BİRİNCİ FEN · İKİNCİ BÂB · ONUNCU FASIL · Beşinci Madde
Fifth Article
It details the seven planets, the stars, and the four qualities (coldness, heat, moisture, and dryness), along with their points of influence.
Beloved! Know that scholars of language have said: Astrologers and natural philosophers are deprived of recognition of Allah, the Creator of the universe, and remain far from knowledge. For they attribute all events and operations in the universe to the positions of the stars and natural occurrences. This leads them astray from the truth.
Their situation is like that of two ants walking on a piece of paper, where a pattern emerges. One of them, upon seeing these wondrous patterns, would be amazed and exclaim with joy: “I have become aware of the secret of events and operations in the universe! Everything comes about through the writing of a pen!” These words of the ant are like the claims of natural philosophers, for they attribute every disposition and action in existence to causes such as coldness, heat, dryness, and moisture.
The other ant would look carefully and see that the movement of the pen (that produces the pattern) is not spontaneous. Rather, it is due to the influence of the fingers holding the pen. Then, having perceived a semblance of truth, he would say to the first ant: “You have erred and fallen far from understanding the essence of the matter! For the emergence of the patterns you see is not through the effect of the pen, but through the will of the fingers that hold it. The pen is, in a way, compelled to draw what is desired by those fingers; it submits to them.” The situation of this second ant, who speaks thus, is like that of an astrologer, who attributes all events and operations to the positions of the stars at that moment. He too has fallen into error unknowingly. For even the stars submit to the command of the noble angels; they move by their execution. And the angels obey and submit to the command of Allah, Exalted be He.
Therefore, all celestial spheres remain stationary or move only through His will and power.
But that poor natural philosopher who attributes every event and operation in creation entirely to natural causes—though there is a measure of truth in his words, for natural causes certainly contribute to events and operations; otherwise, the science of medicine would not exist, nor would the rules used in this field for centuries be valid, nor would the medicines applied to various illnesses that bring healing be useless and abandoned—has erred in weakening his view or expressing it with little investigation. He has lain in his station like a lame donkey and has never considered that even natural philosophers are within the power of Allah’s creative hand; what they do is brought about by His influence.
As for the poor astrologer, he said: “The sun is a star that possesses heat and light in the universe. Without the sun, there would be no plants or animals. Night and day could not be distinguished. The moon too is a star through which the sweetness of fruits comes about. The brightness of nights is only possible through it.
If there were no moon, the natural scents of flowers and fruits would not arise, nor would the wondrous variety of colors and fragrances exist. It would be impossible to count weeks, follow days, or know years.” The astrologer is partially correct in what he says.
However, he errs (becomes a liar) at the point where he attributes all events and operations entirely to the stars. Rather, it is only through Allah’s permission that the stars can exert such an influence on existence. And the true effective cause is only Allah, Exalted be He. The disagreement between the astrologer and the natural philosopher is like that of two people who have grasped the trunk and the leg of an elephant respectively. One says: “The elephant is a trunk-like thing.” The other replies: “No, the elephant is a pillar-like thing.”
In truth, each of these blind men speaks correctly when describing the limb they are defining. But they err in saying that "the elephant consists only of this" based on one limb.
Indeed, stars and natural occurrences certainly influence events and operations in the universe. However, this influence and power is not exclusively theirs. Rather, the stars and natural occurrences that affect existence are servants of the Exalted Creator, possessing wisdom in their affairs, like instruments.
For example, if a sovereign were to build a magnificent palace and furnish a splendid pavilion for himself and his viziers within it. Then he were to construct a courtyard around the pavilion and have twelve cells built on each side of the courtyard. And he were to appoint a guard to each cell. These guards would convey to the outside what the Grand Vizier ordered from within.
Then, if he were to appoint seven horsemen before the gates of those cells. These men would be entrusted with the actual execution and implementation of the orders and instructions given by the sovereign. They would carry out the commands and instructions given from the sovereign to the viziers, then to the clerks and deputies in the land.
If the sovereign were also to appoint four foot soldiers in the land. They would stand ready with manacles, seizing those who are ordered to be arrested by the sovereign’s decree and bringing them before him. And he would bring back some people whom he had banished from his court.
Mülk and melekut realms, and all the worlds' Lord, God Most High, is free from every deficiency. The possessor of the Throne, of majesty, grandeur, awe, power, glory, and dominion—He is the Master, the Almighty, free from every imperfection. We glorify the King of existence. We glorify the Ever-Living, who never sleeps nor dies. He Who is sanctified, worthy of praise; He is our Lord, the Lord of angels and the spirit—His glory is exalted beyond measure, and His attributes are sublime.
The astronomer’s wisdom concerning the states of the spheres and the positions of stars, we deem sufficient to relate. We have recorded these things for this noble purpose: that they may serve as a means to insight, opening the door to reflection and enabling one to perceive the subtle artistry hidden in the Creator of the universe's wise works.
Through these, may God be known, so that our true goal—knowledge of the Divine—may manifest. Thereafter, we have found it fitting to explain somewhat the conditions of elements and compounds, and to reveal the secrets of the world, which is a place of coming-into-being and dissolution, through various allusions. It is hoped that those with reason who read and examine these things will find them a means to derive instruction. May their hearts be filled with the joy and delight of awareness of servitude, and may their tongues utter praise of the Lord—as follows:
“Mülk and melekut realms, and all the worlds' Lord, God Most High, is free from every deficiency. The possessor of the Throne, of majesty, grandeur, awe, [60/a] power, glory, and dominion—He is the Master, the Almighty, free from every imperfection. We glorify the King of existence. We glorify the Ever-Living, who never sleeps nor dies. He Who is sanctified, worthy of praise; He is our Lord, the Lord of angels and the spirit—His glory is exalted beyond measure, and His attributes are sublime.”
Glory be to Him Who possesses sovereignty and dominion; glory be to Him Who possesses the Throne and honor and majesty and power and might and grandeur and absolute authority. Glory be to the worshipped King, glory be to the manifest King, glory be to the living King who sleeps not nor dies. The Most Holy, the Utterly Pure, our Lord and the Lord of the angels and the Spirit – His glory is exalted above all that they attribute to Him, and His dominion surpasses all things.
[60/b]
[61/a]
[62/a]
Concerning the nature and qualities of the bodies (lower corporeal forms) belonging to the world of arising and dissolution—that is, the positions and developments of the four fundamental elements—the characteristics and states of minerals, plants, and animals called the threefold origins—the shape transformations caused by ethereal substances [517]—and the quantity of changes brought about by the influence of the Turkic year, it conveys, in ten sections with a wise style, certain words pertaining to new astronomy.
[517]. *Ether* (): As previously explained, it is that which fills the cosmos and permeates all bodies; it is what physicists consider to be a medium for transmitting light, heat, and electricity, being weightless, elastic, and fluid. The word has passed from Greek into Arabic.