which pass to its fruits, leaves, and flowers from the “knot of life,” which is like the tree’s mainspring and stomach; indeed, they facilitate the process. In just the same way, since all [potential] obstacles in the creation of the universe and creatures cease being obstacles in the face of a manifestation of will and regard of the dominical command and become means of facility, eternal power creates the universe and all the species of creatures on the earth as easily as creating a single tree. Nothing at all is difficult for it. If all those acts of creation are not ascribed to that power, then the creation and administration of the single tree would be as difficult as the creation and administration of all trees, indeed, as the universe. For then everything would become obstacles and obstructions, and if all causes were to gather together, they could not send the necessary sustenance to the fruits, leaves, branches and twigs in orderly, regular fashion from the stomach and mainspring of a tree’s “knot of life,” which proceeds from command and will. Unless all the parts of the tree, and all its particles even, were given an eye, all-encompassing knowledge, and wondrous power which would see the entire tree together with its parts and particles, and know them and assist them.

So climb these five steps and take a look; see what difficulties —indeed, impossibilities— are present in unbelief and associating partners with God, and how distant they are from reason and logic, and how precluded they are. Then see what ease there is on the way of the Qur’an, indeed, that its facility is at the degree of necessity, and how acceptable and reasonable it is, and what certain and satisfying truth is found on its way, so certain as to be necessary. Understand this and say: “All praise be to God for the bounty of belief!”

(The difficulties I was suffering and my indisposition caused the remaining part of this important step to be postponed.)

Seventh Step

And through the mystery that the particular, the part, the seed and man are not inferior as regards art and eloquence to the star, the universal, the whole, the tree, and the world.

[NOTE: The basis, mine, and sun of the truths contained in these nine Steps are the verses: Say, He is