The Words | 20. Word - First Station | 253
(253-259)

The Twentieth Word

[This Word consists of Two Statiors]

First Station

In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate. And when We told the angels: Prostrate before Adam, they prostraud, except Iblis1 * God commands that you sacrifice a cow2 * And yet afer all this your hearts hardened and became like rocks or even harder3

One day while reading these verses, three points were imparted to me from the effulgence of the Qur'an against the promptings of Satan. His suggestions took this form:

He said: "You say the Qur'an is a miracle, and of infinite eloquence, aid that it is guidance for everyone at all times. So what is the meaning in its pir-sistently repeating in historical form certain minor events like the following: how is it appropriate to mention an insignificant event like the slaughtering of a cow as though it was something significant, and even naming tiat important Sura, The Cow? Also the event of 'prostrating before Adam; it occurred in the realm of the Unseen and cannot be understood rationally It may be submitted to and accepted with certainty only after a strong beief has been attained. Whereas the Qur'an instructs those who use their reasons; in many places it says: So will you not think?, and refers what it says to he reason. Also, how is it guidance to show certain natural conditions of rocks to be important which are the results of chance?"

The points with which I was inspired took this form: first point: In the All-Wise Qur'an are numerous minor events behind which are concealed universal principles, and which are shown as the tips of general laws. For example,

He taught Adam the Names, all of them.4


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1.         Qur'an, 2:34.

2.         Qur'an, 2:67.

3.         Qur'an, 2:74.

4.         Qur'an, 2:31.
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