or a dazzling sign, or has he spoken or uttered wisdom?" He said: "No." He said: "Then why do you worship a stone that neither hears nor sees, nor avails you anything?" He replied: "Indeed, we found our fathers upon a religion, and we are, in their footsteps, guided."1
He said: "What was the argument of your fathers for worshiping idols, when they were of perfect merit, high status, and fine understanding and knowledge? For what reason did they worship stones that avail them nothing?" He replied: "The circumstance that necessitated their worship of idols is a great matter, and they have a clear excuse for it. I shall not reveal to you their argument and the secret of their religion except after I take from you a firm covenant that you are a man who will not broadcast it, and will not cast this secret except to one whose merit, intellect, and religion you trust." He said to him: "You have my word on that." He then said: "Know—may Allah support you—that accounts have been transmitted to us, mentioned by our truthful sheikhs whose truthfulness, knowledge, and wisdom have been evident generation after generation, that there appeared to the nation in bygone ages a person who called the entire nation to himself. A group responded to him, while others rejected him. Those who responded did not do so until after he manifested miracles, brought forth dazzling powers, clarified for the people the House of Wisdom, fashioned therein gilded images, arranged ranks for those who responded, established levels for them, and granted them the highest stations. He used to gather the people for worship; when they gathered unto him in the House of Wisdom, he would ascend to the highest place while the people stood listening to his words and seeing his person. He would recite profound wisdom to them, manifest beautiful exhortations, and discipline them with commendable manners. When he had done so, the senior disciple, who was below his station, would recite to them as he had recited. Then the junior disciple would recite as the senior disciple had recited. Thereafter, every possessor of a rank would recite to those below them