مكتبة كتيبة محمّد بن نصير Muhammad bin Nusayr's Library Bibliothèque de Muhammad bin Nusayr کتابخانه کتیبه محمد بن نصیر

مَكْتَبَةُ كَتِيبَةِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ نُصَيْرٍ

The Egyptian Epistle - Muhammad ibn Muqatil al-Qati'i

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And His word, the Mighty and Sublime: {So when the night covered him [with darkness], he saw a star. He said, "This is my lord." But when it set, he said, "I like not those that disappear." And when he saw the moon rising, he said, "This is my lord." But when it set, he said, "Unless my lord guides me, I will surely be among the people gone astray." And when he saw the sun rising, he said, "This is my lord; this is greater." But when it set, he said, "O my people, indeed I am free from what you associate with God. Indeed, I have turned my face toward He who created the heavens and the earth, inclining toward truth, and I am not of those who associate others with God."}1

So discern—may God grant you success and not try you in His knowledge. Do you not know that the attribute of the star is other than that of the moon, and the attribute of the moon is other than that of the sun? Their lights surpass one another. Abraham is the Mim, and he is the Supreme Name—exalted be his glory—the teacher of all worlds and their originator. This address falls from him upon the Informed One—Abraham ibn Azar in this cycle—as a matter of discipline for us, so that we may use it to guide us to the knowledge of the Lord—Exalted. Thus we realize that He appeared in changing forms and different names. Just as you saw me seeking proof of the Lord, so should you; be wise and discerning, seek Him and seek proof of His knowledge, for He is not veiled from you. Behold, God is the Manifest Truth. What you look upon and observe is the Manifest Truth, the Deity who said—Glory be to Him: "I did, I made." None says "I" except the Meaning—exalted be his glory—Ali, Amir Almuminin.

The Name manifested as Jacob son of Isaac son of Abraham—exalted be his glory. He is pure Mim because he is among the nine Essential Nominal names previously mentioned. He is the Israel of God, regarding whom He says in the Torah: "Jacob is my son and my firstborn."

Footnotes

1Surah Al-An'am – Verse 76-79.
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