water, then conceive of the Maker's grandeur!", the mass of people would have either denied it due to their superficial view and their supposing it to be contrary to what their external senses perceived, or they would have deceived themselves, or competed with it. But to confuse people, especially over a period of a thousand years, is a grievous error when offering guidance. In short, the earth being flat and the rotation of the sun were considered by them to be self-evident truths since that is how they saw them.

Note

Matters like this cannot be compared with future theoretical matters. For matters that belong to the future are possible in two respects since they are not connected with the external senses. They may be believed in, for they are possible. One may feel confident about them. Clearly their right is to be clarified. But errors arising from the senses raised this matter of ours [that is, matters dealt with by the physical sciences] from the level of possibility to that of plain self-evidence, that is, to that of compounded ignorance. Whereas their undeniable right in the view of eloquence is to be vague and indefinite lest the people's minds become confused. Nevertheless, allusions, hints, and indications should be made to the truth. Doors should be opened to minds and they should be invited to enter. That is anyway what the Illustrious Shari'a has done.

Brother! Is it fair, is it investigating the truth, to imagine to be contrary to guidance the thing that is the very essence of guidance and pure eloquence? And to suppose to be defective something which according to eloquence is perfection itself? Is it eloquence according to your defective understanding to cast the people's minds into error and confusion and to propose things reason cannot support because time and place have not adequately equipped their under- standing? God forbid! The rule "Speak to people in accordance with their understanding" [^13] is wise and meaningful. Refer to the Premises if you wish, especially the First Premise; ponder over it.

[^13]:Cf. Bukhārī, 'Ilm, 49: "Ḥaddith al-nās bi-mā ya'rifūna" (Speak to the people in accordance with what they know).