The Miracles of Muhammad (ASW)

The First Appendix of

The Miracles of Muhammad

(‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām)

The Nineteenth Word

It is about the Aḥmadan messengerhood (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām)

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّح۪يمِ

The first droplet of the Fourteenth Flash, which contains fourteen droplets: There are three universal and sublime matters that make our Lord known to us:

One of them is the book of the universe, for we have listened to a small piece of its testimony in thirteen flashes within the thirteenth lesson of The Book of Light.

Another is the Seal of the Prophets (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām), who is the supreme sign of this great book of the universe.

Yet another is The Sublimely Glorious Qur'an.

We must now get to know the second, speaking proof, who is the Seal of the Prophets (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām), and listen to him.

Yes - look at this proof's spiritual person; you will see that for his sake, the earth's surface is a mosque, Mecca a prayer

niche, and Medina a pulpit; that radiant proof, our Prophet (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām), is the Imām of all of the people of faith, and preacher to all mankind, and the leader of all of the prophets, and the master of all of the saints, and the leader of a circle of Divine remembrance made up of all of the prophets and the saints; whose spiritual person became a luminous tree, of which all of the prophets constitute the living roots, and of which all of the saints are the succulent fruits.

Each and every prophet - depending on their miracles - and each and every saint - relying upon their wonders - confirms and endorses his cause; for this Prophet of ours (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām) says and professes that, there is no god but Allāh.

All of the luminous rememberers of the Divine, standing in rows to the left and right - that is, the past and the future - repeat the same phrase, and, in a spiritual sense via their consensus say, 'we believe, you have spoken truly!' Now how could delusion ever interfere or put its fingers into a claim supported by limitless endorsements of assent?

The second droplet: Just as the consensus and unanimous testimony of those two wings support this luminous proof of Divine unity, so too is he supported by the assistance and corroboration of hundreds of allusions existing in the heavenly scriptures, (Footnote) the famous indications given by

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Footnote: Ḥusayn al-Jisr was able to extract one hundred and fourteen allusions from those books in his work, 'al-Risāla al-Ḥāmidiyya'. Now, if there exist this many even after their corruption, there can be no doubt that many [more] explicit allusions must have existed before [their corruption].

the like of the Torah and the Gospel, and the thousands of foretokens of his coming; moreover, by the Invisible Voices’ well-known allusions, as well as by the unanimously affirmed testimonies of the Soothsayers; furthermore, through the evidences provided by the thousands of his miracles, the like of the splitting of the moon, and by the [evident] soundness of his Sacred Law; and moreover by the perfect, praiseworthy character of his person, and his precious characteristics of singular beauty [evinced] during the performance of his duty, and his extraordinary godfearingness, his extraordinary servanthood, his extraordinary seriousness, and his extraordinary fortitude, that revealed and pointed to his perfect reliability, the strength of his faith, his superlative serenity and his surpassing trust.

All this enables one to behold, as clearly as the sun, that he was totally truthful in his cause.

The third droplet: Come, if you so desire, let us go to the Arabian Peninsula and to the Age of Bliss. Though it be only in the imagination, let us visit the Most Noble Messenger (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām), and behold him as he carries out his mission.

Here, look! Someone comes into sight who is distinguished by the comeliness of his outer form and the beauty of his inner form; there is a miraculous book in his hand, and upon his tongue an oration the all of which is spiritual realities - he delivers an eternal sermon to all of the children of Adam, nay to the jinn, men and angels; nay, to all existent beings.

He solves and explains the strange puzzle of the secret of the creation of the world, and opens and reveals the obscure mystery, the secret of the cosmos, and thus offers compelling and well-accepted answers to the three demanding, awe-inspiring and sublime questions that occupy and bewilder human minds: 'who are you?' and 'where have you come from?' and, 'where are you going?' [questions] that all existent beings are asked.

The fourth droplet: Look to the light of reality that he spreads - were you to look at the universe as outside of the luminous sphere of the reality of his spiritual guidance, without doubt you would see the universe in the form of a place of public mourning, and all existent beings as foreigners and strangers to one another, even enemies to one another, and that inanimate objects are terrifying, frightful corpses; and all living creatures orphans weeping at the blows of extinction and separation.

Look, now; thanks to the light spread by that noble person, that place of public mourning has been transformed into a gathering of Divine remembrance overflowing with ecstasy and spiritual pull.

Those existent beings that were enemies and strangers to one another have turned into friends and brothers.

Those dead, silent inanimate beings have become friendly officials and subservient servants. Those weeping and whimpering orphans have taken on the appearance of glorifying rememberers [of the Divine] - or of [servants] grateful that they have been released from their duties.

The fifth droplet: Furthermore, after having been divested of all triviality and futility, and from their having constituting playthings [in the hands of] chance, all of the activities, variations, revolutions and transformations existing in the universe ascended, by means of that light, to the degree of Lordly written messages, and [to the degree] of pages of cosmological signs, and of mirrors of the Divine names, and the universe ascended to the degree of a book of wisdom of the Independently and Eternally Besought One.

Moreover, if man's limitless weakness, powerlessness, poverty and his needs, which relegate him to a level lower than the animals - become illuminated by that light, and if his intellect - that makes him more wretched than all of the animals and that is the means by which sadness, pain and sorrow are conveyed - is illuminated by that light, man will ascend to a degree higher than that of all of the animals, and [indeed] higher than all creatures.

Through that illuminated powerlessness, poverty and intellect, man will become an honoured king though supplication, and a mighty and generous vicegerent of the earth through entreaty [of the Divine].

That is to say, did that light not exist, all things, and the universe, man himself and even all things, would descend to nothing.

Yes - such an [artful] and peerless universe necessitates the existence of so sublime a personage. Otherwise, the universe and the celestial spheres would not exist.

The sixth droplet: Now since this noble person is the bearer of the tidings and herald of eternal bliss, and the

revealer and announcer of limitless mercy, and the inviter and witness to the beauties of the kingdom of Lordship, and the revealer and presenter of the treasures of the Divine names, were you to look at him from this perspective - that is from the aspect of his servanthood - you would see that he is the exemplar of love, and the embodiment of mercy, and honour for humanity, and the most luminous fruit of the tree of creation.

And were you to look at him from another aspect - that is, from the aspect of his messengership - you would see him as a proof of the Real, a lamp of spiritual reality, a sun of guidance and a means to bliss.

Look then at how his light has encompassed the east and the west like a flash of lightning, and how half of the earth and a fifth of humanity have accepted the gift of his guidance and have entrusted their lives to it, seeking protection. How then is it that our lower selves and our satan [counterpart] does not accept لَٓا اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ (Lā ilāha illallāh), (1) in all of [that phrase's] degrees, [a phrase] that is the basis of all of that person’s claims?

The seventh droplet: Look now at how in one stroke and at great speed this person uprooted and abolished the evil and barbarous customary practices and character traits of the wild and diverse tribes of this vast peninsula, so fanatically zealous and obstinate about their own customs; and

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1. There is no god but Allāh. 

how he equipped them with every type of beautiful character, making them into teachers of the whole world and instructors of the civilised nations.

Look - he did not achieve this through being in control of them in a superficial way, but he rather opened and subjected their intellects, spirits, hearts and selves. He became beloved of all hearts, and the teacher of intellects, and the trainer of selves, and the king of spirits.

The eighth droplet: You know well that the trifling habit of a trifling group of people, like smoking, cannot be abolished permanently except by a great ruler and only then with great effort.

Yet look! With apparently minimal power and little effort, and in a short time, this person abolished the substantial and numerous customs of copious, stubborn and fanatically zealous, great tribes, implanting and establishing deeply in their place lofty character traits such that they became like the blood flowing in their veins - and he carries out many other wondrous endeavours the like of this.

Now, let us draw the Arabian Peninsula even closer to the vision of those who wish they did not see the age of bliss! Let them take a hundred philosophers with them and go there, and for a hundred years, let them work. I wonder, will they be able to achieve one hundredth of what this noble personage achieved in the course of a single year, under the circumstances of those times?

The ninth droplet: You moreover know well that even in a small group and regarding an issue of negligible importance and a contested matter, a man of little standing, and of negligible social distinction will be unable - fearlessly and without embarrassment - to tell even a small yet shameful lie in front of his enemies, in a way that gives no indication whatsoever that he is deceiving them.

Thus, look now to this noble personage! Is it at all possible that there be any falseness in the words that he utters, in a manner of speaking intense and lofty, which triggers the resentment of his enemies, and a great person in charge with an exceptionally sublime mission with such authority, when he is himself in very great need of safety and security, in the midst of a huge group of people and faced with very severe enmity, a very momentous issue and very momentous problems - [a manner of speaking that evinces] such confidence and freedom, and without fear nor hesitation, without embarrassment and without hastiness, and with sincere purity and immense seriousness?

And is it at all possible that [what he says] could ever be tarnished by deception or trickery? Most certainly not! اِنْ هُوَ اِلَّا وَحْيٌ يُوحٰي (1) Yes - the truth does not deceive, and anyone who sees and beholds reality cannot be deceived - and his way , which is the true way, is in no need of deception or trickery. How could imagination dare to appear to be reality in the sight of him who beholds the reality, and deceive him?

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1. This is no other than a revelation sent to him. (Qur'an: al-Najm, 53:4) 

The tenth droplet: And look at just how much he makes manifest necessary, astounding and critical truths, that are magnetic and stir up curiosity, and solves the issues [connected to them].

You know well that of all things it is curiosity that most stirs and provokes human beings.

Furthermore, were you to be told “were you to give up half of your lifespan and half of your wealth, someone would come from the moon and Jupiter and tell you what does and does not exist there, as well as about the conditions there; they would give you a true account of everything that will take place in your future and everything with which you will be afflicted” and you were you to have curiosity [about these matters], you might well indeed actually give up half of your lifespan and half of your wealth!

The truth is that this person tells of news from the King: the moon in His kingdom orbits like a fly around a moth, and the moth which is the earth flies around the lamp, and the lamp which is the sun is merely a single of the thousands of lamps existing in one of the thousands of that King’s guesthouses.

He then speaks most realistically of a world exceedingly strange and marvellous, and reports of an immense upheaval, [so immense that] if thousands of earths turned into bombs and exploded, it would be no stranger [than that world and that upheaval].

Look! Upon the tongue of this noble person, listen to suras the like of

اِذَا الشَّمْسُ كُوِّرَتْ (1) * اِذَا السَّمَٓاءُ انْفَطَرَتْ (2) * اَلْقَارِعَةُ (3)

What is more, he gives accurate news of a future in comparison to which the future of this world is but the mirage of a single droplet of water.

He moreover gives a singularly serious report of a bliss in comparison to which the entirety of the bliss of this world is like fleeting lightning next to the eternal sun.

The eleventh droplet: Without a single doubt, wonders the like of this await us beneath the outward veil of this strange and marvellous universe, with its secrets and enigmas.

There must then be a unique, peerless individual who manifests miracles in order to give news of those wonders. Moreover, it becomes clear from the states and conduct of that noble person that he saw, is seeing is and is now telling of what he has seen.

Moreover, he is now teaching us and instructing us in a lesson in most sound and masterly fashion: what does the God of these heavens and earth want from us, He Who showers His blessings upon us? And what are the causes of His good pleasure?

What then is it that has happened to the majority of human beings such that they have become deaf and blind; nay, they have become madmen, and they do not thus see this

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1. When the sun is shrouded in darkness (Qur'an: al-Takwīr, 81:1)

2. When heaven is split open (Qur'an: al-Infiṭār, 82:1)

3. The Crashing Blow (Qur'an: al-Qāri‘a, 101:1) 

truth, and do not listen to this reality nor understand it, when the fact of the matter is that they should leave everything in order to respond and hearken to this person - for he it is that instructs us in innumerable, [critical and] necessary realities, which stir up our curiosity like the foregoing realities.

The twelfth droplet: Just as this noble person constitutes a true speaking proof and genuine evidence to the degree of evident soundness of the unity of the Creator of all beings, so too is he a conclusive proof and dazzling evidence of the Resurrection and eternal bliss; indeed, just as this person, through his guidance, is the reason for the attainment of eternal bliss and is the means of arriving at it, so too is he the reason for the existence of that bliss and the means of its creation, through his supplication and invocation.

Because of its relevance to the matter at hand, we will here again mention this secret, which was mentioned within the topic of the Resurrection:

So look! That person supplicates in a supreme Prayer, and it is as if this Arabian Peninsula, nay the entire earth prays [with him] in his supreme Prayer and invokes [Allāh].

Look! Moreover, that person (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām) entreats and supplicates in a supreme group, all luminous and perfected people of the children of Adam; from the time of Adam, upon whom be peace, to our age and to the Day of Resurrection, are obeying and following his example and saying 'āmīn!' to his prayer.

And look! He is praying for such a universal need to be realised that it is not only the people of the earth that are joining in his supplication; the inhabitants of the heavens are doing so, and indeed, all that is in existence. [In the language of their states], they are saying: 'Yes! O our Lord, give [what he asked for!] We too ask for the same!’

He is invoking Allāh in a manner brimming with such abasement, melancholy, love, longing and humility that his invocation is making the whole universe weep, and join in his prayer.

Look! He requests this for such a great purpose and such an aim, and he makes a prayer that raises man and the world, nay all creatures, from the lowest of the low; that is from the degree of tumbling, triviality, and futility to the highest of the high; that is, to the degree of preciousness and eternality, and to lofty duty.

Look! He is both asking and begging with such a high imploring demand, and with such a sweet requesting hand, that it is quite as if all being, and the heavens and the Throne (1) are made through him to hear, and the ecstasy of their love incited, and he makes them to say 'āmīn, O Allāh, āmīn.’

And look: he asks what he needs from the All-hearing and Generous Almighty, the All-seeing and Compassionate All-knowing One Who witnesses, hears and accepts the most hidden desire and hidden prayer of even the most hidden living creature, and shows mercy to it. For he gives it

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1. Translator’s note: The Throne (al-‘Arsh) here refers to dwellers of the highest level of the heavens, that encompasses the universe. 

what it asks for, even if the request is only in the language of the state of that thing, and bestows [its request] upon it in a way brimming with such wisdom, insight and mercy that not the slightest room is left for any doubt that this training and this providence are those of the One Who is All-Hearing and All-Seeing, One Generous and Compassionate.

The thirteenth droplet: Now I wonder what this most noble of mankind, the unique one of the universe and all time, by right the pride of all created beings, is requesting as he stands upon the earth, gathering behind himself all of the most eminent of the Children of Adam, and raising his hands facing the Most Sublime Throne?

Look and listen: he is asking for eternal bliss and seeking eternity; he is hoping for the encounter, and requests Paradise. Along with this, he is seeking all of the Holy Divine Names and their determinations and beauty that appear in the mirrors of everything in existence.

Even were the limitless factors that entail that objective not to exist - the likes of mercy, solicitude, wisdom and justice - a single supplication from that personage would still bring about the building of that Paradise, the creation of which is as easy on the power of its Creator as the creation of this last spring.

Yes - and just as the messengerhood of this person became the reason for the opening of this world of trial, so also is his servanthood the reason for the opening of the Hereafter.

Now it is to be wondered whether the excellent order that is witnessed [in the universe], which has made the people of intellect and critical verification say لَيْسَ فِي لْاِمْكَانِ اَبْدَعُ مِمَّا كَانَ (1) and the exquisitely crafted and flawless creation which manifests in that mercy as well as the incomparable beauty of lordship, would allow for such ugliness, such mercilessness and such chaos - that Allāh, (Exalted is He) would listen with concern to the least important particular requests and voices and fulfil them, but would not listen to the most important and most critical requests as if they had no value, and as if He did not understand them or would not fulfil them?

Far be it from Him! One hundred thousand times far be it from Him! Such beauty does not allow for such ugliness, and will not itself be ugly.

So my imaginary friend, this is enough for now. We must turn back now, for even were we to stay for a hundred years in this time and on that peninsula, we would not understand fully, not even one percent, the wondrous works and the amazing vocations of that noble person, nor would we have had enough of seeing them.

And now come close! Let us look to all of the ages that we will halt at during our return, one by one. And look at how each age has opened flowers by means of the spiritual emanation that it has procured from that sun of guidance, and yielded millions of illuminated fruits the likes of Abū Ḥanīfa, and al-Shāfi‘ī, and Abū Yazīd al-Bisṭāmī, and Shaykh al-Jīlānī and Shaykh al-Naqshbandī and Imām al-Ghazālī and Imām al-Rabbānī.

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1. There is in possibility nothing more artful than what in fact is. 

We will postpone our detailing of what we witnessed [during our return] at a later time; [for now], let us send blessings upon this guiding and miracle-wielding person, with a wording that points to some of such miracles of his as are conclusively established as having actually taken place:

عَلَى مَنْ أُنْزِلَ عَلَيْهِ الْفُرْقَانُ الْحَكِيمُ مِنَ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ مِنَ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ أَلْفُ أَلْفِ صَلاَةٍ وَأَلْفُ أَلْفِ سَلاَمٍ بِعَدَدِ حَسَنَاتِ أُمَّتِهِ *

وَعَلَى مَنْ بَشَّرَ بِرِسَالَتِهِ التَّوْرَاةُ وَالْإِنْجِيلُ وَالزَّبُورُ، وَبَشَّرَتْ بِنُبُوَّتِهِ الْإِرْهَاصَاتُ وَهَوَاتِفُ الْجِنِّ وَأَوْلِيَاءُ الإِنْسِ وَكَوَاهِنُ الْبَشَرِ، وَانْشَقَّ بِإِشَارَتِهِ الْقَمَرُ سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ أَلْفُ أَلْفِ صَلاَةٍ وَأَلْفُ أَلْفِ سَلاَمٍ بِعَدَدِ أَنْفَاسِ أُمَّتِهِ *

وَعَلَى مَنْ جَاءَتْ لِدَعْوَتِهِ الشَّجَرَةُ، وَنَزَلَ سُرْعَةً بِدُعَائِهِ الْمَطَرُ، وَأَظَلَّتْهُ الْغَمَامَةُ مِنَ الْحَرِّ، وَشَبِعَ مِنْ صَاعٍ مِنْ طَعَامِهِ مِئَاتٌ مِنَ الْبَشَرِ، وَنَبَعَ الْمَاءُ مِنْ بَيْنِ أَصَابِعِهِ ثَلاَثَ مَرَّاتٍ كَالْكَوْثَرِ، وَأَنْطَقَ الله لَهُ الضَّبَّ وَالظَّبْيَ وَالْجَذْعَ وَالذِّرَاعَ وَالْجَمَلَ وَالْجَبَلَ وَالْحَجَرَ وَالْمَدَرَ، صَاحِبِ الْمِعْرَاجِ وَمَا زَاغَ الْبَصَرُ سَيِّدِنَا وَشَفِيعِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ أَلْفُ أَلْفِ صَلاَةٍ وَأَلْفُ أَلْفِ سَلاَمٍ بِعَدَدِ كُلِّ الْحُرُوفِ الْمُتَشَكِّلَةِ فِي الْكَلِمَاتِ الْمُتَمَثِّلَةِ بِإِذْنِ الرَّحْمٰنِ فِي مَرَايَا تَمَوُّجَاتِ الْهَوَاءِ عِنْدَ قِرَاءَةِ كُلِّ كَلِمَةٍ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ مِنْ كُلِّ قَارِئٍ مِنْ أَوَّلِ النُّزُولِ إِلىَ آخِرِ الزَّمَانِ وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا يَا إِلَهَنَا بِكُلِّ صَلاَةٍ مِنْهَا... آمين

“A million blessings and instances of peace, as great in number as the good deeds of his community, be upon the one to whom the Wise Criterion was revealed from the Merciful and the Compassionate, from the Sublime Throne, our Master Muḥammad

(‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām).

A million blessings and instances of peace, as great in number as the breaths of his Community, be upon the one the glad tidings of whose messengership the Torah and the Gospel and the Psalms gave, and the glad tidings of whose prophethood the foretokens and the invisible voices of the jinn and the saints of mankind and the soothsayers of humankind gave; and the one at whose signal the moon was split, our Master Muḥammad

(‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām).

A million blessings and instance of peace be upon the one on whose call the tree came, and on whose call the rain quickly fell, and who was shaded by the clouds from the heat, and from whose handful of food hundreds of human beings were satiated, and from whose fingers three times water gushed like al-Kawthar; and for whom Allāh made the lizard and the gazelle to speak, and the leg and the arm and the camel and the mountain and the stone and the clod of earth; the one who was blessed with the Ascension and the secret of “his eyes swerved not”, [upon] our master and intercessor Muḥammad, [send blessings and peace] as great in number as all of the form-taking letters and the meaning-bearing words, with the permission of the Merciful, within the mirrors of the atmospheric vibrations [that obtain] whenever every word of the Qur'an is recited by every reciter, from the first revelation to the end of time; and in each blessing forgive us and have mercy upon us O our Lord. Amin”

I have elucidated the proofs of the Aḥmadan prophethood (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām) that we have pointed to in summary form in this Word (that is, in this epistle) in an epistle in Turkish called, 'Rays of Knowledge of the Prophet,' as well as in 'The Nineteenth Letter'. The facets of the miraculous inimitability of the Wise Qur'an will be mentioned herein in summary form. I have further elucidated, in a Turkish epistle called 'Lama’at - The Flashes,' and in 'The Twenty-fifth Word,' a synopsis of the fact that the Qur'an is inimitable from forty different perspectives, having pointed therein to those aspects; and I have written of just a single of those forty aspects - its eloquence with respect to its word-order - within forty pages of my Arabic exegesis named, 'Signs of Miraculous Inimitability'; thus, should you be in need, you may refer to those three books.

The fourteenth droplet: The Wise Qur'an, which is the treasury of miracles and the supreme miracle, conclusively establishes the Aḥmadan prophethood (‘alayhisṣalātu wassalām) and Divine unity, leaving no need for any further proof. For our part, we will now point to its definition, and to one or two flashes of its inimitability, which have become the object of criticism.

Here we have the Wise Qur'an that make our Lord known to us, the beginningless translation of this great book of the universe, and the endless interpreter of its diverse languages, which each recite the verses of creation. It is the exegete of the book of the observed world and that of the unseen, and the revealer of the spiritual treasures of the Divine Names, that are veiled and hidden in the pages of the heavens and the earth. It is the key to the realities hidden between the lines of events. It is the language of the unseen

world within the observed world. It is the treasury of the endless instances of the favour of the Merciful, and the beginningless addresses of the Glorified, that exist behind the veil of this world, and come from the world of the unseen.

It is the sun of the spiritual world of Islam, and its foundation and architecture. It is the sacred map of the realm of the hereafter. It is the definition, clear exegesis, conclusive proof, and shining translator of the Essence, Attributes, Names and Actions of Allāh. It is the trainer of the world of human beings. It is the water and light of Islam, which is Supreme Humanity. It is true wisdom for humanity. It is the true mentor and guide of man, that drives him on to happiness. It is moreover for man a book of sacred law, a book of wisdom, a book of supplications, a book of servanthood, a book of commandments and inviting to Allāh, a book of Divine remembrance, a book of reflection.

Moreover, it is the one totally all-encompassing holy book, comprising a great number of other books, that can by right serve as the reference for all of the spiritual needs of all men.

Furthermore, it is a heavenly book like a sacred library, which reveals to each of the different methods and distinct ways of all of the saints, veracious ones, and all of the gnostic knowers of Allāh and verificationist scholars, a message befitting the spiritual taste of every one of their methods, and that is able to illuminate them, and that corresponds to the trajectory of each of those methods, and is able to describe them.

Thus, look to the flash of inimitability in its repetitions, which some people imagine to be a shortcoming: because the Qur'an is a book of Divine remembrance, and a book of supplication, and a book of inviting [to the truth], the repetition existing within it is commendable, nay absolutely necessary and surpassingly eloquent. It not as deficient people imagine; for the purpose of Divine remembrance is illumination through repetition, and the point of supplication is determination through reiteration, and the point of declaration and invitation is fortification through repetition.

Moreover, not everyone is able to read the whole Qur'an all the time. Most are only able to recite a single surah. This is why the most important fundamental aims of the Qur'an have been included in the majority of the long surahs, such that it is as if each surah is a little Qur'an [in itself].

In other words, certain objectives like Divine unity, the Resurrection and the story of Moses are repeated, so that no one is deprived of these [no matter which surah they read].

Moreover, spiritual needs are diverse, just like the diversity of physical needs. Man is in need of certain of them with every breath, like in the case of air هواء (hawā’) for the body, and He هو (huwa) for the spirit, and of certain of them every hour, like بسم الله ‘In the name of Allāh’, and so on.

That is to say, in this way the repetition of verses stems from repeated need. The Qur’an repeats things by means of an indication of that need in order to awaken and motivate man and incite his fervour and desire for it.

The Qur'an is moreover a founder. It constitutes the foundations of a clear religion, and it constitutes the bases of this Islamic world - it is the transformer of man's social life, and the answer to the recurring questions of the diverse strata of mankind. Now, a founder must repeat things in order to establish them [deeply], and it must reiterate them in order to emphasise them, and it must settle matters, verify and repeat them so as to provide support for them.

Thus it is; the Qur'an mentions and discusses sublime questions and subtle realities; numerous repetitions in a number of different guises is indispensable, in order to deeply implant and establish them in the hearts of all - and yet despite all this, it is only [pure] repetition in appearance, for in reality, every single verse possesses abundant meanings, enormous useful lessons and numerous possible interpretations and degrees [of its own]. In each context they are for the sake of special meanings, useful lessons and purposes that differ from those [other contexts in which a similar thing is mentioned].

On the subject of the Qur'an's ambiguity and generality concerning certain cosmological themes: it [too] is a flash of inimitability of guidance; it can in no way become the context for criticism, not as some atheists imagine - and it does not cause [any sort of] deficiency.

Now, were you to say, 'why does the Wise Qur'an not speak about existent beings in the same way that philosophy does? And why does it leave some topics [with only a] concise summary, whereas others are in a clear and manifest form

that suits a layman's level of understanding, and does not wound common sensibilities, nor tire or overtax a layman's thinking?

In answer we would say: Philosophy has gone astray from the path of reality - you have understood from the foregoing lessons and Words that the Wise Qur'an speaks of this universe in order to tell of the Divine Essence, Attributes and Names - that is, to instruct in the meanings of this book of the universe and to make its Creator known. Therefore, the Qur'an does not look at existent beings for their own sakes, but looks at them for their Bringer into Existence - and yet it nonetheless addresses everyone.

The sciences and philosophy on the other hand look at existent beings for the sake of existent beings [themselves], quite apart from the fact that they especially address experts in those sciences.

Thus; it being the case that the Wise Qur'an causes existent beings to become evidences and proofs, the evidence must be both manifest and clear, and be easily intelligible to the perspectives of all.

And it being the case that the Qur'an is a guide that addresses all of the strata of mankind, and [it being the case that] the most numerous of strata is that of the layman, it absolutely must be the case that guidance necessitates nonessential things being made brief through ambiguity, and that subtle matters be drawn closer to the understanding by the use of similes, and to not change things that are in their outward, superficial senses self-evident, in an unnecessary

and indeed harmful manner, in order not to throw [people] into misunderstandings.

For example: Concerning the sun, it says: it is a lamp that revolves; it does not discuss the sun for the sun's own sake or for the sake of its quiddity, but it discusses it because it is the pivotal point of a harmonious order, and in a certain way the centre of a system - for harmonious order and systems are mirrors of the knowledge of the Artful Maker.

Yes, it says تَجْرِي الشَّمْسُ ‘the sun revolves’. By this expression, revolves, it instructs one in the sublimity of the Artful Maker, by evoking the harmoniously ordered activities of the Divine power in the rotation of the winter, the summer, and the night and day.

This movement and rotation, then, regardless of its actual essential nature, cannot interfere with the harmonious order that is intended, woven [into the texture of existence] and visible [to all].

[The Qur'an] also says وَ جَعَلْناَ الشَّمْسَ سِرَاجاً ‘and He made the sun a lamp’. Now, with the expression lamp, it depicts this world as a palace, and all therein as ornaments, provision and requisites that have been prepared for man and for all living creatures, and the sun as a lamp subjected [to the Divine will]; [in this way], it instructs one in the mercy and beneficence of the Creator. Look now, what is this clueless, prattling philosophy saying?

Look, it is saying, "the sun is a floating vast fiery body. It causes the planets, which attempt to scatter away from it, to orbit it. Its magnitude is such-and-such, and its nature

is such-and-such. [This natural philosophy] cannot provide the spirit with perfection of knowledge, rather, no more than a kind of frightening awe, and fearful astonishment. It does not speak of it as the Qur'an speaks of it.

Now, from this comparative starting point, you [will] understand the real value of these inwardly empty and outwardly pompous philosophical questions. Do not let their outwardly pompous forms deceive you, such that you end up not showing due respect to the inimitable exposition of the Qur'an!

Notice: The fourteenth droplet of The Book of Light, which was composed in Arabic, has six beads, and the fourth bead in particular contains six points which elucidate fifteen different varieties of the inimitability of the Wise Qur'an, which has a total of about forty types of inimitability. Sufficing ourselves with these, we have here shortened the topic. If you wish, consult [that epistle], you will find treasuries of miracles.

اَللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلِ الْقُرْآنَ شِفَاءً لَنَا مِنْ كُلِّ دَاءٍ وَمُؤْنِسًا لَنَا فِي حَيَاتِنَا وَبَعْدَ مَمَاتِنَا، وَفِي الدُّنْيَا قَرِينًا وَفِي الْقَبْرِ مُؤْنِسًا وَفِي الْقِيَامَةِ شَفِيعًا وَعَلَى الصِّرَاطِ نُورًا وَمِنَ النَّارِ سِتْرًا وَحِجَابًا وَفِي الْجَنَّةِ رَفِيقًا وَإِلىَ الْخَيْرَاتِ كُلِّهَا دَليِلا وَإِمَامًا بِفَضْلِكَ وَجُودِكَ وَكَرَمِكَ وَرَحْمَتِكَ يَا أَكْرَمَ الأَكْرَمِينَ وَيَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ آمين *

اَللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ وَسَلِّمْ عَلَى مَنْ أُنْزِلَ عَلَيْهِ الْفُرْقَانُ الْحَكِيمُ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ أَجْمَعِينَ. آمين.

O Allāh, make the Qur'an a healing for us from every ailment, and a close friend to us in our lives and after our deaths; make it a companion in this world, and an intimate friend in the grave, and an intercessor during the Resurrection, and a light on the Bridge, and a shield and veil against the Fire, and a friend in Paradise; and a guide and leader to all good, through Your grace and generosity and mercy, O Most Generous of the Generous, and O Most Merciful of the Merciful. Amīn.

O Allāh, send blessings and peace upon the one to whom the Wise Criterion was revealed, and upon his Family and all of his Companions. Amīn.

Sa‘īd Nursī