The Essence of Islam – Volume III — Page 221
The Messiah and his Second Coming 221 such toys are manufactured in Bombay, Calcutta,. Europe, America and every year new one are introduced into the market. . As the Holy Qur'an often employs metaphors, these verses can be construed to mean that birds signify the illiterate and simple people whom Jesus chose as his companions, who were like birds under his care, and into whom he breathed spiritual guidance whereby they began to fly. . Moreover, it is possible that such wonders might be performed like a pastime through hypnosis. Those who are experts in ‘amal-ut-tirb [psychokinetic exercises] can, by directing the warmth of their spirits towards certain objects, make them appear as if they were alive. The human soul possesses the capacity of directing its warmth upon a lifeless object so as to make it move as if it was alive. I have seen some practitioners of this phenomenon, who so warmed a wooden tripod by the touch of their hands through the exercise of their animal spirit that it began to move, and though several people mounted on it, it could not be stopped. . . . It should be remembered that such an object which is fashioned out of clay or wood and is warmed by a spirit through 'amal-ut-tirb does not become alive. It remains solid and lifeless; it is only made to move by the warmth of the spirit of the mesmerist. . It should also be remembered that the Holy Qur'ān does not affirm the movement or flight of such birds, nor their coming to life. It should also be kept in mind that curing diseases and influencing objects with the warmth of the spirit are all branches of mesmerism and there have always been people who healed the paralytics, the lepers and those suffering from tuberculosis through spiritual