[230] And on the authority of our master al-Rida, His glory is might, that he said: "There is not in the Book of Allah any food, drink, or mount; rather, they are merely struck parables that possess meanings, so the meaning of each one holds a status it deserves. Likewise, there is no gem, silver, gold, perfume, or types of food, but all of that consists of parables." Then he said: "Not only in the Book of Allah, but even our discourse contains nothing of what has passed regarding the essences of foods and drinks; rather, all that has passed of it is measured by parables denoting the necessity of the persons, meanings, and apparitions, and indeed choices pointing to lights and darknesses of the straying sects and the glimmers of the Truth."

And the Master Mustafa said in his treatise Yatimat al-Durr al-Khalis: "Verily, Allah, Glory be to Him, created the creation as spiritual beings who do not eat and do not suffer pain, so the believer stood singular by the holiness of knowledge, just as the Essentiality stands singular from any likeness."

[231] And from Kitab al-Haft, al-Sadiq, His glory is might, said to Yunus b. Zabyan: "O Yunus, verily, Allah created light before darkness, created good before evil, created Paradise before the Fire, created mercy before punishment,