BB00640: On istifah (asking the explanation of texts)

O man! If thou wouldst inquire, then ask and say: There hath arisen in Islam a matter of great moment, and there hath come a noble man who hath laid claim for himself to a weighty discourse. If he be truthful, if he hath come in truth and calleth the people unto the truth, then blessed are those brought nigh unto him; and sufficient is this for him as an everlasting glory in Islam, from the beginning of time unto this day, among all Muslims. But if he be false, then there is no doubt that he is for Islam and the Muslims a manifest enemy, and it is incumbent upon all to invalidate his proof by resplendent evidence and decisive arguments—by verses like unto his verses, by a book like unto his book, and by pages like unto his pages—so that all may recognize the nullity of his cause as clearly as the sun in the midst of heaven, and that none may follow him.

When, therefore, I sought the truth of this matter, I perceived it to be my duty to command one and dispatch him into the presence of all the learned, and to send unto them certain of his verses which he had made a proof against all. And when I examined his books and his pages, I beheld no writing more concise, nor any reading lighter, than that page which had issued from him over the course of twelve months in the Book of God. I understood through correcting it, and I desired to present myself before him, that I might behold him and hear from him the soundness thereof; yet I was unable to do so, owing to the actions of those who acted. Nevertheless, I strove greatly until I corrected it by comparison with the original copy—such that it was as though it were the very copy written by its own scribe.

O assembly of Muslims! From the day of the appearance of this Cause until his return from the pilgrimage—apart from what was stolen from him on the road to the city—he hath written four books and ten pages. And I saw all his words at the utmost degree of eloquence and clarity, such that at times it was sweeter to my soul to believe that these words were not of human origin. I saw, in the possession of some people, copies in which there were errors and confusions; but when I labored in that matter, I saw that the true scribes wrote them in complete precision, while the slanderers lied. I gathered fourteen copies upon the authentic exemplar, and from beginning to end there was not therein a single alteration, nor a breach of coherence, nor a deviation from the established rules.

As for the words of the slanderers, there is in their verses neither coherence nor conformity with the rules. Thus we reject them all, and we establish that single authentic page as a proof against all. And his affair is not concealed from anyone: he was a merchant, untrained in the disciplines of the learned; yet whenever he wrote, he wrote whatsoever he willed, without reflection or pause of the pen, as though he were a surging sea—nay, like a tree whose oil would almost shine forth though fire had not touched it: light upon light; God guideth unto His light whomsoever He willeth. God setteth forth parables in the Book, that haply the people may remember the signs of God.

Look then upon it, read its verses, reflect upon its allusions, and set forth your answer as it truly is, with justice and right. I call God to witness that I found myself incapable of producing a verse like unto it, nor of comprehending its full meaning. Yet since I do not know with certainty whether others are able or not, perhaps someone may bring forth the like of that brief page and thereby overthrow the proof of the claimant. For if any were to bring forth the like of that page, his proof would stand and his argument would prevail. Otherwise—though all the people be slain unjustly, and though the obstinate write each day a thousand thousand refutations, and the hypocrites scatter daily falsehoods as they did among the ancients—his proof shall not be invalidated, and his cause shall remain true.

For all people believed in the Qur’an by that proof, and it was not subject to the conditions of imprisonment, nor the rule of craft, nor the claim that it was composed by human skill. Whatever anyone may say of his verses, I say the same of the Qur’an. Have mercy upon me, O assembly of the learned! Whoso saveth a soul, it is as though he hath saved all mankind; and whoso slayeth a soul, it is as though he hath slain all mankind.

I adjure you by God: if ye are able to produce the like or beyond it, then write and send it unto me, that all may be upon clear insight. But if ye are unable, then write your incapacity, that we may follow his Cause. And if ye neither produce nor confess incapacity, there is no doubt that God, His angels, and His messengers curse you—for by this a soul is destroyed; and whoso destroyeth a soul, his recompense is written in the Book of God. And if ye neither are able nor confess incapacity, then the judgment of God shall be as before: the angels of the heavens and the earth shall curse you.

If ye are perplexed, then write the cause of your perplexity, that we may follow the fairest of utterances by the judgment of the Qur’an. Yet perplexity, in my view, is false; for God knoweth this matter, and God is the Preserver of His religion. If the claimant be a liar, it is incumbent upon God to invalidate him by two verses like unto his, at the hand of one of His servants. And if he be truthful in his claim and speaketh from the Book of God by His leave, then it is incumbent upon Him to manifest the incapacity of all His servants, lest anyone stray from His path.

I have no doubt that if this be truth—as indeed it is truth—then I bear witness thereto with my blood, my veins, and my bones. And if it be false, then someone must inevitably bring forth the like thereof. Therefore aid the religion of God, O assembly of the learned! Aid the religion of the Messenger of God—may God bless him and his family! Aid the path of ʿAli—peace be upon him! And do not claim that this claimant is from among the Muslims; rather, deem him one of the furthest strangers, if ye are able—by the right of the Messenger of God. Invalidate him by clear proof; and if ye are unable, then affirm him by the right of the Friend of God, with luminous evidence.

If my messenger bringeth that book into your presence and ye do not return unto me an answer—yes or no—then ye have no religion, and God shall question you on the Day of Resurrection. From the day of the appearance of this Cause until now, I have not seen anyone refute it by proof; rather, I have seen a Persian page in the hand of one man which was itself evidence of the truth. Yet asses perceived it not, for those who take hold of that page possess no discernment, and their knowledge hath no soundness in my sight; they believe, they proclaim, they migrate, then they disgrace themselves.

I have seen the reply which the claimant wrote to them, demanding that they produce a tradition like unto his verses; and I have heard from many people that they shall not bring forth a single verse. Had they been truthful in their conduct, it would have been incumbent upon them to produce the like of that page, so as to invalidate the proof of this Cause by clear evidence. Yet I know them to be dead, knowing nothing; God hath taken away their perception and left them in darkness wherein they see not—deaf, dumb, blind, returning not. God hath cursed them for their unbelief; it is as though they understand not.

The leaders of the Shaykhis from Qazvin and Khurasan have confessed incapacity; yet though they know themselves to be in unbelief, they persist in denial. If ye act according to truth, then send forth the like of that page; otherwise God shall curse you, and all who curse shall curse you. I have no doubt that the Cause whose proof consisteth in books and pages shall not be invalidated by the actions of hypocrites, nor by such Persian pages which themselves testify to its truth in the sight of all—though they say the claimant wrote that page merely to escape the jaws of dogs, while they themselves inwardly know and are certain, yet perceive it not.

Aid me with all your strength, O most eloquent of Arabs, masters of subtleties! Aid me with all your power, O most discerning of sages, masters of refinements! Aid me with all your proofs, O noblest of the learned, masters of realities! For I desire the pure religion of God; and by my own soul, God and His chosen ones bear witness that I am incapable—I was not able, even after striving between myself and God and exhausting my soul for many hours, to bring forth the like of that page, nor even a single verse like unto his verses, by innate capacity. I have heard men among the learned confess their incapacity and affirm the truth of that matter; and I have seen from some of the great scholars—first among the Usūlis, then the Shaykhis, then the Akhbaris—books of affirmation, before which hearts were bewildered by their words, minds confounded by their allusions, souls trembled at their subtleties, and eyes were softened by the inner meanings of their verses.

The matter, each time I hear and see the books, groweth yet greater. I have read in a book that, were he to will, he could write each day a page of proof; and were his entire proof but that act, nothing could withstand it—though that single page in controversies was itself a proof none could withstand, for the station of intimate discourse with God is a mighty station. Until now, none hath come forth with its like in the allusions of suppositions and the signs of realities. Even al-Majlisi—may God have mercy upon him—declared that the Sahifah al-Bahariyah would be the greatest of miracles, even though the truth is as it is.

Whoso readeth that page and this page beareth witness that the matter therein ascendeth from the realm of infinity unto that which hath no end. How sweet are his supplications! How exalted his allusions! How mighty his verses! How great his power, which sendeth down verses in whatsoever manner He willeth, as He willeth! How noble his indications! Glory be to God for the sweetness of His verses—none hath come forth with the like thereof. Is this a mortal man, or is he but a noble angel?

God sufficeth as Witness between me and you and all the worlds. Glory be to God above all that they ascribe; peace be upon the Messengers; and praise be unto God, the Lord of the worlds.