as heard from the Lord al-Sadiq—Glorified be His Might. The Lord Ja'far ibn Muhammad al-Sadiq [the Eye] said: "Know, O Mufaddal, that Allah has never manifested in a station from the time of Adam’s appearance until the appearance of Muhammad, but that this world addressed Him as a magician and a soothsayer. That was the saying of the angels when they said—according to [the deniers'] claim, though the angels did not actually say it, for this is a 'substitution' (Tabdil) in the Book—His words: {Will You place upon it one who causes corruption therein and sheds blood?} ¹ . They intended by this [to accuse Him of] magic and soothsaying. Likewise was the case with Cain (Qabil): he said to Abel (Habil), 'Indeed you are a magician; you bewitched the fire until it consumed your offering and did not pass by mine.' So he envied him for the 'magic' and killed him. Likewise were Seth, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus and Muhammad, and all the manifestations (al-Zuhurat) between them that appeared through Prophethood and Succession (al-Wasiyya): they were never accused of anything other than magic. He reported this regarding them and clarified it in His Mighty Book. Among that is the saying of the Exalted: {Indeed, this is a learned magician.} ² ;