tery, as have the different ways of the saints, and the different paths of the purified scholars. For example, together with the other names, the name of All-Powerful was predominant in Jesus (Upon whom be peace). And in those who follow the path of love, the name of Loving One prevails, and in those who follow the path of contemplation and reflection, the name of All-Wise.

Thus, if someone is both a teacher and a policeman and a clerk of the court, and an inspector in the civil service, in each office he has both relations, and duties, and obligations, and salaries, and responsibilities, and promotion, and enemies and rivals who are the cause of his failures. He appears before the king with many titles, and he sees the king. He seeks help from him with many tongues. He has recourse to many of the ruler’s titles and seeks his help in many forms in order to be saved from the evil of his enemies.

In just the same way, man, who manifests many names and is charged with many duties and afflicted with many enemies, invokes many of the names in his prayers and supplications. Like Muhammad the Arabian (Upon whom be blessings and peace), the cause of pride of mankind and truly the most perfect man, supplicated with a thousand and one names in his prayer, Jaushan al-Kabir, seeking refuge from Hell-fire. It is due to this mystery that the sura,

Say, I seek refuge with the Sustainer and Cherisher of men, ∗ The Sovereign of men, ∗ The God of men, ∗ From the evil of the whispering, elusive tempter (114:1-4)*

commands that we take refuge with God through three titles, and,

In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate

shows the seeking of help through three names.

Second Branch

SECOND BRANCH

This explains two mysteries which comprise the keys to many further mysteries.

FIRST MYSTERY: “Why do the saints differ greatly in their visions and illuminations although they are unanimous on the fundamentals of belief? Why are their illuminations, which are at the degree of witnessing, sometimes opposed to reality and contrary to the truth? And why in their ideas which they consider to be the truth, establishing them through decisive proofs, do thinkers and scholars see and show reality in a way that contradicts one another? Why does one truth take on numerous colours?”

SECOND MYSTERY: “Why did the early prophets deal with some of the pillars of belief like bodily resurrection briefly and not explain them in