The Mirror of the Excellences of Islam — Page 208
PREFACE-FOOTNOTE 207 employs appropriate means to demonstrate His Signs and manifesta- tions. And since bodies and material things-being confined by their personal characteristics and the finite limitations of their existence; and in comparison with the existence and the Being of the Creator, calling themselves as existing and present, and being particularized by their own will or natural actions; and considering themselves to have permanent existence comprised of themselves and excluding others have drawn far away from the Cause of all causes and the Absolutely Benevolent. And around their physical being is a very thick veil of per- sonal identification, self-conceit, and [the wonder of their] creation. Therefore, they are no longer worthy of directly receiving such graces of the Unique Being as could descend only if the above-mentioned veil had not intervened and their existence was to resemble non-exist- ence wholly. Since the existence of all these things does not resemble non-existence, everything of this kind of creation emphatically and loudly proclaims its existence by its actions. The Sun proclaims that I am the body upon which all heat, cold and light depends and that affects the world in 365 ways through 365 forms. And it causes heat where its rays fall and causes cold where its rays do not fall and rules over bodies and their matter, and upon their shapes and senses. The Earth proclaims that it is a body upon which are populated a thousand countries, and that it produces a variety of vegetation, and develops various types of minerals, and that it accepts heavenly influences like a woman. Fire proclaims by its actions that it is something that burns, possesses the characteristic power of combus- tion and is a local substitute for the Sun in the dark. In the same way, everything on Earth proclaims its own praise. For example, Senna¹ claims that in the last part of the second stage, I increase metabolism and induce dryness in the first stage. Moreover, I alleviate phlegm, black bile, bilious temperament, soreness, and calm the mind, and I am beneficial in epilepsy, fissures, insanity, chronic 1. Cassia Senna is a plant with healing and medicinal uses. [Publisher]