Its occurrence: As is agreed by all the revealed religions, and testified to by all sound natures, and indicated by the change, transformation, and renewal of the universe, - and if you wish, imagine the world's death agonies and its roar - the universe is bound together with a delicate, elevated order and clings to those wondrous bonds. So when one of the heavenly bodies receives the order: "Be!" or "Quit your orbit!" you will see the world [suddenly] smitten by its death agonies and the stars and heavenly bodies beginning to clash and collide. Infinite space will thunder and roar. On one part striking another sparks will fly off as big as the earth or bigger. Can you imagine the awful sound of millions of firing cannons the smallest shells of which are larger than the earth? For that will be the sound of its death. With the onset of its demise, the creation will be convulsed and beings will separate out, and Hell will emerge together with its inhabitants and matters, and Paradise will become manifest, bringing together all the subtleties derived from its elements.

• If you were to ask: Why is the universe subject to change and time and [so] will be destroyed, then at the resurrection of the dead will be made eternal, fixed, and unchanging?

You would be told: Since pre-eternal wisdom and providence necessitated trial and examination, and the development of potentialities and unfolding of abilities, and the disclosure of the relative truths (al-haqâ'iq al-nisbiyya), which in the hereafter will be total truths (al-haqâ'iq al-haqîqiyya), and the existence of relative degrees and many instances of wisdom the human mind is powerless to perceive; the Maker (May His glory be exalted) made the natures and dispositions of things different, and combined harmful things with useful ones, and interspersed evils among good, and He brought together ugly things and beautiful. The Hand of Power kneaded together opposites and the universe became subject to the law of change, alternation, variation, and development (al-takâmul)