts, have many desires and needs, material and
otherwise, for their existence, their lives, and the continuation of
their lives. But their wants and needs are for such things that their
hands cannot reach the least of them and their power is insufficient for
the smallest of them. However, we see that all their wishes and
material and immaterial sustenance is given to their hands From where he
could not imagine,32 from unhoped for places, with perfect order, at
the appropriate time, in a suitable fashion, with perfect wisdom. And
so, does this want and need of creatures and this unseen help and
assistance in this way not show an All-Wise and Glorious Nurturer, an
All-Compassionate Beauteous Disposer?
EIGHTH FLASH
Any sort of seed sown in a field shows that the
field must be at the disposal of the seed’s owner, and that the seed too
is under the disposal of the one who has control of the field. In just
the same way, the arable field of beings known as the elements and their
universality and comprehensiveness despite their sameness and uncomplex
nature, and the plants and animals – these fruits of mercy, miracles of
power, and words of wisdom known as creatures – and their spreading to
most places and settling everywhere despite their similarity and
resembling one another, show that they are under the disposal of a
single Miracle-Displaying Maker in such a fashion that it is as if every
flower, fruit, and animal is a seal, stamp, and signature of the Maker.
Wherever they are found, each says through the tongue of disposition:
“Whose-ever seal I am, the place I am found is also of his making.
Whose-ever stamp I am, this place is a missive of His also. Whose-ever
signature I am, this land is also of his weaving.” That means, to be
Sustainer of the least creature is particular to the One Who holds all
the elements in the grasp of His power. And anyone who is not blind can
see that to regulate and govern the simplest animal is particular to the
One Who has all beings in the grasp of His Dominicality.
Indeed, through the tongue of similarity to other
individuals, each individual being says: “Only one who owns my species
can be my owner. It cannot be otherwise.” And through the tongue of
spreading over the face of the earth together with other species, each
species says: “Only one who owns the whole face of the earth can be our
owner. It cannot be otherwise.” And through the tongue of being bound to
the sun and other planets and mutually supportive with the skies, the
earth says: “Only one who is owner of the whole universe can be my
owner. It cannot be otherwise.” Yes, supposing someone was to say to a
conscious apple: “You are my work of art.” Through the tongue of
disposition, the apple would reply: “Be silent! If you are capable of
forming all the other apples on the earth; indeed, if you can have
disposal over all my fellows, the other fruit-bearing trees, spread over
the earth, and all the gifts of the Most Merciful proceeding from the
treasury of Mercy in boatloads, then you can claim to be my Sustainer.”
The apple would say that and aim a slap at that foolish person.
NINTH FLASH
We have pointed out some of the seals, stamps,
and signatures which are on particulars and parts, universals and
wholes, on the world as a whole, and on life, living beings, and raising
to life. Now, we shall indicate one of the countless stamps on species.
Indeed, since the countless fruits of a fruit-bearing
tree are administered from one centre, in accordance with one law and a
single way of raising, the difficulty, hardship, and expense are
transformed into ease. And it is so easy that the numerous fruits that
are raised become equal to a single fruit. That means multiplicity and
numerous centres require the equivalent, in regard to quantity, of the
whole tree’s difficulty, expense, and equipment for a single fruit. The
difference is only in regard to quality. Like to manufacture all the
military equipment necessary for a single soldier all the factories
required for the whole army are necessary. That is to say, if the matter
passes from unity to multiplicity, the difficulties increase, with
regard to quantity, to the number of individuals. Thus, the
extraordinary ease clearly to be seen in all species is the result of an
ease and facility arising from unity.
In Short: Just as the conformity and similarity in
basic members between all the individuals of a species, and all the
species of a type of being, proves that they are the works of a single
Maker, because the unity of the pen and oneness of the seal requires
that, so too, this observed absolute ease and lack of difficulty
requires at the degree of being necessary that they are the works of One
Maker. Otherwise difficulties rising to the degree of impossibility
would doom that type of being and that species to non-existence.
To Conclude: If all things are ascribed to Almighty
God, they become an easy as a single thing, while if they are attributed
to causes, they become as difficult as everything. Since it is thus,
this extraordinary profusion observed in the universe and boundless
abundance before our eyes displays a stamp of Unity like the sun. If
these fruits which we obtain in such plenty and abundance were not the
property of the Single One of Unity, even if we gave the whole world, we
still would not have a single pomegranate to eat.
TENTH FLASH
Just as life, which displays a manifestation of
Divine Beauty, is a proof of Divine Oneness, and a sort of manifestation
of Unity, death, too, which displays the manifestation of Divine Glory,
is a proof of Divine Unity.
For example, And God’s is the highest similitude,
like by showing the sun’s light and reflection, the bubbles on a large
flowing river sparkling in the sun and transparent objects glistening on
the face of the earth testify to the sun, on those groups and tribes of
bubbles and transparent objects passing and disappearing, the
magnificent continuation of the sun’s manifestations and the
uninterrupted and continual display of its light on the successive
groups and tribes of bubbles and transparent objects which follow on
after them, testifies decisively that the little images of the sun and
the lights and flashes which appear and sparkle, flare up and die away,
and are changed and renewed, are the manifestations of an enduring,
perpetual, elevated, single Sun whose manifestation is undying. That is
to say, just as through their appearance and becoming visible, those
shining droplets demonstrate the sun’s existence, so too, with their
disappearance and extinction, they demonstrate it’s continuation,
permanence, and unity.
In exactly the same way, just as through their
existence and lives these flowing beings testify to the necessary
existence and Oneness of the Necessarily Existent One, so too with their
deaths and disappearance, they testify to the Necessarily Existent
One’s Pre-Eternity, Everlastingness, and Unity. Yes, the beautiful
creatures and fine beings which are renewed and restored within the
decline and disappearance that occur through the alternation of night
and day, winter and summer, and the centuries and ages, surely point to
the existence, continuance, and Unity of an elevated, eternal possessor
of continually manifested Beauty. And so too the deaths and
disappearance of those beings together with their apparent and lowly
causes show that the causes are nothing and a mere veil. This situation
proves decisively that these arts, these inscriptions, these
manifestations are the constantly renewed arts, the changing
inscriptions, the moving mirrors of an All - Beauteous One of Glory, all
of Whose Names are sacred and beautiful; that they are His seals which
follow on one after the other, and His stamps that are changed with
wisdom.
In Short: Just as the mighty Book of the Universe
teaches us the creational signs concerning Divine existence and Unity,
so too it testifies to all the attributes of Perfection, Beauty, and
Glory of that All-Glorious One. And they prove the Perfection of the
Divine Essence faultlessly and without defect. For it is obvious that
perfection in a work points to the perfection of the act which is the
source and origin of the work. And the perfection of the act points to
the perfection of the name, and the perfection of the name, to the
perfection of the attribute, and perfection of the attribute to the
perfection of the essential qualities, and the perfection of the
qualities point necessarily and self-evidently to the perfection of the
essence possessing those qualities.
For example, the inscriptions and adornments of a
faultless palace which are perfect show behind them the perfection of a
master builder’s acts. And the perfection of the acts shows the
perfection of that effective master’s titles and names, which
demonstrate his rank. And the perfection of the names and titles show
the perfection of the other attributes qualifying the master builder’s
art. And the perfection of the art and attributes show the perfection of
the abilities and essential capacity of that craftsman, which are
called the essential qualities. And the perfection of those essential
qualities and abilities show the perfection of the master’s essential
nature.
And in exactly the same way, these faultless works
observed in the world, which manifest the meaning of Do you see any
flaw?,33 this art in the well-ordered beings of the universe, point
observedly to the perfect acts of an effective possessor of power. And
those perfect acts clearly point to the perfect Names of a Glorious
Author. And that perfection necessarily points to and testifies to the
perfect attributes of the Beauteous One signified by the Names. And
those perfect attributes certainly point to and testify to the
perfection of the Perfect One qualified by those attributes. And those
perfect qualities point with such absolute certainty to the perfect
Essence of the One possessing those qualities that they show that all
the sorts of perfection to be seen in the whole universe are but signs
of His perfections, hints of His Glory, and allusions to His Beauty, and
pale, weak shadows in relation to His perfection.
THE ELEVENTH FLASH,
WHICH HAS THE STRENGTH OF SUNS
As is defined in the Nineteenth Word, our master
Muhammed the Trustworthy, Upon whom be blessings and peace, is the
supreme sign of the mighty Book of the Universe and the Greatest Name of
that mighty Qur’an, the seed of the tree of the universe and its most
luminous fruit, the sun of the palace of the world and the radiant moon
of the world of Islam, the herald of the sovereignty of Divine
Dominicality, and the wise discloser of the talisman of the universe,
who flies in the levels of reality with the wings of Prophethood, which
takes under its shade all the Prophets, and of Islam, which takes under
its protection all the world of Islam; who took behind him all the
Prophets and Messengers, all the saints and veracious ones, all the
purified and the scholars, and demonstrated Divine Unity with all his
strength and opened up the way to Divine Oneness; has any doubt or
suspicion, then, the power to close and be a veil to the belief in God
which he demonstrated or to the Divine Unity which he proved? Since in
the Nineteenth Word and Nineteenth Letter with Fourteen Droplets and
Nineteen Signs from the water of life of that clear proof’s knowledge we
have defined and described briefly and to a degree that
miracle-displaying being together with the varieties of his miracles, we
shall here content ourselves with this indication, and conclude with a
benediction for him:
O God! Grant blessings to the one who demonstrated
Your necessary existence and Unity, and testified to Your Glory and
Beauty and Perfection; the verified and veracious witness, the verifying
articulate proof; the Lord of the Prophets and Messengers, the bearer
of the mystery of their consensus, affirmation, and miracles; the leader
of the saints and veracious ones, the holder of the mystery of their
accord, verifications, and wonder-working; the one with evident
miracles, clear marvels, and decisive evidences which corroborated and
affirmed him; who displayed exalted purity in his self, elevated morals
in his duty, and lofty qualities in his Shari’a, perfect and free of all
contradiction, to whom according to the consensus of the revealed and
the Revealer and the one who revealed it to him, Dominical Revelation
descended; the traveller through the Worlds of the Unseen and of the
Inner Dimensions of Things; the observer of spirits, who conversed with
the angels; the sample of the perfections of the universe, both in
regard to individuals, species, and realms of beings; the most luminous
of the fruits of the tree of creation; the lamp of truth; the proof of
reality; the embodiment of Mercy; the exemplification of love; the
discloser of the talisman of the universe; the herald of the sovereignty
of Dominicality; the sign that the elevatedness of his collective
personality was before the eyes of the world’s Creator at the creation
of the universe; the possessor of a Shari’a that indicates through the
breadth of its principles and strength that it is the order of the
Orderer of the World, drawn up by the Creator of the Universe.
Yes, the One Who ordered the universe with this
perfect and total order is He Who ordered this religion with its most
fine and beautiful order, our master, we are the community of the sons
of Adam, our guide to belief, we are the community of believers,
Muhammed ibn Abdullah ibn Abdu’l-Mutallib, upon him be the most perfect
blessings and most complete peace as long as the heavens and earth
subsist, for he is the veracious and verified witness who summoned the
leaders of witnesses and instructed the peoples of mankind throughout
the centuries and all the regions of the world in elevated fashion with
all his strength, with complete seriousness and utter steadfastness, and
with the power of his certainty and perfect belief, testifying:
“I testify that there is no god but God, the One, He has no partner.”
THE TWELFTH FLASH,
WHICH HAS THE STRENGTH OF SUNS
This Twelfth Flash of the Twenty-Second Word is such
an ocean of truths that all the previous twenty-two Words are only
twenty-two drops of it, and it is such a source of lights that they are
only twenty-two flashes of that Sun. Yes, each of the twenty-two Words
up to here are a flash of the stars of the verses shining in the skies
of the Qur’an; each is a single droplet from the river of a verse
flowing from that Ocean of Discernment between Truth and Falsehood; each
is one pearl from a single of its verses, all of which are chests of
jewels in the sublime treasury of God’s Book. Thus, the Word of God,
which is in small part defined in the Fourteenth Droplet of the
Nineteenth Word, has been revealed from the Greatest Name, the Sublime
Throne, and the Greatest Manifestation of Dominicality, and it
repeatedly states with all its strength within a breadth and
elevatedness that binds pre-eternity to post-eternity and ties the
ground to the Divine Throne, and with the certainty of all its verses:
There is no god but God!; it calls the whole universe to witness and
makes it testify. Yes, altogether the world hymns: There is no god but
God!
Indeed, if you look at the Qur’an with the eyes of a
sound heart, you will see that its six aspects are so brilliant and
transparent that no darkness, no misguidance, no doubt or suspicion, no
trickery could enter it or find a fissure through which to enter the
sphere of its purity. For above it is the stamp of miraculousness;
beneath it, proof and evidence; behind it, its point of support, pure
Dominical revelation; before it, the happiness of this world and the
next; on its right, questioning the reason and ensuring its
confirmation; on its left, calling on the conscience to witness and
securing its submission; its inside is self-evidently the pure guidance
of the Most Merciful; and its outside, observedly, the lights of belief;
and its fruits, with all certainty, the purified and veracious scholars
and saints, who are adorned with all the human perfections and
attainments. If you fasten your ear to the breast of that tongue of the
Unseen, you will hear from afar a most familiar and convincing, an
infinitely serious and elevated heavenly voice decked out with proof
which repeats There is no god but God. It states this with such
certainty that it says it at the degree of ‘absolute certainty’, and
illuminates you with a ‘certainty at the degree of knowledge’ which is
like ‘certainty at the degree of witnessing.’
In Short: Both the Most Noble Prophet (Upon whom be
blessings and peace) and the Most Firm Distinguisher between Truth and
Falsehood were suns. One, the tongue of the Manifest World, pointing
with the fingers of Islam and Prophethood and confirmed by all the
Prophets and purified ones within a thousand miracles, demonstrated this
truth with all his strength...
And the other, like the tongue of the World of the
Unseen, indicating with the fingers of right and guidance under the
confirmation of all the creational signs in the universe within forty
aspects of miraculousness, shows the same truth with all seriousness. Is
that truth then not clearer than the sun and more brilliant than
sunlight?
Oh, obdurate little man sunk in misguidance!34 How
can you oppose these suns with the lamp of your head, dimmer than a
firefly? How can you show disdain for them? Are you trying to extinguish
them by puffing? Pooh to your denying mind! How can you deny the words
and claims which those two tongues of the Manifest and Unseen Worlds
speak in the name of the Sustainer of all the worlds and Owner of the
universe; which they speak on His behalf? Oh, you wretched one, lower
and more impotent than a fly! Who are you that you attempt to give the
lie to the universe’s Glorious Owner?
Conclusion
O friend, whose mind is alert and heart,
attentive! If you have understood this Twenty-Second Word from the
beginning up to here, take the Twelve Flashes together in your hand, and
finding a lamp of truth as powerful as a thousand electric lamps,
adhere to the below-mentioned verses of the Qur’an. Mount the steed of
Divine assistance, ascend to the heavens of truth, rise to the Throne of
Divine knowledge. Declare:
I testify that there is no god but You, You are One, You have no partner.
And, saying,
I testify that there is no god but God, He is One, He
has no partner; His is the dominion and His is the praise; He gives
life and gives death, and He is ever-living and dies not; in His hand is
all good, and He is powerful over all things,
proclaim His Unity over the heads of all the beings in the universe in this mighty mosque of the world.
Glory be to You! We have no knowledge save that which You have taught us; indeed, You are All-Knowing, All-Wise.
O our Sustainer! Do not call us to task if we forget
or fall into error. Our Sustainer! Lay not a burden on us like that
which you laid on those before us; Our Sustainer! Lay not on us a burden
greater than we have the strength to bear. Blot out our sins. And grant
us forgiveness. Have mercy on us. You are our Protector; help us
against those who stand against faith. * Our Sustainer! Let not our
hearts deviate now after You have guided us, but grant us mercy from
Your presence; for You are the Granter of bounties without measure. *
Our Sustainer! You are He that will gather mankind together against a
Day about which there is no doubt; for God never fails in His promise.
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.
And have mercy of us and have mercy on his community, through Your
Mercy, O Most Merciful of the Merciful. Amen.
And the close of their prayer will be: Praise be to God, the Sustainer of All the Worlds!
* * *
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