Then he came the next day and dug him up; suddenly a great dung-beetle1 emerged from him and addressed him in an eloquent, clear tongue: "Have you come to me to dig me up after I have become of the folk and married among them?"
(521) It was related from Muhammad ibn Sadaqa — peace be upon him — from our Master al-Rida — exalted be his glory — regarding the word of God the Mighty and Sublime: {God eliminates what He wills and confirms, and with Him is the Mother of the Book}2. He said: "He eliminates the form." It was asked: "And His saying 'and confirms'?" He replied: "In its place, another like it, according to merit."
(522) By the same chain from Muhammad ibn Sadaqa al-Anbari — peace be upon him — from our Master al-Rida — exalted be his glory — that he said: "The two metamorphosed stones that sustain the spirits of this entire world and are the two pillars of the state of Iblis—none loves them except those who are of their element." Muhammad ibn Sadaqa said: I asked about that? It was said: "His father had passed through the pebble in the 'Establishment' (al-rusukhiyya), so his spirit longs for gold and silver."
Whoever is from that father longs from two sides: one because he is from his father, and the other because he is current in the varieties. The likes of these have gold and silver as their spirits. Do you not see His words — Mighty and Sublime: {O you who have believed, indeed many of the scholars and the monks devour the wealth of people unjustly and avert [them] from the way of God. And those who hoard gold and silver and spend them not in the way of God — give them tidings of a painful punishment}3 — meaning they store them.