In the beginning Allah Almighty created Mind. He said to Mind, "Go!" and it went, He said, "Come!" and it came. He said "Speak" and it spoke, He said, "Be quiet!" and it was silent. The Lord then said: "By My Glory and My Majesty, by My Sublimity and Grace, I have created no servant more pleasing than you, and I have given you naught better than patience."

Sayyidna Ali reports: "The Lord created Mind from a hidden light. At first it was hidden and Allah wished it to shine forth. So He equipped it with knowledge, and He gave its soul Discernment. He placed Asceticism on its head, and Modesty in its eyes, Kindness and Compassion in its heart, lofty Aspiration in its spirit and Patience in its essence. Allah decorated Mind with all the attributes of perfection, for the light of Mind is spiritual, and it belongs to the spirit of man, the Children of Adam. It has its place in the hearts secret, and this secret always aspires to the highest spiritual station. Mind by itself cannot know such aspiration; only with the secret which Allah gave to man can it reach that far. By itself it cannot climb, it has no particular will or inclination, but with the secret which Allah gave to the Children of Adam it can attain to those high stations.

The Lord spoke to Mind: "Oh Mind, look who is before you," Mind looked and beheld a very beautiful being, and asked: "Who are you, so fine and so beautiful?" This being answered: "Oh Mind, without me you have no rank or standing." "What is your name?" "My name is Divinely granted Success, Success from the Lord of the Worlds."

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The Lord created the pen and He spoke to the Pen: "Write!" The Pen said: "Oh Lord, what shall I write?" "Write that which was and that which will be..." The Holy Prophet* said: "In the beginning the Lord created the Pen from a jewel, the size of which was 500 years in lengh. Its nib was split and from it issued light, as ink issues from the nibs of our pens. The end of the Pen was attached to the Throne, and it was given into the hands of the angels. Each letter they wrote was as big as Jebel (Mount) Qaf, that is to say, it was gigantic."

From Abbas: First Allah Almighty created the Pen and the Tablets. He said to Pen, "Write!" The Pen asked, "What shall I write?" "Write that which is, which was and that which will be!" commanded the Lord. Allah created the Tablets from white pearl, and every day they change into 360 different colours. The Pen asked: "What shall I write?" The Lord answered: "Write: La ilaha illallah, Muhammad-ur-Rasul-ullah (There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is Allah's Messenger) Whoever is contented with My Decree, patient with My Trials, thankful for My Favours, him I shall write among the Righteous."

On the Day of Resurrection Allah Almighty will raise them along with the prophets in the Station of the Righteous. And He says of those who do not suffer His trials patiently, who give not thanks for His Favours and who are not content with His Decrees that they "rise up from the sod, seeking equality with God", and this is sacrilege.

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