The Words | 20. Word - Second Station | 266
(260-275)

These verses trace the final limits of the calling-up of spirits, and conversing with jinns, like spiritualism, which have been filtered from a blend of art and science and have arisen from man's extraordinary physical and spiritual sensitivity. The verses specify the most beneficial form of these and open up the way to them. But it is not to be subjugated to jinns, devils, and evil spirits, who sometimes call themselves the spirits of the dead, and to become their playthings, and a laughing-stock, like nowadays, but to subjugate them through the talisman of the Qur'an, and be delivered from their evil.

Other verses about Solomon (Peace be upon him) which allude to spirits appearing in physical form, and his calling up demons and subjugating them, and other verses besides, such as,

Then We sent to her Our angel, and he appeared before her as man in all respects,26

indicate both the calling-up of spirits, and spirit beings assuming physical form. But the calling-up of good spirits alluded to here is not in the manner of 'the cultured,' to be disrespectful to spirits in that utterly serious world and attract them to their own places and games, but —like one group of the saints like Muhyiddin al-Arabi, who, most seriously and for a serious purpose, met with spirits when they wanted— to be attracted to them and to form a relation with them, and by going to their place and drawing close to their world to an extent, to benefit from their spirituality. It is this that the verses allude to, and within the allusion, make it understood that they are encouraging man to achieve it. They trace the furthest limit of occult arts and sciences of this sort, and point out their best form.

And, for example, the verses about David's (Peace be upon him) miracles:

It was We that made the hills declare in unison with him Our praises, at eventide, and at break of day21 * O you mountains! Sing you back the Praises of God with him! and you birds! And We made the iron soft for him ,29 * We have been taught the speech of birds29

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26.       Qur'an, 19:17.

27.       Qur'an, 38:18.

28.       Qur'an, 34:10.

29.       Qur'an, 27:16.

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