The First Proof of Faith - The Observations of a Traveller Inquiring About His Creator

The First Proof of Faith

The Second Station (Maqām) of The Supreme Sign

(The Seventh Ray)

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحمنِ الرَّحِيمِ (a)

تُسَبِّحُ لَهُ السَّمَوَاتُ السَّبْعُ وَالأَرْضُ وَمَنْ فِيهِنَّ وَإِنْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ

إِلاَّ يُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِهِ وَلَكِنْ لاَ تَفْقَهُونَ تَسْبِيحَهُمْ إِنَّهُ كَانَ حَلِيمًا غَفُورًا (b)

This Second Station, along with interpreting this Qur’ānic verse, expounds the evidences, proofs, translation and a short interpretation of the skipped Arabic First Station. It is the observations of a traveller who inquires about his Creator directly from the major components of universe.

Many Qur’ānic verses like this great verse make known the Creator of the universe (Khāliqu’l-kāināt) by first mentioning the heavens, that most radiant page of unity (tawḥīd).

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a In the Name of Allāh, the Merciful, the Compassionate.

b The seven heavens and the earth and everyone in them glorify Him. There is not a single thing but that it celebrates His praise, though you do not understand their praise: He is surely Forbearing, Forgiving. (Qur’ān: al-Isrā', 17:44) 

All behold them, at all times, with intense wonderment and observe them with great sensitivity and pleasure. It would then be most befitting to start with this radiant page - the heavens.

Yes, every time every single guest, who comes to this world land and guest house, opens his eyes and looks, he sees a banquet hall of surpassing generosity, and an exhibition hall of surpassing artistry, an encampment and training-ground of surpassing splendour and awe, a promenade and a gazing spot, of an unsurpassed ability to engender wonderment and longing, and a place for contemplation replete with deep meanings and wisdom.

While this guest is being passionately curious about knowing and gaining true knowledge about the Owner of this beautiful guest house, the Author of this great book, and the Sultan of this awe-inspiring land, the beautiful face of the space inscribed with the gilding of light appears to him and says: ‘Look at me! I will give you news of that which you are looking for’.

He looks, and sees the framework of a reality, in which subjugation, direction, the causation of motion, organisation, purification, and appointment were all manifest. All were witnessed within a manifestation of lordship (rubūbiyyah) in which hundreds of thousands of celestial bodies, some of which are a thousand times greater than the earth, are rotated, without any prop or support - they are never allowed to fall. Some of these great bodies move seventy times faster than a cannonball. They are all driven along at high speeds, without their ever colliding. This manifestation of lordship (rubūbiyyah) continuously fuels these innumerable lights, yet without oil and without them ever being extinguished.