İKİNCİ FEN · DÖRDÜNCÜ BAB · İKİNCİ FASIL · Birinci Madde
Article One
It declares the arteries originating from the heart.
O, esteemed one! Know that anatomists have said: The arteries within the body – which they call *shiryan* (arteries) – are the vessels of life in motion. All but one are active. They are all created firm to protect the inner surfaces, for they encounter the forceful movements of the essence of the spirit.
The origin of the arteries is from one of the chambers of the heart, namely the left chamber. For the right chamber, being close to the liver, is occupied with drawing and digesting nourishment.
[132/a] The *shiryan-i veridi* (the artery leading to the lung) is foremost among the arteries, small in size, and emerges from the heart’s left chamber, reaching deep within the regions of respiration in the lungs. These arteries convey the blood that nourishes the lungs from the heart to it.
For the lung receives its nourishment from the heart. The origin of this artery is from the heart's thinner portion, and from a place where it will affect the pulmonary arteries. This artery is composed of only one layer, unlike others, so that its expansion and contraction (contraction) may be soft and easy; so that when the vaporous and subtle blood appropriate to the lung seeps into it from the heart, it finds ease in doing so. Just as the over-ripening of the blood flowing within the *verid-i ecvef* [590] (the great vein) is necessary, as we will explain below, there should be no such necessity here. Especially has its place been close to the heart, so that the force which facilitates the work of ripening through heat may easily reach the fire.
The veins have two membranes that penetrate from outside the point of entry inward. Since it does not require strength, it suffices with these two membranes, so that the vaporous fume (carbon dioxide) and the heated blood may be sent to the lung with ease. The great vein – though close to the lung – as we will explain with its characteristics below, originates from near the spine, behind the lung. When it is born from its front side, its branches and limbs penetrate into the lung. These are signs of the power of the Most High Creator and witnesses to the perfection of His assistance.
“We glorify Allah, free from all imperfection, who has created and manages all these things perfectly.”