T h e  S e c o n d : The way of the Unity of Existence rejects the dominicality of anything other than God so vehemently that it denies everything other than God and removes duality.  Since it does not recognize the independent existence of anything, let alone that of evil-commanding souls, with the predominance of the idea of nature at this time and pride and egotism inflating the evil-commanding soul and causing the hereafter and the Creator to be forgotten, to inculcate the Unity of Existence in people whose evil-commanding souls are small pharaohs and quite simply are disposed to taking their own selves as their objects of worship, so inflates the evil-commanding soul that – I seek refuge with God – it can no longer be contained.

T h e  T h i r d : While the All-Glorious One is free and exempt from, pure of and exalted above all change, alteration, division, and being comprehended in time or place, the  Unity of Existence gives rise to conceptions that are not fitting for His necessary existence, holiness, and being free of all defect, and leads to false teachings. Yes, if one who speaks of the Unit y of Existence rises in the mind from the ground to the Pleiades, leaves the universe  behind  and fixes his gaze on the sublime throne, ecstatically reckoning the universe to  be  non-existent, through the strength of his belief he may see everything to be directly from  the  Single One of Unity. But the person who stands behind the universe and looks at it, and sees causes before him and looks from the ground may possibly become submerged in causes and immersed in the swamp of nature. The person who rises in the mind to the divine throne may say like Jalaluddin Rumi: “Listen! The words you hear uttered by everyone, you may hear as uttered by Almighty God, like natural gramophones.” But if you say to the one who cannot  rise  as high as Jalaluddin, nor see all beings from the ground to the divine throne  in  the  form  of  mirrors:  “Listen!  You  will  hear  the  divine  speech  from everything,” he will in  effect fall from the throne to the ground, and will also be afflicted by false imaginings contrary to the truth!

Say: “God [sent it down]”: then leave them to plunge in vain discourse and trifling.(6:91) * Glory be to the One whose Essence is holy above anything similar to It and whose attributes are free of anything resembling them, and whose signs testify to His dominicality, may His glory be exalted, for there is no god but He.

S a i d   N u r s i

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