He then added: 'Those among them who are designated as sacrificial offerings [al-qarabin] are the ones who personally carried out killing, desired it, lacked any mercy in their hearts, and remained persistent 1 in it. Whereas those whom people partition among themselves without a ritual offering 2 are the ones who intentionally and audaciously killed the believers without any right.'
[196] And al-Mufaddal stated in Kitab al-Haft: 'I said to my Master al-Sadiq—Mighty is His Majesty—"What is the indicator regarding the first transfiguration and the second transfiguration, and what is the distinction between them?" He replied: "The indicator in that matter lies within permissibility [al-tahlil] and prohibition [al-tahrim]. Every creature whose consumption and slaughter are prohibited belongs to the first epoch—prior to this era of yours and prior to this Adam of yours." I asked: "My Master, did there exist prior to our seven Adams, and prior to our earth and heaven, another earth and heaven?' He replied: 'Yes, verily Allah—Mighty and Majestic—is eternal,